Society Hall  "where community celebrates!"

Performing will be Doug Figgs, of Lemitar, NM, with his fine western songs, cowboy poets Floyd and Valerie Beard, of Kim, Colorado, and music and poetry from Dennis and Beverly Russell, aka The Russellers, from Redwing, Colorado.

Doug Figgs is an AFA certified journeyman farrier, a working cowboy, and a multiple award- winning Western music singer/songwriter. He has performed his music all over the west and continues to turn out his own variety of Western music – from hard driving songs with a tinge of Southern rock, to beautiful ballads and everything in between. His awards include: 2021 “Wrangler Award” Western Song “El Caballo del Fuego”, 2019 IWMA Western Album of the Year “Go West”, 2019 IWMA Group of the Year with “The Cowboy Way Trio”, 2019 NMMA Western Song of the Year “I Make My Livin’ In the Saddle”, and 2018 IWMA Male Performer of the Year.

Floyd Beard lives twelve cattle guards from the pavement near Kim, Colorado. He and his wife, Valerie, run cattle with their daughter and son-in-law. A good day involves getting up before the sun is "pinking up the east", riding, working cattle, and settling down on the porch to watch the sunset.

Floyd is an award -winning poet and has been writing and rhyming for over 30 years. He is the 2016, 2017, and 2021 International Western Music Association's Male Poet of the Year. His most recent CD, "Horse Tales and Cow Trails" also won the IWMA's 2021 Cowboy Poetry CD of the Year. Most of his original poetry is written about his observations while working on the ranch.

Valerie Beard is a rancher's wife, teacher, writer, crew cook, quilter and reader. She and her husband Floyd live outside of Kim in southeastern Colorado and run cattle with their daughter and son-in-law. They keep a few Border Collies around to stay humble.

Valerie recently released her first poetry CD, "No Better Life" with the help of Jean Prescott on vocals and Dale Burson on vocals and instrumentation. She was honored to be a top five finalist for IWMA Female Poet of the Year in 2019 and 2021.

The Russellers are Dennis Russell, poet and songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Beverly Gray Russell, best known for her beautiful mastery of the musical saw. They share their original music and poetry that depict their ranching lifestyle on the beautiful Huerfano River outside of Redwing in southern Colorado as well as covering traditional stories and songs at campfires, gatherings and house concerts in family friendly entertainment. Dennis is founder of the Cimarron Cowboy Music and Poetry Gathering and happy to be the emcee of any western event. You can often find Beverly showing kids, parents, and grand parents alike how her magical musical saw works.

Best known for writing the CMA Song of the Year and smash hit for the Dixie Chicks “Wide Open Spaces”, Susan has released more than a half dozen CDs and traveled hundreds of thousands of miles taking her music to her many fans throughout the country.

Susan's no stranger to Alamosa and the San Luis Valley, having recorded her EP “Remember Who You Are” with Don Richmond at Howlin' Dog Recording just outside of Alamosa. She has also played Alamosa several times – in local house concerts, as a featured performer at Adams State, and previously at Society Hall, both solo and with the Red River Songwriters traveling show. She's very much looking forward to reconnecting with her many fans in the area. Richmond will also join her onstage for the Society Hall show.

Here are a few things that some folks around the country have said about Susan's music - "Susan has spent more than a decade crafting great songs that share (and usually exceed) the qualities that made "Wide Open Spaces" such a hit - authenticity, wit, and themes to which just about anyone with a heartbeat can relate." - No Depression magazine. "There’s the one single element that’s remained true and consistent throughout: her easy-going believability that cuts straight through pretentiousness or fraudulent emotions. It cuts to the core of the human experience. At times it’s bold and brave. At others, she’s incredibly honest with a glimpse of those insecurities, intimate details, and exposed feelings that we all encounter from time to time." - New Slang Lubbock. "Gibson, as she did with her smash "Wide Open Spaces," strikes strong emotional chords without getting sappy, and celebrates life and love without resorting to platitudes." - Jim Beal, Jr. - San Antonio Express News.

The board of Society Hall, 501c-3 non profit corporation hope that you can join them for a night of the music of Susan Gibson, with a little help from Don Richmond, at Society Hall, Wednesday, June 5th at 7:30 pm! Doors open at 6:30. Tickets are available online at www.societyhall.org, at the Green Spot in Alamosa, or at the door. As always, wine, beer, soft drinks and snacks will be available. Society Hall – where community celebrates!

Society Hall, the performance space, concert hall and community gathering place at 400 Ross Ave. in Alamosa, is thrilled to welcome back Irish guitarist and singer-songwriter Patsy O'Brien in concert Friday October 7, at 7:30 PM. Doors will open at 6:30 pm. Tickets are $20 and are available at the Green Spot in Alamosa or at the link below. The concert will also stream live on the Society Hall Facebook page and You-Tube channel.

Patsy entranced the Society Hall crowd when he was here a couple of years ago with his phenomenal guitar wizardry, and has been compared to an Irish Tommy Emmanuel. He has bridged the gap between traditional Celtic/Irish styles of guitar and more modern jazz, rock, and roots/Americana influences. He is also an accomplished singer-songwriter and vocalist. Plus, he's funny and engaging in concert, with that twinkle in his eye that reaches back to the Emerald Isle.

As well as supplying the driving guitar rhythms on Celtic/World Music diva Eileen Ivers' last European tour, and frequently treading the boards and collaborating with many giants of the Celtic/World music scene (Paddy Keenan. Cathie Ryan among them), Patsy's songwriting reflects a strong interest in roots Americana as well as Jazz influences.

With critically-acclaimed solo albums under his belt along with numerous live and studio collaborations, it's no surprise that Patsy's songwriting ability and guitar prowess are in demand (he hosts guitar workshops all over the country), and NPR saw fit to feature one of his song arrangements on the prestigious All Songs Considered.

Veteran Irish music critic Paul Dromey declares Patsy "Ireland's best-kept musical secret.", after attending his opening performance for Kinky Friedman some years back.

Hard to believe that with all that behind him, Patsy's star is still rising!

Society Hall is thrilled to welcome back regional favorites Michael Hearne and South by Southwest, featuring Jimmy Stadler, Zeke Severson, Carmen Acciaioli and Don Richmond, Thursday, June 20th at 7:30 PM. Doors will open at 6:30 Tickets for the show are $20 and available at the link below or in person at the Green Spot in Alamosa. The concert will also stream on the Society Hall Facebook page and You-Tube channel.

Michael Hearne, who splits his time between San Marcos, Texas and his long-time home in northern New Mexico, is one of the most beloved and influential singer-songwriter-guitarists playing in the Southwest today. He and his band South By Southwest have been delighting audiences both in their home region of New Mexico, Texas and Colorado as well as around the country, and even internationally, for more than 30 years.

Michael's "whiskey-velvet voice", as friend Eliza Gilkyson terms it, as well as his impressive command of the guitar make him one of the most memorable artists performing in the country and Americana arenas. Add in his compelling and evocative songwriting and you have a combination rarely seen anywhere.

Michael will be featuring songs from his latest album "Better Days", as well as selections from a new album in progress, and of course favorites from his many older releases. “Better Days” features performances by such luminaries as Lloyd Maines, Eliza Gilkyson, Dave Perez (Tejas Brothers), Kelley Mickwee, Ben Jones (Beat Root Revival), and Terri Hendrix. Filled with Hearne's trademark beautiful songwriting, lively rhythms, and compelling messages, "Better Days" is a true masterwork.

Hearne also hosts the 3 day Big Barn Dance Music Festival, held every year the weekend after Labor Day in Taos, New Mexico, which has become one of the premier songwriter-oriented festivals in the country over its 22 years.

Society Hall is excited to welcome legendary singer-songwriter, guitarist, and accompanist of folk legend Guy Clark, Verlon Thompson, Sunday, June 23rd at 7:30 PM. Doors will open at 6:30. Tickets for the show are $20 and available at the link below or in person at the Green Spot in Alamosa. The concert will also stream on the Society Hall Facebook page and You-Tube channel.

“We've been wanting to get Verlon to Society Hall ever since we opened the doors,” says Don Richmond, local musician, record producer and Society Hall board member. Richmond continues, “Besides being a fantastic guitarist, he's a truly great songwriter and performer, plus he was Guy Clark's right-hand man for decades, and he's got the stories to prove it!”

Songwriters seem to flourish on the fertile Oklahoma plains. Woody Guthrie, Roger Miller, Leon Russell, J.J. Cale and Jimmy Webb. Add Verlon Thompson to that list. Thirty years as a professional songwriter and traveling troubadour serve as credentials. As a solo performer, and as the trusted sidekick of Texas Americana songwriting icon Guy Clark, Verlon has viewed the world from stages everywhere from Barcelona to Binger (his hometown in Oklahoma).

Along the way Verlon Thompson compositions have been recorded by Jimmy Buffett and Alan Jackson, Dierks Bentley, Anne Murray, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Kenny Rogers, Randy Travis, Del McCoury, Sam Bush, Trisha Yearwood and many more.

Verlon has co-produced Guy Clark's Grammy nominated cd "Cold Dog Soup" as well as "The Dark", "Workbench Songs" and "Somedays the Song Writes You".

Equally important in his songwriting and live performances, Verlon's guitar work cannot go unnoticed. His guitar can be heard on recordings by Restless Heart, Pam Tillis, and many more, including, and especially Guy Clark. Verlon was honored to contribute to the score of the Tamara Saviano documentary “Without Getting Killed or Caught”, the story of Guy and Susanna Clark and Townes Van Zandt.

In 2019 Verlon hosted his own 13 episode TV show called “Barnegie Hall”. Filmed at his converted barn/home in rural Tennessee, the show aired nationally on PBS and received rave reviews.