A newcomer to the local songwriting community, Dorothy Cooley maintains that “living, loving and suffering should count on the experience meter.” She began playing guitar when she was 11 when she discovered she could play “Proud Mary” as a show and tell project. Her first attempts at songwriting come shortly after attending a Harry Chapin concert as a teenager. Her musical experiences include singing in the Grand Rapids Opera Chorus as well as the Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus.