As we welcome in a brand New Year it seems we are also going to welcome a plethora of visiting artists during 2012.
The Sage Gateshead will take on it’s fair share of offering an eclectic mix of country with announcements already of Rosanne Cash (daughter of Johnny), Nanci Griffith, Don Williams (returning from ‘retirement’) and Gretchen Peters already having concerts booked.
Gretchen is no stranger to North East audiences however having visited The Arc at Stockton, Durham’s Gala Theatre and The Sage Gateshead on numerous occasions before.
Whether she is part of the Wine, Women, and Song entourage with Matraca Berg and Suzy Bogguss or as a solo performer she has built up a North East following as no matter where she plays you can expect to see ‘House Full’ signs.
She returns to The Sage Gateshead on March 1st and brings with her a brand new studio album release entitled ‘Hello Cruel World’ on the Proper Records label which officially goes on sale this month.
‘Hello Cruel World’ takes on details and triumphs of every day life leading to survival and finding strength despite the challengers offered to us.
She explains, “In 2010 the universe threw its best and its worst at me. Some was personal and some was global. All of it seemed to demand that I redefine my ideas of permanence and re-evalute what I believe in, to literally rethink what is real”.
First the Gulf of Mexico oil spill put an eco-disaster at the doorsteps of the cottage in Florida where she mostly writes her music, followed by a friend of thirty years committing suicide, her son announced he was transgender and the worst floods ever hit Nashville.
A brighter side of her year was brought about by her marriage to long time piano accompanist Barry Walsh who she has worked and toured with for over twenty year.
Channel this into eleven musical offerings and the listener is treated to a mix of thought provoking empathy and shared inner feelings.
“Since I was a child I’ve had a creative urge knocking inside me and I’ve acted on it”, she says “Early on it was poetry, sometimes art, and sometimes as a kid,dance. Until I found the guitar I was interested in everything expressive. By then words were a friend,but music was a tall dark stranger that I’ve been in love with, or making stalking ever since”.
Her creativity is expanded to perfection on this release.
As a taster I will be playing a track from her album on this weeks American Connection Show from Saturday (log on and listen anytime ) on www.euvue.co.uk.
Tickets are available from The Sage Gateshead by calling the box office on 0191 443 4661.
Gretchen Peters Hello Cruel World Proper Records