Moving to Atlanta: Home by Dark Starts On June 13th!

Home by Dark is back again on June 13th at the Gwinnett Performing Arts Center! With prominent songwriters such as JP Williams, a staff songwriter with Major Bob Music in Nashville and a category win in the International Songwriting Competition, and James David Carter, a former contestant on The Voice who captured America’s heart, the showcase is starting off the 2015 Gwinnett series on a high note!

Home by Dark has been around since 2007 and began with just a small concert on a few acres in Milton, Georgia. Now, it’s a completely sold-out series at Alpharetta’s Chukkar Farm with more venues across the continent. Some big names that have their well-known songs penned include Kelly Clarkson, Tim McGraw and Sara Evans.

Home by Dark supports a different nonprofit partner at each different performance while impacting lives! The upcoming show, on June 13 at 8 p.m., benefits Change 4 Georgia, an organization that provides students with opportunities to thank soldiers and veterans for their service, dedication and sacrifice in keeping the country safe. In addition to that mission, they also service veterans and their families by presenting them with food, clothes and diapers to those that need assistance.

A: I fell in love with the concept of the songwriters-in-the-round concert during my many trips to Nashville. It became my favorite way to hear music and to perform it. There was an authenticity and vulnerability to this format that I hadn’t experienced in traditional concerts. The stories, the improvisation, the one-of-a-kind moments all inspired me at a very deep level. The shows always felt real and genuine, and the audience became an integral part of the experience. It was as if the barrier between audience and performer was torn down. We were all sharing the moment together without pretention or typical fan adoration. It became a shared experience that was even bigger than the music. Those shows changed me, and I wanted to deliver those types of experiences to more people, especially in my own community.

2. Q: What does this event mean to you? What makes it so special?

A: A Home By Dark event is my opportunity to bring audiences into the songwriter’s world and hopefully change your life in a positive way, to reach your heart as only music in this format can. Everything we do is designed to elevate our guest songwriters and musicians to perform their very best and to create an atmosphere for you, the audience, to have your heart pierced by love, laughter, tears, melody and words. I truly believe a song can change your life. Every night, we set out to prove it.

3. Q: In what ways does music help heal and positively impact the community?

A: Music has the ability to reach into the deepest part of our souls, touch us and make us feel like we’re not alone. Music is a great equalizer: it doesn’t care about your skin color, religion, where you live, your education, your job or even why you came to the show. Yet there are moments in every Home By Dark show that blanket the audience and affect everyone in a powerful, personal way. It proves that we are all the same in some ways, that we are all vulnerable to the power of a great song. Those kinds of moments bring us together, make us feel, make us remember, make us think about goodness, make us hold open the door, give a nod and say goodnight to a total stranger as we leave the show. We become kinder and more considerate. And that’s how culture is affected and communities are impacted.