FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Livermore Valley Arts
Contact: Ruth Egherman (925) 583-2306
An Energetic, Electric November at The Bankhead
Livermore, CA – (October 14, 2024) – In the midst of the 2024-2025 Bankhead Presents Season, Livermore Valley Arts is feelin’ funky to keep great music coming this November. From Grammy-winning Marc Cohn of “Walking in Memphis” fame on Friday, November 15, to one of the most acclaimed singer-songwriters of our time, Karla Bonoff, on Wednesday, November 20, to American alternative rock icons 10,000 Maniacs on Saturday, November 23, the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving will have The Bankhead alive with nostalgia and rockin’ tunes right in the Tri-Valley. All of these exciting concerts will be at the beautiful Bankhead Theater in Downtown Livermore.
After winning a Grammy for his soulful ballad “Walking in Memphis,” Marc Cohn solidified his place as one of this generation’s most compelling singer-songwriters, combining the precision of a brilliant tunesmith with the passion of a great soul man. Rooted in the rich ground of American rhythm and blues, soul and gospel, and possessed of a deft storyteller’s pen, he weaves vivid, detailed, often drawn-from-life tales that evoke some of our most universal human feelings: love, hope, faith, joy, heartbreak. In 2019, Marc released a collaborative record with gospel legends Blind Boys of Alabama titled Work To Do, released on BMG. Work to Do is comprised of three studio tracks plus seven intimate live performances recorded at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center in Old Saybrook, CT, during a taping of the PBS series The Kate. Original plans were to release an EP containing the studio tracks, but the excitement and magic captured during the taping inspired the decision to create this unique hybrid album. That year was particularly busy for Marc, consisting of 75 shows in about 65 cities. Moving forward, Marc continues to do what he does best: infuse American music with both a fresh perspective and a reverence for its deep roots, and he will bring his incredible talents once again to The Bankhead on November 15. Tickets for this performance are almost sold out.
On November 20, a true icon of music will play in Downtown Livermore. Karla Bonoff’s timeless songwriting has touched everyone from Bonnie Raitt to Linda Ronstadt to Wynonna Judd. Her emotive vocals and soul-stirring ballads have that effortless power to sweep audiences away, promising an evening of musical magic, where the beauty of storytelling through song takes center stage. Born and raised in Southern California, Bonoff became friends with other singer-songwriters and musicians [in the ‘60s] who were creating their own unique sound, and eventually, they decided to put a band together: Kenny Edwards, (who had started the Stone Poneys with Linda Ronstadt and Bobby Kimmel), Wendy Waldman, and Andrew Gold, and thus the band Bryndle was born – one of the early songwriter groups, even before the Eagles. A bit ahead of their time, Bryndle broke up, but it launched four very illustrious careers. Kenny and Andrew joined Linda Ronstadt’s band, and through that connection, Ronstadt was to hear a demo of hers. On Linda’s Hasten Down the Wind album (1976), there were three Bonoff songs: “Someone to Lay Down Beside Me,” “If He’s Ever Near,” and “Lose Again.”
As Ronstadt was scoring hits with Karla Bonoff songs, Karla herself was signed as a solo artist to Columbia Records in 1977. There, she not only recorded the three songs Linda had done but also the hit single “I Can’t Hold On” and the tune “Home,” which later wound up on one of Bonnie Raitt’s albums. The producer of this great first album [and the next two] was Karla’s old friend and partner, Kenny Edwards. She went from there to coveted spots on major tours, opening for James Taylor and Jackson Browne and earning a rave review in Time Magazine. Two subsequent albums, Restless Nights (1979) and Wild Heart of the Young (1982), established Karla as one of LA’s major artists and songwriters. Musicians such as Russ Kunkel, Joe Walsh, Waddy Wachtel, Danny Kortchmar, Don Henley, Timothy Schmit, Peter Frampton, Bill Payne, JD Souther, and her old partners from Bryndle, Wendy Waldman, Andrew Gold, and Kenny Edwards, all participated in the making of these wonderful records.
There’s been work in film – she and JD Souther wrote songs for the motion picture About Last Night. She is also the voice on the Tom Snow/Dean Pitchford song from Footloose called “Somebody’s Eyes.” In 1994, Karla had a top-ten AC hit single with a song from the film 8 Seconds, called “Standing Right Next to Me.” She’s toured with Bonnie Raitt, John Prine, JD Souther, and others, resulting in sold-out houses everywhere. In 1990, she wrote three songs that
wound up on her old friend Linda Ronstadt’s album Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind. “All My Life,” a duet with Ronstadt and Aaron Neville, won the Grammy for Best Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group, ranked by People Magazine as one of the top 5 most popular wedding songs.
In 1993, Karla’s song “Tell Me Why,” sung by the legendary Wynonna Judd [with Karla on acoustic guitar, and Bryndle members singing backup vocals], was the title song to Wynonna’s second album, and a tremendous hit. The Eight Seconds soundtrack album (1994), featured the aforementioned “Standing Right Next to Me” and a duet with Vince Gill on “When Will I Be Loved” [a ‘70s hit for Linda Ronstadt], bringing Karla’s sound to an even bigger Country audience.
Karla and her three old partners, Kenny Edwards, Andrew Gold, and Wendy Waldman, then decided it was time to put Bryndle back together again, with much more to bring to the Bryndle experience. In the fall of ‘95, after four years of hard work writing together, the first Bryndle CD came out with some incredible showstoppers for Karla: “On the Wind,” “Under the Rainbow,” and “Daddy’s Little Girl.” House of Silence (2002), the second collection of songs from Bryndle, was independently released. Although a different feel compared with the first album, it still reflected the unique sound that these artists make when their talents merge. Although there are no plans for Bryndle presently, the members remain friends and there is always the possibility of future recordings and performances. In 1999, Sony/CBS Legacy released All My Life – The Best of Karla Bonoff, a 16-song fully remastered collection spanning Karla’s entire career.
Karla continues to perform all over America. Her legacy as a writer and perseverance as a performer is best expressed in a Billboard Magazine review of her All My Life recording: “Long before Alanis and Jewel, there was a breed of singer/songwriters whose earthly anthems of soul-searching, heartache, and joy touched souls in a way few can muster today.”
Celebrating their 40th Anniversary, 10,000 Maniacs has a lot in common with Jamestown, New York, the city that spawned them back in 1981. Both are honest and hardworking, a step outside the mainstream, and both possess a bit of magic. “It’s a city of blue-collar poetry,” says
keyboardist Dennis Drew. “And that’s what we’re about, real-life stories. We’re a family, we do real work and we keep moving forward.” The band has covered plenty of ground in its 40 years, from cult-stardom to international stardom, to their current status as a cornerstone alternative band. But the sound and spirit of 10,000 Maniacs remains consistent. The live shows embrace their entire catalog, and the lineup is still anchored by four of the six original members. Drew, guitarist John Lombardo, and bassist Steven Gustafson co-founded the band in 1981. Drummer Jerome Augustyniak joined in 1982, solidifying the rhythm section. The two “new” members have long been part of the family: Mary Ramsey toured and recorded with the Maniacs as a viola player and backup singer beginning in 1991 before stepping into the front woman’s role 27 years ago. Witness these music stars in an unforgettable performance at The Bankhead on November 23. Tickets for this performance are almost sold out.
Tickets for shows in the 2024-2025 Bankhead Presents season are available online, by calling 925-373-6800, or at the box office windows. For a complete list of events, visit livermorearts.org.
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Livermore Valley Arts is an independent 501(c)3 non-profit offering wide-ranging programs that provide access to the arts for the Tri-Valley community and beyond. The Bankhead Theater and Bothwell Arts Center are home to eight resident performing arts companies, over 40 studio artists, and cultural arts instructors. LivermoreArts.org
Show: Marc Cohn
Date/Time: Friday, November 15, 2024, at 8:00pm Almost Sold Out!
Tickets: $25—$90 ($25 student/military personnel) / Groups of 10 or more save 20%
Show: Karla Bonoff
Date/Time: Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at 7:30pm
Tickets: $25—$65 ($25 student/military personnel) / Groups of 10 or more save 20%
Show: 10,000 Maniacs
Date/Time: Saturday, November 23, 2024, at 8:00pm Almost Sold Out! Tickets: $25—$100 ($25 student/military personnel) / Groups of 10 or more save 20%
Dates, times, and ticket prices for other events available at www.LivermoreArts.org
