Left-handed gigging throughout Leelanau
By Zinnia Dungjen
Sun contributor
Leelanau County has a vivacious music scene all summer, that continues even into the spring and fall months. Whether there are buskers in Glen Arbor, performers at restaurants in Northport, or performances at The Old Art Building in Leland, the county is filled with talented musicians who love to share their art with the public. The vibrant nature and inspiring waters draw these artists to Northern Michigan, as well as the upscale venues, and people who encourage music to be a part of a Leelanau County summer and listen with intent to the musicians who perform!
Blake Elliott is a local musician who plays a variety of music spanning from jazz and blues to old fashioned country and folk in Leelanau County. She makes her living by playing gigs all around northern Michigan, and entertains audiences nearly every single day in the summer. In the winter, Elliott is an instructor in the songwriting department at Interlochen Arts Academy, and continues to play music professionally full time.
Early in life she started playing and writing her own music. From ages 13 to 19, the left-handed Elliott learned how to play right-handed guitars upside down, writing music for herself as a way to process emotions and an outlet to help with the trials and tribulations of growing up. She didn’t start performing her music due to “terrible stage fright” until she was in her 20s, when she went to an Open Mic at O’Keefe’s Firehouse Pub in Suttons Bay three years after moving to Leelanau County in 2006. Forgetting her first proper left-handed guitar she had bought by herself when she was 19, she stumbled through a few songs on a right-handed guitar with the chords she remembered how to play. Eventually, her music career continued to expand until she made the decision to play music professionally.
Throughout the summer, Elliott will play a number of weekly gigs at different venues and has many other events she will be performing at. You can catch her every Thursday in Northport from 7–9:30 p.m. She also has a semi-weekly gig at the M22 Wine Patio at Crystal River Outfitters in Glen Arbor on Thursdays from 5–7 p.m. On July 2, Elliott will play at 9 Bean Rows in Suttons Bay.
You’ll know you’ve seen her when you see her signature look: bright red lipstick. “It’s made me recognizable … it’s been nice to be able to pair that sound with a style that’s kind of in an alignment,” says Elliott commenting on the importance of having an iconic look and creating a brand for yourself as a musician. Elliott’s experiences have made her an expert in entrepreneurship, marketing, and what it’s like to be a professional musician. Elliott likes to share her knowledge with the high school students at Interlochen whenever she can, giving them valuable information about gigging, traveling, and the music industry.
Though Elliott often performs as a solo artist, she also collaborates with other local musicians who also perform in Leelanau County—one of which is Aaron Dye. Dye performs with Elliott at her weekly gigs in Northport and also performs at other places solo. Similar to Elliott, he also writes his own music which he performs solo or backed up by his band, Stonefolk.
Dye and Elliott first met when he came to an Open Mic Night she hosted at Left Foot Charlie in Traverse City, and they have worked together for almost a decade. Stonefolk will play with her when she performs at Bliss Fest, a music festival that takes place in July in Cross Village near Harbor Springs.
In her interview, Elliott consistently commented on the culture of the Northern Michigan music scene. When comparing the attitude and culture of musicians in different areas of the country with friends, she says there’s a notable difference. Throughout her time playing in Leelanau County she has seen the kindness and supportiveness of her fellow musicians, claiming the music scene is full of love and generosity as opposed to competition and greed. “I love supporting other musicians and offering to connect them with a gig… many people still do that for me even,” Elliott said. She further explains that part of the reason she believes everybody loves to support each other could be due to the scenery and the nature we live in.
When asked what some of her favorite venues to play in the county are, Elliott said that they are all so different and have something special about them that she loves. For example, Elliott mentions she loves to play music at Little Traverse Inn, in Maple City, because of how respectful and kind the owners and staff are. Similarly, she enjoys playing at the Riverside Inn, in Leland, because of the beautiful view of the river and lake from the patio outside where she plays. However, the venue Elliott says she most loves playing at will always be the Old Art Building in Leland. “It always feels like a hug,” she mentions when describing the welcoming, warm environment of the Old Art Building stage. The stage has hosted some of the best local musicians from Leelanau and is the center of a community filled with a love of art, of course making it the safest, most fun and embracing place to play in the whole county, at least by Elliott’s standards.
In her spare time, Elliott mentions that she loves to spend time outside and hang with her close group of friends. She says she hikes on the trails near her home and drives around the county. One of her favorite drives to go on is the iconic and beautiful M22. Elliott mentions she’s somewhat of an introvert and loves listening to true crime podcasts while tidying up her house in her free time while spending time with her beloved cat, Benson.
She and her friends enjoy eating out at the many restaurants Leelanau County and Traverse City have to offer—one of her favorites being Taproot Cider House in Downtown Traverse. Elliott plays weekly gigs at Taproot in the summer; you can catch her playing there every Wednesday.
