"Songs and Stories, Together Onstage" features Grammy® Award-winning singer-songwriters Shawn Colvin and Steve Earle sharing the stage for a rousing night of song. The evening promises to be a rich and inspiring musical experience as these two long-time friends and mutual admirers share music from their extensive catalogues as well as some of their favorite songs by other classic songwriters.
In an era when female singer-songwriters are ever more ubiquitous Shawn Colvin stands out as singular and enduring talent. Her songs are works of craft and catharsis that become treasured, lifetime companions for their listeners. In the 25 years since the release of her debut album she has won three Grammy® Awards, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year for the hit single "Sunny Came Home," and has been nominated for another seven. She has released 10 albums, appeared on countless television and radio programs, had her songs featured in major motion pictures, maintained a non-stop national and international touring schedule, and created a remarkable canon of work. Over the years Colvin has shared the stage with such legendary artists as Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Hornsby, Emmylou Harris, Don Henley, James Taylor, and Lyle Lovett.
Colvin's latest album, All Fall Down, is her eighth studio album and the first to be produced by her longtime friend and cohort Buddy Miller. Recorded in Nashville, it features a group of stellar musicians including Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, Bill Frisell and Jakob Dylan. The album's release was simultaneous with the publication of her memoir, Diamond In The Rough. With the wit, lyricism, and empathy that characterize Colvin's performances, Diamond in the Rough looks back over a rich lifetime of highs and lows with stunning insight and candor. Through its pages, we witness the inspiring story of a woman honing her artistry, finding her voice, and making herself whole.
A protégé of legendary songwriters Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, Steve Earle quickly became a master storyteller in his own right, with his songs being recorded by Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Waylon Jennings, Travis Tritt, The Pretenders, Joan Baez, and countless others. In 1986 his debut record, Guitar Town shot to number one on the country charts and immediately established the term "New Country." An array of releases followed, including the biting hard rock of Copperhead Road (1988), the minimalist beauty of Train A Comin' (1995), as well as the politically charged masterpiece, Jerusalem (2002), plus the Grammy® Award-winning albums The Revolution Starts…Now (2004), Washington Square Serenade (2007), and Townes (2009). 2011 saw the release of his Grammy® Award nominated album, I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive, as well as the publication of his debut novel by the same name. Of the novel, Patti Smith stated," Steve Earle brings to his prose the same authenticity, poetic spirit and cinematic energy he projects in his music. I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive is like a dream you can't shake, offering beauty and remorse, redemption in spades."
Earle's 15th studio album, The Low Highway, was released to worldwide acclaim in 2013. It features the Grammy® Award nominated song "Invisible." Steve Earle is recognized as an actor from his roles in the acclaimed HBO® Series The Wire and Treme as well as appearances on Law & Order and the Tim Blake Nelson film Leaves Of Grass. He will be seen in the forthcoming feature film The World Made Straight. He is also host of The Steve Earle Show: Hardcore Troubadour Radio, on Sirius XM Radio.
For tickets or more information, call the State Theatre ticket office at 732-246-SHOW (7469), or visit us online at www.StateTheatreNJ.org. The State Theatre ticket office, located at 15 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick NJ, is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, 10am to 6pm; Wednesday 11am to 7pm; Friday 10am to 5pm; and at least three hours prior to curtain on performance dates unless otherwise specified. For information on group outings and discounts, call 732-247-7200, ext. 517. Some additional ticket and transaction fees may apply.
State Theatre, a premier nonprofit venue for the performing arts and entertainment. The theater exists to enrich people's lives, contribute to a vital urban environment, and build future audiences by presenting the finest performing artists and entertainers and fostering lifetime appreciation for the performing arts through education. The State Theatre's programs are made possible, in part, by funding from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and contributions from numerous corporations, foundations, and individuals. The Heldrich is the official hotel of the State Theatre. Magic 98.3 is the official radio station of the State Theatre. The Star-Ledger is the official newspaper of the State Theatre. United is the official airline of the State Theatre.
