When Craig Bickhardt steps onto a concert stage, he comes equipped with his trusty acoustic guitar. A side musician or two will frequently join him. He’s also accompanied by something invisible, yet ever-present: the stories of a lifetime, vividly translated into words and melody.
From the boisterous club scene of Philadelphia to the country-rock milieu of Los Angeles to the picking parlors of Nashville, Craig has immersed himself in the sights and sounds of American music. His music reflects a life lived as a rock band lead singer, a solo troubadour, a dedicated songwriter, a husband and father. Dreams, heartaches and hard-earned lessons have fed his creativity. There is no other way he could’ve written the eloquent, often bittersweet songs that have become his trademark.
“I start a lot of songs because I feel conflicted,” he explains. “I may begin from a point of darkness, but I usually end up writing towards the light because, for me, hope is the thing worth singing about. The characters in the stories I sing aren’t heroic; they’re very ordinary. But they’re reaching for something beyond themselves, and I find nobility in that.”
Craig is a singer/songwriter of the old school – you can hear echoes of such ‘60s folk revival artists as Tom Rush, Gordon Lightfoot and Eric Andersen in his work. Added to this is the melodic sophistication of a Jimmy Webb or a Paul Simon, as well as a spare but telling lyric approach. “I admire songwriters like Woody Guthrie and poets like Robert Frost because they created functional art,” he says. “Too much music today is just for the singer, not for Everyman. I think of my work as a ‘Please Touch’ museum – I want my songs to be sung until they’re worn out.”
Full bio- www.craigbickhardt.com
Opening for the even is Julie Derrick. American singer-songwriter Julie Derrick creates music soaked in rich, timeless storytelling with innate pop sensibilities. She writes songs about the trickiness of being human, and does it with a smile and a catchy hook. Influenced by mesmerizing talents like Brandi Carlile, Fleetwood Mac, Joni Mitchell and Paul Simon. Whether singing harmony with women in her family, or singing in an all female a cappella group at The University of Virginia, Julie learned from the sisterhood of women in her life.
Post college, dreams flying high, Julie moved to California to pursue music. While living in San Francisco, she took a songwriting class with the famed songwriter Bonnie Hayes. Julie wrote one hit song, "Don't Go" with friend Dan Chan on guitar. They played their one hit song all over the city at renowned venues like Hotel Utah. Though Julie appreciated all that Northern California had to offer, she migrated south to warmer beaches in Dana Point. Her songwriting took off in Southern California, involved in local songwriting groups and booking a regular gig at The Cat Club on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood.
Alas, the East Coast called Julie back to her roots and she came home to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Currently, she owns and runs a trampoline park with her husband, serves as the VP on the local school board, sings on the vibrant Praise team at her hippie church, and is a mom to three children. In this current stage of life, Julie's songwriting is better than ever. She plays regularly at The Listening Booth in Rehoboth Beach. With her EP release approaching, Julie plans to tour this summer playing music from her record release. She recorded 5 songs with producer Jeff Dean in Boulder, Colorado. Julie attends the Rocky Mountain Song School every year in August in Lyon's Colorado, where she studies with world renowned songwriters and musicians.
www.juliederrick.com
Dover Art League 21 West Loockerman St Dover, DE 19904
Doors open at 7:00 p.m
Members $7 non members $10. Become a Member
Teens are half-price, and those 12 and under are free
Coffeehouses are family oriented events.
Please keep noise and casual conversation to a minimum during performances,
Fresh Brewed coffee/tea, soft drinks, sweet treats, and artist merchandise.
Cash and checks only (no credit cards) BYOB is permitted for 21+
Payment for Coffeehouses are at the door.
Supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com