Lyrics, Legacies & Liner Notes—A night of music, memory and meaning

Description

The Pre-Dead Social Club is hosting “Lyrics, Legacies & Liner Notes—A night of music, memory and meaning,” a benefit concert, on Saturday, October 25 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at The Regatta Room in Eliot, ME.

Hosted by award-winning songwriter Scarlet Keys, four extra ordinary singer-songwriters—Guy Capecelatro III, Caitlin Piper, Geoff Crosby, and Michael Landgarten—will take the stage to share original songs inspired by people who have shaped their lives. The evening celebrates the power of music to spark memories, stir laughter and capture the legacies that people leave behind.

“From the treasured to the tricky relationships, ‘Lyrics, Legacies & Liner Notes’ is about connection, creativity and the ways we keep people (and their stories) alive through art,” said Laura Cleminson, founder of the Pre-Dead Social Club. “The evening is as much about joy as it is about reflection.”

Four sweepstakes winners were paired with one of the featured musicians to collaborate on a one-of-a-kind song honoring someone meaningful in their lives. The original songs will premiere live at the event, making this night a shared creative adventure never before experienced.

The mission of the Pre-Dead Social Club is to bring fresh energy to vital conversations about dying and death. Through events such as this one, they are working to rebuild a community that is re-normalizing discussions and exploration of the one thing we all have in common—we will all die one day. 

Host Scarlet Keys is an award-winning songwriter, author, and professor at Berklee College of Music. She’s penned hits across genres—from Americana to pop—and across continents, earning a gold record, a #1 song in Britain, and placements in major films, national commercials and TV shows. Her song "Caged Bird" was featured on the Consenses CD project alongside legends like James Taylor, Carly Simon and Jimmy Buffett.

Keys has collaborated with an impressive roster of artists, including Chris Stapleton, Charlie Puth, Melissa Ferrick, Blue Miller of India Arie and Denny Hemingson of Tim McGraw’s band. As the host of the acclaimed podcast “What’s in a Song?”, and author of The Craft of Songwriting, Scarlet brings heart, humor and deep insight into every performance space she enters. A cancer survivor, she knows the healing power of art firsthand.

Geoff Crosby is a New Hampshire–based singer-songwriter whose music blends heartache and hope with poetic ease. Known for his warm stage presence and honest, unvarnished lyrics, Geoff delivers acoustic-driven songs that explore love, grief, resilience and the messy beauty in between.

His 2023 EP Leap features six heartfelt tracks that showcase his introspective style, built around a signature blend of vulnerability and storytelling. With influences rooted in alternative rock and Nashville folk, Geoff’s music resonates with fans seeking authenticity, connection and just the right chord to crack open the heart. One of the songs Crosby will perform at the event, “Who You Run With” was recently featured on 92.5 The River’s “Homegrown Music Showcase.”

“Music gives shape to things we can’t always say,” said Geoff Crosby. “This event reminds us we’re not alone in what we feel, and that grief can live alongside joy, even in the same verse. I’m honored to be part of a night where music becomes our shared language.”

Caitlin Piper is a singer-songwriter, educator, and mother based in coastal New Hampshire. She’s known for her soulful vocals, spunky stage presence, and emotionally resonant original songs that explore love, loss and life on the Seacoast. Blending pop-jazz and acoustic storytelling, her performances invite audiences into a space of heartfelt connection and reflection.

“After the unexpected loss of my father on Christmas while I was expecting my first child, I turned to songwriting and music as a powerful way to express my grief and thoughts on the vastness of life,” said Cailin Piper.  “Through connecting with friends—and even strangers—who resonated with the emotions and lyrics of my songs, I came to understand the profound impact music can have on fostering human connection.”

Guy Capecelatro, III is a prolific and widely admired singer-songwriter who has written and recorded hundreds of albums and performed in a constellation of bands including Unbunny, South China, Ghostly Neighbor, and The Buckets. A sought-after collaborator, he’s worked with artists like Brown Bird, Tan Vampires, Craig Werth and Dan Blakeslee, and he runs the indie label Burst & Bloom with Dylan Metrano.

Capecelatro’s storytelling leans heavily on literary influences, drawing inspiration from a life richly lived—from hitchhiking across 47 states before first grade to a past filled with eclectic jobs like lifeguard, chimney sweep and record reviewer. Currently based in Kittery, Maine, he divides his time between songwriting, landscaping and creative publishing.

“Having lost many people over the last eight years—including my wife, mother, stepmother, stepfather, and several friends—I’ve leaned into the importance of talking about death, dying, and loss,” shared Guy Capecelatro, III. “I'm looking forward to being part of a show that embraces these weighty topics. Over the course of my lifetime, I’ve seen a slow but real increase in awareness and conversation, and I want to keep encouraging that—among friends, family and through creativity.”

Michael Landgarten is a Maine-based singer-songwriter with a rock-and-roll heart, blues roots, and a storyteller’s soul. His music career began on the streets of Boston and grew into decades of performance with beloved regional bands like The Doc Johnson Blues Band and The Zeftrons. His songs echo with the influence of Dylan, The Band, Ry Cooder and Springsteen—delivered with grit, humor and heart.

Offstage, Landgarten spent decades running beloved Maine restaurants and building community, including transforming Bob’s Clam Hut into a regional icon. Now retired, he’s back to songwriting full tilt—most recently recording an album in Brooklyn with top-tier session musicians. With one foot on stage and the other firmly in his community, Landgarten brings a lived-in perspective to every note he sings.

Tickets for this benefit are $25 per person  Light refreshments are included in the ticket price and advanced purchase is recommended. To purchase tickets, visit www.predeadsocialclub.com.