LA GRANDE — Three solo artists will take turns sharing songs in a round-robin format for a singer/songwriter night at HQ, 112 Depot St., on Saturday, Jan. 25.

The evening features Elwood, Brian Mandella and Greg Rawlins. The music begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $12 at the door.

Mandella

Brian Mandella plays both solo and with Slapjack Casualty — when he’s not growing native plants for The Plantworks in Cove.

“Staying close to home — trying not to travel too far in the winter,” he said. “Mostly I’ve been writing new stuff, and trying to branch out.”

His new songs, he said, are inspired by author Ray Bradbury’s approach to “weighted words.”

“Words that jump off the paper — I’m trying to do that with songwriting more,” he said.

Rawlins

Greg Rawlins entered the world of music thanks to a friend he met at Eastern Oregon University in the theater department.

“He taught me guitar chords and I taught him what I knew about formal composition,” he said.

Their first band was Seattle-based Sons of Guns, with La Grande connections. The band released an album in February 2020 and had a tour set up.

“COVID happened and it all came to a screeching halt,” he said.

So he returned to school and earned a master’s in creative writing. Rawlins worked as a substitute teacher in 2023-2024, and this school year went to work full-time teaching language arts at North Powder Charter School.

He balances teaching with music — this month, in addition to the HQ event, he played for Tunesmith Night in Enterprise on Jan. 11.

He released two albums in late 2024 — one an experimental folk album, and one guitar instrumental. He’s also working on songs to release with his band Cut Hand, named by the band’s drummer, his 12-year-old son, Ellis.

As for his music, Rawlins said he plays folk and Americana — a bit different from Sons of Guns, which played 80% rock and 20% folk.

“I love experimenting with sounds,” he said.

Elwood

Elwood lives in Union County and says he has “always been inspired by the serenity and sheer power of Mother Nature — the trickle of a stream, the roar of a thundercloud, the pure silence of a meadow lit by the coming of the sun.”

He has shared the stage with bands such as Simon Tucker, Tim Snider, Michael Kirkpatrick, Kory Quinn, Left Coast Country, David Henry and many more.