Shawn Colvin
With Special Guests Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams
“…extraordinary
songs, mesmerizing guitar playing, and a voice that goes effortlessly from
bruise-tender to scar-hard in a matter of minutes…her lyrics are crafted and
clever, full of subtlety and polished phrases…With delicious sarcasm and acerbic
stories, she held the audience spellbound…her songs are so personal to her that
they speak to everyone who listens.”
-The Guardian
In an era when female singer-songwriters are ever
more ubiquitous, Shawn Colvin stands out as a singular and enduring talent. Her
songs are slow-release works of craft and catharsis that become treasured,
lifetime companions for their listeners. As a storyteller, Colvin is both keen
and warm-hearted, leavening even the toughest tales with tenderness, empathy,
and a searing sense of humor. In the 27 years since the release of her debut
album, Colvin has won three Grammy Awards, released eleven albums, written a
critically acclaimed memoir, maintained a non-stop national and international
touring schedule, appeared on countless television and radio programs, had her
songs featured in major motion pictures, and created a remarkable canon of
work.
Colvin was born in Vermillion, South Dakota,
where she lived until she was eight. A small-town childhood in the university
town of Carbondale, Illinois, drew her to the guitar by the age of 10. She made
her first public appearance on campus at the University of Illinois at age 15.
By the late 1970s Colvin was singing in a Western Swing band in Austin,
Texas—the city she now calls home. Moving to New York at the decade’s end she
remained in the country music field as a member of the Buddy Miller Band until
she met producer, guitarist, and co-writer John Leventhal. Leventhal inspired
Colvin to find her own voice as a songwriter. She began honing her skill, and
was soon signed to Columbia records. Her first album, Steady On won a
Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Recording.
Colvin continued to win fans and critics with her subsequent releases, Fat
City (1992) and Cover Girl (1994). In 1996, she released A
Few Small Repairs (1996),
which would prove to be her breakthrough. The murder-ballad “Sunny Came Home”
gave Colvin a Top 10 hit, a platinum-selling album and two of Grammy’s biggest
honors: Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
Holiday Songs And Lullabies (1998), recorded while Colvin was eight and a half months pregnant
with her daughter Caledonia, followed. Her next studio album, Whole New You (2001) found Colvin examining her new motherhood and the responsibilities
of family. Polaroids (2004) is a showcase
for the first half of her recording career. Her Nonesuch debut These Four Walls (2006) was lauded by
People Magazine as “the most self-assured album of her career” and “one for the
ages” by the Washington Post. The Austin-American Statesman called it “an
exquisite portrait of strength and vulnerability.”
Shawn Colvin Live (2009), was recorded during a special
three-night solo engagement at San Francisco’s famous jazz club, Yoshi’s. Live captures
the beauty and intimacy of Colvin’s performances, showcasing her inimitable
voice and matchless guitar stylings. Praised by both critics and fans, the
album was honored with a Grammy Award nomination for Best Contemporary Folk
Recording.
All Fall Down (2012), Shawn’s
eighth studio album, was the first to be produced by her longtime friend and
cohort Buddy Miller (Patty Griffin, Robert Plant, Lucinda Williams). Recorded
in Nashville with a group of stellar musicians, the album features performances
by Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, Jakob Dylan, Bill Frisell, Viktor Krauss,
Brian Blade, Stuart Duncan, and Julie Miller.
The release of All Fall Down was simultaneous with that of her William
Morrow/HarperCollins–published memoir,
Diamond In The Rough. With the wit, lyricism, and empathy that have
characterized Shawn’s performances and inspired audiences worldwide, 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.
Shawn’s most recent solo endeavor, Uncovered (Fantasy Records, 2015), is
the long-awaited follow up to fan-favorite Cover
Girl. Uncovered's twelve tunes include masterful interpretations of
songs by Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Tom Waits, Stevie Wonder, Robbie
Robertson and Graham Nash to name a few, but in their selection and delivery
they are pure Shawn Colvin.
In June 2016, Shawn Colvin and longtime friend
Steve Earle united to release, Colvin
& Earle, their acclaimed self-titled duo album. Produced by Buddy
Miller, Colvin & Earle
beautifully captures the pair’s extraordinary chemistry and is a true standout
in careers
already filled with pinnacles and masterpieces. The album received high praise from critics – NPR asserted that the
duo “Elevated their collaboration to the level of top-flight album-making,
bringing seemingly opposing impulses to the process.”
Shawn was recently recognized for her career
accomplishments when she was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Trailblazer
Award at the 2016 Americana Honors & Awards Show. Presenting Colvin with
this prestigious award was Bonnie Raitt.
Of Shawn, Raitt said “She’s simply one of the
best singers I’ve ever heard— and a truly gifted and deep songwriter and
guitarist… She was groundbreaking
when she emerged and continues to inspire me and the legions of fans and
other singer/songwriters coming up in her wake”
In celebration of the 20th anniversary
of A Few Small Repairs, Columbia/Legacy Recordings will be releasing a newly-expanded
edition of the album on Friday, September 15th. This expanded anniversary
edition will include seven rare live performances culled from the Sony Music
archives, plus enhanced artwork including newly-written liner notes by Shawn
and producer John Leventhal and recently discovered archival photos.
Colvin will embark the A Few Small Repairs 20th Anniversary Tour this fall. Her
first major tour with a full band since the album's original release, the
seven-week cross-country jaunt runs from September 30 through November 19 and
will showcase Shawn performing the album in its entirety alongside a variety of
hits, personal favorites and surprises from her repertoire.
Multi-instrumentalist-singer Larry Campbell & his wife singer-guitarist Teresa
Williams will support all dates in addition to appearing in the band.
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