Steamboat Springs musicians Hayley Berg and Mike Martinez are set to open the Chief Theater’s Singer Songwriter Series show Saturday.

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — Due to weather considerations, Esme Patterson and her band have cancelled their Singer Songwriter Series show scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 1 at the Chief Theater.

Performing in their place will be the bluegrass duo Strangebyrds in addition to local musicians Hayley Berg and Mike Martinez as the opening act.

The show will be by donation. Those who already purchased tickets for Patterson’s show may either receive a refund or may apply their tickets to the Strangebyrds show instead.

“We love Cari Minor and Ray Smith, not just as musicians, but as people,” said Arty Smith, principal organizer of the series. “That’s what makes it possible to book them just three days before a show date when an act cancels.”

Both Minor and Ray, who make up Strangebyrds, have received song-writing recognition multiple times from the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival and the Telluride Bluegrass Festival.

Smith wrote, performed and recorded the original music score for the documentary film, “Muscle Shoals” in their home studio, Gulch Groove Studio in Rollinsville.

Berg and Martinez are known throughout town for performing a range of music from favorite covers in bars to holiday choir concerts.

“What’s refreshing about this event is that the music is new to most people’s ears,” Martinez said. “The Chief is one of the few quiet venues in town, so you can actually listen and appreciate the nuances.”

This will be their first time performing with the Songwriter Series. Smith approached them with the idea after last year’s “Cabaret” performance.

“We were flattered when he asked us to play,” Martinez said. “As someone who mostly sings covers, I have an enormous amount of respect for people who write and perform their own material.”

Cari Minor and Ray Smith are the Colorado bluegrass duo known as Strangebyrds. (Courtesy photo)

To reach Audrey Dwyer, call 970-871-4229, email adwyer@SteamboatPilot.com or follow her on Twitter @Audrey_Dwyer1.