Square Grouper Songwriter Showcase ft. Gregg Crowe & Casek Derhak – Review

Songwriter Showcase ft. Gregg Crowe & Casek Derhak
Square Grouper – Jupiter, FL
Cinco de Mayo, 2011

Words by Tim Coffey

A commonality often found between tour kids or at least those of us that follow and support the tour scene, is a detachment from mainstream or pop music. This detachment has garnered not only the expectation, but often times an overly critical expectation for artists to write their own material.

In contrast, pop music, or at least some of the big singles that help sell out arenas, is not written by the artists performing those songs; and it has been that way since the beginning of recorded music. More often than not, hit singles are purchased by a record company from a songwriter who seldom gets national credit for their work. So when given the opportunity to see a show billed as a “songwriters show,” I must admit that I arrived at the Jupiter intra-coastal hot spot Square Grouper with misplaced preconceptions, yet I left with a new respect for an aspect of the music business I so naively ignored, pleasantly schooled by Nashville songwriters Gregg Crowe and Casey Derhak (nephew of moe. bassist Rob Derhak) along with band mates Travis Tuter on djembe and Harry Carson on lead guitar.

Gregg Crowe

Fresh off a few days spent at his fourth consecutive Songwriters Festival in Key West, Gregg Crowe took the stage first, running through a barrage of songs he has written for monster country music artists such as Montgomery Gentry, Sammy Kershaw, Lonestar and others. So recognizable, he even got my fiancée to sing along with a few songs as she was familiar from her favorite country radio station. Between each song, this Mississippi Delta native shared funny stories, his feelings about being nominated for the 2008 European Country Music Album of the year and seeing platinum records hanging on his wall, all the while doing so with a humble and comical attitude. Gregg soon drew fellow Nashville songwriter and Jupiter native Casey Derhak to the stage, along with lead guitarist Carson and percussionist Tuter for the first song that Gregg and Casey wrote together. Gregg soon left the stage and the jamming to a reunion of one-time Jupiter band Casey Carson. The group offered a slew of exuberantly fun covers and a few thought-provoking, well-written originals. Casey’s voice, described as romantic by my fiancée, made it quite easy for him to project the emotions that led him to write these gems, while Carson’s prowess on lead acoustic could easily tear your attention away from your surrounding and get your body moving.

Casey Derhak

As real life loomed overhead, I forced myself to call it quits after the nearly two hour first set, forgoing a second set that reportedly maintained the energy and enthusiasm its predecessor demonstrated. The 40 minute ride back to Delray/Boca was full of smiles, laughs and a few well placed “I told you so’s,” as the fiancée was quick to remind me of my former firm stance on country music. I had to admit that I was introduced to deeper content and a more entertaining show than I had expected, and I’m very glad it came from a group of gentlemen I can say were not only great writers but wonderful people as well.