Greenville’s Peace Center opens The Mockingbird with Song Sessions

The Peace Center will kick off its 35^th season with something small.

The Mockingbird will open Jan. 17 with the first in a year-long series of musical artists chosen to because of their appeal in small-space venues. The Mockingbird is the Peace Center’s newest venue, an intimate listening room with seating for 180.

The series, Song Sessions, is a series designed by Nashville singer-songwriter Maia Sharp, according to a news release.

To launch this exciting new space, the Peace Center proudly presents Song Sessions, an essential yearlong musical celebration curated by acclaimed Nashville singer-songwriter Maia Sharp, who has collaborated with performers such as Bonnie Raitt, The Chicks and Art Garfunkel. Known for her soulful voice, poetic lyrics and collaborations with artists Sharp — will be joined at The Mockingbird by a rotating lineup of special guest artists, changing each month throughout 2026.

The first new venue to open as part of the Peace Center’s campus expansion, The Mockingbird promises to offer an immersive, one-of-a-kind experience that brings artists and audiences closer together than ever before, the release stated. The name pays homage to Nashville’s famed Bluebird Café –– the iconic home of songwriters and storytelling.

“The Peace Center is proud to open The Mockingbird as a space that celebrates musical artistry and human connection,” Peace Center CEO Megan Riegel said in the release. “It’s a place where the song takes center stage, and audiences can experience live music the way it’s meant to be heard — up close and personal.”

Opening night will feature Sharp with Georgia Middleman & Gary Burr, starting at 7:30 p.m.

“There’s something powerful about a small room built for listening,” Sharp said in the release. “It lets the emotion, the stories, and the songs breathe. The Mockingbird will be that kind of place, and I can’t wait to share these weekends with the people of Greenville and the entire region.”

Georgia Middleman is an acclaimed songwriter whose work has been recorded by artists such as Keith Urban, Reba McEntire and Kenny Chesney. Her song “When the Right One Comes Along” was featured on the TV show “Nashville.” She’s also part of the musical trio Blue Sky Riders and recently released her fourth solo album, “Requests.”

Gary Burr is a Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee and an award-winning country songwriter with 15 No. 1 hits. His songs have been recorded by major artists such as Faith Hill, Garth Brooks, Carole King and Christina Aguilera. He’s a former Songwriter of the Year (ASCAP, Billboard, NSAI) and is a member of the trio Blue Sky Riders with Georgia Middleman and Kenny Loggins.

Married for over 10 years, Middleman and Burr perform together across the country, blending harmonies, humor and storytelling in their live shows, the release said.

On Feb. 20 and 21, Sharp performs with David Ryan Harris & Adam Wright.

Harris is described as a genre-defying singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose blend of soul, folk, rock and R&B has earned him a devoted following.

Wright is a Grammy-nominated Nashville songwriter known for his vivid storytelling, lyrical craftsmanship, and understated musical style.

On March 20 and 2, it’s Sharp with Emma-Lee Cypert & Tera Lynne Fister.

Cypert is a Toronto-born, Nashville-based singer-songwriter and producer known for her genre-spanning songwriting and emotive artistry. Signed with Sony Music Publishing and RareSpark Media Group, she has penned over 150 songs recorded by other artists. As a solo artist, she has released three acclaimed albums —”Never Just a Dream,” “Backseat Heroine,” and “Fantasies” — and her music has appeared in numerous TV shows and films.

Fister is described as a bold, soul-driven singer-songwriter whose music blends country grit with rock ‘n’ roll swagger and unfiltered emotional honesty. A St. Louis native now based in Nashville, she’s spent over a decade honing her craft — writing, recording and performing across the U.S. and internationally.

Tickets for Song Sessions are for sale at peacecenter.org.

Established in 1990, the six-acre campus consists of the 2,115-seat Peace Concert Hall, 400-seat Gunter Theatre, an outdoor amphitheater, and popular event spaces including the Wyche building and the Huguenot Mill. The expansion underway that includes The Mockingbird and Coach Music Factory.