PHOTO PROVIDED Chris Pick will be returning to perform at Avenue 209 on Friday, June 7 with special guest Mariah Hostrander.

LOCK HAVEN — Singer/songwriter/recording artist Chris Pick will return to Avenue 209 Coffee House in Lock Haven on June 7.

From the time Avenue 209 Coffee House opened up in Lock Haven 16 years ago, Pick had been a regular performer. His yearly holiday concerts featured many guest artists. However, three years ago COVID-19 suspended performances at the Coffee House!

This will be Pick’s first performance at Avenue Coffee in three years… and he is bringing a special guest, Mariah Hostrander.

Pick was exposed to a variety of music early on by his family, and eventually went to music school, where he was classically trained.

He continues to cherish the creative and diverse sounds of artists and groups such as Elvis, Ricky Nelson, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, etc.

His first album was based on a song he wrote for John Lennon’s 20th Memorial in 2000, “Thank You For The Music.” The song went number one on the global KAOS FM charts in Australia.

During this time, Pick became a Christian and discovered the music of Rick Elias and Rich Mullins. Their Ragamuffin sound became the inspiration behind some of Pick’s projects. He became good friends with Elias, who produced two projects for Pick and used Rich Mullins’ old band members. A Ragamuffin Band, on the projects. It led to a friendship with Ragamuffin Mitch McVicker, with whom he often shares the stage.

Pick’s music found success worldwide, charting in both mainstream pop and Christian genres. Among his work is a 2012 release, “Finally Free,” a tribute to friend and late Monkee frontman Davy Jones.

The song is featured in the “Written in Our Hearts” vegetarian cookbook to benefit Davy’s Rescue Horse Foundation www.djemf.com. The cookbook featured stories and recipes from Davy’s family and friends including Micky and Peter of The Monkees, some of the cast of The Brady Bunch and Boy Meets World, etc.

Pick plays various instruments, including keyboard, guitar, ukulele, and lap dulcimer.

As missionaries, Pick and his wife Michelle (an elementary teacher in Central PA) are advocates for the native missionary movement and the persecuted church. They partner with Gospel For Asia with their music ministry. They are also a “Voice” for Voice of the Martyrs.

Pick has been involved with several mission projects which have included work in South America, Africa, Asia, and even in North America ministering to the Lakota Sioux at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota as well as among the Ute on the Southern Ute Reservation in Colorado and the Navajo in Window Rock. Pick is also involved with a ministry carrying on Rich Mullins’ legacy of music and arts camps held on Native American Reservations throughout America.

Free mission books and DVDs will be available at the concert.

Pick’s recent projects have been used in the fight against cancer. When trop-rock singer/songwriter/author Jimmy Buffett passed away last Labor Day weekend, Pick wrote and recorded a song “Summer’s Over” which became a huge hit among Jimmy Buffett fans. Many fans asked Pick to do a follow-up for the upcoming summer and on Memorial Day Pick released “Different Kind Of Summer.”

The song premiered on Radio Trop Rock. Both songs are featured at all digital download stores and proceeds from these recordings go to the American Cancer Society.

Pick’s latest album “Trina” features Mariah Hostrander among other friends in the music business. The project is about Pick’s missionary friend Trina Eia who lost her battle with cancer on April 18, 2021. Pick held two benefit concerts for Trina, and one featured Pick and Hostrander at Avenue 209. All the artists involved with the benefits are featured on the new album. All proceeds from this project go to the HealthWell Foundation to help cancer patients with financial assistance.

Mariah Hostrander began her singing/songwriting career in 2006 at 13. With influences from BarlowGirl to Paul Baloche, Mariah has captured the muse to deliver a compelling folk-rock sound with well-crafted lyrics that tell life stories that are easy for most people to appreciate.

Mariah Hostrander’s first full-length project, “Beautiful Scars” was released in 2008, followed by a Christmas single “The Angels Sing” in 2009.

Fast forward to 2011 and “Picture It,” impeccably expands her discography with her first national release with Tate Music Group.

Most important to Mariah, “Ultimately, I want to glorify God with the gift He’s given me and I want to reach and inspire people.”

To show her support she wrote a song titled “I’m Alive” and donated 50 percent of the proceeds to the foundation. This foundation is being established to provide support to our servicemen and servicewomen and their families with PTSD and brain injuries.

For more information, visit http://www.mariahhostrander.com.

To hear free music by Chris Pick, check out his Bandcamp page: http://www.chrispick.bandcamp.com

Avenue 209 Coffee House is located at 209 Bellefonte Ave in Lock Haven, next to Wendy’s. The concert is FREE and begins at 7 pm.