Mark Erelli

On March 6 the Temple Isaiah Annual Coffee House is proud to present the very well-known and highly regarded local acoustic singer-writer, Mark Erelli.  Doors open at 7:30,  performance starts at 8 PM.  Tickets are free to Brotherhood members, $15 for all others.

All seats are General Admission so arrive early for the best seats.

Bio

Ever since he released his self-titled debut at 24, Mark Erelli has exhibited an uncommon musical maturity.  From twangy roots rock through fingerpicked folk, rollicking blues, western swing, rockabilly, nineteenth century ballads, lullabies and songs of social and political commentary, Mark has produced an assured and varied catalog over the last decade.  Now 34, with well over 1000 concerts under his belt, multiple awards and growing notoriety as an accompanist,he has one of the most impressive and varied reputations in modern roots music.

In 2004, Mark teamed up with Boston country band The Spurs to record Hillbilly Pilgrim, an entire album of western swing originals.  Much like Lyle Lovett, Mark immersed himself in vintage twang without abandoning his contemporary sensibility and the heartfelt, thoughtful lyrics more commonly associated with folk music.  The result was some of the most enthusiastic response at radio and press in his career to date--"Hillbilly Pilgrim does western swing proud, as it's brimming over with wry, heartfelt songcraft, invigorating tempos, and pedal-steel guitar dazzling as an Arizona sunset...Erelli has crafted a near-perfect album" (Paste Magazine).  By year's end, the album spent 11 weeks on the Americana radio charts, and garnered two Boston Music Award nominations.

On 2006's Hope & Other Casualties, Mark raised the bar with an unapologetic and timeless collection of deeply personal and affecting songs the Boston Globe labeled "a sturdy, winsome album, fueled by politics and emotion...a compelling addition to this young tunesmith's already impressive catalog."  Recorded slowly during a year of rough-spun basement sessions with producer Lorne Entress (Erelli played eleven instruments, Entress seven) Hope has Erelli's fingerprints all over it.  Effortlessly balancing songs of resignation and redemption, the record "addresses tough issues with the grit of John Hiatt and the melancholy beauty of Ron Sexsmith (Washington Post)."  Hope was Folk Radio WUMB's #1 record of the year, and featured several songs co-written with folk-pop artist Catie Curtis.  One such collaboration not included on Mark's record, "People Look Around," bested 15,000 entries to win the grand prize in the International Song Contest (judged by Tom Waits, among others).

While in between studio releases, Erelli fashioned himself into an in-demand sideman and multi-instrumentalist, touring with Warner Brothers Recording Artist and long-time friend Lori McKenna as part of her band.  He was by McKenna's side when she opened for 15,000 each night as part of Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's Soul2Soul tour in 2007, in addition to televised appearances on the Grand Ole Opry and Good Morning America.  By year's end, Erelli had accompanied McKenna on guitar, mandolin and lap steel for over eighty shows, and she was jokingly dubbed him "my Buddy Miller."

In 2008, Erelli released Delivered, his seventh album on Signature Sounds.  The making of the record was funded by a novel "barn-raising" plan, where fans and supporters contributed to the studio budget in advance of the project's release, in exchange for exclusive gifts and advance copies of the record.  Produced by Zack Hickman and featuring members of Josh Ritter's touring band, Delivered is a new high watermark for Erelli.  The record's 11 new originals explore modern times and matters of the heart with equal parts courage and compassion.  Advance reviews are calling this Erelli's "desert island disc," and songs like "Volunteers," "Hope Dies Last" and "Once" are already resonating deeply with audiences.

"(Mark Erelli) embodies many of the best qualities of the folk-populist lineage that began with Woody Guthrie, and is carried today by Bruce Springsteen and others.  His songs are unwaveringly and powerfully sincere, carrying the force of his experiences and passions, and applying them to emotions that are universal to us all.  His voice, a beautiful combination of wine and whiskey, is as intimately conversational as a fireside chat.  And, by exploring some of the big themes of American life--family, redemption, war and love, among others--and by describing how those themes affect a single life, he makes topical songs personal."  --Sing Out!

You can read more about him and sample his music on http://www.markerelli.com