A Night of Art and Music in Downtown Decatur

Downtown Decatur will be all abuzz Thursday, August 21^st, as local artists proudly display their works of art and Jim Parker returns with his popular Songwriters Series.

From 5 to 8 p.m., studios and merchants will turn Bank Street into a lively art gallery as local artists proudly displays their works of art for the public to enjoy. The Bank Street Local Art Tour showcases original artwork by local artists including paintings, ceramics, photography, stained glass, pottery, mixed media, puppetry and jewelry.

The public is invited to mingle with the artists and learn more about the person behind the unique creations. Many of the studios and merchants will serve light refreshments and Timbuck2 will have a wine tasting.  Studios and merchants participating in the Bank Street Local Art Tour are The Artist Within, The Cupboard, Local Color, The Ralsom Room, Glee Interiors, Behind the Glass, Cottage House, Bank Street Studios, 810 Studio, and Bank Street Art and Antiques.

For more information on the Bank Street Local Art Tour visit its event page on Facebook or call 256.306.9892.

The Downtown Decatur Merchant and Business Association is pleased to announce the Jim Parker’s Songwriters Series has been moved to a new location and will be held monthly on Thursday evenings. The popular evening event, set for Thursday, August 21, 2014, will be held at the Magnolia Room in downtown Decatur.

Presented by Valley Budweiser and the Downtown Decatur Merchants and Business Association, the Jim Parker’s Songwriters Series showcases an incredible talent of songwriters from Atlanta, Los Angeles, Nashville, Muscle Shoals, and surrounding area. Performers for August 21^st include:

-        Wood Newton who has written some of country music’s biggest hits including “Bobbie Sue” for The Oak Ridge Boys, “Twenty Years Ago” for Kenny Rogers, “What I Didn’t Do” for Steve Wariner, and “Riding with Private Malone” which he produced for David Ball. All four songs have received BMI awards for being played over a million times. He also has two songs in the new movie “The Last Ride.”

-        Jim Sales who wrote “I Wonder Where We’d Be Tonight” for Vern Gosdin, a top 10 Billboard hit, and “Tonight We’re Gonna Tear Down the Walls” for Randy Travis.

-        Jim Parker, with a career spanning over 40 years, is an ASCAP award winner and the co-writer of Chicken Truck and co-writer/co-publisher of Bigger Hands, both recorded by John Anderson. As a performing artist, he recorded five albums and 10 single records.

The evening includes songwriters sharing stories and performing their hit songs, and according to organizers, the new venue offers more of a house-concert setting.

The Magnolia Room is located at 216 Moulton Street in downtown Decatur. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the show beginning at 7 p.m. Admission is $10 per person. Tickets are available for purchase at www.ddmba.myevent.com. Music lovers can also mark their calendar for two additional Songwriters Series on September 25 and October 23.

Jim Parker is also the creator and host of a popular songwriters series at the Von Braun Center Playhouse in Huntsville, Ala. For more information, visit www.jimparkermusic.com.

For more information, on the August 21 Songwriters Series in Decatur, visit www.ddmba.myevent.com or visit the Jim Parker’s Songwriters Series Facebook page.