You may remember some years ago when Los Angeles-and-Nashville-based singer-songwriter Maia Sharp brought her friend and Greenville native Edwin McCain to the Peace Center. The duo sat down for a come-as-you-are concert in Genevieve’s and offered a songwriting workshop for local musicians the next day. The experience—of getting up-close and intentional interactions with respected industry pros—leveled up Greenville’s music scene and delivered a priceless moment for all music lovers in the Upstate. 

Maia’s and Edwin’s appearance here set the stage for the next iteration of singer-songwriter concerts, which we’re launching Jan. 17 in The Mockingbird. Song Sessions, the official title of the series, brings established musicians directly to you for a unique, “writers in the round” concert each month. The artists change, but Maia curates each concert and heads the separate Songwriter Workshop, an open opportunity for songwriters of all levels to get supportive feedback on their own work from her and the featured artists. 

Humbly, Maia Sharp Is a Big Deal, Y’all. 

A California native, Maia grew up collaborating on the daily with a three-time Grammy-winner, her dad Randy Sharp. He helped her write her first original song at five years old and put her in an orbit with his co-workers, people like country music greats Dolly, Reba, Emmylou, Patty Loveless, and Glenn Campbell. Maia continued the family tradition when she struck out on her own adult career, collaborating on songs with Cher, Trisha Yearwood, Art Garfunkel, and, most prodigiously, Bonnie Raitt.  

She’s released 10 solo albums, most recently her critically acclaimed Americana love letter, Tomboy. She’s been a member of the faculty of the NYU Summer Songwriters Workshop since 2013 and joined Artists Faculty in 2021, so she’s got plenty of teaching chops to bring to our very own songwriter workshops, and she’s eager to see what you’re doing. 

What’s in Store for You: Song Sessions and the Songwriting Workshops 

First of all, Maia isn’t here for a “let’s wing it and hope for the best” approach to the Song Sessions. These aren’t casual back porch jams where folks are playing fast and loose with each other’s music. She wants to make sure the energy peaks, the collaboration onstage remains fresh, and the audience gets the best of the writer in the round experience.  

“It’s gonna be like a little revolving house band each month,” she told us in a recent conversation. “It’s going to be so fun. The best kinds of these [song sessions] are when everybody’s in on everybody else’s song, and the sound is big.” 

“Everybody that I’ll be bringing,” she said, “we’ve all at least written together before or played together before. So, for every show, the three of us will meet beforehand and have a rehearsal. We’ll be up on the harmonies and able to play on each other’s songs, which is my favorite kind of writer in the round.” 

Plus, these musicians are personal friends, many of them longtime collaborators who have seen each other through the ups and downs of their careers. They’ll be punctuating the music with anecdotes about the musician’s life, their relationships, and the songwriting process.  

“The storytelling part is going to be a little bit of everything,” Maia said. “For sure, the stories will be connected to whatever song is about to get played, but that leaves the topic wide open. A lot of times, the people I’m bringing will have their songs the audience has heard, but from another artist like Kenny Chesney or Keith Urban. So, there may be a story about how that happened. The songs are inspired by different life experiences, so you’ll get to hear whatever that experience is for that song.” 

What’s extra exciting about Song Sessions, in addition to the artists being Maia’s personal friends, is the ephemeral nature of each concert. Since these aren’t rehearse-and-repeat touring shows, each individual Song Session will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and no two will be similar (just check out the line up so far.)   

The Saturday after the Friday night Song Sessions concert, you can participate in a small group Songwriter Workshop with Maia and her two friends. The workshops seat 12 participants so everyone can be heard with ample time for feedback about your song. Again, register early if you want a spot—and remember that you can register for as many workshops as you want.  

“The workshop is a safe and encouraging space,” Maia said. “Our approach is positive, very nurturing, the feedback is constructive. Our goal is to take the song to the next level.”  

The workshops, open to all experience levels, cater to artist development, giving local Upstate singer-songwriters a rare opportunity to have the undivided attention of three professional musicians considering your original song. The focus is on you, the musician, and what tools and tricks of the trade will get your songwriting to where you want it to be. 

“The workshops start with a very quick intro, then we jump right into songwriting feedback,” Maia said. “It’s four hours, and we focus on hearing the songs and talking about the song. The workshop is about the participants, their songs, and giving all the songs our full attention. Where will the song go? What does it say?” 

It’s important to note that these workshops are for songwriters at all levels, whether it’s your first attempt at an original, or you’ve been at it for 10 years. Maia and friends set the right tone for a productive, judgement-free collaboration designed to benefit everyone—wherever you may be in your songwriting journey. 

“I love the Peace Center,” Maia said, “and every time I go, it’s great. I feel like there’s a very exciting relationship with the Peace Center, and I love every time I come there. 

Same, Maia. Same.  

We’ll keep this conversation with Maia going all year, so stay tuned for more insider information. 

We're looking forward to launching a year of monthly Song Sessions and Songwriting Workshops starting with the first sold-out show on Jan. 17, 2026. The first concert sold out quickly, so we super encourage you to get tickets when we announce shows you want to see. More importantly, we’re ready to see your faces in these concerts and workshops, making the most of our incredible new listening-room venue, The Mockingbird. 

Plus, we'll drop the next trio of Song Sessions dates soon and announce the lineup of special guests. We can’t reveal anything yet but just know that we have some very exciting names headed your way this spring and summer.