April 21, 2026

Join us on Zoom this weekend.

Here's what will be happening on Sunday, April 26 at 2 p.m.

We'll meet on Zoom. Bring something to share.

Here's the link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82787694684?pwd=dmJWemxOckJET29mdCtJQjc3Ry8yZz09

Meeting ID: 827 8769 4684

Passcode: 939440



Sorry, no Sunday summary from last week!

And from the folks at the SSV home office:

April Master Class

Mandy Rowden 4/27/26

Joining us tonight for our Soldier Songs and Voices Masterclass is touring musician, songwriter, and guitar educator Mandy Rowden

Mandy Rowden is a longtime musician based in Central Texas. In 2024 she published her master’s thesis on Texas women singer-songwriters and actively seeks to bring opportunities and elevation to women musicians in all forms. Rowden is the founder of Girl Guitar, Austin's guitar, songwriting, and rock and roll school for women. In addition, she is a professor of Business in Music at Texas State University as well as an online educator for Elixir Strings. Mandy is a Gibson Artist and has released four albums of original music. Currently Rowden resides in Lockhart with her family and can be found most weekends playing guitar, fiddle, or drums in performances all over Central Texas.

Join us Monday the 27th of April for an evening of craft, conversation, and practical tools you can immediately bring into your own songwriting.

Check out Mandy’s Music Here

Master class every Monday

3pm PT, 4pm MT, 5pm CT, 6pm ET

Click here to join the Master Class Zoom Meeting



Coming up:

We'll be on Zoom May 3 and 10 and at Artichoke Community Music on May 17.



Save the dates!

April 16,2026

Join us for some in-person inspiration on Sunday, April 19 at 2 p.m.

We'll be in the upper classroom, as usual. Bring a song or two to share! Or just listen!

Here's where:

Artichoke Community Music

2007 SE Powell Blvd, Portland, OR 97202

Map

We won't be Zooming for this event.



Last week on Zoom:

Participants:

Ed ,I can't help but wonder where I'm bound

David M, The moon should be mine

Trish (host)

This was a quick small group today. We discussed if participants would be interested in having a professional singer/songwriter guest join us in the near future. The consensus was overwhelmingly, yes. However, there were only three participants so The question will be brought up again when more people are present. People had things to do so we cut the session short.

And from the folks at the SSV home office:

Hey songwriters!

Join us for a master class meet up!

Mondays

3pm PT, 4pm MT, 5pm CT, 6pm ET

Click here to join the Master Class Zoom Meeting



Look for us on Zoom on April 26 and May 3. Our next session at Artichoke will be May 17. Save the dates!

April 7, 2026

Join us on Zoom this weekend.

Here's what will be happening on Sunday, April 12 at 2 p.m.

We'll meet on Zoom. Bring something to share.

Here's the link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82787694684?pwd=dmJWemxOckJET29mdCtJQjc3Ry8yZz09

Meeting ID: 827 8769 4684

Passcode: 939440



And from the folks at the SSV home office:

Master class every Monday

3pm PT, 4pm MT, 5pm CT, 6pm ET

Click here to join the Master Class Zoom Meeting



Coming up:

We'll be at Artichoke Community Music on April 19 and on Zoom April 26.



Save the dates!

April 3, 2026

We won't be on Zoom this weekend.

It's Easter Sunday and our bunny suits are at the cleaners!

But here's some entertainment--our Spring Fundraiser for Artichoke Community Music was a blast. If you weren't able to join us, here's a link to the video:

https://www.youtube.com/live/wRfZP7ReQyQ?si=WNbe6ddhafw-SD9y

We hope you enjoy it!



And from the folks at the SSV home office:

Master class every Monday

3pm PT, 4pm MT, 5pm CT, 6pm ET

Click here to join the Master Class Zoom Meeting



Coming up:

We'll be dark on Zoom until April 12 and back at Artichoke Community Music on April 19.



Save the dates!

March 25, 2026

We won't be on Zoom this weekend.

Instead, if you're in the Metro area, we'll be delighted if you can join us here:

And here:

And there may be a waitlist, but our Hillsboro Beginning Guitar Class starts next week!

And from the folks at the SSV home office:

Master class every Monday

3pm PT, 4pm MT, 5pm CT, 6pm ET

Click here to join the Master Class Zoom Meeting



Coming up:

We'll be dark on Zoom until April 12 and back at Artichoke Community Music on April 19.



Save the dates!

March 19,2026

Join us on Zoom this weekend.

 Here's what will be happening on Sunday, March 22 at 2 p.m.

We'll meet on Zoom. Bring something to share.

Here's the link: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82787694684?pwd=dmJWemxOckJET29mdCtJQjc3Ry8yZz09

Meeting ID: 827 8769 4684

Passcode: 939440



Last week at Artichoke:

Attendees: Carl, Ernie, Sandra, Jason, Sean, Robert and me. 

Sandra played a song twice that she wrote earlier that day. She played the first song in 3/4 time and the second in 4/4 time. And she received welcome feedback from those in attendance. Congratulations Sandra for writing and playing a song the same day!

Carl read the lyrics to a song "Yellow, Red and Green," based on input from a brother-in-law who served in the military in Vietnam. 

And we all played songs.

Last chance to join our Spring guitar class in Hillsboro:



And from the folks at the SSV home office:

Master class every Monday

3pm PT, 4pm MT, 5pm CT, 6pm ET  

Click here to join the Master Class Zoom Meeting



Coming up:

We'll be dark on Zoom until April 12 and back at Artichoke Community Music on April 19.



Save the dates!

March 12, 2026

Welcome!

Join us for some in-person inspiration on Sunday, March 15 at 2 p.m.

We'll be in the upper classroom, as usual. Bring a song or two to share! Or just listen!

Here's where:

Artichoke Community Music

2007 SE Powell Blvd, Portland, OR 97202

Map

We won't be Zooming for this event.



Last week on Zoom:

Participants:

Jeff C, Continental suite, Silence on the line, A Good man, Love is our cross to bear

John L, Arms of love, 100% chance of whiskey, Rodeo clown, Life don't get no better than this

Carl, Whiskey soul, Company of Angels, Please, please, please

Ed, Jambalaya, Flanders Fields, I can't help but wonder where I'm bound

Deb, Glass ceiling, Time after time, Her time to fly,

David M, As you flow into me, Already there, Somewhere near my lips

Trish (host)

Wow! We slammed through a lot of really good songs with very good commentary and discussion. Somethings that are said on Zoom need to stay on Zoom. lol

And from the folks at the SSV home office:

Hey songwriters!

Join us for a master class meet up!

Mondays

3pm PT, 4pm MT, 5pm CT, 6pm ET

Click here to join the Master Class Zoom Meeting



Look for us on Zoom on March 22 and 29. Our next session at Artichoke will be April 19. Join us!

March 4, 2026

Join us on Zoom this weekend.

Here's what will be happening on Sunday, March 8 at 2 p.m.

We'll meet on Zoom. Bring something to share.

Here's the link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82787694684?pwd=dmJWemxOckJET29mdCtJQjc3Ry8yZz09

Meeting ID: 827 8769 4684

Passcode: 939440



Last week on Zoom:

Sorry, no report was posted for last week.



Save the Date!

SSV PDX Spring Fundraiser

Sunday, March 29, 7 p.m.

Artichoke Community Music



And from the folks at the SSV home office:

March Master Class

James Downes 3/9/26

We’re honored to welcome James Downes as our guest instructor for this month’s Soldier Songs and Voices Masterclass.

In his session, “Beyond the Beginner’s Box: Adding Emotional Depth to Your Guitar Playing,” James will explore how to move past mechanical chord shapes and predictable strumming patterns, and into playing that carries weight, nuance, and emotional intention. This workshop is built for guitarists who know their fundamentals and are ready to make their instrument support the story they are trying to tell.

James Downes is a professional touring musician, songwriter, and the creator of the Folk Guitar MasterClass, an online platform helping guitarists break out of the beginner’s box and play with deeper emotional expression. With over 30 years of playing experience and more than 15 years teaching, James has worked with thousands of students around the world. He has shared stages with artists like Beck and Graham Nash, and brings that real world experience into every lesson. His teaching focuses on clarity, feel, and helping everyday guitarists sound more like themselves, not just copies of their heroes.

Join us Monday the 9th for an evening of craft, conversation, and practical tools you can immediately bring into your own songwriting. (Come to the meeting tonight, March 2nd, and work on that song you want to show off!)

Check out James’s music here

Master class every Monday

3pm PT, 4pm MT, 5pm CT, 6pm ET

Click here to join the Master Class Zoom Meeting



Coming up:

We'll be at Artichoke Community Music on March 15 and on Zoom on March 22 and 29.



Save the dates!

February 24, 2026

Join us on Zoom this weekend.

Here's what will be happening on Sunday, March1 at 2 p.m.

We'll meet on Zoom. Bring something to share.

Here's the link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82787694684?pwd=dmJWemxOckJET29mdCtJQjc3Ry8yZz09

Meeting ID: 827 8769 4684

Passcode: 939440



Last week on Zoom:

Participants:

David W, A change, Season of hate, singing alone, Evergreens, A dream

John L, Dance is never free, Never have, The forever bridge they burned, Big steel wheels, Road trips with you

Jeff C, Fool making woman, I would never have your heart, Wish I could write myself a song

Robert O, Spilled water, Ione, A woman's work is never done, An all night of love

Cherakea, showed up and enjoyed the tunes

Art, If I were a rich man, House of the rising sun

Joanne B, Robert played the song Joanne co-wrote with Robert; A woman's work is never done

Trish (host)

This was a jam-packed, went a little over music-filled session. There was a little less conversation and a whole lot of singing



Save the Date!

SSV PDX Spring Fundraiser

Sunday, March 29, 7 p.m.

Artichoke Community Music



And from the folks at the SSV home office:

Hey songwriters!

Join us for a master class meet up!

Mondays

3pm PT, 4pm MT, 5pm CT, 6pm ET

Click here to join the Master Class Zoom Meeting



Coming up:

We'll be and on Zoom on March 8 and at Artichoke Community Music on March 15.



Save the dates!

February 17, 2026

Join us on Zoom this weekend.

Here's what will be happening on Sunday, February 22 at 2 p.m.

We'll meet on Zoom. Bring something to share.

Here's the link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82787694684?pwd=dmJWemxOckJET29mdCtJQjc3Ry8yZz09

Meeting ID: 827 8769 4684

Passcode: 939440



Last week on at Artichoke:

SSV at Artichoke Music featured the SERJ players. That is Sandra, Ed, Robert, and Jason. We swapped songs and played one of Robert's (Paradise) together. Then we critiqued a song that Sandra is working on. There was so much music we went overtime! Everyone is excited about the SSV performance at Artichoke Music on Sunday, March 29.

Someone should have taken a picture but forgot!



Save the Date!

SSV PDX Spring Fundraiser

Sunday, March 29, 7 p.m.

Artichoke Community Music



And from the folks at the SSV home office:

Hey songwriters!

Join us for a master class meet up!

Mondays

3pm PT, 4pm MT, 5pm CT, 6pm ET

Click here to join the Master Class Zoom Meeting



Coming up:

We'll be and on Zoom on March 1 and 8 and at Artichoke Community Music on March 15.



Save the dates!