Stefan Scheuermann, of Mercy McCoy, plays the famed writer’s round at The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville on January 4th, 2024. Lead by Nashville based songwriter and musical Swiss army knife, Brian Sutherland, the writer’s round will feature Michael McCarthur and Trent Willmon along with Sutherland and Scheuermann.
For those not already “in-the-know” The Bluebird Cafe has risen to fame over the years for being the most coveted “listening room” in the country, known specifically for their “writer’s rounds” for which songwriters must audition or receive an invite. The stage has welcomed countless songwriting and musical greats, and given the era of Taylor Swift in which we’re currently living at the time of this article, we should note that this is where she was discovered, and where she recently played again during a surprise visit, showing her gratitude for the venue, their format, and for the prestige this opportunity represents within the industry.
If you’re reading this before January 4th, 2024, the time you took to get to this part means tickets are probably already sold out, as is the norm for these writer’s rounds. You can still try, or get there early to get one of their small batch of walk up tickets for the day of the show. If you’re reading it after January 4th, hopefully there’s another article written, or coming soon, about how the evening went.
We’re very proud to have one of our artists representing the label at The Bluebird Cafe for the first time, especially in the company of such a stellar lineup:
Brian Sutherland
Brian Sutherland is an acoustic songwriter living in Nashville, TN. His brand of Americana has a certain pop and jazz influence that makes his music both timeless and relevant. He writes about love, loss, victories and defeats, and how leaning into your heart is always the best way forward.
Sutherland honed his craft on the Gulf Coast shores of Southwest Florida, entertaining tourists and and telling stories. A veteran of the songwriting festival circuit, he's been selected to perform at the Island Hopper Songwriting Festival, Key West Songwriters Festival, Dripping Springs Songwriters Festival, String Break Music Festival, Riverhawk Music Festival and the Druid City Songwriters Festival.
Trent Willmon
After years of playing in bands around Texas (including upright bass for bluegrass legend, Karl Shifflett), Trent Willmon found himself in Nashville, TN as a side musician playing bass and guitar for other artists. In between sessions, he would also continue to work on local horse farms outside of town. Trent signed his first publishing deal with Seagayle Music and soon after started a band called “Cow Camp” whose members included hit-songwriter Clint Ingersoll on lead guitar and Granger Smith (Earl Dibbles, Jr.) on steel. While playing the Nashville Broadway bar scene and a house band gig at Big Jim Country in Lewisburg, Trent honed his chops as a front man, landing him a record deal with Sony / Columbia. In 2005, Willmon released his debut self-titled album and broke into the industry with featured videos on CMT and GAC.
Trent Willmon has written many songs cut by top recording artists like Brad Paisley, Eric Church, Cody Johnson, Little Big Town, Randy Houser, Blake Shelton, Wade Hayes, Kevin Fowler, Maddie & Tae, Roger Creager, Merle Haggard and more. Several of his co-written songs have been in heavy rotation on traditional radio and he has had numerous recorded songs reach #1 on Texas regional radio charts.
Michael McArthur
As a kid, Michael McArthur dreamed of becoming the world’s best guitar player; but every time he’d sit down to practice, he found himself writing a song instead. Two decades later, not much has changed. Despite packing theaters and garnering critical acclaim for his intimate live shows, McArthur still considers himself a hardworking songwriter first.
Music has been a lifelong companion for McArthur through trauma and triumph. He writes what he knows, with each song carrying an undercurrent of darkness in a river of personal experience. “Maybe I was born with it,” he says of his bittersweet streak. “And maybe one day I'll master it. Until then, I'll write.”
An unapologetically lyric-forward writer, McArthur’s words naturally wrap themselves around his listeners’ lives when put to melody. “Those are the kind of songs my heroes write,” he says, “and the kind of songs I seek to write.” He’s talking about heroes like John Prine, Bill Withers, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, and others; you can feel their influence like an invisible armature under McArthur’s signature sound and lyrics. “I want to do for myself and others what my heroes have done for me,” he says. “ If I’m feeling it or going through it, chances are, it’s universal. Music is about sharing those stories and emotions with other people. I don’t write for television commercials. I write to plug in a light for people who have a desire to listen.”
McArthur writes every day, collecting lines, melodies and ideas from his own life, coaxing them into song form, and polishing them into finished pieces. “Some days, I just write a phrase or two,” he says, “but just like the road to healing and a deeper understanding, every song begins somewhere.”
McArthur built his career the same way he writes his songs—by putting in the work to get the muse to visit. Leaving the family restaurant business to pursue a full-time music career in 2010, McArthur bootstrapped the release of several singles and EPs with producers David Bianco (Tom Petty, Lucinda Williams) and Greg Wells (Adele, Taylor Swift, Rufus Wainwright). In 2018, he founded his own record label to release his first full-length album, Ever Green, Ever Rain, produced by Grammy-winner Ryan Freeland (Ray Lamontagne, Bonnie Raitt).
Stefan Scheuermann
Stefan Scheuermann is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer from St. Petersburg, Florida. Stef is also the primary writer for the Indie-Americana band Mercy McCoy, and founder of Ybor City Records®.
Following years of touring as a supporting instrumentalist, Stef took-on the lead writing and performing role, founding Mercy McCoy with close friend and longtime band-mate, Collin Ryan. Since then, he’s built a reputation as a crafty lyricist and engaging performer. That reputation has also earned him opening slots for venerated artists like The Wallflowers and Robert Earl Keene, and reviews commending his writing for its “Big-Sky Americana, folk-pop luster, and southern-blues swagger” (–Creative Loafing).
Through the years and musical projects, Stef has landed on bills and stages with some of the best songwriters on the planet, including supporting slots for Wilco, Jason Isbell, and Willie Nelson. “Brighter In The Dark,” Stef’s freshman record with Mercy McCoy, was well received, netting a mention by American Songwriter and recognition as a finalist in the one of the publication’s songwriting contests. Recent releases, like the dark Americana-rocker “Not Just Anyone,” and the folk leaning “My Dog and Time,” showcase a thoughtful evolution in song craft and producing prowess.
The reception of Mercy McCoy’s latest releases and live show have resulted in comparisons to bands like “Dawes,” especially as the group has become a sought-after backing band in the Southeast, both on-stage and in the studio.
Stef is currently in the middle of releasing new music, including songs from Mercy McCoy’s next LP and solo releases later in 2024. In addition to his own material, Stef is currently producing several other artists, and performing as a drummer for Leon Majcen and guitarist for Joshua Reilly.
