Grammy Award winner singer/songwriter Marc Cohn performs as part of city of Kent Spotlight Series at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Kentwood Performing Arts Center, 25800 164th Ave. S.E., in Covington.
Cohn’s critically acclaimed, self-titled debut disc yielded such classics as “Walking In Memphis,” “Silver Thunderbird,” and the lovely “True Companion.” As a songwriter and singer, Cohn combines the precision of a brilliant tune smith with the passion of a great soul man, according to a city of Kent Arts Commission media release. He’s a natural storyteller, balancing the exuberant with the poignant, and able to distill universal truth out of his often romantic, drawn-from-life tales.
Cohn has been obsessed with pop music for as long as he can remember: “I was hooked from day one. My older brother had a band that rehearsed in our basement, so I heard Bacharach, The Beatles, Ray Charles, and Motown coming up through the floorboards from the time I was six years old. By the time I was eleven though, the Beatles were breaking up and singer-songwriters were breaking through, and a lot of that music really resonated for me.”
The year of 1970 was a milestone for Cohn – and for pop culture at large, given the unprecedented range of notable artists who made the charts that year. On his most recent recording, “Listening Booth: 1970,” Cohn transforms songs from such artists as Cat Stevens, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Van Morrison, Smokey Robinson, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and even Bread, into tracks that are warm, soulful, sexy, and full of easy-going charm.
Tickets are $28 for adults, $25 for seniors, and $15 for youths. Tickets are available at kentarts.com, by calling 253-856-5051 or at the Kent Commons (525 Fourth Ave. N.). Hours for phone and in-person sales are Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Box office is closed on Sunday.
Spotlight Series is presented by the Kent Arts Commission and Kent Parks, Recreation and Community Services; the Marc Cohn concert is sponsored by the Pete and Pat Curran Family through the Kent Parks Foundation.
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