Singer-songwriter Danielle Howle admits she doesn't have all the answers.

But, she's willing to share what she does know, and chances are that means a lot of talk about making it as an independent artist in the music business.

Howle, who has toured with acts like the Indigo Girls and Ani DiFranco, will take part in a unique evening of music and education coordinated by the Residence Life Cultural Lounge Committee at 8 p.m. today in Pollock Rec Room.

"No one ever has all the answers when it comes to life or rock 'n roll, but maybe I can shed some light as to the process," Howle said. "I'd love to do that. I jut felt so all alone when I was starting out."

Howle, who has released six full-length independent albums to date — two solo, one with former band Lay Quiet Awhile, and three with current band The Tantrums — aims to eliminate those feelings of isolation by helping to build a supportive community of artists.

She plans on sharing her perspectives on her career and performing selections from her original body of work, after which she'll open the program to the audience for a question and answer session.

"I think that building your own community in your hometown is how we learn this and how we start this," Howle said.

"I hope that I can shed some ideas on that, and I hope that, when everyone's questioning and answering, that people will step up and share things they've done in their towns to make the scene a little more supportive for independent artists."

Creating this type of artist-friendly scene in State College is part of the reason Sean Cook, an Area Coordinator for Residence Life, has fought to bring Howle to campus.

"There's been a lot of talk lately about the music scene here in State College," Cook said. "How do individuals get out there in a small market? How do they get heard? Her story is very much linked to that."

Cook first heard Howle's story about 12 years ago, when he interviewed her as a student reporter at Clemson University. He was immediately impressed by the "gall and gumption" of an artist who turned down a major record deal in her late teenage years to take an independent route.

For Howle, however, it wasn't about gall and gumption. It just made sense.

"I was very lucky that I had the presence, that I understood that I didn't have what it took to handle it at the time," Howle said. "I think it would have made me a bad artist, a sad songwriter, because I wouldn't have lived a life."

The show is part of Residence Life's Women's History Month programming and is sponsored by the North and Pollock residence areas, with help from the Arts and Architecture Interest House, Lambda Student Alliance and USG Department of LGBT affairs.

Admission is free and open to the public, but seating will be limited to maintain a level of intimacy for the program.