First Friday Coffeehouse will host Andrew McKnight, a nationally-acclaimed songwriter and guitarist from Lincoln, Va., on Feb. 3. The venue is located at Trinity Church Orchard House on Route 45, four miles from the four-way stop in Shepherdstown.

Doors open for social time and open mic sign-up at 7:30 p.m. A one-hour open mic session precedes the feature artist with eight participants performing two songs each in one of the area’s premier listening rooms.

A consummate touring artist, McKnight celebrates rural America, weaving his masterfully crafted songs, humorous stories and poetic drama into a musical soundscape sketched with shades of Appalachia, tasteful slide and jazzy blues, feisty anthems and rustic folk.

McKnight’s five CDs and captivating performances showcase his engaging collection of songs and stories. Since permanently leaving his corporate environmental engineering career in 1996, the award-winning artist has traced half a million miles of America’s blue highways and backwater towns from his northwestern Virginia home. His music and messages are always compelling, infused with his literate prose, eye for intriguing detail, and soundscapes that span haunting blues, feisty anthems, rustic folk and a bit of swing. Learn more at www.andrewmcknight.net.

A $5 – $10 donation is requested. Donations of new gifts for needy teens will also be collected for Operation Teen Christmas. For more information, contact Steve Warner at 304-676-4422 or 304-876-2915. Also check www.myspace.com/firstfridaycoffeehouse.