Songwriters & Storytellers: Robin Salmon· John Cable— Hosted by Mark Miller

For more than 20 years, Atlanta based singer, songwriter, guitarist, Mark Miller, has been performing for sold out audiences at listening rooms, wineries, theaters, and festivals from Georgia to Maine.

Americana Highways declared his latest recording, “Standing on Shoulders”, as “one of the years best Americana albums…..if you are looking for original songs, I give you Mark Miller’s “Standing on Shoulders””. The same album was hailed by Roots Magazine as one of the 10 best roots albums of 2022.

"Robin Dean Salmon is an anthropologist of sorts. At times living the life of a gypsy, traveling the world, amassing the experiences it would take most several lifetimes to accumulate. From this he has developed an intrinsic understanding of what it means to be human. A base insight that somehow eludes most, perhaps due to lack of awareness or just simple indifference. It is songwriters like Salmon who help us to look at ourselves and this world in which we live with a bit more clarity." -HANNAH CROWELL-

Born in Durban South Africa, Robin Salmon came of age in a disjointed country plagued by violence and political turmoil. His father’s disaccord with the apartheid favoring government led to a pending threat of him becoming a banned person, which at the time carried the sentencing of house arrest that was doggedly enforced. The family fled to America in 1977, settling outside of San Antonio on the largest long horn cattle ranch in the country. Life was reinvented and the way of the rancher instilled in the fabric of young Salmon. Spending the impressionable years of a young man’s life in the Texas hill country in the early 80’s, Salmon’s musical roots were a cross pollination of musical legends Bob Wills, Johnny Cash and Marty Robbins and the contemporaries of punk rock, The Sex Pistols, U2, The Clash and The Ramones. At 15 Salmon got his first guitar, wrote his first song and realized life as a performer was an inescapable dream.

Fresh out of high school Salmon formed the band, See No Evil, which would later prove to be a success for it’s four young members. While the band was living in Austin and playing every obliging hole in the wall, Salmon penned a song for International Youth Year, a festival held by the General Assembly at the United Nations in New York. The opportunity to perform live before the United Nations, and the intoxication of the vitality and grit that was the New York in the 80’s, Salmon and his fellow See No Evil members packed up and moved their outfit to the city. While living in a Greek Community of Queens and surviving on white rice and kool-aid, the band played steady gigs at the infamous CBGB. At one of these late night gigs legendary producer Richard Robinson of Lou Reed and David Johnson notoriety discovered the young musicians. Impressed with the band and particularly Salmon’s songwriting, Robinson secured the band a deal with Epic that would produce two records. 'See No Evil' and 'Songs', both produced by Robinson, were released to rave reviews.

Nominated for 3 prestigious New York Music Awards, the band toured tirelessly until 1992 when Salmon was in a motorcycle accident that nearly ended his life. Faced with months of rehabilitation and an arduous recovery, the New York City winters and brazen population was something Salmon was not eager to endure. A lover of the balmy comforts of the south and her soulful music, he relocated to Atlanta.

The inception of FMG Studios, affectionately named for his dog Fat Muddy George, came from the desire to wear the hat of both recording artist and producer. During FMG studios existence, Salmon produced over 40 records spanning virtually every musical genre from Baptist gospel records to heavy metal. He also released several independent records of his own; a 1994 acoustic album 'Aiming For The Sun' and 1997's 'High Energy Alternative Power Pop' with his then band, Christopher Robin. Evolution as an artist is inevitable and Salmon was no exception with his shift from Punk Rock Manhattanite to the roots infused sound of a Bohemian balladeer. Referencing his Texas roots and country influences, Salmon released 2 albums under the name Jack West, 'Gunslinger' and 'Suicide Alley', both applauded by the critics. Hal Horowitz of Creative Loafing said, “'Gunslinger' fits comfortably into the current crop of alt-country traditionalists”. Heavily influenced by the work of other respected artists, Salmon references Rodney Crowell’s 'Houston Kid' as being a turning point in his musical direction. The honesty of the human condition and rawness of Crowell’s story telling was something that Salmon responded to and worked to incorporate in his own work. Americana music, undecorated and intelligent, was a genre of music that resonated deeply with a South African refugee raised on a Texas Longhorn ranch.

Robin had the good fortune of drawing upon the services of the afore mentioned artist, Rodney Crowell. Collaborating on the track, 'Maybe I Do', featured on the album "Gasoline". Salmon and Crowell have a vocal synergy that produces a beautiful, albeit dismal, account of two people broken by the lonesome struggle to find love. In the words of Rodney Crowell himself, “Robin Salmon is smart, funny, poetic and in possession of a melodic wit. Anyone got a problem with that?” Few would dare disagree.

John is a veteran musician who began his career in the late 60s. After serving as lead guitarist and vocalist for Texas country rock pioneers, Colours, John became a member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. In 1977, they became the first American band in history to perform in the Soviet Union. John became the first American to lecture at the Moscow Conservatory of Music on the history of Western Blues and Rock music.

John has performed on The Tonight Show, Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, The Midnight Special, Austin City Limits and the Grand Ole Opry. He has performed in some of the great concert venues, as well, including Wolftrap, Carnegie Hall and Red Rocks.

For the last seven years, John has played and toured with JohnMcEuen and The String Wizards.

All ticket holders are able to order food and drinks during the event. Standing Room Ticket holders generally place their orders with the venue bar staff. Main Floor Reserved Table and VIP Balcony Table ticket holders are served by MadLife’s friendly wait staff throughout the event.

Refer to the seating map below for a layout of the venue for this show. Please note the table arrangement is subject to change and not all tables may be available.

If You Wish To Select A Specific Reserved Table:

Holders of VIP Balcony and Main Floor Reserved Table tickets have the ability to select any available reserved table from the moment their tickets are purchased, up until 30 minutes BEFORE doors open to the event (i.e. if doors are at 6:30, cutoff time for selecting a reserved table would be at 6:00). Tables can be selected EITHER at the Box Office or by contacting the Box Office during its hours of operation at (678) 384-2363 ext. 1. Please note that tables cannot be selected online for this show and if you do not select a table, MadLife will select one for you. Selecting a table is not required, but is an option available.

For any wheelchair or ADA needs, please contact the Box Office in advance of the event at (678) 384-2363 ext. 1.

Please Note: Ticket Prices May Increase At Any Time

For any other questions regarding the event or tickets, please contact the Box Office during its hours of operation at (678) 384-2363 ext. 1.

Box Office hours of operation are Wednesday-Saturday 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM.

Host or Publisher MadLife Stage & Studios