Songwriters to perform at The Open Door

Two former students of the Sisters High School Americana Project, Jena Rickards and Slater Smith, will perform this Friday, July 27 at 7:30 p.m. in The Open Door courtyard at Clearwater Gallery's new location on the corner of Oak and Hood.

"This should be fun," Slater stated. "Jena and I started out together. We took the same beginning Americana songwriting class our sophomore year. I remember being blown away by her voice."

Upon graduating from high school in 2008, both Jena and Slater received generous scholarships from Sisters Folk Festival. They have since graduated from college and are pursuing careers in the music industry.

Recently, Jena graduated with honors in music business from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. She has put out a couple of EPs and is looking forward to a career in music. She describes her style as independent folk pop. Her early influences were people like Nora Jones, Patty Griffin, and James Taylor. She hopes to follow in the footsteps of singer-songwriters like Madie Diaz, writing and licensing for film and TV.

"I'd like to write for more pointed audiences," she said. "Pair my music with scripts and movie soundtracks."

Jena will be relocating to Nashville this fall.

"Before going, I want to share the influences and experiences Belmont and Nashville gave me, share with the people in Sisters what I've been working on. And I'm excited to play with Slater. With his brain and opportunities, I'm glad he chose to do something he loves, something that fuels him."

Slater recently graduated from Willamette University with high marks in political science. He has since relocated to Portland to pursue music. During the day he works as support staff on political campaigns, evenings he's putting together gigs and playing at music fairs. He performs under the name The Weather Machine. He released his first CD in February. His summer is booked.

"Yeah, I'm pretty busy," he said, "but I've almost got enough material to put out another CD so I'm working on that, too."

Slater's early exposure to the Sisters Folk Festival introduced him to Indie Folk and the lyrics of s Damien Rice, Josh Ritter, The Tallest Man on Earth; great artists with an alternative rock edge who were influenced by Bob Dylan and whose impact on his own style continues to this day.

"I like to think of The Weather Machine as post-Dylan, two times removed. I want to see folk and alternative rock pushed in a direction that says 'I'm here. I mean it, but that doesn't mean I have to take it all too seriously,'" he said. "When I write a song I find I often try to make sad things happy again. For me it's not about being the perfect songwriter or writing something that lasts forever; it's about the performance, putting it out there and seeing if it lives in 'their' world, then letting it go. I always know I'm writing a good song if I find myself laughing."

There will be a $5 cover at the Clearwater-The Open Door courtyard gate.

More information on the artists and event is available at

www.clearwaterstudio.com, www.jenarickards.com and www.slatersmith.com.