CHELSEA, Mich.- Michigan's own Jeff Daniels announced that he will perform this month at a special concertcelebrating Michigan music and homegrown musicians.
The concert, "Jeff Daniels & Friends," will take place Sat., Nov. 25,2006, at Ann Arbor's Michigan Theater at 8:00 p.m. Featuring fellow Michigan- bred artists Rachael Davis, Cadillac; Wayne David Parker,Dearborn; Peter 'Madcat' Ruth, Ann Arbor; Steppin' In It, Lansing; and Neil Woodward, Howell; Daniels and company will perform original songs and several tunes celebrating the Great Lakes State. The concert is produced by Big Pickle Productions, and presented by WQKL, 107.1 FM, Ann Arbor.
Daniels says the concert will feature the world premiere of the "Ballad of the Buckless Yooper" ("Escanaba in 'da Moonlight" set to music). The evening will be modeled after a similar event hosted each year by folk singing legend Arlo Guthrie.
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"I've wanted to do something like this since hearing about Arlo Guthrie's annual Thanksgiving shows in New York," says Daniels. "Arlo and his friends get together and take over Carnegie Hall each year and put on a celebration of folk music. We're looking forward to doing the same here at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor and, hopefully, to continuing the tradition each year."
The successful five year run of the Purple Rose Theatre's "Jeff Daniels Live & Unplugged" shows led the entertainer to believe that what works over Christmas and New Year's could also work over the Thanksgiving weekend.
"People are always looking for something fun to do when friends and relatives are in town over the holidays," adds Daniels. "We're looking for fun-loving, foot-stomping, music-appreciating folks to come celebrate with us. We're anticipating a great turnout, and a fun evening, and know that people will leave feeling good about Michigan music."
Tickets for "Jeff Daniels & Friends" are on sale at the Michigan Union
Ticket Office 734-763-TKTS or at http://www.ticketmaster.com.
About Jeff Daniels - the Musician: Unless you've seen his "Unplugged" concerts at the Purple Rose Theatre or in small towns around the state at a historic community theatre or opera house, you may not have known that Jeff Daniels can sing and play guitar. Or do both at the same time. Truth is, Daniels has been writing songs and playing guitar for 30 years. But, unlike numerous other celebrities, he's kept his music to himself for most of that time. Daniels' concerts and his first CD "Jeff Daniels Live and Unplugged"have created a new appreciation for the artist in his home state, while raising funds for the Purple Rose Theatre Company. "Songwriting for me is relaxing and began as a way of passing time on movie sets," says Daniels, who adds that he's now written over 250 songs."A lot of them are crap, but they are diary songs and fairly reflective of my life." Some of the songs he performs on stage date as far back as the '70s; some are less than a year old. But they do indeed share one thing: reflections of Daniels' life and career. With funny, tender and even politically incorrect songs, Daniels' CD and concerts continue to connect with homegrown music lovers across Michigan.
