Kirk Avenue Music Hall and the Southwest Virginia Songwriters Association of Roanoke, present the second “Right In Our Own Backyard” Songwriter Showcase, on Monday, March 15, at 7:30 p.m. at 22 Kirk Avenue, in downtown Roanoke.

Six local songwriters (with a special guest) will perform four original songs each. Admission is $5, with half going to support the Roanoke Music Lab. Doors open at  7 p.m.

The second Kirk Avenue Music Hall/SVSA showcase will feature these current SVSA members:

Randolph Walker is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist living in Roanoke. His highly melodic musical style is influenced by the rock, pop, folk-rock, and psychedelic music of the mid to late 1960s. Walker has released two albums. He produces his own audio and video recordings, and his music video of “House of the Rising Sun” was shown at the Grandin Theatre.

Roanoke’s Frank Dieter is a three-time award winner in the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest (2002-04) and a two-time award winner in the VH-1 Song of the Year Contest. Along with his numerous live performance appearances, Dieter’s music has a strong presence on the Internet. He has also often performed live in the studio at various radio and TV stations. He has released three CDs.

Britt Mistele has been performing and singing for audiences for the past 50 years. He has performed in Europe and Central America, as well as all over the United States. He is a past President of the Southwest Virginia Songwriters Association and is a retired Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Air Force. He has resided in Floyd County for the past 15 years.

Barbara Martin, who lives in Staunton, crafts songs in the styles of traditional jazz and blues. Martin has produced seven recordings that have received radio play and positive reviews. Her songs have been placed in two national TV programs—ABC Family’s “Greek” and CBS’s “Swingtown”—and two documentaries. She performs regularly at various festivals and concerts. She has won the Parent’s Choice Silver Honor Award for her children’s recording.

Mickey Nelson lives and works in Roanoke. He is a singer/songwriter performing locally and regionally. He lectures on lyric writing at an Honors English program “City School” as well as North Cross, Roanoke County Schools, and Hollins College. He has been a finalist in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and American Song Festivals.

West Virginia native Josh Jones traces his eclectic musical influences back to his talented parents. In college, Jones majored in chemistry and minored in music. Since then, among other things, he’s written lots of songs, played in several bands around Roanoke, and has done occasional solo performances. Jones has produced four CDs in his project studio, The Shop. With a few exceptions, he has written, arranged, played, sang, recorded, and mixed all the songs on those CDs—and has created the artwork and text.

Also appearing is special guest Connie Sellers.

In its short history thus far, Kirk Avenue Music Hall has hosted a plethora of top-drawer music acts, from solo performing songwriters to raucous full-band shows. Kirk Avenue Music Hall makes you feel as if you are a guest in the artist’s living room.

For nearly 30 years, the Southwest Virginia Songwriters Association has supported, bettered, and furthered the knowledge and progress of its members in songwriting and related fields. SVSA offers performance opportunities, evaluation and critique services, instruction, newsletters, pro workshops, and monthly meetings. Songwriters of all ages, skill levels, and music genres are encouraged to join.