FARMINGTON — Phil Poirier will perform songs for voice, guitar and piano in a solo concert at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22, at the North Church. Doors will open at 6 p.m. for a Pie Social.

For years, Poirier was a successful artist in the Portland area, showing in several of the larger galleries in southern Maine. He was a winner of the Monhegan Artists’ Residency in 1996. With the upheaval of 9/11 he found his creative focus shifting along with the fluctuating art market. In 2014, he moved to Farmington and began focusing more purposefully on music. His music has been described as “contemporary folk with a touch of the blues.” It features strong, thoughtful lyrics and hook-driven melodic sensibilities.

Poirier considers himself a songwriter first and performer second. “When I was painting, writing music kept me sane, so it seemed natural that something that never had the negatives I associated with art could be allowed to come to the fore.” He is a photographer, amateur naturalist, community organizer.  He is one of the founding members the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club. He camps and hikes year-round.

Conni St. Pierre of Outlook Studio says, “Phil’s songs are melodic and catchy, with an honesty in lyric and harmony that pulls you in. The stripped-down production of ‘in the morning’ lets the songs shine through, with multiple hooks and a purity of emotion — sometimes with wry irony, sometimes from the heart. It sticks with you. You’ll be singing these songs later.” Allan Kozinn, a former music reviewer for the New York Times, says, “…an enjoyable collection of beautifully wrought, winningly performed songs, rooted in the great, all-but-lost singer-songwriter tradition of the ’60s and ’70s.”

Lucky Clark, who writes “Music in Review” for the Kennebec Journal, says, “Musically, think folk and vocally he reminds me a lot of a melodic Bob Dylan. His lyrical style draws heavily on vivid imagery (much like his paintings), a quirky perspective and an internal light that infuses his music with honesty, truth and a joi de vivre that is palpable.”

Show tickets are $15 for the general population, $10 for high school and college students, and $5 for elementary students. Reservations may be made by calling 207-778-2006. For more information, visit philpoirier.com. The North Church is at 118 High St.

Phil Poirier will perform songs for voice, guitar and piano in a solo concert at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22, at the North Church in Farmington. SYSTEM