TrueSongs: Lyrics of Life 2024

About this event

Now in its fifth year, TrueSongs is Caffe Lena's annual celebration of courage, resilience and caring.

Seven local people who have faced a significant challenge have been paired with professional songwriters. Each team will take the stage together to share with us, through words and music, a story of overcoming adversity. It's an emotional and uplifting evening of true stories, and the songs they've inspired. Each of our storytellers is representing a local nonprofit that helped them successfully overcome their life challenge.

This year we will hear from a mother who made the decision to come to America to support her family back in Brazil (TriCounty Literacy Volunteers); a woman who nursed her mother through Alzheimers disease (Alzheimer's Association of Northeastern NY); a couple that found a way to stay in the home they love after one became wheelchair bound (Rebuilding Together Saratoga County); a military veteran who recovered from life-threatening PTSD (Alliance 180); a teen mother who is now preparing to graduate from nursing school (WAIT House); and a refugee from violence in El Salvador who now runs a cultural empowerment program in Albany (Capital District Latinos).

Our exciting line-up of songwriters is Ellis Paul, Carolyn Shapiro, Hayley Reardon, Joe Jencks, Mark Erelli, and Judy Kass.

This annual performance has outgrown Caffe Lena and will take place this year at Spa Little Theater. TrueSongs 2024 is made possible by the generous support of Business For Good, with additional support provided by Carlton & Terry DeBrule.