Garnet Rogers with Gordon Thomas Ward
*** Admission: $20/$15 (FP members); 12 and under free with adult.***
Garnet Rogers has established himself as ‘One of the major talents of our time”. Hailed by the Boston Globe as a “charismatic performer and singer”, Garnet is a man with a powerful physical presence – close to six and a half feet tall – with a voice to match. With his “smooth, dark baritone” (Washington Post) his incredible range, and thoughtful, dramatic phrasing, Garnet is widely considered by fans and critics alike to be one of the finest singers anywhere. His music, like the man himself, is literate, passionate, highly sensitive, and deeply purposeful. Cinematic in detail, his songs “give expression to the unspoken vocabulary of the heart” (Kitchener Waterloo Record). An optimist at heart, Garnet sings extraordinary songs about people who are not obvious heroes and of the small victories of the everyday. As memorable as his songs, his over-the-top humor and lightning-quick wit moves his audience from tears to laughter and back again.
Heavily influenced by his rural roots, Gordon Thomas Ward is one of those rare artists whose multi-instrumental talents, vivid lyrics, mesmerizing stories, and distinctly personal vocal timbre makes one question whether singer-songwriter is an adequate description. His compositions do not follow the usual songwriter patterns, which, together with his other reserves, allows him to create compelling performances and albums. He’s been wowing audiences with his adult alternative/folk rock songs for many years and shows no signs of slowing down with four GRAMMY-balloted albums in the last six years.