“If Joni Mitchell and Richie Havens had a love child, with Rodney Dangerfield as the midwife, the results might be something close to the great Vance Gilbert”, says Richmond Magazine.
Born and raised in the Philadelphia area, Vance Gilbert is one of the originators of the finally recognized R&B/Folk/Jazz crossover-sub-genre. His affinity for storytelling and acoustic singer-songwriting garnered him an invite from Shawn Colvin to be a special guest on her 1992 Fat City Tour where he took much of America by storm and by surprise, the Fort Worth Star Telegram saying, “With the voice of an angel, the wit of a devil, and the guitar playing of a god…”
Noted not only for being the ever consummate performer, Gilbert has recorded 13 albums, including 5 for Philo/Rounder Records. Along with being opener of choice for artists as varied as Arlo Guthrie, Anita Baker, The Milk Carton Kids, and Southside Johnny, the mid 2000s found Gilbert opening 150+ shows for comedian George Carlin.
Gilbert’s newest album, The Mother of Trouble, features an impressive lineup including Grammy winner Lori McKenna, Juno Award recipient Joey Landreth, and Americana legend Joe K. Walsh. The album showcases the depths of Gilbert’s songwriting, featuring a mix of personal tales—ranging from bullies and murders to missed flights due to gas station sushi—and marks the fourteenth release for this acoustic stalwart.
“Vance Gilbert is a remarkably versatile performer, given an ability to easily slide between genres and actually excel at each.”– American Songwriter
“Vance (and some of his people) maintain that this, his 14th album, is his best, and I don’t see any reason to argue with that.”– New Folk Initiative, John Platt, WFUV
“By this point in their career, most performers are zeroed in on playing fan favorites and a few new songs for a change of pace. Gilbert, on the other hand, is some sort of one-man musical universe that just keeps expanding.”– Twangville
For more information, visit The Music Hall website.
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