The original music of talented Rogue Valley songwriters will reverberate from the stage at Dos Mariposas Vineyards & Lavender Farm in Medford, with members of the Southern Oregon Songwriters Association and visitors showcasing their newest tunes.

Scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8, at the vineyard, any and all songwriters are welcome to sign up, perform a couple songs and gain inspiration from the other performing artists.

The SOSA open mic events typically occur four times per month at local venues including Dos Mariposas, Art Bop Beer Co. in Talent, Boomtown Saloon in Jacksonville, as well as a virtual open mic once a month.

“People tend to quiet down and listen to the songs that are presented — it’s not just background music for a noisy bar. People are there to listen to the songs and interact,” said Steve Yungen, president of SOSA. “It’s a really friendly bunch. Anyone who shows up will be welcomed.”

For more information on the Aug. 8 open mic at Dos Mariposas, visit dosmariposasvineyards.com/events.

The nonprofit songwriters association was founded in the early 1990s with a mission dedicated to connecting fellow songwriters and providing opportunities for the creation and performance of original music in the region.

“It’s a fun organization and we’ve grown in membership over the past several years,” Yungen said. “We’ve probably got well over 50 people that are active in one way or another, and they’re all songwriters to some degree with some beginners, some advanced.”

“Some people are involved simply to meet other musicians and maybe find other musicians to play their instrument with, and others are pretty serious about their songwriting skills,” Yungen added.

Performers can show up as early as 45 minutes before the open mic event and sign up to play on stage on a first come, first served basis. Each songwriter will be allowed to play up to two original songs.

“Most people show up with songs they’ve been working on and practiced and are pretty good and finished and ready to present to audiences,” Yungen said. “Whether you’re first or 15th on the list, people tend to stick around and hear people perform.”

Yungen has been involved with SOSA since 2017. He joined for the tight-knit community of musicians and songwriters before eventually taking the head leadership position.

After a musician peer told Yungen about the group, “I showed up for an event and I was hooked. They were nice people and I made some new friends right away,” he said. “It’s a great place to talk about songwriting and music.”

The open mic events draw in musicians from across the region.

“It’s surprising how many people are interested in songwriting. We’ve had visitors come in from other areas like along the Oregon Coast and Brookings,” Yungen said.

The open mics allow musicians to try out new material while honing their live performance skills and building confidence with their peers.

The monthly SOSA virtual open mic event — started during the pandemic — is an option for musicians who may not be able to make it to the in-person performances. The songwriters association also performs live during the Jacksonville Sunday Market.

SOSA is also active on social media and radio.

“We have a very active YouTube channel … there’s a huge archive of performances dating back several years,” Yungen said. “We also have a radio show — Gus Johnson is the host of that radio program — on KSKQ local community radio station. That show airs every Wednesday evening at 6 o’clock (p.m.).”

On what he appreciates most about SOSA, “I’d say it’s the good friends I’ve made,” he said. “It spurred me to focus more on songwriting and new songs and it pushes me a little bit to be better and more productive.”

To learn more about the songwriters association, check the group out on Facebook, YouTube or visit its website at southernoregonsongwriters.com.