The American Song

50 songs, written in one day, to capture the stories and experiences of ordinary people.

For two years in 2020 and 2021, the Make Music Alliance lined up fifty people of all ages with a story to tell, one in each of the 50 States, along with fifty professional songwriters in a variety of styles.

On the morning of June 21, Make Music Day, each songwriter video-chatted with one interviewee for an hour. In the afternoon, they wrote a song inspired by their conversation. That evening they did a second video chat with the person and gave a live, private performance of the song they just wrote.

In June 2022 The American Song will become a live, in-person event at The NAMM Show in Southern California! Songwriters will interview randomly selected attendees to learn about their lives, then come up on stage 24 hours later to play a brand new song inspired by their conversations. All songs will be filmed and released for Make Music Day on June 21, 2022.

NAMM Show Performances:
Arena Stage (by West Katella Ave)
Sunday June 5th
11:00am – 11:40am

• The American Song: 2021 Playlist
• The American Song: 2020 Playlist

Eva Mikhailovna

Eva & the Vagabond Tales is a music group led by singer-songwriter Eva Mikhailovna. The songs combine Eastern European folk, vintage pop, and ragtime into a musical melting pot, creating an alluring sound that “transcends time and continents.” Building its sound from the foundations of old time music and melancholy storytelling, it bends the laws of traditional songwriting to become a sound all its own. “Some of the songs feel like a personal experience, and some are like adventures from another time or another place.” – David Fleming, NPR.

Jonathan Lo

Jonathan Lo is a visual artist, multi-instrumentalist, and composer, formally trained as a classical pianist. His compositions draw from his multicultural background to explore the intersection of sound and image across various musical traditions including electronic, hip hop, jazz, and international genres. He has previously worked with Raul Campos on the show, Nocturna at KCRW, and as a DJ across the Los Angeles area.

Lisa Jackert

Long Beach singer/songwriter Lisa Jackert has been a board-certified music therapist since 1990. Through her engaging song and drum circles, and performance on guitar, piano, and violin, Lisa’s mission is to use music to bring hope and healing through meaningful music experiences that provide listeners an opportunity to connect with each other and themselves. She is a graduate of California State University Long Beach where she received her training in music therapy.

Marc Davidson

Marc Davidson is a singer/songwriter and architect who lives in Long Beach. Aside from being a music instructor at Osher Lifelong Institute CSULB, and a board member for the Arts Council for Long Beach, he performs eclectic songs with the group “Second Wind,” original material with “New Road Crossing,” bluegrass and folk with “Finkmatt,” and duets with his partner Pattie. “Songwriting is for me very similar to the architectural design process,” he says, “with creative ideas merging around concepts influenced by our social interactions, relationships, shared or conflicting visions, expressed in a final product or message.”

Shy But Flyy

Shy But Flyy is a Long Beach based singer-songwriter who specializes in blues, rock, and soul. Shy fronts the band She Wears Black and performs regularly in Long Beach, Los Angeles, and Orange County, including headlining spots at The Uptown Jazz Festival, The New Blues Festival, and Temecula Blues Festival. Currently, Shy is performing regularly, recording an EP, and working on her second book.