Wed 8/19 – 7-9 PM – WNC Songwriter Sessions hosts songwriters McCawley Burke, Melissa McKinney & Annie Wenz. WNC Songwriter Sessions return with songwriters McCawley Burke, Melissa McKinney and Annie Wenz for an evening of original songs in the natural acoustics and listening room atmosphere of the beautiful and historic Brandy Bar. Another trio of wonder filled songwriters will be sharing their lyrical and musical offerings for our August session at the coolest bar in Hendo These musicians will delight your senses, tickle your funny bone, and adjust your alignment (metaphorically). All that and delicious cocktails+ handcrafted songs + friendly folks = well spent time. Yes, please! Join us.
McCawley Burke started his career in music as part of the Boston Cambridge Singer Songwriter Community performing at such legendary places as Club Passim and The Old Vienna Coffee House. He went on to tour nationally and was a finalist twice at the renowned Kerrville Folk Festival Singer Songwriter Competition in Kerrville Texas. McCawley moved to Hendersonville this past fall and has reignited his love for songwriting and performing and is excited to be in such a magical place surrounded by so many amazing fellow music makers! 
Melissa McKinney is a vocalist and songwriter based in Asheville, NC. Rooted in blues, Melissa brings raw emotion, and heart to every performance. Recently earning Second Place at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis and winning the 2025 MerleFest Band Competition with her band MAMA, Melissa is known for her commanding voice, and deep connection with audiences. She has spent her adult life as an educator, running a music school for almost 20 years and working with LEAF Global Arts. She recently sold her business and resigned her job to focus on music full time. 
Annie Wenz has stomped her dusty boots through 25 countries around the world, cracking open hearts all along the way. After years of touring around the US & abroad, she wandered into Hendersonville, kissed the ground & popped the cork! With hosts Annie Wenz & Todd Hoke. For more info: WNCSongwritersessions@gmail.com
Thurs 8/20 – 4-9 PM – BIRTHday Cocktails – Have you ever thought about the history of birthdays? They started around 3,000 years before the common era by our good old friends the Egyptians. The Egyptians did not actually celebrate your birthday but the birth of someone as a god. When the pharaohs were crowned, it was considered that they had become a god, and to be fair, the day anyone becomes a god is waaaaay up there above being actually physically born! So what about those birthday candles and birthday cake? In the very early days, the Greeks adopted the ancient Egyptian birthdays, celebrating the birth of a god, and as we know Greek culture was big on gods and goddesses. The Greeks were big on offering sacrifices to the gods and as a tribute to Artemis, the lunar goddess, the Greeks would offer her moon-shaped cakes that were adorned with lit candles. The two-part symbolism of the re-created beauty of the moon and the candles signifying the sending of prayers. But the Romans were among the first people to celebrate birthdays as we know them because they celebrated the birth of the common man (woman). They threw lavish parties where they would shower the birthday boy (girl) with gifts, thus starting the history of birthday presents.
Why celebrate birthdays without cake? Although the Egyptians had their moon-shaped cakes, it was not really a birthday cake as we know and love it today. Credit for the growth and development of the birthday cake goes to German bakers who turned the cake into an icing-topped, colorful glory that we celebrate today. These German birthday parties were held for children from the late 18th century and called “Kinderfeste”. Each child would be given a cake with a candle on the top for each year of their life so far, as well as one extra for hope. America’s own period of industrialization in the 19th century was when the rituals and trappings of birthday parties went mainstream. The way we celebrate today is a mishmash of the Egyptian/Greek/Roman/German holiday rites, but the expectation of wrapped gifts is a product of good old Western consumerism.
BIRTHday cocktails – Birthday martini- vanilla cognac, white chocolate liqueur, amaretto, half/half; French 75 – Courvoisier, lemon juice, simple syrup, topped with champagne; Brandy Alexander – Courvoisier, chocolate liqueur, your choice ice cream or heavy cream; Raspberry martini – CB Frost, raspberry syrup, cranberry, lemon juice; 1/2 price fruit or infused flight