One-Year Anniversary Show: Songwriters In The Round

Our 12th Songwriters In The Round showcase. Join us for a special evening with four local groups: Rachael and Luke Price (Love, DEAN), Haley Johnsen, Mitch Whitaker, and Justin Chittams (Chitty).

Enjoy a variety of music, storytelling, and sometimes spontaneous collaboration from our featured songwriters. Each writer will play a song, followed by the next, and so on, for a total of 5 songs. Meet our musicians:

Love, DEAN

Musicians, singer-songwriters, and husband and wife, Rachael and Luke Price, are bringing back the feel-good vibes of classic Americana. Love, DEAN brings a handcrafted musical mosaic of vintage soul, gospel, and folk. Rachael’s stunning vocals and pointed lyrics, along with Luke’s raw harmonies and soul-influenced guitar, culminate in undeniable chemistry. With two voices and an old electric hollow-body guitar, they create music that is honest, timeless, yet uniquely new.

Haley Johnsen

Haley Johnsen is a Portland, Oregon-born musician with a knack for genre-bending and a hard-earned career path that is uniquely her own. Raised listening to powerhouse singers such as Brandi Carlile, Annie Lennox, and Bonnie Raitt, her greatest inspirations become apparent in her soaring vocals, introspective lyricism, and cross-pollinated style of indie-pop, and folk rock music. Whether her songs muse on the aches of self-doubt, the joy that can accompany nostalgia, or simply trying to stay afloat in tough times, her bona fide songwriting combined with her performance ability is bound to evoke an emotional response. Her entire catalog of music as well as her showmanship promises to be quirky, dramatic, soft, inspirational, eclectic, and fun.” Kinda like Haley Johnsen.

Mitch Whitaker

Mitch Whitaker’s songwriting tends to be lyric-forward, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying the music as well. A blend of folk and classical composition, his sound is reminiscent of Elliott Smith, Gillian Welch, Bruce Cockburn, and Randy Newman, among others.

Justin Chittams (Chitty)

Wm. Justin Chittams was born in Washington, DC and in 2008 moved to Hilo, Hawai'i to attend the University of Hilo. After graduating as a music major, music became his only focus. He began playing drums and singing with many different local rock, reggae and jazz groups such as N.Y.R, Big Island Swing, Wendell Ing and friends, The Steppas, Positive Motion ,along with many other local talents. After experimenting with different genres of music and internalizing those experiences, he found his musical home in the eclectic band of musicians, Nahko and Medicine for the people. Making music is Justin's life’s work. He practices often to constantly expand his instrumental and musical knowledge. Justin’s hope is that people can connect to his music and be inspired to always keep striving for their goals and dreams.

Host or Publisher PDX Songwriters