Boston-based songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Dinty Child and

Mark Erelli will perform together for their first Irish tour in January 2026.

Their collaborative show features live renditions of their sixteen co-

written songs, blending Erelli’s acclaimed singer-songwriter sensibility

with the raucous musicianship Child has honed during his time with

Session Americana. The performance o?ers a rare, up-close look at one

of Boston’s most creative musical partnerships.

Their creative partnership began more than a decade ago at a

songwriting retreat in New Hampshire on Lake Winnipesaukee, where

they penned their first co-write, “Look Up.” The song—a lyrical

meditation told through the perspectives of a janitor at the Sistine

Chapel, Michelangelo, and God—sparked an enduring creative alliance

that now spans sixteen compositions. Over the years, their co-writes

have appeared on both artists’ solo albums and as standalone singles.

“We each perform several of our co-writes in our own concerts,” says

Erelli, “but recently we realized that if we lined them all up back-to-

back, we could play an entire show together.”

Their songs explore shared humanity with humor, warmth, and a sense

of spiritual curiosity. The result is a blend of introspection and

playfulness that reflects both artists’ unique styles—Erelli’s thoughtful

storytelling and Child’s inventive musicianship as a founding member

of Session Americana and the Chandler Travis Philharmonic.

“It’s not really a ‘show’ at all, per se,” Erelli admits. “It’s more like getting

to eavesdrop on two friends sitting knee to knee, swapping stories,

instruments, melodies, and harmonies.” While “Look Up” remains the

emotional centerpiece, the evening will include several songs that have

never been recorded or performed anywhere else.