The Grit Diaries: A Dozen of The Best at The Speakeasy • April 16 • 9:00PM

Grit Over Gloss: Carrboro to Host Songwriter Showcase Featuring 12 Raw, Rising Voices from NC

CARRBORO, N.C. — A dozen of North Carolina’s boldest emerging songwriters will step into the spotlight Wednesday, April 16, as The Grit Diaries brings a rootsy, no-frills songwriter showcase to the Speakeasy Theatre in Carrboro. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

Curated by veteran performer and musical cyclone Eric Sommer, The Grit Diaries delivers three rounds of stripped-down, Nashville-style storytelling—the kind where voices crack, guitars hum, and the songs do the heavy lifting.

“It’s not about polish,” said Sommer. “It’s about presence. These writers walk in with their hearts wide open and leave everything on the stage.”

The lineup reads like a who’s who of rising Carolina songcraft:

 The King Teen
Alan Oatley
Richard Scher
Nick Langston
Michael Melia
Eric Sommer
Ashley Virginia
Rabbi Sandra
Matthew Amy
JT Cobb
Vito Dito
Paula Snyder

Sommer, whose guitar chops and lyrical muscle have carried him across decades of national and international touring, is known for sharing stages with The Dead Kennedys, Mission of Burma, The Cars, (too many to list here) and—as an acoustic act—Little Feat, John Mayall, Leon Redbone, Dr. John, Nick Lowe and John Hammond Jr. Now based between Boston, Ft. Worth and the Triangle, Sommer is focused on helping lift up the next generation of songwriters.

“We’ve got a storm of talent here in North Carolina,” he said. “The Grit Diaries is a way to stir it up and set it loose.”

The Speakeasy Theatre—tucked into the corner of Greensboro and West Franklin—is fast becoming one of Carrboro’s go-to rooms for authentic live music. With a cozy, candlelit vibe and no bad seats, it’s the perfect place to catch a song before it catches fire.

Event Details
Wednesday, April 16, 2025
Starts at 7:30 p.m. (and goes until the last chord)
The Speakeasy Theatre
100 E Main Street, Carrboro, NC
Admission: Free

### Media Note:
Interviews with The Grit Diaries and select performers available upon request. Event photography and media access welcome—please reach out in advance to coordinate.

Open Tunings, and so much more

With open tunings, slide guitar, lap-slap tone guitar, this show is exciting. And a remarkably aggressive fingering style approach makes watching Eric Sommer so fun and crazy! It’ll make you jump out of your seat and holler for joy! There are very few players who have maintained this authentic American style of guitar and Eric Sommer is one of the very best…!

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“How do you call this sidekick to unique personalities ranging from Nick Lowe to John Koerner an underachiever? This multi-instrumentalist bad boy could easily be a superstar in his own right…” Midwest Record, Lake Zurich, IL

“Eric Sommer is an astounding guitar player, a virtuoso on acoustic and electric… Eric has worked with everybody who is anybody; His resume’ reads like a musical encyclopedia…” Nashville Music Reviews, Don & Sherry’s Blog

“It’s a wonderful evening whenever Eric Sommer is part of it… Not to be missed!” Austin Record, Steve Barron

___________________

Open Tunings, and so much more

With open tuning, slide guitar, lap-slap tone guitar, this show is exciting. And a remarkably aggressive fingering style approach makes watching Eric Sommer so fun and crazy! It’ll make you jump out of your seat and holler for joy! There are very few players who have maintained this authentic American style of guitar and Eric Sommer is one of the very best

__________________

“How do you call this sidekick to unique personalities ranging from Nick Lowe to John Koerner an underachiever? This multi-instrumentalist bad boy could easily be a superstar in his own right…” Midwest Record, Lake Zurich, IL

“Eric Sommer is an astounding guitar player, a virtuoso on acoustic and electric… Eric has worked with everybody who is anybody; His resume’ reads like a musical encyclopedia…” Nashville Music Reviews, Don & Sherry’s Blog

“It’s a wonderful evening whenever Eric Sommer is part of it… Not to be missed!” Austin Record, Steve Barron

___________________

CityBeat/Best of Cincinnati

Guitarin’ and Singin’ are what Eric Sommer is all about.

Singer/songwriter Eric Sommer is an unbelievable intersection of improbable influences. That and insane experiences channeled into an amazingly diverse catalog. His is a résumé that reads more like a musical adventure novel than a series of career bullet points.