Take a musical tour of the American West

Posted 8/21/12

HONESDALE, PA — RiverFolk Concerts will present musician and songwriter Marc Berger in concert at The Cooperage on Sunday, November 9 at 5 p.m. The suggested donation is $15 in advance, and $20 at …

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Take a musical tour of the American West

Posted

HONESDALE, PA — RiverFolk Concerts will present musician and songwriter Marc Berger in concert at The Cooperage on Sunday, November 9 at 5 p.m. The suggested donation is $15 in advance, and $20 at the door. For reservations call 845/252-6783. Food will be provided by Jill Padua and it is BYOB. Berger has performed at Austin’s SXSW Music Festival and Kerrville Folk Festival. His song, “The Last One,” has been performed by Richie Havens in the United States and Europe. His recent album, “RIDE” is currently receiving in-store airplay at Starbucks stores worldwide.

Q&A

Q: Tell me about the album, “RIDE”

A: It’s a thematic album. It basically has to do with that romantic mythology of the American West. All the songs have some connection to that timeless American subject. It came out of me growing up in the Northeast and traveling to the West for the first time when I was 21 and having my mind blown. I made a point to get to more and more remote places in the West. I lived in New York City, so I saw enough people. I didn’t care if I went to Paris; I wanted to get to places most people never see in their lives in the American West.

Through the years of having rock and roll bands, writing all kinds of songs, opening shows for Bob Dylan, having Richie Havens play a song of mine, I was occasionally writing songs that had to do with the west, because it was something I knew about. At some point I got the idea to make a record centered on the subject. I had a combination of things going on: I was a law school graduate, I understood American history, I was a song writer and I had an intimate connection to the West.

Q: What are some of the themes on the album?

A: The subject itself has themes—like having space, having time—that have to do with the ability to hear yourself think, freedom from authority, and independence.

Q: Who are your influences?

A: Walt Whitman, Mozart, and The Band.

Q: What can people expect from your concert at The Cooperage?

A: They can expect to be taken on a musical tour of the west, they can be carried through the whole range of human emotion, to music that rocks to very intimate and powerful songs.

Q: What is your history as a musician?

A: I’m self taught, and started writing songs a little late in the game when I was in law school. I couldn’t sing worth a lick then, but when I finished law school I had written songs that were pretty good. I felt like I should go see some music publishers and they’ll all just tell me ‘look it’s a tough business kid go be a lawyer’ and I wouldn’t always have some nagging feeling of ‘well what if I had tried.’ But I got signed to publishing deals. One thing led to another, then I met Richie Havens and he became a big influence on me. To have someone at his stature to validate me as a writer was very meaningful and made me take myself seriously. Ultimately, I realized for me to do what I wanted as an artist I would have to will myself to be a singer, and that took a long time.

For information visit www.riverfolkconcerts.com

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