The Havurah Synagogue is delighted to host this fabulous musical duo once again at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1, at the Havurah, 185 N. Mountain Ave., Ashland.
Ticket link: havurah-synagogue.ticketleap.com/cheryl-wheeler-and-kenny-white/
Local tickets outlet: Music Coop, 268 E. Main St., Ashland
Cheryl Wheeler has to be seen to be appreciated. Nothing you read and nothing you hear from her albums prepares you for how entertaining a performer she is.
If you’re not already familiar with Cheryl, you have probably heard her music. She is very respected as a songwriter by her peers, which can be seen by how many of them record her songs. Cheryl’s songs have been covered by artists as diverse as Dan Seals, Peter Paul & Mary, Kenny Loggins, Garth Brooks, Suzy Bogguss, Melanie, Bette Midler, Maura O’Connell, Sylvia, Kathy Mattea, and Holly Near.
From her albums you can tell that she is a gifted songwriter with a beautiful voice. From other people’s comments about her, you learn that she is a natural storyteller with a fantastic sense of humor. But until you see her in person, you never really believe what you’ve been told about her. Interestingly enough, almost half of the songs she performs during her shows have never been recorded!
Her funny stories between songs reveal her talent for diversity. Each time she tells a story, it will be a little bit different, so even if you’ve heard it before, you still find yourself laughing.
Kenny White comes to the world of the touring singer-songwriter following a long and successful musical journey. “Long List of Priors,” his aptly named new album, is the latest collection of original songs: snapshots of the human condition, from heartwarming to humorous. Radio favorites are “Cyberspace” and “A Road Less Traveled,” featuring David Crosby on harmony vocals.
Born in New York City and raised across the river in Fort Lee, NJ, Kenny White began his career in the 1970s, touring exclusively as the keyboard player for Jonathan Edwards, and then with Livingston Taylor, with whom he opened Linda Ronstadt’s legendary Living in the USA tour. He soon became a fixture in the NYC studio scene throughout the 1980s and 1990s, producing and arranging literally hundreds of commercials for TV and radio, beginning with The Unsinkable Taste of Cheerios, nearly seven years of Chevrolet’s Heartbeat of America campaign, and countless ads for Coca Cola. Commercial work enabled White to direct artists as renowned and varied as Gladys Knight, Mavis Staples, Ricky Skaggs, and Aaron Neville. White worked on many film soundtracks as a contributing writer/musician, including “Message in a Bottle,” “Where the Heart Is” and four films by Indie-director laureate, John Sayles. Kenny also appears on dozens of recordings of other musicians, including Marc Cohn’s platinum debut.
“Kenny has earned a place among my favorite singer/songwriters. A true wordsmith and musician who reveals a fine sense of humor as well.” – David Crosby
Cheryl Wheeler is a “ Rare artist…strong poetry, complex melodies, clever wit.” – SingOut!
