Singer/songwriter Meghan Cary will be performing at 6 On The Square in Oxford at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 11, as a fundraiser for the Philanthropic Educational Organization. (Submitted photo)

OXFORD — Singer/songwriter Meghan Cary will return to 6 On The Square in Oxford at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 11, as a fundraiser for the Philanthropic Educational Organization (PEO).

PEO advocates advancement of women through scholarships, grants, awards, loans and the stewardship of Cottey College. Funds raised by PEO remain local.

Cary didn’t mean to be a musician — but when her fiancé unexpectedly died, she picked up his guitar, figured out how to play it, and wrote her debut record, which earned Billboard Magazine’s Critics Choice Award.

She continues to share the healing power of music with the community that has rallied around her message of hope and being heard. The title track of her album “Sing Louder” debuted on the US/International Folk DJ Radio chart at #2, with the album coming in at #6. Cary released her first book, “Sing Louder: The Stories Behind the Songs,” on International Women’s Day 2019.

A frequent performer at such venerable festivals as Philadelphia Folk Festival, Spring Gulch, Huntington, DelMarVa Folk Festival, and music venues around the country, Cary brings her message of unity and the power of raising our voices together to every show. Her smoky voice, emotional singing and vulnerable writing garner comparisons to Melissa Etheridge, Brandi Carlisle, and Bruce Springsteen.

Raised in Hershey, PA, Cary studied math and chemistry at Duke University, with plans of becoming a doctor. She made an about-face at school, earning a degree in drama before going on to obtain her MFA in acting at FSU’s Asolo Conservatory for Acting. A professional actor and playwright with a career in theatre, television, and radio, Cary has written and performs a one-woman show, “On the Way to the Waterfall.”

At the 6OTS show, she’ll be joined by Peter Farrell (keyboard, mandolin, and vocals) and Bob Beach (harmonica, flute, and vocals).

Learn more at MeghanCary.com.

Tickets for the February 11 show are $20 (plus a $2 service charge); purchase at 6onthesquare.org or call 607-843-OTS6 (6876) to make a reservation. Doors open one hour before the start of the performance. The performance also will be streamed live online on a pay-what-you-can basis; more information at 6onthesquare.org.

Masks and COVID-19 vaccinations are strongly encouraged but not required for entry.

This concert is made possible in part by Blueox Corporations, friends of PEO, and public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of Gov. Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.

Coming up are The Tannahill Weavers on February 18, Bess Greenberg on March 25, Dave Gunning on April 15, Susan Werner on April 21, Rod Abernethy on May 20, and a 16th anniversary celebration with Joe Jencks on June 17.

6 On The Square, Inc. is an intimate, not-for-profit, volunteer-based acoustic music listening room and arts venue located at 6 Lafayette Park in downtown Oxford.

-Information provided by 6 on the Square