Songwriters Showcase

Meet the Songwriters...

Amy Petty- A classically trained vocalist raised on Rock and Roll, Amy Petty’s voice is at the same time overwhelmingly powerful and impossibly delicate. An incredibly versatile performer, writer, arranger and instrumentalist, she is equally at home in front of an orchestra or behind a guitar and microphone.

Amy’s unique style and versatility have brought her to stages everywhere, from Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center to The Ark and the Meadow Brook Amphitheater, performing alongside artists like Sarah McLachlan, Darlene Love, Jewel and Steve Van Zandt.

Amy began her career in opera and classical music. As she found her voice as a songwriter, she dedicated herself to the art of storytelling and intimate acoustic performances. Born and raised in metro Detroit, Amy spend a decade on the east coast in Boston’s thriving music scene, honing her craft and touring the country as a solo artist and with the Tim Janis Ensemble. Upon her return to Michigan, she found a community of artists and musicians who have become family, whose talent rivals any region across the country. She now called mid-Michigan home.

Amy is currently one of the lead singers of Itchycoo Park (a Woodstock era cover band) and Classic Women of Country (performing the greatest hits of country music's most iconic female singers), both bands performing extensively throughout Michigan and the midwest. As a singer/songwriter, Amy’s latest release “The Darkness of Birds” won the Review Music Awards' “2020 Album of the Year” and she is currently writing for her next album, with a projected 2025 release.

TJ Zindle- TJ Zindle ignites a fearless spark of mighty alt rock. A sonic explosion of spirited vocals, fiery electric guitars, and charged lyrics instantly propels listeners into the Ann Arbor, Michigan singer-songwriter’s realm.

A kinetic live performer, Zindle fronts The Powerlines and shares his sweaty, rambunctious energy with growing audiences nationwide. He’s also the singer/songwriter from Buffalo, NY rock band, Last Conservative, long-time guitarist/vocalist for Erin Zindle & The Ragbirds, and Jess Merritt.

Adam Labeaux - With more than three decades devoted to his craft, Adam Labeaux has established an indelible legacy within the Michigan music scene. His music is deeply rooted in folk, classic rock, funk, pop, and soul. “I’ve always gravitated towards balladeers and melody,” he says. “I’d rather hear somebody sing something sweet.”

Labeaux himself has an astonishing range and a voice as quick-tongued as it is rich with feeling. By turns playful and plaintive, triumphant and mournful, evocative and mercurial, sensual and restrained, Labeaux’s songs are full of melodic surprises. At every moment, he resists cliché, striving towards a relentless but upbeat authenticity in songs full of longing and hope.

Al Bettis - Al Bettis was inspired to start writing and singing music at age 30. He felt a spiritual calling to heal the world through music, so he picked up a guitar and a notepad and got to work. The self-trained acoustic guitarist has gained popularity for his smooth vocals and sincere lyrics. His shows are a journey through love, heartbreak and redemption as he offers stories about the musings behind many of his songs. His soothing voice is reminiscent of legends like Al Green and Otis Redding, with musical influence from artists such as Ed Sheeran and Jason Mraz.

Al Bettis is a constant fixture at festivals such as Detroit River Days, Michigan State Fair, Meridian Winter Blast, Ann Arbor Art Festival, and Ford Arts, Beats and Eats. He has featured in both the Sofar and Cultivate Cafe concert series, performing in Detroit, Ann Arbor, Cleveland and Ypsilanti. He performed for an intimate crowd at the historic Langston Hughes House in Harlem, and played for Taylor Guitars at the NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) trade shows in Anaheim and Nashville. He is featured frequently on Taylors Guitars' artist spotlights.

James Henes - James Henes is an emotive singer/ songwriter armed with vast influences from hard rock to folk. An open book policy on lyrics combined with riff-driven chord structures help create the soundscape to the songs of his life...always approaching each song with conviction and sincerity...he fronts the fantastic alt-rock band, Head Full Of Ghosts.