ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – An Escanaba musician is supporting a local nonprofit with the release of his newest album.
“I was a public educator in the Escanaba schools for 30 years, and I had always been a musician too,” said singer-songwriter Phil Lynch. “I didn’t want to just retire to nothing and really felt the call to do songwriting, especially. That’s really my main thing, the writing of the songs.”
On Friday, February 20, Lynch’s latest work becomes available to listeners.
“The album is called ‘Growing, Older,’ with a comma in there,” he said. “The comma is very important. It’s about the joys and also the challenges of growing older at whatever stage you’re in. In fact, I dedicated the album to you, whoever you might be, if you’re at any sort of a transition point in life.”
The title track is about the changes that come with aging.
“It deals with, ‘Okay, my knee’s not feeling real good today’ or ‘Who’s that face in the mirror? I don’t recognize it,’ but we’re still growing.” Lynch said. “We’re not done yet.”
Others are tributes to real places and people in Lynch’s life.
“There’s one I sort of discovered that I had written for my wife and recorded—and I kind of forgot about it—called ‘Empty Nest,'” he said. “Is it really empty if there’s two people there who still love each other? There’s one inspired by the Nahma General Store, which is a music venue. I’ve had the joy of playing there, and everybody comes in hugging and greeting you. There was just a time when we were more civil to each other and better to each other than we are now.”
On Friday at 7 p.m., Lynch will perform “Growing, Older,” in full at an album launch concert at First Presbyterian Church, located at 819 1st Avenue South. Instead of an admission fee, attendees are asked to bring a free-will donation to Tri-County Safe Harbor, which offers a 24-hour crisis hotline, a 15-bed shelter, and other resources for domestic and sexual abuse survivors.
“This provides a different audience,” said Tri-County Safe Harbor Board President Julia Gudwer. “We service Menominee, Delta, and Schoolcraft Counties. It’s quite a big area, and we want to make sure everyone knows that we have resources.”
Gudwer says the support is especially appreciated, following a tough year for the nonprofit.
“In 2025, we had $70,000 cut from our budget,” she explained. “The VOCA grant—which is the Victim of Care Act—fund has been cut. From 2023 to 2024, we’ve seen a 43% decrease in funding for the VOCA grant. We had to cut two employees in our Menominee County and Manistique offices, and we had to reduce some shelter staff hours from 40 to 36, trying to make the new budget work for 2026. It costs $209 a night per person that stays in the shelter to fund it, and those expenses just keep getting bigger.”
Collaborations with people like Lynch and local organizations like the church help Tri-County Safe Harbor continue to serve those in need.
“At the church, one of the things that we say a lot is that we’re here to boldly love our God and boldly love our neighbor,” said First Presbyterian Church Pastor Daniel Van Beek. “Loving our neighbor means getting the community together in whatever way that is, if that’s to go out of our walls to connect with other people or to bring people in in a way that they can utilize our space. Bringing people together is when we learn more about each other, learn to love each other, and learn how to be a community together. It’s wonderful what Phil’s doing and to work with our partners at Tri-County Safe Harbor.”
Lynch invites people of all ages and stages of life to enjoy a night of music, community, and goodwill.
“I have this mission to my music to inspire people and to remind people to live from a place of gratitude and love,” he said. “This one is specifically about growing older, and there might be some losses—bodily or even memory-wise—but there are advantages and things that you gain, too.”
To learn more about Phil Lynch and his music, visit phillynchmusic.com or follow Phil Lynch Music on Facebook.
Tri-County Safe Harbor has another fundraiser, Flannel With a Cause, planned for April 25 at The Island Resort & Casino. For future updates on that and other events, follow Tri-County Safe Harbor on Facebook.
