The Barn Concert Series is kicking back off with a concert on Sept. 12 featuring singer-songwriters Tim Easton and Erin Enderlin.
American songwriter Tim Easton was born on the Canadian border in upstate New York and spent his formative years living in Tokyo, Japan and Akron, Ohio. Traveling early and often, he learned the ways of the road and rails and spent seven years as a bonafide troubadour, making his way around Europe, playing the streets and clubs, living in Paris, London, Madrid, Prague, Dublin, and wherever he laid his hat.
It was this period of time when he developed his songwriting style – folk based storytelling and personal traveling tales, often peppered with bold confessions or “tell it as it is” reality. Rolling Stone Magazine praised him as “having a novelist’s sense of humanity.”
Returning to his roots in North America, moving to New York City and then Los Angeles, he signed with New West Records and released five critically acclaimed solo albums starting with 2001’s “The Truth About Us,” which featured three fourths of WILCO as the backing band.
Easton settled in the burgeoning art and music scene of Joshua Tree, California between worldwide tours. After becoming a father and relocating to Nashville, Easton recorded an album for THIRTY TIGERS (“NOT COOL” 2013), which accented the stripped down Memphis & Sun Studios sound of the Tennessee Three.
His next album in 2016, “AMERICAN FORK,” was a grand departure from his previous efforts, featuring a fully flushed out backing band with elaborate songs arrangements.
Next came “Paco & The Melodic Polaroids,” a stripped down, direct to lacquer LP of love songs to his beloved Gibson J-45 named “Paco.”
That was followed up with 2020’s full band recording “You Don’t Really Know Me,” beginning a new relationship with Oklahoma based Black Mesa Records. His newest release is this year’s “Find Your Way.”
Erin Enderlin, an Arkansas songwriter, will be playing in support of Easton during the Sept. 12 concert.
“One of the best things about country music was that it was adult music,” Enderlin said. “It was real music that dealt with hard issues in life so that people going through those things don’t feel so alone.”
The observation is signature Enderlin: She has a way of turning a song or even just a thought into an outstretched hand to the lonely or ashamed. While she first turned heads as a godsend to those aching for an artist with some golden-era country backbone, she has since emerged as a literary songwriter and superb vocal stylist with a knack for sharply drawn – and often sad – characters. Backsliders, avengers, lovers, and victims – they’re all in her acclaimed albums.
Enderlin has written with and for many of country musics best, including Willie Nelson, Trisha Yearwood, Alan Jackson, Luke Bryan, Rodney Crowell, Reba McEntire, Lee Ann Womack and many others. Enderlin will play at 7 p.m., and after a break, Easton will take the stage at 8 p.m.
Parking and dinner for the concert will begin at 6 p.m., and the show will have a donation jar under the food tent with the proceeds going to a different local charity at each event. This concert will raise funds for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Steve Ellis, who runs the Barn Concert Series with his wife Kay, said, “This show will be outstanding! Two premier songwriters who convey their music with passion and clarity.”
Tickets for the show are $30 and are available online at barnconcertseries.com.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.



