May 28th-30th, 2020 – Four Mile Creek B&B – 6471 County Rd 117. Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
REGISTER HERE
Located in the mountains just outside Glenwood Springs, Colorado, this retreat is geared towards songwriters who want to dive deeper into the craft of songwriting. Through group workshops, one-on-one mentoring, and live performance, participants will have an opportunity to jumpstart and hone their writing process.
Between May 28th and 30th, songwriters will have access to six group workshops (topics and schedule listed below), two live performance opportunities, and private mentoring sessions with award-winning songwriters, Mary Bragg and Jackson Emmer. There will also be hours of quiet time to write in the rocky mountains. The retreat is open to all, ages 16+.
Questions? Contact Jackson Emmer directly: (650) 799-5379, jemmer.music@gmail.com, or Jim Hawkins at Four Mile B&B: (970) 945-4004, hawk@rof.net
Registration fee: $575 – Includes:
Two full days of songwriting mentorship.
Two performance opportunities for participating songwriters.
The chance to connect and network with songwriters from around the country.
Time to write, reflect, and hone your songwriting in the beautiful mountains of Colorado.
Red Barn Concert by Mary Bragg and Jackson Emmer.
Light breakfast each day (coffee, scones).
Lunch each day (soup, salad).
Dinner on 5/28, 5/29, and 5/30.
* Lodging is not included. Scroll down for lodging recommendations.
Attendance will be capped at 15, so each participant will receive ample individual attention.
REGISTER HERE
Meet Your Mentors
Mary Bragg
Mary Bragg is often noted as one of the finest, up-and-coming songwriters in Nashville. With five albums to her name, Bragg’s work has been praised by NPR, Billboard, Rolling Stone, Nashville Scene, and Music City Roots. Her songs have been streamed over 3 million times on Spotify alone, and she has toured the US many times over.
Read more about Mary Bragg here: http://marybragg.com
Jackson Emmer
Based in the small town of Carbondale, Colorado, Jackson Emmer has quietly built his reputation as a songwriter’s songwriter on the outskirts of country music. His music has been featured in Rolling Stone, NPR, the Cannes Film Festival, and played on over 150 radio stations worldwide. Emmer tours the US regularly, often performing 100+ concerts each year.
Read more about Jackson Emmer here: https://jacksonemmer.com
Schedule & Workshops
5/28 – Arrive by 4:30pm for Welcome Dinner at Four Mile Creek B&B. Guitar Pull/Open Mic runs 6:30-9pm, in the B&B living room.
Day 1 – 5/29
9am Chords (how to use them thoughtfully), Melodies (how to write original ones), and how to make them work together for you (90 min)
10:30am Break (15 min)
10:45am Finding Your Own Writer’s Voice, Generating Ideas, and Breaking Through Writer’s Block (90 min)
12:15pm Lunch
2pm Individual meetings with Mary and Jackson. Sign up ahead of time for a 25 minute, 1-on-1 mentoring session. Participants can also use this time to free write individually, or co-write. (3 hrs)
5pm Dinner
6:30pm Guitar EQ & Microphone technique workshop in Barn, with full sound system (60 min)
7:30pm Song Circle (~2 hrs)
Day 2 – 5/30
9am Co-writing Demonstration: Respecting the Space, Honoring Your Co-Writer, and Getting the Best Song in the Room (60 minute song written by Mary & Jackson in front of the group)
10am Co-writing debrief & questions (30 min)
10:30am Break (15 min)
10:45am Writing is Re-Writing (Bravery, Humility, Patience) (90 min)
12:15pm Lunch
1:15pm Music Business 101 (for those interested) (Touring, Publishing, Recording) (45 min)
2:00pm Individual meetings with Mary and Jackson. Sign up ahead of time for a 25 minute, 1-on-1 mentoring session. Participants can also use this time to free write individually, or co-write. (2 hrs)
4:30pm Participant Concert in the Big Red Barn. An opportunity for participants to showcase a song they’ve been working on at the retreat (60 min)
6pm Community Dinner at B&B, plus potluck style with concert-goers.
7pm Concert by Mary Bragg and Jackson Emmer in the Big Red Barn. Farewell, and thank you!
Lodging
Four Mile Creek B&B (our top choice, as they’re hosting the retreat)
Hotel Colorado – short drive from the B&B retreat. Family owned.
The Hotel Glenwood Springs – Close to the Caverns/Adventure park, just outside downtown.
The Hotel Denver – located in downtown Glenwood Springs.
Restaurants
Recommendations coming soon.
Directions
The retreat will be held at Four Mile Creek B&B – 6471 County Rd 117. Glenwood Springs, CO 81601. It’s a 3.5 hr drive from the Denver International Airport to the B&B. The B&B is also a 1 hr drive from the Aspen Pitkin County Airport. There are shuttles, buses, and taxis available in area, but Uber and Lyft service is limited. There are numerous places to rent cars nearby, including Glenwood Springs, the Eagle Airport, Grand Junction Airport, Denver Airport, and Aspen Airport.
At this point we are unable to offer shuttle service/transportation specifically for the Retreat, but I’d be happy to connect participants with one another, if you’re interested in carpooling from an airport or nearby town.
What to Pack
Bring a an instrument (guitar, ukulele, or whatever your instrument is).
Journals, paper, and pens/pencils.
Water bottles (it’s easy to get dehydrated up here in the mountains, so be sure to carry water with you!)
Extra warm clothing/layers (it gets chilly up here at night, even in May, so bring clothes to stay cozy!)
More soon.