DINA HALL

The Homeys

Last Sunday afternoon, I headed to The Queen in Wilmington, DE for the Homey Awards event, because thanks to the support of many folks, my name ended up on the ballot, in two categories–[best] Female Artist and [best] Songwriter. (personally, I cringe at the word “best”, and would prefer something like “outstanding”, but that’s how they labeled them.) Anyway, I had no delusions of actually winning in either category, but it was very meaningful to make it that far, in a region where I’m barely recognized for my work, let alone outstanding. Thank you to all who voted in my favor!

Just for brief background, the Homey Awards is presented by Delaware Public Media Hometown Heroes radio program–aired on WDDE and WMHS–in conjunction with Gable Music Ventures. Mark Rogers hosts Hometown Heroes, and has included music from Firefly on the program. Gable Music Ventures presents the Ladybug Music Festival, which included me in a performance spot last summer in Old Ellicott City, MD (and this summer in Wilmington, although I had a schedule conflict). Both of those organizations have a vested interest in the original music scene, and vice versa–the artists need them, too.

The Grind

You might be asking yourself…why did I expose myself like this if I didn’t think I stood a chance at winning an award?

This is where I begin to refer to “the grind”. That’s the “somebody’s got to do it” part of the business. Somebody’s got to do the networking, email follow-ups, nurture the relationships, develop the brand, decide where to play and what sound gear to bring, who to work with, how far to travel, negotiate the money, etc., then comes the promotion (digital, print, radio), maintaining and packing the gear, driving the car home afterwards, and then this part right here…the follow-up acknowledgements.

I’ve been grinding at this for nearly 30 years–from the Poconos and NEPA, over the river into NJ, down the eastern corridor to Philly, southern Delaware and Maryland–always knowing that Lehigh Valley is home base. The music community here has been strong and vibrant for many decades. It’s big, and it’s small at the same time. Since 1998, I’ve reminded myself “your friends are not gonna keep coming out to see you, so you need to keep reaching people in new places.” Hence, my eagerness to gain exposure and recognition beyond the Valley.

Back to the Homeys

So, after a ridiculously-more traffic-than-necessary-on-a-Sunday afternoon drive down the 476 NE Extension, I arrived in downtown Wilmington with butterflies in my stomach, nervous about walking into this situation alone, and feeling vulnerable. It’s 6:30 on a Sunday evening, and most everything is closed, just like Bethlehem. But, I quickly found a friendly local bar to get a salad and a beer and just chill out!

I left there feeling much better, and headed to the venue. And it was on that walk that everything shifted, because about 20 feet ahead, I saw Sug Daniels leaning against a stone wall–probably sharing some cool photo to social media–and I was just so grateful for a friendly, joyous soul to ease me into this experience. The significance of this is that Sug and I have emailed many times over the past year or so, I’ve spun her music on WDIY, and she’s going to be part of my upcoming Songwriters In-the-Round next month…but we’ve never met…until now. This is where social media comes into play–we recognized each other instantly because we’ve both seen our pictures on FB and IG.

Once inside, I introduced myself to a few more folks that I recognized–Andrea Nardello (how have we not met before now?!), Meghan Carey (I’m sorry I just haven’t been able to make it to the Philly Songwriters events because of schedule conflicts), Emily Drinker (who I have on my short list for 2026 Songwriters In-the-Round), and John Faye (a bona-fide legend in the Philly/DE original music scene, whose music I’ve spun on WDIY)–and yes, I introduced myself to each one of them.

Now, they all recognized my name, at least, so maybe I’ve done something right. More importantly, they overwhelmingly seemed to love and respect one another–both personally and professionally. Where have I seen this before? Right here, in the Lehigh Valley! Although much smaller, (there were fewer than 100 people in the venue) the sense of community support was palpable and that’s why it was so easy to feel comfortable in their midst. I did not feel like an interloper, or an opportunist, probably because I’ve been grinding through that region for so long.

Back to the Grind

Which brings me to my final point–the conflict between being a local draw and oversaturation.

There’s definitely a glut of supply when it comes to performers in the Lehigh Valley. I’m willing to bet that the supply has tripled since 2020. I’ll also take a wild guess and say that only 20% of that is original music, and the other 80% is the same cover songs repurposed in various configurations. (yes, booking managers have literally told me “please don’t play Margaritaville, Sweet Caroline, or Wagon Wheel…not that I would)

It’s also true that we have a plethora of fantastic musicians here who can fill in for one another on any given day. And, it’s also true that the local scene is oversaturated. Which is why I think it’s important for every region to allow the cream to rise to the top–separate the wheat from the chaff, as they say–and recognize quality over quantity. This is why I’m always looking for good opportunities outside the Lehigh Valley and also advocating for bringing outstanding original artists here from other regions. I’d personally prefer to see that instead of dozens of cover acts in every corner of every town.

So, no I didn’t come home with any awards, but I did come home with a full heart, respect for a kindred music community, and affirmation that the grind is definitely worthwhile.