Musicians show their love

Three of Beth Woods’ Singers/Songwriters Night favorites — country/folk/rock performers James Grey, Warren Sellers and Kevin Fisher — will honor Valentine’s Day with a “Love Show” Tuesday at the Marine Room.

The trio, who have shared a long musical journey together at countless venues nationwide, will perform a mix of their individual and co-written love ballads “In the Rounds.”

Fisher said the event is a great opportunity to chime in with new harmonies and music, and to add something special to each other’s songs.

“The [audience] seems to enjoy the spontaneity of not knowing what’s going to happen next,” he said. “They play a very important role in helping the ebb and flow, and when it’s right, it’s a magical fun evening.”

The three singers, who met through musical connections more than decade ago, have each had their own successes in music.

A 2009 Grammy nominee, Grey said his songs have been featured in various movies and soundtracks, and have been also been performed by other artists licensed for television and film.

He is up for the award for a children’s CD he co-wrote with 2007 Grammy-winning pianist Angelin Chang.

Grey, who said his passion lies most in what he calls “California Country” (pop, rock and R&B;) and who is greatly influenced by classic bands like Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and the Eagles, aims to “heal” through his music on guitar and keys.

“Inspiration mostly comes from my love and pursuit to connect with universal emotion,” he said. “When I write a song that personally gratifies me and touches many people in the process, that’s the best feeling.”

Born in Louisiana and raised outside of Cleveland, Grey said he soaked up the music scene of the Midwest.

“It started a fire in my heart that couldn’t be put out,” he said. “And sometimes this business really tries to.”

One of his other greatest inspirations, he said, is Beth Woods.

“Her artistry truly amazes me,” he said. “She is a real treasure.”

Sellers, who grew up in the South listening to and loving early ’70s country rock, said that experience became the gateway for chasing country songs in his own music career.

Although he’s written for other genres, country music is where most of the magic happens for him, he said.

He most recently signed a deal with Windswept Pacific (Nashville, Tenn.) and has cuts on many other artists’ albums, including the new Vertical Horizon, Sonny Burgess and Southern rock/soul singer Jonnel Mosser.

Sellers said family, faith, love, gratitude and the state of things are what inspire his songs.

Overall, he said, he just wants to convey that “life is serious business, so lighten up.”

Fisher, who writes mostly folky pop tunes and got his first publishing deal with Hayes Street Music in Nashville the mid-1990s, has also had some cuts with artists including Rascal Flatts, Sara Evans, Little Big Town and Sam Harris.

He just finished co-producing Leah Andreone’s new album, “Avalanche” (to be released in March). He also co-produced Sam Harris’ latest album, “Free.”

Prior projects were last year’s Off Broadway production “Unbeatable: A Bold New Musical,” which he co-wrote with friend, Todd Schroeder, and five albums between 1995 and 2005 with his band, Naked to the World. He also made a solo album “Noun Verb Noun” (2004).

The “front-man/side-guy/backup singer/writer-producer” said highlights have been hearing his song “Crazy Life” on the radio for the first time and writing a song with Paul Anka on the piano.

Fisher said he likes storytelling about anything and everything.

“I’ll write about love gone good, love gone bad, love gone, looking for God and finding beer, looking for beer and finding love…”

He said he is inspired by great songs.

He doesn’t care who sings them.