Welcome to the Summer Songwriter's Circle 2025 at the Thimblemill Library. This is a seasonal event that will bring three local musicians together on stage to perform a selection of their original songs alongside a discussion about the inspiration behind their compositions. Hosted by Susy Wall, the evening promises to be a night of song, chat and exploration amongst the books in this wonderful art deco library in Smethwick. Featuring local songwriters Gren Bartley, Abi Budgen and Dan Hartland Gren Bartley 2024 saw the long awaited new album from Gren Bartley. Two years in the making, Unfold expands further and deeper into the cinematic folk genre. Somewhere between R.E.M.s Automatic for the People and Nick Drakes Five Leaves Left, Bartley has found something entirely of its own mind. His 2015 album Magnificent Creatures (★★★★★ R2 magazine) was given outstanding reviews. With production by Birmingham based Gavin Monaghan (Robert Plant, Ryan Adams, Nizlopi, Ocean Colour Scene etc), the record built on the constantly outstanding (fRoots) quality of his previous two records. The album took Gren and his music around the world performing at festivals and venues. In 2019 Gren turned to a more stripped back sound of solo performance and wrote and arranged a new album of tunes and songs exploring his love of world music and bottleneck slide guitar. Gren released the new album Quiet (★★★★★ Northern Sky magazine) to excellent reviews. Gren Bartley is part of the future of melodic songwriting. Forever evolving and adapting, and with unmatched guitar work, he is a modern day troubadour, using his influences from older folk and world music traditions, to create truly astounding records. He brings something new and unique to his audience. He is an artist not to be missed. Will be heard more often once people realise just how good he is - Northern Sky Abi Budgen Songwriter, poet, Beatlemaniac, Sister Rosetta devotee and self-confessed country blues anorak, Abi sings because she has to. With songs that scream for the voiceless, shout from the other shore to keep going, moan for the end of the world, pray for someone to listen. Abi's guitar style is born of a lifetime's love and study of blues and gospel music, of which she is also an internationally respected teacher. She describes her approach as, "how Rev. Gary Davis might sound if he'd gone on to play rock n roll, soul and punk". Her song 'Cry' features on charity album 'Music Minds' alongside artists including Glenn Tilbrook, Graham Gouldman and Tom Robinson. "Vibrant and strong and good for the heart" - Phil Wiggins Dan Hartland Dan Hartlands songwriting has been described as absolutely gorgeous (BBC Introducing), delicately lovely (Americana UK) and as cutting right through to the listeners innermost soul (Maverick magazine). His previous album, Great Novels, was lauded by GigSOUP as a thing of real beauty, Gathering folk and roots influences from both sides of the Atlantic, Dan adds a knowing pop sensibility to his melodies and hooks, putting feeling at the heart of every song. With a keen eye for character and a subtle turn of phrase, onstage Dan's kinetic guitar picking and witty storytelling cut through the usual tropes of the lonesome troubadour, situating the sensitivity of his songs within often wry, quirky contexts. Dans latest album, Haywire, takes that trademark song-craft to new places, incorporating a range of non-acoustic instrumentation that marks a shift from the folkier stylings of his previous work. R2 magazine gave the record four stars and praised the deft lightness of its songs;Folking.comcalled it a superb addition to the collection. Like good books, Dans songs reward repeat attention.