The Midwest Country Music Organization, in support of the Fort Dodge Fine Arts Association, will host “Tunes and Tales: The Stories Behind the Songs” with six special guest performers. The event, which will accept freewill donations at the door for admission, brings Scott Kirkhart, Cory Waller, Jesse Wilson, Blake Jack, Danny Grause and Spencer Suchan together for a night of performing for — and connecting with — audience members.

All proceeds will support the Fort Dodge Fine Arts Association.

“The main goal of the Midwest Country Music Organization is to inspire and give back to our communities. That’s what we’ve always been about,” said Kirkhart, a charter member of the Midwest CMO and Friday’s main organizer. “When (FDFAA executive director) Shelly (Bottorff) had the idea to do a writers’ roundtable at Phillips, I was intrigued. I’d actually never spent much time at the auditorium there before we met in December.

“I was amazed. It’s set up like and reminds me of the (world famous) Ryman (Auditorium in Nashville). We’re all really looking forward to this, not just because of how it will sound (acoustically) to perform there, but to appreciate being a part of the building’s 100-plus year old history.”

Bottorff pictured an event like this from the time the FDFAA reopened the Phillips Auditorium in 2022.

“Singer/songwriter events aren’t new in Iowa. They’ve been going on for years in larger cities and have recently started to branch out into smaller communities, thanks to organizations like the Midwest Country Music Organization,” Bottorff said. “As a musician myself for decades, I have wanted to host something like this for a long time, and finally, the stars have aligned.”

In 2024, the FDFAA helped host a fundraiser for Byron’s in Pomeroy. Bottorff was impressed — and inspired — by the depth of the area’s performing talent that day.

“We were able to experience live music by some of the best musicians in the Midwest,” Bottorff said. “I looked around and thought, ‘this is what we need to continue doing.’ We could provide an intimate ‘listening room’ atmosphere in a unique space, where people can sit back, have something to drink and enjoy the evening. And of course, there’s still plenty of room for those of us that like to get up and groove to the tunes.

“It was after this event that the thought of a singer/songwriter event kept popping up.”

Kirkhart began working on a lineup that would bring a wide variety of musicians together under the same roof — not just to share their talents, but to talk about their songs, backgrounds and experiences as artists.

“This is kind of a ‘behind the curtain’ look into how our songs and careers in general came to life,” Kirkhart said. “We’d love to have a good turnout to support the Fort Dodge Fine Arts Association. Hopefully, this will become a regular event on the (local calendar). We have an incredible scene of talented artists and bands in our area.

“Ideally, this is just the beginning.”

Bottorff noted the Phillips Auditorium has been used in a wide variety of ways in its four-plus years of new life.

“We have utilized the space for live music, theater, fundraisers, speaking events and so much more,” Bottorff said. “Scott and I had been meaning to collaborate on something, so when I mentioned the idea of this event, he was immediately on board. Scott did the legwork, lined up our fantastic lineup of musicians and helped to get the promo rolling.

“All of these musicians are donating their time and talents, and we couldn’t be more appreciative. Where else do you get to hear Scott, Cory Waller, Blake Jack, Danny Grause, Jesse Wilson and Spencer Suchan all in the same night, let alone on the same stage? I know that Fort Dodge is never without things to do in our community, but I would encourage people to make a point to check this ‘one night only’ event out.”

Bottorff added that it was Kirkhart’s idea to turn this into a fundraiser for the FDFAA and get the MCMO involved.

“The Fort Dodge Fine Arts Association does so many good things for our community and our area — and not just on the music scene,” Kirkhart said. “This is right up our alley and exactly what the (Midwest CMO) stands for: artists supporting artists.”

Kirkhart and Waller are both based out of Manson. Wilson is from Fort Dodge. Suchan grew up in Gowrie.

Jack hails from Brooklyn, which is an hour east of Des Moines. Grause lives in Ames.

“We have a wide variety of musicians and experience between the six of us,” Kirkhart said. “But that’s what makes something like this so special — regardless of our age or where we come from, we’re all connected by our love and passion for music.”

Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the show starting at 7 p.m. Alcoholic beverages are available for purchase.

Two audience members will win tickets to the annual Midwest Country Music Organization Awards Show on May 2 in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

For more information on the event, visit “Tunes and Tales: The Stories Behind the Songs” on Facebook.

The Midwest Country Music Association was founded in 2017. The first Midwest CMO writers’ roundtable event was hosted by Brad Morgan — a country music singer from Manning — in December of 2021, where Kirkhart and Waller both performed.

Built in 1922, Phillips Middle School was Fort Dodge’s high school before transitioning into North Junior High 36 years later. It was renamed Phillips Middle School in 1984.

The building closed in 2014. Four years later, The Phillips Luxury Apartments opened, with the auditorium still intact. The FDFAA obtained the rights to host events in the auditorium space in 2019, and a major, multi-year renovation project began.

Phillips Auditorium is located at 1015 Fifth Ave. N. in Fort Dodge.

“TUNES AND TALES: THE STORIES BEHIND THE SONGS”

When: Friday at 7 p.m.

Where: Phillips Auditorium in Fort Dodge.

Scheduled performers:

Scott Kirkhart, Cory Waller,

Jesse Wilson, Spencer Suchan,

Blake Jack, Danny Grouse.