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JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Cresson native and country artist Josh Gallagher can add songwriter to his musical resume.

The “The Voice” finalist had songs he co-wrote for country artists – “Product Of” for Lewis Brice, featuring Lee Brice, and “The Farmer” for Adam Warner – recently released, and they’re available on digital music platforms.

“It’s a really good feeling,” the Nashville resident said. “I really do get a lot of enjoyment seeing other artists sing the songs that I’ve had a part in creating.”

He said Lewis Brice’s single is the title track of his forthcoming album.

“He took it in to his producer and put it in front of his brother (Lee Brice), and his brother fell in love with it and asked if he could jump on it and sing it with him as a feature,” Gallagher said. “That’s my first big artist cut with Lee Brice, so that’s pretty cool.”

Lee Brice is set to perform Aug. 18 at 1st Summit Arena @ Cambria County War Memorial in downtown Johnstown.

Gallagher said “The Farmer” was written at a writers’ retreat with Warner and a few of their friends.

“If you’re there with the artist they can guide you on what they need, so that’s what Adam did, and he said he wanted a farmer song because that’s what his family does,” he said.

Gallagher said “Product Of” was penned during a writing day with Lewis Brice and other songwriters.

“We came in, and Lewis told us what he needed and what he was looking for, and being that he’s an artist we were able to write to him a little bit more,” he said. “ ‘Product Of’ came up, and Lewis fell in love with it.”

Gallagher said when he first heard “Product Of,” he teared up.

“I got emotional about it,” he said. “I’ve been in Nashville almost 10 years, and this town beats you up, it builds you up a bit and then tears you down, and it really tests you to see if you have the fortitude to move forward and keep doing this. Finally hearing a major artist’s cut of a song that I wrote and hear their voices on it is incredible. Hopefully, as this continues, it’ll be another launching pad for me and my career.”

Gallagher said he’s gravitating more toward the songwriting side of the music business.

“I think it’s safe to say I love the songwriting side more than the artistry side,” he said. “I still want to do the artist side and I’m going to release music through the rest of the year, but I think my focus has shifted to the songwriting side because I love seeing other people sing songs that I write, and it gives you a little bit more credibility as a songwriter.”

Gallagher recently released his single “Human,” which is the second single leading up to his debut album.

“It’s a song about not dwelling on what has happened in the past. It’s about forgiveness and knowing that people aren’t perfect and that’s OK,” he said.

Gallagher said he’s planning on releasing three more singles prior to the release of his first full-length album toward the end of the year.

“Every song that’s going to be on the record is done,” he said. “I’ve put out EPs between one and seven songs, and they’ve done great, but I haven’t yet in my career put out a full-length record.

“That’s a goal I want to cross off the list.”

In addition, Gallagher will be back in the area Aug. 5 when he headlines the Hoo Dang event at Carrolltown Park.

“It’ll be an acoustic trio with a drummer and bass player,” he said. “I’m excited for it because we haven’t played back home in a long time. The hometown support is awesome, and they’re the ones who got me the whole way through ‘The Voice’ and into the finale. They’re the people who have supported me the most.” 

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Nearly two years after its launch, an art program at the Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society (KFS) is guiding urban Indigenous Youth to expand their skills in both creativity and business.

The social enterprise called Original Born Art (OBA) was created to promote local Indigenous artists and teach Youth about the ins-and-outs of entrepreneurship — which has included mentorship, educational workshops and hands-on work experience.

The Youth in the program create merchandise such as t-shirts, posters and mugs utilizing the artists’ designs — then those items are sold online and in-person at KFS. Through the process, the Youth gain skills in areas such as product development and design. 

Paige Janvier, who is Denesuline and from Bigstone Cree Nation, is a Youth co-ordinator at KFS and is one of 10 part-time staffers and contractors working at OBA this summer. Through the social enterprise, she’s helped produce mugs, sold items at vendor markets, honed her time management skills and more.

“It’s almost like being your own boss in a way, that creativeness that you can have,” said Janvier.

“Coming here, you have space to do what you want. I can print out whatever I want, I can come in and help whenever I want — really being your own boss and having that creative responsibility.”

An aspiring graphic designer, Janvier said that OBA has given her the opportunity to experiment with digital creative designing apps, and she is in the process of sketching her own design.

“It opened up a whole lot of possibilities that I wouldn’t have had beforehand,” she said of her time at KFS.

Janvier recently helped print and apply a design created by local Ojibwe artist Sarah Jones to dozens of mugs, as OBA rolls out their Pride month merchandise. For their clothing, stickers and other products created for commemorative events such as Red Shirt Day and Orange Shirt Day, OBA uses the designs of local Indigenous artists, including Jones.

Kody Woodmass, the former strategic planning coordinator at KFS, said that the social enterprise is always looking to promote the work of Indigenous Youth and other local artists.

Woodmass, who is Red River Métis, was one of the main architects behind the development of OBA.

“The opportunities for where this project can grow are anywhere,” said Woodmass. “It depends on what the Youth want.”

Not only are the artists paid for their work, but the funds raised through product and merchandise sales are redistributed back to KFS, specifically their Cecemala (Youth) Services Department. Funds raised help support Youth workshops, cultural events and land-based programming.

“We wanted to create a way that people can go back out into the land that people used to. We would do gathering, traditional knowledge sharing where we would show people what are some different foraging opportunities, or what are these native plants in Kelowna. We were doing things like tool-making, hikes,” said Woodmass.

“It’s all about getting back to the land and understanding the beauty behind it.”

A number of local businesses have supported OBA over the years by selling or showcasing their products, including Fireweeds Boutique, Okanagan Heritage Museum, Okanagan College and more. 

Woodmass said that the overwhelming community support is a reflection of people taking their first steps towards truth and reconciliation.

“They’re coming in, asking how to support and how they can be part of the solution,” he said. 

“I think that’s what it’s all about, is coming together, walking together and learning together.”