Songwriter Round with Dave Desmelik, Aaron Woody Wood & Jay Brown

Dave Desmelik: 

Dave Desmelik is a singer-songwriter and instrumentalist whose musical focus is on original compositions. What attracts listeners to Desmelik’s tunes, old and new, is the element of authenticity incorporated in them. There is no sugar coating involved. His songs are not wrapped in false smiles, rather they are stark and open and tend to settle on the pulse of everyday life. An unclosed and evolving journal of thoughts set to music and melodies in prose and instrumental performance. If you listen to Dave Desmelik’s songs, whether lyrical or instrumental, you may become pleasantly fixed in the simplistic realness of them and if you hear Desmelik in a live setting you may realize that there are no tricks, just a genuine venture into the highs and lows of life.

Aaron Woody Wood 

Aaron Woody Wood seamlessly blends genres, swirling elements of rock, blues, Americana, and soul into his signature sound. Often described as “Cosmic Appalachian Soul,” his unique approach to music has been a breath of fresh air in the industry, breaking down barriers and redefining what it means to be a musician in today’s world. Woody Wood’s personal life intricately weaves itself into his artistry. Significant relationships, both personal and professional, have borne influence on his music, guiding the themes he explores in his lyrics. Struggles, triumphs, and moments of introspection shape narratives that resonate deeply, allowing listeners to connect on an emotional level.

Jay Brown 

Jay Brown started playing guitar at the age of 6, with lessons from his his father. By high school he was performing professionally with the family band, and with musical partner James Browne. Jay’s musical roots deepened when at the age of 20 he moved from Alabama to The Blueridge mountains of Boone NC, where he immersed himself in the old mountain music and piedmont blues that pervaded the area, and had a chance to meet and pick with some of the legends of those mountains, such as Doc Watson and Etta Baker. He co-founded the American roots band Lazybirds with his Alabama band-mate James Browne, and that band has been an institution in the Carolina roots music scene ever since. With his wondrous wife Aditi he has explored the intersection of East Indian and American folk and spiritual music, and the two of them also co-founded the songwriting  folk group The Appalucians, along with the multi talented Angie and Cas, of the Blushin Roulettes. 

With 3 young kids (all in the family band) Jay is most often found in and around his home in Black Mountain NC where he performs weekly at The Black Mountain Brewery and hosts a Songwriter showcase called Local Live! at The White Horse twice a month. He’ll do a little tour a few times a year, and you might just catch him at a concert hall or joint near you.