Curated, not competitive

Original voices of the Invitational

Every year, we invite a curated group of songwriters to share their original music across downtown Spearfish. These are the artists who have answered the call.

Jeffrey Foucault headlines the 2026 Invitational — Saturday, September 26.

Get tickets The Invitational

Songwriters jamming backstage at the Queen City Songwriters Invitational — Backstage, between rounds

Evening showcases

Headliners

The artists who have headlined our evening showcases at The Matthews Opera House. Open a name for the full record.

Jeffrey Foucault, Queen City Songwriters Invitational headliner

Jeffrey Foucault2026

Andrea von Kampen, Queen City Songwriters Invitational headliner

Andrea von Kampen2025

John Fullbright, Queen City Songwriters Invitational headliner

John Fullbright2025

Jonathan Byrd, Queen City Songwriters Invitational headliner

Jonathan Byrd2024

Jami Lynn, Queen City Songwriters Invitational headliner

Jami Lynn2024

2026 Invitational

The call sheet

The 18 songwriters playing the third annual Invitational, September 25–26. Open a name for the bio, the influences, and a favorite line.

01Abbey LeachBoise, ID (now based in the Black Hills)2020 Epiphone Dove 02Brad McKimBeulah, WYTaylor 914-CE plugged in, Martin HD28-VR if not 03Chris GravesSturgis, SD (now based in Rapid City)1990s Martin HD-28 04Clint HahnHammond, MTEpiphone EJ-200 (Annabel)05Cody NeebIndianapolis, INPiano (Korg SV-1)06Craig WinquistCanton, SDAlvarez — "Irregular"07Daron LacinaRead record 08Devon SantsPueblo, COTaylor Grand Auditorium 524 09Heath JohnsonSpearfish, SD2016 Gibson J-15 10Ian GallRead record 11Jackson HolteLivingston, MT1971 Martin D-18 12Janice GilbertMiller, SDPiano / Guitar 13Lacy HotchkissTen Sleep, WYMartin D15 (2009)14Laura MillsRapid City, SD2012 Gibson L-200 15Lawren EricksonRapid City, SD1965 Dolphin's Melody Maker 16Quinlan ValdezCasper, WYLarrivee L-03 and a Ute resonator banjo 17Sarah CarperMoorcroft, WYEpiphone Masterbilt 18Wayne P. BayeRead record

2025 Invitational

Second annual

The songwriters who performed in 2025. Many of them are back this year.

01Abbey LeachBoise, ID (now based in the Black Hills)2020 Epiphone Dove 02Chris GravesSturgis, SD (now based in Rapid City)1990s Martin HD-28 03Clayton RyanRapid City, SD (by way of Winterset, IA)A well-worn Taylor that sounds like a Martin 04Craig WinquistCanton, SDAlvarez — "Irregular"05Devon SantsPueblo, COTaylor Grand Auditorium 524 06Emily BlairSpearfish, SDGuitar 07Janice GilbertMiller, SDPiano / Guitar 08Cody NeebIndianapolis, INPiano (Korg SV-1)09Tommy EdwinBrookings, SDGibson J-45 (2014)10Heath JohnsonSpearfish, SD2016 Gibson J-15 11Laura MillsRapid City, SD2012 Gibson L-200 12Lawren EricksonRapid City, SD1965 Dolphin's Melody Maker 13The Shiny DimesSpearfish, SD / Rapid City, SDGibson Custom Shop/Murphy Lab J-45 Reissue, 1931 Martin 00-17 14Frank GreggBatesville, OH (now in Edgemont, SD)1995 Martin D-40 15Harland AllenUpton, WY1977 Guild D-25M 16Lacy HotchkissTen Sleep, WYMartin D15 (2009)17Sarah CarperMoorcroft, WYEpiphone Masterbilt 18Anthony SpeiserSpearfish, SDGuitar, custom builds by StonySpiderMusic

2024 Inaugural

The original lineup

The artists who launched the Invitational. Those who have played a later edition are listed above.

01Anna Robins

02Bill Falcon

03Bubba Startz

04Cody Henson Hullinger

05J Shogren

06JJ Kent

07Lonesome Jones

08Lucas Olson

09Mike Endrud

10Nevada Ellison

11Randy Burghardt

12Ryan Little Eagle

13Scott Simpson

14Tanner Johns

Are you a songwriter?

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