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Songwriter Round at Totem Books
February 21 @ 7:00 pm
Join us for a songwriter round at Totem Books, where these 4 contrasting artists will take turns playing their original music and offering insights into their inspirations. Music starts at 7:00 and space is limited so get there early to get a good seat!
$10 admission to support the artists.
$10 admission to support the artists.
////Featured songwriters////
Michelle Held // Folk, poetic
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Michelle Held didn’t set out to be a songwriter, but somewhere between the weight of unspoken things and the desire to make sense of them, the songs came. What began as a search for meaning, connection, and a sense of purpose slowly unfolded into something others could see themselves in.
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Michelle Held didn’t set out to be a songwriter, but somewhere between the weight of unspoken things and the desire to make sense of them, the songs came. What began as a search for meaning, connection, and a sense of purpose slowly unfolded into something others could see themselves in.
Her voice is unmistakable, fragile and fierce, tender with an edge. Her songs are invitations: into grief, into wonder, into the kind of honesty that asks you to stay a little longer than is comfortable. With a poet’s attention and a deep sensitivity to life’s complexities, Michelle builds a world where small moments carry weight and every syllable matters.
Over the years, she’s quietly built a body of work that resonates far beyond her hometown of Detroit. Named a 2025 Honorable Mention in the Rocky Mountain Folks Fest Songwriter Showcase, a three-time honoree in the Telluride Troubadour Contest, and praised by folk legend Tom Paxton, Michelle continues to carve out a thoughtful, steady path. Her songs don’t offer answers, but they listen well. They become something luminous: a way forward, a way back.
Her latest, Another Jane, an ode to Jane Goodall, released January 30, 2026, turning toward what’s right in the world
Link to her music —–> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WnEUztC1EY
NEW RELEASE —-> https://michelleheld.bandcamp.com/track/another-jane
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Derahn Shields // RnB, Soul, Gospel, keyboardist
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Derahn Shields is a musician and singer originally from Flint, MI with musical influences that include his favorite artist PJ Morton as well as many others in the genres of R&B, Soul, Gospel, and many more. His music generally fixates on love and relationships; the good, bad, and all shades in between. It’s his philosophy that while we all have our own musical tastes and sensibilities, one of the things that connects us all is our fundamental human need for LOVE.
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Derahn Shields is a musician and singer originally from Flint, MI with musical influences that include his favorite artist PJ Morton as well as many others in the genres of R&B, Soul, Gospel, and many more. His music generally fixates on love and relationships; the good, bad, and all shades in between. It’s his philosophy that while we all have our own musical tastes and sensibilities, one of the things that connects us all is our fundamental human need for LOVE.
Link to his music —–> https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1CFvAfXDAR/?mibextid=wwXIfr
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Brandon Sexton // Folk, guitarist, trumpet
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Brandon Sexton is a Michigan based musician who draws influences in his writing from artists like Bob Dylan, Alexi Murdoch, and Fleet Foxes. Beginning his musical career on jazz trumpet, Brandon draws from a multitude of genres finding folk guitar to be the best outlet for his writing. These genres include jazz, folk, classical, and mariachi—of which he plays in many Michigan based groups including Brick Street Jazz Combo, The Smooth Operation Project, and more. The pairing of his driving guitar rhythms and soaring, theatrical vocals leaves a vivid impression narrated by his heartfelt lyrics reflecting on snapshots of his life.
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Brandon Sexton is a Michigan based musician who draws influences in his writing from artists like Bob Dylan, Alexi Murdoch, and Fleet Foxes. Beginning his musical career on jazz trumpet, Brandon draws from a multitude of genres finding folk guitar to be the best outlet for his writing. These genres include jazz, folk, classical, and mariachi—of which he plays in many Michigan based groups including Brick Street Jazz Combo, The Smooth Operation Project, and more. The pairing of his driving guitar rhythms and soaring, theatrical vocals leaves a vivid impression narrated by his heartfelt lyrics reflecting on snapshots of his life.
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Mikey Abbasspour // Eclectic, world music, folk, instrumental
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Mikey draws from a worldly pool of influences and classical study to evoke wonders of nature and musical tales. As a songwriter, his influences include the likes of Radiohead, Nick Drake, and Wilco. He also is the frontman for alternative rock band, By the Willow.
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Mikey draws from a worldly pool of influences and classical study to evoke wonders of nature and musical tales. As a songwriter, his influences include the likes of Radiohead, Nick Drake, and Wilco. He also is the frontman for alternative rock band, By the Willow.
Link to music -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuqZTjUfx6E