If you’re a sucker for a good story wrapped in a whiskey-warm melody, clear your schedule for Sunday, March 9. The Southbound Writers’ Round Tour is rolling into The Common Good in Ellenville, bringing with it three country crooners who know their way around a song—and a barstool.
The lineup? A trifecta of gravel-voiced troubadours: Ian Flanigan, Jim Ranger, and Randall Fowler. If you follow the orbit of “The Voice,” you’ll recognize Flanigan, a Saugerties native with a voice like a well-aged bourbon, and Ranger, a finalist from the same show whose Southern soul seeps into every note. Fowler, hailing from South Carolina, rounds out the trio with a blend of gospel roots and country grit.
The format—a writers round—comes straight out of Nashville’s playbook. Instead of the usual one-by-one setlist, the artists sit together on stage, swapping songs, telling stories, and sometimes jumping in on each other’s tunes. It’s an intimate, off-the-cuff setup that strips away the polish of studio recordings and lets the raw songwriting shine. Think of it as eavesdropping on three pros trading secrets at a roadside dive.
For Flanigan, this is something of a homecoming gig. Since his “Voice” breakout in 2020, he’s been touring hard, signing deals, and honing his sound—an Americana-tinged mix of country, folk, and rock. Ranger, a preacher’s son from Arkansas, delivers the kind of deep, soulful country that makes you want to raise a glass or call your mother (or both). And Fowler’s mix of Nashville sheen and Southern swagger ties the whole thing together.
The venue itself, The Common Good, has become an instant fixture in Ellenville, part bar, part bookstore, all good vibes. This intimate show is one of the first in what the founder hopes will be ongoing arts and educational programming. Infuse your Sunday with stripped down Country tunes and some old school storytelling.
The show is Sunday, March 9. Tickets are $20, doors at 7 pm, music at 8pm.
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