Famed songwriter and traveling troubadour Verlon Thompson will take the stage with a pair of dynamic up-and-coming acts—Clay Parker and Jodi James, and Eric Schmitt. This show will feature all three performing at once, sometimes swapping songs, sometimes accompanying each other, and all the while sharing their mutual respect and admiration. This will be a show worth seeing, not only for the quality of the songs, but also for the sometimes planned and sometimes impromptu blending of three unique voices and performance styles.

Verlon Thompson is no stranger to Texas audiences. As Guy Clark’s trusted sideman for nearly 30 years, Thompson wowed crowds with his trademark guitar wizardry and tasteful accompaniments. But Thompson is also a highly credentialed songwriter whose work has been recorded by a long list of well-known performers, including Jimmy Buffett, Alan Jackson, Dierks Bentley, Kenny Rogers, Anne Murray, Sam Bush, and many others. His shows are a living testament to that long, illustrious history of making music and of traveling the world and playing with musicians from all corners of the globe. And it was in those wanderings that Thompson ran across Parker, James, and Schmitt, who hail from the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area and found themselves sharing the stage with Thompson at venues like the legendary Red Dragon Listening Room and the intimate Songbird Songwriting productions in St. Francisville, Louisiana. “I’ve been watching the growth of a grassroots songwriting community around the Baton Rouge area,” Thompson says. “It’s cool. It’s hip. It reminds me of the creativity and collaborations that came out of Laurel Canyon in the 70’s.”

Clay Parker and Jodi James are a highly venerated folk duo based out of Gonzales, Louisiana. Their work has garnered rave reviews in recent years. It’s been described as “profound and poetic” (Americana UK), “haunting and darkly beautiful” (Acoustic Guitar), and “a near-perfect example of the partnership among people who deeply care about the traditions of folk music” (Alan Cackett). Rolling Stone magazine included them in a list of “ten new country artists you need to know.” The duo tours frequently across the U.S. and makes lifelong fans along the way, a testament not only to the power of their compositions, but to their exquisite guitar and vocal performances. After hosting the pair as a featured act at his Fur Peace Ranch, Jorma Kaukonen (formerly of Jefferson Airplane) proclaimed, “In a world where artistry would be predictably honored, Clay Parker and Jodi James would be right up there at the top of the list. I love everything about them . . . songs, music, harmony . . . everything.” Verlon Thompson adds, “Clay Parker and Jodi James are not an ‘act.’ They are two stellar performing songwriters making whatever sacrifice necessary to share their art.”

Eric Schmitt is a songwriter and performer based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he teaches English and songwriting at Louisiana State University. His work has been described as “an example of what you should think of when you hear the term ‘singer-songwriter’” (The Advocate) and as “vulnerable, honest, raw, and confessional” (Country Roads Magazine). Verlon Thompson himself has high praise for Eric’s work, claiming, “I place Eric near the very top of any list of songwriters … from anywhere. . . . For me, listening to this new project, Wait for the Night, is like sipping a glass of good blended whiskey. A slightly familiar but distinct blend of all the songwriters I’ve loved and admired over the years…distilled, matured and labeled as Genuine Eric Schmitt.  Subtle and sober . . .  in a Jackson Browne way. Lighthearted but with serious sharp edges . . .  in a Randy Newman way. Lonesome and lost, yet hopeful and thankful . . .  in a John Prine way. With a fine aftertaste of ignoring the rules . . . in a Neil Young way. Hell yea. I’m enlightened and entertained. Satisfied. That’s as good as it gets.”