It all started when…

…LA-based singer-songwriter Greg Gilman — a.k.a. Greg in Good Company — was given the opportunity to host a night of live music at North End Hollywood in the fall of 2019.

Tired of attending poorly curated shows in unwelcoming spaces, often filled with big egos and unfriendly cliques, Greg wanted to introduce something different to the Los Angeles music scene, which was vibrant and eclectic, yet dispersed and disconnected at the time.

While brainstorming a format that would both entertain audiences and connect artists, he took a trip to Nashville, where he played in songwriter rounds for the first time. The music scene he experienced there was the exact opposite of L.A.: artists were supportive and tight-knit, seeking collaboration instead of competition, resulting in warm and welcoming performance spaces throughout the city. It became immediately clear to Greg that the City of Angels needed an introduction to this show format that was a hallmark of Music City, regularly showcasing three or four artists on the same stage, taking turns playing their songs and sharing the stories behind them.

But Greg also understood the value of the open mic — a space he took advantage of for years to develop his artistry before becoming a professional — as well as networking, which is the most useful asset in any independent artist’s toolbox.

So, Greg set out to create a space that not only showcased top-notch professional talent, but also attracted artists who were serious about their craft and interested in mingling with other like-minded people, all while providing a damn good show and amazing experience for anyone who walks through the door.

Writers ‘Round: Los Angeles was born on November 7 of 2019, when Greg began hosting two curated rounds of amazing singer-songwriters, who then picked audience names at random from The Hat to take their seat for shorter “open rounds,” creating a space for artists and audiences to listen, play, hang, and connect every Wednesday in the heart of Hollywood.

The weekly hang started with just 10-15 people gathering to enjoy live music in an attentive listening room environment, and then word of mouth spread, and more people began showing up — especially in wake of the pandemic, when community and connection was desperately needed to revive L.A.’s now thriving music scene. These days, between 50-75 people regularly attend WR:LA, which also hosts touring artists.

”I wish we had something like this in San Diego,” said Story & Tune’s Ben Grace after performing in a round in the fall of 2021.

Greg replied, “You should start one.”

So, Ben did, launching Writers ‘Round: San Diego in February ‘22, creating a thriving chapter, beloved by the San Diego music community, with 100+ people attending every Monday at The Ould Sod.

The idea was unite under one brand umbrella so we could work together, not only nurturing our own local scene, but building a bridge for artists in the WR community to get out of those local scenes and hit the road.

Soon, singer-songwriters from New Jersey joined the movement, followed by Orange County, and then, Knoxville. Each chapter is autonomous, run by local artists to serve their local music community on the principles Greg laid down back in 2019. Each chapter is as unique as the community it’s serving, and we’re in discussions with more artists to launch chapters in other locations, too.

We see ourselves as a non-profit organization (though we’re not officially a 501c3), which is why our events are free. If we do host ticketed events, we guarantee the artists performing will get the bulk of ticket sales.

There are enough people out there trying to make a buck off of the talent of others; we just want to nurture it, and encourage singer-songwriters on all levels of the journey to keep going.

To anyone who may be reading this, we hope you can come check out one of our shows soon, and we very much look forward to meeting and hosting you!

Listen. Play. Hang. Connect. Every week, at Writers ‘Round chapters across the country.