Since 2000, The Songwriter's Beat has been one of New York City's premiere acoustic nights for performing songwriters. Started by New York singer-songwriter Valerie Ghent in December, 2000, The Songwriter's Beat has presented over 300 songwriters from New York City, the Tri-State area, across the USA and Canada, Japan, Australia, the UK, France, Ireland, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Cuba, South Africa and Brazil.

Originally founded to provide a supportive environment for songwriters to try out their newest material, The Songwriter's Beat has grown to include an annual festival, a song contest, numerous benefit concerts and an international network of performing singer-songwriters.

Indeed, in 2002 the The Songwriter's Beat made the front page of the NY Times Metro section with its sold-out 9/11 tribute concerts, the first of over fifty benefit concerts held to raise funding and awareness for several nonprofit causes.

In 2005 we founded the annual Songwriter's Beat Festival, held each July. In 2007, ASCAP invited The Songwriter's Beat to apply for a grant to support its work with up and coming songwriters. This was WONDERFUL news which allowed for the launch of several Songwriter's Beat songwriting workshops, among many other benefits of ASCAP's support. Most recently, in 2010, The Songwriter's Beat offered its first Song Contest, to overwhelmingly positive response.

In 2010 Songwriter's Beat nights packed the house and even sold out several shows. It became clear that the Songwriter's Beat had outgrown both the stage and the space of the Cornelia Street Cafe. After 10 successful years, it was time to move to a larger venue.

As fate would have it, Valerie met Lyndon Harris, co-founder of Christopher Street Caffeehouse, who was looking to expand the presence of songwriters at the Coffeehouse. The Coffeehouse, steadily building a glowing reputation in singer-songwriter circles, presenting such acclaimed songwriters at Pete Seeger and Martyn Joseph, wanted to better utilize the beautiful, spacious yet inimate performance space inside St. John's Church in Greenwich Village. It was a perfect match!

As Valerie and Lyndon spoke further, they found not only a shared passion for performing songwriters but, to both their amazement, the two realized they had met when both Lyndon and Valerie had been very involved in the WTC recovery effort after 9/11. The coincidence didn't end there, both went on to form nonprofit organizations after their 9/11 work - Valerie founded Feel the Music! and Lyndon founded Gardens of Forgiveness.

On December 3rd, 2010, The Songwriter's Beat celebrates its 10th anniversary at Christopher Street Coffeehouse. In 2011 The Songwriter's Beat begins its second decade of presenting outstanding performing songwriters, on every third Thursday of the month, at Christopher Street Coffeehouse.

Join us! And help keep original music alive.

The Songwriter's Beat - bringing new songs to life and artists to new audiences. We couldn't do it without YOU!

What is The Songwriter's Beat?
The Songwriter's Beat is a ever expanding family of singer/songwriters, some who have bands, some who perform solo, but all who want an opportunity to perform their newer material in an acoustic setting. This provides:

1. a chance to hear how the songs work live acoustically, feel an audience's response
2. an opportunity to be with other singer/songwriters on a regular basis, hear what they are doing, share experiences on writing, performing, recording, promoting
3. an opportunity to 'cross-pollinate' with other artists and their audiences
4. performers can also sell their CD's

How can I participate?
Come to The Songwriter's Beat and listen! Send us your name, email address and links to your songs online. There's a long waiting list for performers. Please keep in mind that we encourage all performers to play at least one new song at The Songwriter's Beat!

When is the The Songwriter's Beat?
Starting in 2011 in our new location, The Songwriter's Beat meets every third Thursday night of the month from 7pm-10:30pm. In July we have the Songwriter's Beat Festival in the third week, and we take August off.

What can I do to help?
Come to the Songwriter's Beat! Support performing songwriters! Tell all your friends about The Songwriter's Beat! Donate to keep us going! No one is paid to run the Songwriter's Beat, but there are expenses, like running songwriter workshops, maintaining an email list, having a live sound engineer at the shows, printing fliers etc. The Songwriter's Beat has a fiscal sponsor, Fractured Atlas, and through them we can accept donations to keep our night going. And, most importantly, keep writing songs!

Tell me more about the experience...
Each month four artists of differing styles and genres share the evening. Each takes the stage for 25 minutes and is encouraged to try something new - a new song, new arrangement, new accompanists. Val started The Songwriter's Beat in December, 2000, to give songwriters an opportunity to perform their new works and a chance to hone their craft.

Val runs The Songwriter's Beat with obvious delight, reminding people we are 'casual here', and encouraging audience members to sing along. She introduces each songwriter and likes to say "I never know what will happen once people gets onstage!", especially as she encourages writers to try new works. Twice each year Val joins the lineup and performs herself, on piano and vocal.

In the Songwriter's Beat, Valerie created a haven for creative people to experiment, to perform, to experience their work in front of an audience who is supportive, generous and caring. The Songwriter's Beat. We welcome you as an artist, an audience member, a music lover, a friend. Join us! Celebrate the human soul and spirit in song.

What are future plans?
To promote performers at the Songwriter's Beat on radio.

To produce collections of songs generated through The Songwriter's Beat.

To create an environment where musicians can share their experiences and ways of recording, releasing, promoting one's own CD.

To expand our songwriting workshop series.

To facilitate growth of Songwriter's Beat nights in other cities and countries.