Garnet Rogers
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In a darkened bedroom, lit only by the amber glow from an old floor model radio, two young brothers, aged 6 and 12, lay in their beds, listening to the country music broadcasts from the Grand Ol' Opry and practicing their harmonies. Two years later, the youngest one was playing the definitive 8-year-old's version of "Desolation Row" on his ukulele. He soon abandoned the instrument to teach himself the flute, violin and guitar.
Within 10 years, and barely out of high school, Garnet Rogers was on the road as a full-time musician with his older brother, folk music legend Stan Rogers. Together they formed what has come to be accepted as one of the most influential acts in North American folk music.
Following Stan's untimely death in a 1982 plane fire, Garnet took to the road as a solo performer to fulfill previously booked club dates, and emerged as one of the standard bearers of North American contemporary folk music. Frequently described as one of Canada's national treasures, Garnet has been hailed by the Boston Globe as a "charismatic performer and singer," and by the Kitchener Record as delivering "extraordinary...brilliance...visionary songs of haunting and mysterious power."
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, is literate, finger-tip sensitive, and layered in purpose. Cinematic in detail, his songs "give expression to the unspoken vocabulary of the heart" (Kitchener Record). An optimist at heart, Garnet sings rich songs about people who are not obvious heros and about the small victories of every day. The Boston Phoenix adds that he provides "droll, erotic,...vivid, passionate writing, laden with the fears and courage of hard- hit ordinary people." "Garnet Rogers is capable of awe-inspiring and unpredictable stuff--and that includes more than just music," adds another.
Garnet has been the featured performer on numerous television and radio programs, including "Mountain Stage" and "All Things Considered." He has been the headliner at concert venues and festivals including Wolf Trap and Lincoln Center, and has shared the stage with Mary Chapin Carpenter, Bill Bragg, Bill Monroe, Ferron, and Guy Clark.
Resolutely independent, Garnet has turned down offers from major labels to do music his own way. His just-released seventh solo recording, "Night Drive," is a remarkable achievement, altogether powerful, raw, and moving. On it Garnet has been joined by Dan Achen (Junkhouse), David Sereda, and Duke Levine. It's got "rhythm, humour, and blues...his best yet," says the Ottawa Citizen.
Garnet Rogers will be back at the Night Eagle Cafe for the first time in several years on Friday, June 10 at 8:00. Reservations are recommended by calling 607-843-7378.
