By Catherine Warmerdam

Good things happen when musicians gather together in a supportive community. That’s the premise behind the Sacramento Songwriter Circle, a loosely organized group of songsmiths who span generations and genres but share a common passion for writing original music. 

The group was founded about nine years ago in Roseville but later migrated to Sacramento when key members relocated, according to musician Nine Fingers who currently serves as the ad hoc coordinator (Nine Fingers asked to only go by his professional name). Its mission is to nudge musicians out of their private practice spaces and into a supportive environment where they can work through ideas, seek new perspectives and eventually, build up the confidence to share their work with a larger audience. 

Each month, anywhere from a half dozen to as many as 30 members come together and present a song that they’ve been working on to the other musicians. Membership is free and open to all songwriters, regardless of genre. Because songwriting is typically a solitary endeavor and emerging artists often don’t have access to an audience that can offer constructive feedback on their craft, sharing work with fellow songwriters can be transformative, explains Nine. 

“The first time that I came to the songwriter circle, I had been doing music for a long, long time at that point, but I had never, not once in my life, actually been surrounded by peers who were songwriters,” Nine says. “It broke open the gates, creatively speaking.”

Songwriter Jeremy DeCarvalho agrees, adding that the exposure to other artists’ processes has prompted him to become more consistent with his songwriting.

Songwriter Eboni Esra, who describes her music as “R&B meets metal,” says the input she’s received from fellow songwriters has improved her artistry. “I might have a song that I feel ‘meh’ about, but they’ll give me advice to maybe change the arrangement, take a pause, let the lyrics breathe. It’s all really helpful.”

Nine describes how one member went from never having played in front of strangers to debuting at open mic nights and eventually producing a studio recording, all within the span of a year. “It’s about getting new people to feel more confident,” he says.

The Sacramento Songwriter Circle stands out for the diversity of its membership. It’s not unusual for a retired blues guitarist to collaborate with a teenage folk musician or a 20-something hip-hop artist. The genre-crossing, multigenerational nature of the group’s membership is invigorating, according to DeCarvalho. 

“Our group, along with the open mic nights around town, is a legitimate third space where different people can connect,” he says. “When you have somebody with a totally different life experience writing in a style you’ve never heard before, you get a pollination of different influences.” 

The all-volunteer group has experienced challenges, however, particularly with securing a meeting space. The songwriters had been gathering at MusicLandria, a hub that was revered by  local musicians until the nonprofit lost its building. Most recently, members have been meeting at McKinley Park in East Sacramento, but it’s not a long-term solution due to weather and other constraints.

“We don’t get any funding from anyone and have had to rely on spaces opening up to us,” says Nine, frustrated that Sacramento does not have more affordable venues available for artists and musicians, especially at a time when so many commercial buildings in the city are vacant.

DeCarvalho shares Nine’s frustration about the dearth of meeting space in Sacramento, adding that devaluing the arts and artists means diminishing the human experience. 

Esra believes city leaders ought to lease out spaces for artists and musicians like her to practice and perform. Musicians who cannot afford rental fees could volunteer to help run the operation.

She would also like to see the city provide a showcase for emerging musical talent, perhaps through performance competitions or community shows, and to establish a program akin to the city’s poet laureate program, but aimed at songwriters. 

Investing in songwriters, musicians and other artists, Esra argues, not only strengthens community bonds but can also boost the local economy. “One of the first things people research when they think of moving to a city is whether there is a thriving cultural scene. There is money to be had from investing in artists.”
Good things happen when musicians gather together in a supportive community. That’s the premise behind the Sacramento Songwriter Circle, a loosely organized group of songsmiths who span generations and genres but share a common passion for writing original music. 

The group was founded about nine years ago in Roseville but later migrated to Sacramento when key members relocated, according to musician Nine Fingers who currently serves as the ad hoc coordinator (Nine Fingers asked to only go by his professional name). Its mission is to nudge musicians out of their private practice spaces and into a supportive environment where they can work through ideas, seek new perspectives and eventually, build up the confidence to share their work with a larger audience. 

Each month, anywhere from a half dozen to as many as 30 members come together and present a song that they’ve been working on to the other musicians. Membership is free and open to all songwriters, regardless of genre. Because songwriting is typically a solitary endeavor and emerging artists often don’t have access to an audience that can offer constructive feedback on their craft, sharing work with fellow songwriters can be transformative, explains Nine. 

“The first time that I came to the songwriter circle, I had been doing music for a long, long time at that point, but I had never, not once in my life, actually been surrounded by peers who were songwriters,” Nine says. “It broke open the gates, creatively speaking.”

Songwriter Jeremy DeCarvalho agrees, adding that the exposure to other artists’ processes has prompted him to become more consistent with his songwriting.

Songwriter Eboni Esra, who describes her music as “R&B meets metal,” says the input she’s received from fellow songwriters has improved her artistry. “I might have a song that I feel ‘meh’ about, but they’ll give me advice to maybe change the arrangement, take a pause, let the lyrics breathe. It’s all really helpful.”

Nine describes how one member went from never having played in front of strangers to debuting at open mic nights and eventually producing a studio recording, all within the span of a year. “It’s about getting new people to feel more confident,” he says.

The Sacramento Songwriter Circle stands out for the diversity of its membership. It’s not unusual for a retired blues guitarist to collaborate with a teenage folk musician or a 20-something hip-hop artist. The genre-crossing, multigenerational nature of the group’s membership is invigorating, according to DeCarvalho. 

“Our group, along with the open mic nights around town, is a legitimate third space where different people can connect,” he says. “When you have somebody with a totally different life experience writing in a style you’ve never heard before, you get a pollination of different influences.” 

The all-volunteer group has experienced challenges, however, particularly with securing a meeting space. The songwriters had been gathering at MusicLandria, a hub that was revered by  local musicians until the nonprofit lost its building. Most recently, members have been meeting at McKinley Park in East Sacramento, but it’s not a long-term solution due to weather and other constraints.

“We don’t get any funding from anyone and have had to rely on spaces opening up to us,” says Nine, frustrated that Sacramento does not have more affordable venues available for artists and musicians, especially at a time when so many commercial buildings in the city are vacant.

DeCarvalho shares Nine’s frustration about the dearth of meeting space in Sacramento, adding that devaluing the arts and artists means diminishing the human experience. 

Esra believes city leaders ought to lease out spaces for artists and musicians like her to practice and perform. Musicians who cannot afford rental fees could volunteer to help run the operation.

She would also like to see the city provide a showcase for emerging musical talent, perhaps through performance competitions or community shows, and to establish a program akin to the city’s poet laureate program, but aimed at songwriters. 

Investing in songwriters, musicians and other artists, Esra argues, not only strengthens community bonds but can also boost the local economy. “One of the first things people research when they think of moving to a city is whether there is a thriving cultural scene. There is money to be had from investing in artists.”

This story was funded by the City of Sacramento’s Arts and Creative Economy Journalism Grant to Solving Sacramento. Following our journalism code of ethics and protocols, the city had no editorial influence over this story and no city official reviewed this story before it was published. Our partners include California Groundbreakers, Capital Public Radio, Outword, Russian America Media, Sacramento Business Journal, Sacramento News & Review, Sacramento Observer and Univision 19. Sign up for our “Sac Art Pulse” newsletter here. story was funded by the City of Sacramento’s Arts and Creative Economy Journalism Grant to Solving Sacramento. Following our journalism code of ethics and protocols, the city had no editorial influence over this story and no city official reviewed this story before it was published. Our partners include California Groundbreakers, Capital Public Radio, Outword, Russian America Media, Sacramento Business Journal, Sacramento News & Review, Sacramento Observer and Univision 19. Sign up for our “Sac Art Pulse” newsletter here.