How does a story live inside a song?
Saoira Smith-Tucker and Aaron Smith will lead us in a songwriting workshop that explores how storytelling helps us name, carry, and transform what matters most.
Saoira will guide us into the emotional landscape—where memory, beauty, and place become rich ground to mine.
We’ll explore how story helps us excavate what’s hidden, what hurts, and what heals in our search for wholeness.
Aaron will follow with a hands-on exploration of songwriting tools: how to structure story, shape vivid imagery, and build songs that carry real weight.
Whether you’re just beginning or looking to deepen your craft, you’ll leave with sharpened tools—and maybe even the beginnings of a song that surprises you.
Bring a notebook, an instrument (if you’d like), and a willingness to dig deep.
ABOUT Aaron Smith
Aaron Smith’s songs explore the mystery of human experience, searching for the meaning of love, family, heritage, kindness, doubt, and grace. In vignettes infused with an infectious sense of hope and humor, the unlikely heroes of his songs -- grandmothers and grandfathers, street preachers and neighbors, the forgotten and lonely -- find courage, salvation, and more than a few laughs.
Influenced as much by Flannery O’Connor as John Prine and John Hartford his songs range from witty jazz to pensive, emotive ballads, to southern roots grooves. Timeless, singable melodies and strong rhythms support Smith’s thoughtful lyrics.
Smith became a Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk Finalist in 2016 on just his second try. In 2019, just three years later, he became a winner at New Folk and the BMG Songwriter Showcase at the Power of Music Festival. Read more here
ABOUT Soaira Smith-Tucker
Saoira(sear-ah) Smith-Tucker is a writer, folklorist, and Southern storyteller whose work blends myth, memory, and place. She has taught all ages poetry, literature, and writing. She studied English Literature at the University of Arkansas and spent two years deepening her craft in oral storytelling, mythology, folklore, poetry, and theology under Dr. Martin Shaw—director of the Poetics of the Imagination master’s program at Schumacher College and founder of the West Country School of Myth in Devon, UK. Rooted with her husband and 7 children in the rhythms of Arkansas, she writes about spiritual reflection, culture, the beauty of ordinary things, and deep patterns that shape our lives in Story.
FOLK SCHOOL OF FAYETTEVILLE is a 501(c)3 non-profit music organization popularly known as Fayetteville Roots.
Since 2010, we have carried out our mission to connect community through music and food. Over that time we have fostered concerts & community/educational events in Northwest Arkansas.
The Folk School of Fayetteville, located in the historic Walker Stone House near the Fayetteville Square, offers space and connection for our music community: lessons, classes, workshops, jams, and concerts.
What is a Folk School and why do you need to know about it?
FOLK MEANS PEOPLE
Folk Schools originated as a way for communities to learn from each other, especially vital to communities that didn’t have access to “formal education”.
Folk Schools create an environment that encourages People teaching People, rather than a classical education approach of Professor and Student.
Folk School of Fayetteville is continuing this model by providing space for musicians to learn from each other, for new players to learn, and for long time musicians to develop new technique and skills — and this is available to ALL the FOLKS (people). Folk School is open to all genres, identities, and cultures, and is excited to host music that is as dynamic and varied as our community.
Folk School of Fayetteville guiding principles:
Create opportunities for our music community
Support and present multivaried music genres, identities, & cultures
Commitment to free & low-cost community learning
Creative re-use of existing urban spaces
Collaboration with the community & music/arts organizations
Low waste & low impact sustainable events
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