Every song has a good story behind it, but usually that story goes unheard.

The Richmond Writers Round is a quarterly concert series that consists of four songwriters who share the stage and tell the stories behind the songs they perform.

“It’s a good jumping-in point for fans to discover new things about Richmond’s music community,” says co-organizer Maggie Graff, creator of local music industry networking website Ignited. “It’s a very intimate experience where each songwriter gets to share insights about their songs and what inspired them.”

The Richmond Writers Round began at Common House Richmond in 2018, headed by local music marketer Whitney Asher to help connect audiences with the area’s community of musicians and songwriters. During the pandemic, the series took a hiatus. In 2022, Asher handed the reins over to Graff and musician Natalie Tyer, who then brought in musician Todd Murray to round out the team.

“We were very eager to continue it,” says Graff. “I was looking for more in-person opportunities for Ignited members. This was right after COVID and our members didn’t have many options to connect. This landed in our laps at the perfect time.”

“My first introduction into the Richmond music scene was through playing a Writers Round back in 2018,” says Tyer. “So getting to help host them now feels really full circle.”

The concert series is open to any genre of music and most events feature a mix of artists with different styles so there’s not a lot of overlap. Each musician plays one song and shares the story behind it.

Local musicians are encouraged to apply through the Ignited platform and become members if not already. Requirements include providing general information about themselves along with links to original songs and any performance videos. When reviewing submissions, the group considers songwriting, musicianship, and vocal quality for each artist, but also looks for fresh faces in the Richmond music community.

“We always want to have one of the four participants be fairly new to the local music scene,” says Graff. “We want that person to get introduced to the community in a unique way so they can meet other people involved and start to connect.”

The group receives on average anywhere from 20 to 50 applications for each Writers Round, often making it a difficult decision on who to select for each show.

“We’re getting better at it and have established certain criteria to ensure the night flows smoothly, but it’s never an easy task,” says Murray. “There is so much freaking talent in Richmond. It has also given me a new perspective on all the ‘no’s’ I’ve received when booking my own gigs. There are just so many factors that go into planning a great show.”

The series moves around the city and has been hosted at various locations including Common House, Spacebomb, and Red Amp Audio. Graff says the locations are just as much a part of the local music scene as the artists and they want to introduce people to different spaces to help further connections.

And the response to the Richmond Writers Round has been incredibly rewarding for everyone involved. New connections are being made, fans are learning new things about local artists, and there are always new people attending.

“Songwriter shows have always been my favorite to perform, so organizing them has been a really great experience,” says Murray. “It’s one of the quickest ways to see firsthand how art and music can profoundly affect people. The reaction from the audience is almost like a laser beam. It’s so clear when someone is deeply moved by the music or the stories.”

“We actually had a couple come up and say that they were visiting from out of town and randomly saw the event,” Graff says. “They were so thrilled they got to experience what felt to them like a real insider’s Richmond perspective.”

Richmond Writers Round will be celebrating its next event during Richmond Music Week (Aug. 4-11) and will increase the number of participating musicians to five as a fun way to celebrate. However, the focus of the series will always remain on connecting the local music community to each other in a way that fosters participation and growth.

“As someone who was pretty new to playing in Richmond, I couldn’t believe how encouraging everyone was,” says Tyer. “It was the first time I really felt like I could be a part of this community. My hope for these rounds is that it does the same for other people.”

The next Richmond Writers Round will be Thursday, Aug. 8 at 7 p.m. at Spacebomb, 106 S. Robinson St. The night will feature performances by Anna Leonard, Brent McCormick, Erika Blatnik, Tristan Dougherty, and Jason Holmes. Tickets are $12. Follow Ignited on Instagram at @ignitedva.