MARSHALL, Michigan – The Franke Center for the Arts is pleased to offer a new six-week songwriting workshop with favorite local artist Jim Oliver.

Whether a seasoned musician or a beginning songwriter, Jim Oliver’s workshop will help songwriters take their work to the next level. Participants will learn to define song structures, use plain language to write songs that sound organically, write using real-life experiences, edit songs they have written and more.

The course is aimed at ages 16 and up and will take place in person at the Downstage Club at the Franke Center. It will take place on Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., July 15, 22, 29 and August 5, 12 and 19. The cost is $ 100 for the six week session.

Jim Oliver has been writing songs since 1981 and has written and recorded approximately 300 songs. He landed cuts on three Joshua Creek albums.

He also placed songs in the film Fathers Of Faith. Jim has written and released four Christmas music albums, including a single song publishing deal with Justin Wilde’s Holiday Music titled Christmas in The Kitchen. He has promoted and participated in workshops featuring songwriters Beth Nielsen Chapman, Annie Roboff, Walt Alderidge, Audrey Assad and Kathy Mattea.

Jim is a member of ASCAP and SongU.com. He was the volunteer regional workshop coordinator for the Nashville Songwriters Association International for many years. Currently Jim is the lead vocalist for a local band called The Edge and is also a member of acoustic groups COW and JimJam.

To register for workshops or for more information, visit www.TheFranke.org