Darcy Sabin. IMAGE COURTESY VIC BRAZEN

CHESTERVILLE — Singer-songwriter and Wilton native Darby Sabin will take the stage at the Chesterville Center Union Meeting House Saturday, April 22, at 7 p.m.  Darby is a graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston and in 2022 released her debut EP Throne of Thorns.  One cut on the release, “Together We Try” was recorded at Nashville’s Blackbird Studio. The album is a testament not just to Darby’s songwriting skills, but to her resiliency following a year marked by the sudden death of her father Paul Sabin, an event that sent a shockwave through the local Western Maine community.

At a recent winter performance at the Emery Community Arts Center in Farmington, the audience watched Darby Sabin hand off her first real guitar to a young Marjorie McCarthy.  “This little guitar”, she said, “…really should go to Margie”.  It was a special moment, made meaningful not just by the generous gesture, but because of the guitar’s personal backstory and the piece of black electrical tape on the body given to Darby by her father Paul.  “My dad can never give me another piece of electrical tape…” she shared with the audience.  It was perhaps a healing moment, and it was clear to all that night that Darby is on her game.  She’s a singer-songwriter, clearly, but she’s a survivor too, and there is a confident and very real mixture of grit, hope, and beauty in her music.

The Chesterville Center Union Meeting House is a non-profit community resource located at 3 Borough Road in Chesterville and is ADA accessible.  Admission to the all-acoustic show is by donation at the door and light refreshments will be available.  The 1851 Meeting House is loved for its intimate 19^th century feel and is complete with a first-class privy and a working 1,000 pound bell.  For more information visit chestervillemeetinghouse.org or call 778-0660.  More of Darby Sabin’s story and music can be found at darbysabin.com.