Garnet Rogers started his musical career in the shadow of his legendary brother, Stan. Since Stan’s untimely death in 1983, Garnet has gone on to develop his own musical career — his own way. His extraordinary physical presence at nearly six and a half feet tall and his deep, rich baritone voice make his performances riveting. But it’s his awe-inspiring music that captivates each and every audience he plays to.

Dirty Linen magazine says of Rogers: “He is a master musical storyteller, often dealing in songs of the heart. His characters exude striking familiarity, revealing enormous inner strength or wrapped within their own delusions, nearly always interacting and sympathetic. Through them Rogers digs an emotional well and invites the listener in for a long, refreshing drink.” The Boston Globe hails Garnet as “a charismatic performer and singer.” His music, most certainly, is literate, passionate, highly sensitive, and deeply purposeful. “Night Drive” is one of the most stellar performances put on vinyl, plastic, magnetic tape — whatever your given musical mode. It’s an utterly remarkable and very powerful performance. This one song alone is always a highlight of any Garnet Rogers concert.

Roger’s latest CD, “Shining Thing,” was recently released and proclaimed as “one of the sweetest surprises of 2004.” Garnet has certainly attained Canadian Legend status and those who have already purchased his greatest hits CD, “All That Is,” can well testify to this fact. As one anonymous reviewer on the internet has said, “Rogers has called his variety of music ‘loud folk,’ and if you’re in the market for flailing acoustic depressive navel-gazing you’ve definitely come to the wrong place. What you have here is a man who has grown into the grace and courage to say ‘Love is all that is, and all that ever was’ — and make it the title of this compilation of some of his best.”

Garnet always presents an unpredictable set of music that more often than not leaves the listener in awe of his talent, feeling embraced by his warm, sensitive lyrics and music. His songs are about real people who are not obvious heroes and they celebrate the small victories that the “everyman” accomplishes.

Rogers has been the featured performer on numerous television and radio programs, including Much Music, The Country Beat, Morningside, Mountain Stage and All Things Considered. He has been a headliner at concert venues and festivals such as Wolf Trap, Lincoln Centre, and Art Park, sharing the stage with performers such as Mary Chapin Carpenter, Billy Bragg, Bill Monroe, Ferron, and Guy Clark. His folk buddy, Greg Brown, writes of him: “I have found strength and comfort in his songs. This is good and rich and big music. Welcome one and all. Come on in. Get down.”

Bernice Lewis

Bernice Lewis opens the show for Garnet. With her tender evocations of the heart, in her explorations of the struggling soul, and her tales highlighting the victories and defeats of everyday life, Lewis has more than earned her stellar reputation as a songwriter’s songwriter. She was featured in Yoga Journal for her work with sound and yoga, and has shared the stage with many renowned artists, including Dar Williams, Dixie Chicks, Patty Griffin, Pete Seeger, Ellis Paul, Livingston Taylor, Odetta, and others. She is also a published poet, a sought after producer, and an educater extraordinaire. Lewis currently teaches at Williams College and Colorado College. Bernice’s latest CD, “She Undoes,” was produced by Grammy award winning Charlie Chadwick of the John Jorgensen Gypsy Jazz Quintet. It features twelve original songs, a duet with Cliff Eberhardt, and a unique bass and vocal arrangement of Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You.”

Photo by Elaine Criscione

Garnet Rogers has asked that audience members bring a donation for local food pantries. Contributions of non-perishable food and useful personal care products will be greatly appreciated. Simply bring your donations to the concert and we’ll distribute them to those in need. Garnet explains his dedication to fighting hunger: “It’s an enormous privilege for me to be able to stand up and sing my own songs, but I would like to be able to have something left behind after the dust is cleared away where people are actually benefiting from the concert at some level.”

 

 

Garnet Rogers may be the greatest male interpreter and vocalist performing in the contemporary folk scene. . . a first rate writer. . .musical integrity and powerful performance. . . Sing Out!
. . .he knows and captures what is real and lasting — the joyous, contradictory poetry of living Dirty Linen
. . . droll, erotic . . . vivid, passionate writing, laden with the fears and courage of hard-hit ordinary people. Boston Phoenix
Bernice is a voice full of light and hope. She is one of the keepers of the flame of Real Songwriting. Rosanne Cash
Bernice’s life is filled with beautiful, deep things, and she writes beautifully and deeply about them. “Good Kind of Love to Be In” is wonderful; spoke right to my heart! Great, jazzy cover of “A Case of You”. Musically and vocally, she has new wings with the genres she’s been exploring. Dar Williams