‘Words to Live By’ to Bring Poetry, Music and Personal Storytelling to Downtown Concord
The May 15 event at the Davis Theatre will feature regional artists sharing stories of resilience, recovery and hope.
A night of poetry, music and personal storytelling centered on resilience, recovery and human connection is coming to downtown Concord later this month.
“Words to Live By,” scheduled for May 15 at the Davis Theatre, will bring together local and regional poets, musicians and storytellers for an evening built around lived experience and honest conversation.
Created in Cabarrus County and hosted in downtown Concord, the event will use poetry, music and personal storytelling to explore themes of struggle, survival, family, mental health, recovery and hope — while creating space for shared experiences and reminding audience members they are not alone.
The show is being produced and hosted by Kannapolis poet and mental health advocate Jim Love, who said the event grew out of his own personal experiences.
“Nearly ten years ago this month, I lost a career, my identity, and nearly my life to a mental health crisis,” Love said in a news release about the event. “Art didn’t save me. It met me where I was. Over time, poetry, storytelling, music, and rooms full of people willing to listen helped carry me forward. This show is built from that experience.”
Love, a volunteer with the National Alliance on Mental Illness’ (NAMI) Navigator program, said the show aims to create a space where artists and community members can connect through storytelling and shared experiences.
The lineup includes Charlotte Poet Laureate Jay Ward along with poets Shane Manier, Jah Smalls, Lady V Poetry, Nemo Sum, Greylan “Sidekick” Counts, MrWitzthewittie and Elaine Hill.
Musicians and storytellers scheduled to perform include Erick “Zoot” Payne, Daniel Arthur Gurley, Shoney Lamar, Guillermo Villar, Amy Campbell, Jim Dukes, Glenn Proctor and Brian Sullivan.
The event also includes participation and support from organizations including NAMI Charlotte, NAMI Cabarrus, HopeWay and Mental Health America of Central Carolinas.
Doors open at 7 p.m., with performances beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $10 and are available through Words to Live By Show.