Join us on Wednesday, April 25th from 6-8pm for DIME Detroit’s 90-minute Songwriting Challenge!
Work with our students and learn about writing to a deadline with the guidance of our instructors: Antea Shelton and Audra Kubat. This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in joining DIME’s Songwriting program beginning Fall 2018.
This event is FREE for DIME students and Guests! RSVP on our Facebook Event.
We were thrilled to have 2 incredible Grammy-winning artists at DIME this week: Esperanza Spalding, and Terri Lyne Carrington! Check out some photos below!
For more information on our programs in Commercial Music Performance, Commercial Songwriting, and Music Industry Studies, click here!
Who are some of your influences?
Michael Jackson, Nina Simone, Lauryn-Hill, Frank Ocean, OutKast, and Erykah Badu, just to name a few.
Tell us about your project, New Soul! We loved the new record! Do you have any other projects that you’re working on?
Elbow Room is the official last album for the duo New Soul. Hopefully, it showed people that Walt Dolla and I explore more than just soul and that we pull from many different influences like rap, expressive scatting, Christian/gospel, and more. Right now, I’m creating music under the moniker Al’Exist and working on a Solo album that I have hope will be released in 2019. Look out for that 😉
You are the only student who has been featured on all three DIME albums! Can you tell us a bit about this experience?
I just love the experience as a whole, from the pre-production all the way to mixing levels at the end of a recording session. I love the collaborative effort done by the musicians, singer/songwriters, vocalists, producer and engineer. Prayerfully, you’ll see me on DIME Sessions Vol IV album for this last go-around!
How has the program at DIME helped you to develop as a Songwriter and entrepreneur? Are there any specific classes or projects that come to mind?
DIME has challenged me to become a better artist. I found out so many things about myself just by showing up to class and doing the work. I’ve learned how fast I can lay a demo, or write a song. I’ve even found my love for production, and now that’s something I do. This last year, especially with all the independent work, has really pushed me to know who I am as an artist and how do I want to brand/represent myself. I truly am grateful of all the instructors and staff for believing in me and pushing me to be a better musician and business woman.
You’re about to graduate. What are your short and long-term career goals?
Whoa, I know right? My short term goal is to be an artist (singer/songwriter/producer) who is successfully and independently touring and recording my own music. My long term goal is to cultivate the music scene in Detroit and bring something like South by Southwest in Austin, Texas to Detroit in a classic Detroit way. People go out to Atlanta, Nashville, New York, and LA to start off their music career and I want to help Detroit become one of those places. It should already be one.
What has been the highlight of your studies at DIME?
The Masterclasses definitely. Les Nubians, George Clinton, Eric Roberson, and OHMYGOODNESS, my fav: Underground System. Love them. I would love to tour with them one day. I said, it’s happening!
To learn more about our programs in Songwriting, click here!
To schedule an audition, call us at 313-223-1600 or email info@dime-detroit.com
DIME DETROIT Presents: Night of Voice – Thursday, April 19th
Join us for our 2018 Night of Voice, featuring DIME vocal department student and faculty performances! Learn more about our programs, meet current students, staff, and faculty of DIME!
This event is FREE and open to the public!
Crowned “Detroit’s Queen of the Blues” in 2015, Thornetta Davis, a multi-talented international Singer and Songwriter from Detroit MI, has opened for legendary blues and R&B greats such as Ray Charles, Gladys Knight, Smokey Robinson, Etta James, Buddy Guy, and countless others. She is the Winner of over 30 Detroit Music Awards including sweeping the 2017 DMA’s with 8 awards. Thornetta Davis has electrified audiences worldwide for 30 years, and for this special masterclass she’ll be sharing her stories and performing for DIME students and guests.
GET READY FOR A NIGHT OF CONTINOUS LAUGHS AND MUSIC …
MIXING THE HIP HOP CULTURE WITH COMEDY
GET PLUGGED UP Presents
First Funny Friday’s – Comedy & After Party – April 6th
@ The Underground at DIME
Highlighting Star comedians around Metro Detroit
Hosted by On Air Radio Personality Comic J Will
Featured Comedians include:
– J. Bell
– Mic Larry
– Funny Man Coolaide
Doors open at 8pm – Show starts at 9pm – Must be 21+ to enter
ADVANCED TICKETS $15
$20 AT THE DOOR
After the comedy, Get ready to party the night away with a SPECIAL MUSICAL GUEST and some of Detroit’s KEY PREMIERE DJ’s til 2am
SPONSORED BY PREMIERE LIQUOR BRANDS WITH COMPLIMENTARY TASTINGS FROM
– EFFEN VODKA
– COURVOISIER COGNAC
DIME is excited to present its first ever Guitar and Bass Showcase, TONIGHT in our Underground venue. The event, which is sponsored by 89X, will feature performances from DIME Faculty Damon Warmack, Kris Kurzawa, Mo Hollis, Cory Allen, and Matt Callaway! DIME Detroit students will also hit the stage to showcase their talents!
One of those students is Chris Terry, a Senior at DIME who was one of the first students to enroll at DIME in 2014! Chris is now in his final semester studying on the BA (Hons) Creative Music Performance. We sat down with Chris to find out about his experiences at DIME and what inspired him to study guitar.
Who is your biggest musical influence and why?
I had two huge influences growing up, who still influence me today – Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page. What I love about both of these guys is that they aren’t necessarily the most technically gifted, but they have so much courage and fearlessness on stage. Even if they didn’t always hit the right notes, their stage presence and confidence were so powerful.
What age did you first pick up a guitar?
I was 11 years old when I got my first electric guitar. After that I had some lessons, but really was self-taught until I joined DIME on the Certificate program in 2014.
What made you choose to study with us?
I wanted to further my musical ability, become a better improviser and learn different styles of music. I didn’t know how to do any of these things before I came to DIME. After visiting and talking to staff about the program, I knew I would get what I needed from DIME to improve my ability and to have a career playing music.
What have you found most rewarding about your studies at DIME?
The most rewarding thing is how comfortable I have become on my instrument. I’ve learned so much – scales, chords, different styles and genres – which means that composing my own songs is easier and more rewarding. All of the knowledge I’ve gained on this degree has allowed me to make my own music and express myself creatively.
What are your long-term goals in music?
I plan on playing music forever! My long-term goals are to tour the world and see new places in the process. I want to put out an album that my grandchildren can listen to one day! I also want to be able to take care of my family and provide for them. I hope one day to get into teaching and have my own residency. In the short term, I have a tour lined up starting in Colorado on 17th June.
What will you be playing for us tonight?
I’m excited to be playing a song called ‘Shining Star’ by Earth Wind and Fire!
Chris Terry playing at the DIME, End of Semester showcase
Check out Chris at the Guitar & Bass Showcase: tonight, Wednesday, March 28th. Doors open 6:30 pm and the show starts at 7pm. This event is free and open to the public! You can find all the details on our Facebook Event.
Following our first ever Wellness Week in Fall 2017, we are excited to kick off a week-long program of events, activities and workshops at DIME!
As in our previous Wellness Week, the focus is on the importance of looking after mental and physical health, and the promotion of positive self-care practices. The high proportion of musicians suffering from mental health issues is a serious issue which is often neglected. Our aim is for Wellness Week to destigmatize the silence around mental health and provide students with a safe, supportive space where they can access help and learn positive ways to cope with stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions.
This semester DIME Denver and DIME ONLINE will join DIME Detroit in running their own Wellness Week activities. In Detroit and Denver students will have access to mindfulness workshops, drop-in self-care sessions and a video screening of Gaga Foot Two. We are also excited to welcome some special guests to DIME! Following her successful session in November, the Detroit team have secured the services of Lauren from the Arbor Wellness Center for another yoga session. In Denver, Siddy and Kit from Original 1265 signed band, Wildflowers, will be running a session on eating healthy on a budget. Detroit will be welcoming back friends from Michigan State’s Extension Program to talk on the same subject. Instructors Liz Gray (in Detroit) and Karen Kitterman (in Denver) will also be talking to the students about performance anxiety and stage fright. DIME ONLINE students will receive a daily bulletin packed full of resources, content and advice directly to their inbox each day.
Outside of Wellness Week, students are able to access 1-2-1 support from the DIME Student Services team at any time. DIME Denver students can access a wealth of supportive services at the MSU Denver campus. DIME Detroit has also developed relationships with local agencies who can offer free and low cost therapy, housing services, and addiction programs.
If you have questions about Wellness Week, support, and student services more generally, please contact Head of Student Services, Jess Hamlin: jessicahamlin@dime-detroit.com
Join us for our Guitar & Bass Showcase on March 28th! This show will feature DIME Faculty Damon Warmack, Kris Kurzawa, Mo Hollis, Cory Allen, and Matt Callaway. Also, DIME Detroit students will hit the stage to showcase their talents!
Our special guest is Brad Russell!
Born in Detroit, Brad Russell (aka Russo) was raised in a musically diverse household. He recalls, “my brothers listening to everything from James Brown to Aerosmith and my Mom spinning Bill Evans or Stan Getz records.” After studying acoustic bass in high school, Brad attended the University of Miami’s school of music and received a masters degree. He later moved to the San Francisco Bay area and worked for Shrapnel/Blues Bureau records producer Mike Varney. He has performed/recorded with a variety of artists such as: Mariah Carey, Clarence Clemons, Neal Schon and jazz organist Lonnie Smith. Currently living in NYC Brad has also performed for the Broadway musicals Jersey Boys and Grease.
Guitar & Bass Showcase
Wednesday, March 28th
Doors open 6:30 pm
Free and open to the public!
DIME Detroit
1265 Griswold
Detroit, MI 48226
Josh Cowdrey, Creative Songwriting student at DIME, singing with his band You Rest, You Joy Life
DIME Detroit Creative Songwriting Senior Josh Cowdrey’s band You Rest, You Joy Life is self-reportedly “Not Emo” – it even says so on their merch – but they’ve been working hard to make a name for themselves in Detroit’s indie emo scene. We sat down with Josh to talk about the band’s latest EP, Just to Be On Something, released on Have Fun Records, and their upcoming show at BLED Fest on May 26th.
DIME: Tell me a bit about your band! Who are your members, how long have you been together, and what are your influences?
Josh: Our members are me, Josh Cowdrey (guitar/vox), Andrew Muller (guitar/vox), David Sobolak (guitar/vox), Collin Jerue (bass), and Topher Schuetz (drums). We’ve been playing together for about 2 years. In that time, we’ve self-released an LP called “I Have Slipped the Surly Bonds Of Earth… And Touched the Face Of God” and released an EP called “Just To Be On Something” via Have Fun Records on February 27th. Some of our biggest influences include Bauhaus, Foxing, Periphery, David Bowie, the Twilight Sad, Lamb Of God, Anberlin, Have A Nice Life, and Jawbreaker.
D: What’s your favorite track on your new EP?
J: Probably the third track, “Please Don’t Drink That Water.” It’s seven minutes long and it took a year to write. It’s the most personal track I’ve written and the most collaborative track that we wrote as a band on that record.
D: What has been the best part of your experience at DIME?
J: DIME has really shaped me as a songwriter. I have learned how to improve my songwriting stylistically and technically, as well as learning how to be more confident in my presentation of myself/the band and also with my stage presence. The songwriting program has taught me how to dive into styles outside of my comfort zone and really immerse myself in them. This has helped me to mesh my own personal style with other styles of writing, and bring that to You Rest, You Joy Life. I’ve learned how to write with other people collaboratively as well. I think at this point I would have exhausted Green Day rip-offs or sad boy indie-rock, but now I have the tools to explore other genres and make my songs more interesting and new. I’ve also learned how important networking is and have done a lot of that in regards to YRYJL. And I love the people – I’ve definitely made some lifelong friends here.
D: Who are some of your favorite songwriters?
J: My all time favorite is Billy Joel Armstrong from Green Day. A few of my other favorites are Isaac Brock from Modest Mouse, Gary Lightbody from Snow Patrol, Ian Curtis from Joy Division, Nick Drake, and David Bowie.
Photo courtesy Josh Cowdrey/You Rest, You Joy Life
D: Who is your favorite instructor at DIME?
J: Probably Antea. She is not afraid to put me in my place, as a person or a songwriter. I might come up with something that I think is the greatest thing that’s ever been written, and she finds ways to make it better. She’s really broken me down as a songwriter and built me up at the same time. I feel like I’m forever changed as an artist since having her as an instructor. I think I’ve grown a lot since having classes with her.
D: Tell me more about BLED Fest! It’s exciting to see YRYJL in the lineup this year.
J: The local band Mover Shaker is the root of all of my experience with BLED Fest. They were the first indie local band that I went to see, and because of them, I was introduced to the entire indie emo community. Through the scene, I met a band called Dads from New Jersey and loved their music. They ended up moving to Ann Arbor and we became friends. They played BLED Fest in 2013, along with Modern Baseball, Tiger’s Jaw, and other bands I loved. I went to the fest and loved it; I’ve gone every year since. Then DIME got involved, and I was excited to see that. I’ve wanted to play BLED Fest for almost five years now, always submitting whatever band I was in to play. But this time, with the new release, we had some momentum to build off of. Some of my best friends and favorite bands are playing this year, so we’re all really excited.
D: What is your favorite local venue?
J: The Sanctuary! It was the first local venue I’d gone to before I knew anything about the DIY and indie local music scene. I had no idea that community existed. My friends in Mover Shaker invited me to a show of theirs at the Sanctuary. I didn’t know anybody there, but everyone made me feel really welcomed, and I absolutely fell in love with it. I started going to shows there all the time and meeting a ton of people and bands. At one point, I was going to a show almost every day. You Rest, You Joy Life played their first show there, so it’s really special to me. I’m really glad that they’re re-opening in the same location where Paycheck’s was.
D: What are your goals for the band?
J: We have a small tour booked for June and we really want to dive into that, especially since that’s when I’ll be graduating from DIME. We want to tour non-stop, playing more festivals and shows out of state, really getting our name out there. Continue to use network and experiences gained through DIME to boost that. My ultimate goal for the band is for someone I don’t know to say they like something I wrote. That, and to see one of our records on vinyl. If I have that, I’ll be good.
Connect with You Rest, You Joy Life:
Upcoming Events
Listen to their new EP on Bandcamp!
