Country music fans in Rhode Island have a new reason to celebrate: the legendary Bluebird Café in Nashville is heading north. In a groundbreaking partnership, The United Theatre in Westerly is launching the “Bluebird at The United” concert series, bringing the intimate, songwriter-driven experience of the Bluebird Café to Rhode Island as part of the theater’s “Nashville North” initiative.
The Bluebird, famous for launching the careers of icons like Taylor Swift, Garth Brooks, and Faith Hill, is celebrated for its “in the round” shows, where artists reveal the emotional and creative journeys behind their music. Organizers at The United aim to replicate that magic when they kick off the series on November 8, welcoming three of Nashville’s top songwriters, Victoria Banks, Phil Barton, and Emily Shackelton, artists who have written hits for Reba McEntire and Lee Brice, among others. The intimate format places them center stage to share their songs and the stories behind them.
Unfortunately, you can’t get tickets for that show. “It sold out in short order,” says United’s Executive Director Carly Callahan. “People were so excited about it, and there was disappointment from those who missed their chance at tickets. The good news is that we have dates quarterly through 2026, beginning in March. So, we have plenty of upcoming opportunities coming up.”
Following the November series debut, shows are scheduled for March 14, June 6, September 12, and November 7 in 2026, part of a year-long celebration of songwriting excellence. “We’re confident that we’re going to be able to transfer the essence of the Bluebird experience here and give our audiences and our community the opportunity to get a taste of some of that magic that people are so lucky to witness down in Nashville,” adds Callahan.
The Bluebird Café has already hosted events in far-flung locales including Napa Valley, Santa Fe, and London, and was looking to expand its footprint into the Northeast. Bluebird General Manager Erica Wollman Nichols heard about the burgeoning music scene in Westerly from touring artists and visited The United last December. “She toured our space, walked around the town, saw what was going on, and agreed that this was a good and natural expansion,” says Callahan.
Westerly has always had a vibrant music scene, with celebrated local bands like Roomful of Blues and The Knickerbocker All-Stars leaning more toward R&B than country. However, in recent years, The United and partner venue, The Knickerbocker Music Center, have made efforts to book more country and Americana artists. So, it’s no surprise that the theater is taking this initiative – it’s established itself as a destination for Americana music, a genre that blends country, rock, folk, and blues. Organizers are also working with the Nashville-based Country Music Hall of Fame and Taylor Swift Education Center. “They have a program called Words and Music, which is their songwriter education program,” says Callahan. “It’s an eight-week session where kids are taught by a singer-songwriter who is part of the Hall of Fame.”
The United is a mixed-use facility and serves 65,000 people annually, including over 400 students weekly in their music school. “We have three movie theaters, a small gallery, and a live events space, plus our music school,” says Callahan. “I think that one of the reasons the model works is because we are able to leverage so many different spaces at the same time.” Their audience includes locals and visitors. “We have a big South County crowd, and southeastern Connecticut audience, who are coming regularly,” says Artistic Director Tony Nunes. “For bigger shows, we’re pulling from Providence, New Haven, and all over the Northeast. We’re actually hitting a national audience for some of these shows.”
Watch for ticket sale announcements from the theater for the following upcoming partnership concerts: March 14, June 6, September 12, and November 7.
UnitedTheatre.org/shows
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