Our Story

Skylands Songwriters Guild is an educational non-profit organization [501 (c) (3)] dedicated to nurturing the community of Singer/Songwriters of Northwest New Jersey and the surrounding region. We seek to provide enlightenment for the public, revealing the talents of songwriters, and to offer educational and performance resources for artists to advance their craft.

We seek to provide an open and supportive atmosphere for aspiring amateurs through accomplished professionals.
The Guild will host learning and sharing events such as Open Mics, coffeehouses, songcraft workshops and seminars, as well as showcases and festivals for performances.

The Principals of the SSG are well established in the local independent artist community, hosting many of the events mentioned above.
We seek to make the SSG a non-profit entity unto itself for the sole purpose of building community among those who create and those who appreciate!
Those principals are: Renee Paddock - President, Clark Paddock - Secretary 

The greatest songs ever written start out as a thought, 
fleshed out by a creative mind and at some point, 
played for the first time for someone else.
Catch our best creative minds at play - listen, learn, 
share your own works among people who love song 
and the process of bringing an emotion to a finished work.
This area is blessed with an amazing amount of talent scattered about.
We're hoping to make them less scattered.

Our Venues

Currently evolving as CV-19 and other factors have limited events.

Groove in the Grove is our annual Songwriter Festival. Regional artists with a variety of experience, performing their material under a nice pavilion or the "Flamingo Stage", our second stage just off to the side of the main stage. Food, beverages (adult avail.) and vendors, plenty of shade, playground. Family friendly. Early June.

Riverside Rhythm & Rhyme  Our "listening room experience" - intimate, Black Box Theater (Roxbury Performing Arts Center) seating around 150. Feature is a regional artist doing an approximately hour plus set. Opener precedes the feature - a local songwriter - intermission w/coffee and light refreshments. Monthly from September to May.

SSG at Enzo's Our casual monthly meeting for friends to share new songs - very informal, with a short performance by a featured artist. Enzo's has excellent pizza and an extensive Italian menu as well as a full bar.

SSG at The Stanhope House An additional monthly meeting for friends to share new songs - up to three per performer, no featured artist.  The Stanhope House has light menu available as well as a full bar.