Gary Browe, Terry Collins and Roger Ponder in the Round – January 4, 2025

It really wasn’t until Gary Browe was 40 and graduated from college after many years of night school that his songwriting reappeared. For a graduation present, him and his daughter drove down to Nashville to Gruhn Guitars where he purchased a new Martin D-41 Guitar. Buying that guitar started it all again and Gary soon found himself writing new songs that seem to spring from a well that had been covered up too long.

“Music is your out”, his mother would say to him. She meant that his music was Gary’s escape. Gary spends much of his free time playing guitar, writing songs and attending local music concerts at Michigan venues like The Ark and Trinity House Theater. In 2015, he released the Watercolor album. In 2016, he released Songs and Images, which comprises of many of the songs from Journal Entry completely remixed and remastered. In 2019 he released his third album, Red Sky Remembers and This Perfect Day, was released in April 2023 features three songs with the Flint Symphony String Quartet.

In December, 2023, Gary released a single called “Favorite Album Is Blue” which honors the music of Joni Mitchell and other 1970’s classic albums titles.

He feels very blessed to be part of a vibrant music community in SE Michigan where he draws inspiration from all of the wonderfully gifted songwriters that make Southeast Michigan their home.

Terry Collins has been performing for the past 50+ years as a singer, guitarist, and banjo player. Originally from Detroit, Terry performs at quaint venues all over Michigan, as well as for family, friends, and at local events. Terry’s father, Eddie Collins, was a world-renowned banjo player who played professionally alongside Louie Armstrong, Art Mooney, and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, just to name a few. Terry had the honor of accepting on behalf of his late father when Eddie was inducted into the Banjo Music Hall of Fame in 2017. Eddie passed on his musical talents to Terry, who plays often, sharing his talents and love of music with his beautiful wife Leana, his two children, and four grandchildren. Terry enjoys playing a variety of musical genres, but his favorites include The Kingston Trio and Elvis Presley.

Roger Ponder is a very prolific country and folk songwriter from the Detroit area.  His music is influenced by Classic Country and Blues songwriters he grew up listening to.  He’s released seven albums and is working on his eighth with Rooftop Recordings and Dave Roof.  His latest, September Songs of 2021, featured a song cycle all written in a month.  He’s currently finishing a Christmas album, Ponder Christmas,  and is always looking to his next release.  His music can be heard on WHFR 89.3 in Dearborn and his YouTube channel.  Roger is also a proud member of Songwriters Anonymous, a songwriting collective that meets at Trinity House.