The Oswego Music Hall presents The Hook Songwriter Series at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 21. Cam Caruso, Tim Forbes and Gary Carpentier will perform while John McConnell emcees the event at the McCrobie Civic Center, 41 Lake St., Oswego.

The Hook Songwriter Series brings local and regional talent to the Oswego Music Hall stage. Each Hook show features three songwriters who share stage time equally throughout the course of the evening. It’s the perfect format for today’s short attention span!

Cam Caruso is a singer/songwriter from Oswego who has performed in the Central New York area for nearly eight years. He has released several of his own albums and produced various projects with fellow singer/songwriters in the area. Caruso’s personal and collaborative projects have been nominated for four Syracuse Area Music Awards (SAMMYs) including his EP, “Up Above & Down Below,” which won the SAMMY Award for Best Singer/Songwriter Recording in 2020. Most recently in 2023, he brought home another SAMMY Award with a win in the People's Choice category for Best Artist or Band. Caruso is currently branching out to new venues, working on personal and collaborative recording projects and continuing to develop his craft. For more information, visit http://www.camcarusomusic.com/.

Tim Forbes is a self-taught singer/songwriter based out of Syracuse. For over a decade, he has performed at area bars, restaurants and other venues. Recently, Forbes had the honor of playing several corporate events for organizations such as Oswego Health, David’s Refuge, Syracuse University Athletics and the Jim & Juli Boeheim Foundation. He released his first studio single, “Young & Dumb,” in March 2022 and plans to release more original projects in the coming years. For more information, find Forbes on social media.

Gary Carpentier is a singer/songwriter from Oswego, currently residing in Syracuse. Over the last 10 years, he has performed locally and nationally as a solo artist, opening for acts such as Ripe and Milky Chance. His EP titled “Lucid” won the SAMMY Award for Best R&B Album in 2020. Since then, Carpentier has put out numerous singles that have reached national radio and streaming platforms. His most recent venture features Carpentier as the front man for the newly formed band The Shoals. For more information, find Carpentier on social media.

Oswego Music Hall shows start at 7:30 p.m. and doors open at 7 p.m. for all National Stage concerts. For a complete performance schedule and ticket information, visit the Oswego Music Hall website at www.oswegomusichall.org or stop at the river’s end bookstore, 19 W. Bridge St., Oswego. 

The Oswego Music Hall’s winter/spring season continues with the Burns Sisters Band on Saturday, April 29 with the season finale, featuring Annie Sumi & Travis Knapp, scheduled for Saturday, May 13.

Tickets are $12, with admission half-price for children aged 7 to 16 and free for children aged 6 and under. Admission for students with student ID is $10. Tickets can be purchased at any concert, online or at the river’s end bookstore in Oswego.

The Oswego Music Hall is located in the McCrobie Civic Center, 41 Lake St., Oswego, and is wheelchair accessible. It is adjacent to Breitbeck Park and overlooks Lake Ontario and the Oswego harbor. The atmosphere is intimate with candle-lit tables surrounding a small stage. Light refreshments will be available.  

The Oswego Music Hall is a family-friendly, non-profit organization that has been run entirely by volunteers from its inception over 40 years ago. Volunteers can earn admission to shows through various tasks, from running the sound board to making popcorn. Students can also earn credit for community service. To volunteer, email Volunteer Coordinator Michael Moss at ocpaoswego@gmail.com.

The Oswego Music Hall pays close attention to federal, state and local COVID-19 guidelines to do what’s best for performers and patrons – being mindful of everyone’s safety and their enjoyment of the show. Masks are now strongly recommended and will be available at the door. 

Should conditions warrant, precautions may revert back to stricter requirements without notice. Please check www.oswegomusichall.org for updated information.

For more information about the Oswego Music Hall, visit www.oswegomusichall.org or email ocpaoswego@gmail.com.

Oswego Music Hall concerts are made possible in part with funding by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the governor and New York Legislature. Other major supporters are the City of Oswego and Shineman Foundation.