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MEMBERS
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Larry Davis
Larry Davis has been in the music business for 51 years. He started with a high school basement rock ‘n roll band as a lead singer that played local teen dances. Still in high school, he joined a local affiliate of “Up With People” called “Sing Out Akron” which is where he met the love of his life, Karen. Larry has played a single on guitar, played bass in a country band, a wedding band, and a calypso band, sang with jazz groups, was the director of music at the Newman Center at Kent State, taught elementary and middle school music. Currently he is playing in the duo Tucker & Davis. Larry has been a member of the Songwriters since 2009.
Don Henson
Don Henson is the founding member of Songwriter Summit and has served as president since it's inception in 2003. His background in musical theatre while attending Wright State University in Dayton provided a solid base for his style of story-telling songs. From theatre productions, playing shows at Geauga Lake and Cedar Point, spending three years with a national touring band, Don's resume has helped him become the singer/songwriter he is today.
Jon David Miller
Jon Moody
Long time member Jon Moody along with his wife Karen have made music a part of their marriage for 25+ years. Known collectively as “La'Capp,” the guitar/flute duo has entertained at a various venues around the Akron-Cleveland area. Karen's fluting can also be heard with the Goodyear Stan Hywet Concert Band and the Western Star Flute Ensemble. Jon began strumming and singing original works at the Gates of Eden Coffeehouse in Youngstown (a hotbed of folk-rock and protest in the late 60's) and currently plays most Wednesday open-mic nights at Sonnet's Cafe in Wadsworth. Although Jon does most of the songwriting, Karen's nature poetry and lilting counter melodies bring a warm touch to the pair's compositions.
Ken Moody-Arndt
In 2008, because a band gig had dried up, he was new to Akron, and wanted to be around other musicians, Ken decided to check out what was then the Summit County Songwriters Circle. He brought the first song he ever wrote to that first meeting, was inspired and encouraged by the positive feedback, and has been hanging around ever since! With a lot of help from his friends, he came out with a CD of original songs in 2014, and can be seen at various open mics in Cleveland, as well as at the occasional solo gig.
David Palomo
David Palomo, by the grace of God and a lenient parole officer, a dismember of Songwriter Summit, clings to his dismembership by the generous magnanimity of the General Membership whose patience he has sorely tried for over a decade.
Due to circumstances entirely within his control, he has long been a fugitive from injustice. After escaping from a sentence of medium hard time at Vanderbilt University, he fled to San Francisco where he spent the decade of the 80's working in organized crime on the Pacific Stock Exchange options trading floor.
It was during this time that he spread his wings musically, playing for the bums and riff raff in Washington Square park in North Beach. Most regard this as the pinnacle of his musical and, indeed, life accomplishment--though some believe that his 2000-2005 tenure as the village idiot of Hudson Ohio merits some consideration in this regard.
He currently enjoys a life of well deserved obscurity in the Witless Protection Program.
Due to circumstances entirely within his control, he has long been a fugitive from injustice. After escaping from a sentence of medium hard time at Vanderbilt University, he fled to San Francisco where he spent the decade of the 80's working in organized crime on the Pacific Stock Exchange options trading floor.
It was during this time that he spread his wings musically, playing for the bums and riff raff in Washington Square park in North Beach. Most regard this as the pinnacle of his musical and, indeed, life accomplishment--though some believe that his 2000-2005 tenure as the village idiot of Hudson Ohio merits some consideration in this regard.
He currently enjoys a life of well deserved obscurity in the Witless Protection Program.
Bobby Patetta
Bobby Patetta is a singer-songwriter specializing in blues, rock and folk, and has been performing and recording on guitar, harmonica and vocals for over 50 years. Born and raised in New Jersey where he started out singing and playing in rock bands, he has also worked extensively along the Gulf Coast of Florida, playing harmonica and washboard with Rosie O'Grady's Dixieland Band in Pensacola, guitar and blues harp in the greater Tampa area and in Ohio since 1990. Bobby is currently performing with the Hot Potatoes band, as well as making many solo appearances. He is also known for making a joyful noise on Sunday mornings at many Unity and UCC churches in the area.
Jay Reed
Mike Urban
Mike Urban is originally from Kent, Ohio. He was in bands for over thirty years in the Columbus, Ohio area. He currently lives in Stow, Ohio and has focused on songwriting. He has written songs in many styles including rock, country and pop.
Bill Van Jura
Bill Van Jura started playing guitar at age thirteen. By the time he went to college at OSU he was probably spending too much time in the coffee houses either playing or listening when he should have been hitting the books. At age 23 he had to decide between becoming an internationally famous singer/songwriter, or a secondary social studies teacher. He opted for a very successful and enjoyable 38 years as a teacher and has only recently picked up on the internationally famous singer/songwriter track. He currently writes and records in his home studio and some of his songs are available to listen to on soundcloud.com. He enjoys writing, performing and collaborating. His goal is to change the world…one song at a time.
Charlie & Libby Hewitt
Our friends from Mississippi
Don Lee
It's a learning experience to be among songwriters who are willing to listen to what is offered and share ideas.
John Harrow
Melissa Blacken
HONORARY MEMBERS
Alex Bevan
Terry Richardson
Terry Richardson came from across the pond and brought with him a funny accent. He was a founding member of our group and did much to assist with sound management and helped out at many of our live performances. Terry is an acoustic guitarist and although not many of his self-penned songs will be remembered, he did perform regularly at many of the local live music venues. When once asking the group if one of his new songs was too long, one of the members retorted “all your songs are too long.” Terry left to go back to the UK in 2011, but there’s a rumor that he might be heading back this way for a while.
Kasim Sulton
IN LOVING MEMORY
Tom Ball
Tom Ball was a host of radio shows on 91.3 The Summit (WAPS) for many years and hosted the Mountain Rose Concerts in Kent. Tom also had 2 radio shows heard on local station 96.1FM - WCFI where on Wednesday's you could listen to Just Plain Folk at 4am, 5pm and 9pm along with Bedtime Snack, which aired Wednesday's at 10pm.
Joe Benes
Linda Foster
Dave Hershman
Dave Hershman was a warm, wonderful, humorous, gentle man who brought personality to our group. He was one of our driving forces, always bringing new songs to the workshop and collaborating with many of our creative talents. He once said, “When I came to this songwriter group, it was exactly what I was looking for.” and his input made it even better for every one of us. His philosophy was simple, ‘never let the truth get in the way of a good story.’ and that was typical of his mischievous humor. It is recorded, that Dave was the only songwriter to have been able to rhyme a word with ‘Orange.’ I bet you are now trying to do the same! R.I.P. Dave
John Hutchens
Chuck Picklesimer
Chuck Picklesimer was a (mostly) lifelong resident of Northern West Virginia. He considered his song writing ability to be similar to a Clint Eastwood western……”The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.”
Some of his favorite artists were Cash, Tommy Emmanuel, Molly Tuttle, Dave Rawlings, and the notorious Mr. Patetta of Ohio fame.
Some of his favorite artists were Cash, Tommy Emmanuel, Molly Tuttle, Dave Rawlings, and the notorious Mr. Patetta of Ohio fame.
Byron Lee Walker
