Ariana Samples

ENTERPRISE — The Wallowa Valley Music Alliance continues the 19th season of Tunesmith Night, a showcase of original music, on Saturday, Jan. 11, at the Odd Fellows Hall, 105 NE First St.

The concert features three songwriters sharing their original work in a round-robin format, which provides an up-close experience for both audience and performers.

The Jan. 11 concert features Sage Christie, Gregory Rawlins and Ariana Samples. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with music starting at 7 p.m. Admission is $10. Beverage service is available.

The musicians

Sage Christie sings “lush folk fairytales born of childlike wonder and candid introspection,” according to a press release. Their knack for melody and effortlessly poignant lyrics have made them a Kerrville New Folk finalist twice, and often draw comparisons to the likes of Janis Ian, Joni Mitchell and Alison Krauss and “listeners can expect to laugh, weep, and come away with hearts wide open.”

Ariana Samples is a young local artist who has grown up in the music world of Wallowa County. She has been singing for as long as she can remember, and her favorite music pastime is playing with her dad and her brother. She began writing songs with her best friend when she was 9 years old. She learned to play bass when she was 12. Through her teenage years, Samples began to write songs to sort through her emotions and try to understand herself better. Some of her songs are religious praises, and others are laments of emotions that she was unsure of how to express to others.

Gregory Rawlins was born in lush and rainy Port Orchard, Washington, and when he wasn’t building forts or popping wheelies, he was marveling at the beauty of the natural world. Through a love for poetry and theatre, Rawlins began writing and performing his songs in the mid-2000s and has recorded 15 full-length albums — including “Pale Marble Movie” and “Ma,” two drastically different albums both released on Dec. 6. From folk to hard rock to experimental, nothing is off the table for exploration.

“I see so many parallels between going for a hike, and wandering through the studio — searching for an untapped wilderness of expression,” he said. “Both places replenish me, give me joy, and are (for the most part) good for my health.”

Rawlins also teaches language arts and drama at North Powder Charter School.