Community Song Circles

For years, Heather Stevenson’s relationship with singing in public was performing as a singer-songwriter at local festivals, nightspots, and other gatherings. But in 2018, she was an early visitor to a community song circle led by Glen Phillips; native Santa Barbaran, co-founder of platinum-selling Toad the Wet Sprocket, and a critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter. 

The community singing nature of the circle – where the leader teaches everyone the relatively simple songs, initially through the call-and-response method – immediately appealed to her.

“It really resonated with me right away,” Stevenson said. “More than anything, realizing that music can be about singing together rather than somebody performing for other people who are only listening, which is a very one-way experience. It was mind blowing to me to be with a group of people who’ve never heard a particular song – who then were singing in layers or three-part harmony 10 or 15 minutes later.”

That concept of togetherness, of community coming together, triggered a deep feeling of connection over time and space for Stevenson, as it has for many others who participate in song circles – a goosebumpin’ revival of the ancient oral tradition that was once the only way music was shared and passed down before the invention of recording. 

“It’s people taking back singing as a culture, which has been messed up,” she said. “Too many feel like they can’t sing or carry a tune, and they shut down that part of themselves. But singing is for everyone. And coming together in a community song circle helps people heal those wounds and join in with the joy of singing no matter where they are with their voice.”

After attending Phillips’ circles on a regular basis, Stevenson enrolled in a training with Lisa Littlebird, the revered singing facilitator who runs a “Songleader Flight School” for emerging community songleaders. To date, the school counts more than 400 graduates worldwide, including Phillips. 

“We learned the mechanics of how to lead, but also the culture of community singing,” Stevenson said. “Leading is not only teaching the songs, it’s honoring people who might be feeling scared and vulnerable when they first come to a circle. It’s about helping them feel comfortable and welcome no matter where they are in their relationship to their voice.” 

Stevenson filled in frequently for Phillips at the weekly circles when he was on the road with Toad or solo tours, then took over leading the circles when he got too busy after the pandemic. She ran them, as Phillips had, in people’s backyards, before moving to Yoga Soup a couple of years ago when the studio invited her to replace the En-Courage Chorus gatherings whose leaders had left town. The circles are still taking place there every Tuesday evening from 7-8:30 pm. Attendance varies, but usually hovers around 20 people each session. 

The song choices also vary every week, as the repertoire includes multiple thousands of songs that suit this realm of community singing. Just like in the old days, the songs are passed down in the oral tradition, with song leaders learning from each other at circles or leader gatherings. It’s part of the humanistic gift of the community singing ethos; that songs are meant to be shared, not privately owned, no matter who wrote them. 

“You just record the ones that resonate with you on your phone, take ‘em home and learn them, and then teach them to your own circle,” Stevenson said. “People also post the ones they teach on their websites. Lisa has an incredible online database.” 

Stevenson leads her circles with a sense of progression, often opening with a simple song she wrote called “Welcome In” that previews the experience, or perhaps Leonard Cohen’s “Anthem,” which says, “Forget your perfect offering / There is a crack in everything / That’s how the light gets in,” a favorite icebreaker Phillips used. 

“It helps people feel comfortable right away,” she said.

Stevenson then interweaves songs that are sung in unison with ones that are layered (meaning subgroups sing different passages that fit together) or full of harmony parts. There is fluctuation in energy and emotion as well, she said.

Songs by MaMuse, including “Power of Kindness,” “We Shall Be Known,” and “This is the House” are staples. 

The lyrics to the latter are indicative of the heart-opening, spirit-raising message: 

In this house, we lead with love
In this house, we lift each other up
In this house, we learn to fly
with the dove,
This is the house we’ve been dreaming of
Come on over, come on in
Come on over, let’s be friends
Come on over, there is enough
This is the house we’ve been dreaming of

In recent months, Stevenson has also brought the community song circles to the protest rallies in downtown Santa Barbara and the sidewalk adjacent to the dolphin fountain at the foot of Stearns Wharf. The circle at the “Good Trouble” event earlier this month drew more than 60 singers, with some tourists even joining in after a few minutes. 

“I was very moved seeing people just joining in, learning the melody after a few rounds then singing their hearts out,” she said.

A number of the songs that evening were led by Amisha Sera Luna, who learned leading by coming to Stevenson’s circles and has begun leading twice-monthly community singing circles on her own, a development Stevenson readily supports. 

“The more singing the better,” she said. “It’s a beautiful thing, not competitive. There’s so many people who want to sing.” 

In fact, Stevenson is embarking on an endeavor to encourage the expansion of the community singing universe in the context of protest next month. She is teaming up with Gwendolyn Kilfoyle, who periodically runs six-week song-circle-leading sessions at Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara. They will co-lead a three-part series called “Together in Song: Finding Your Voice for the Movement” on Sunday afternoons – August 10-24. The series is designed to amplify the growing movement of joyful resistance through the power of song.

“We’re trying to spread the ability of our community to have music about peace, justice, and love at these events,” she said.

The first week, Stevenson and Kilfoyle will teach songs that are suitable for collective action events, and participants will then choose one or two songs to learn to lead. Over the next two sessions, the aspiring song leaders will practice leading in the supportive, empowering environment that will serve as a safe space.  

Visit https://yogasoup.union.site/events/yoga-soup-community-song-circle, or email Stevenson at [email protected]