Chris Smither knows how to get your attention without raising his voice. A
few evocative notes from his guitar and the first sharp line from one of
his bluesy originals and you’re hooked. With a weary, well-traveled voice
and a serenely intricate finger-picking style,” says the New York Times,
he “turns the blues into songs that accept hard-won lessons and try to
make peace with fate.” His musical history goes way back – to New Orleans
in the 60s, when he first heard the music of Lightnin’ Hopkins and
Mississippi John Hurt, to Boston in the 70s, when he met Fred McDowell,
Son House, and Bonnie Raitt, who made a hit out of Chris’s song, “Love Me
Like a Man.” Since then, Chris has recorded more than 20 albums, including
his latest, Still on the Levee, a career-spanning gem recorded in New
Orleans with a stellar group of bandmates he calls The Motivators and
special guests like Allen Toussaint and Loudon Wainwright III. The music
magazine MOJO calls Chris “a man who’s lived long enough in darkness to
address the big, heavy questions with a lightness of touch.” Darkness and
light – that’s Chris’s territory. He has a way of being
jaunty and bleak at the same time – “the sun is risin’ but it just don’t
shine,” as he sings on “Hundred Dollar Valentine.”
Be forewarned: Chris’s shows at the Freight tend to sell out. “His
acoustic fingerpicking is a joy,” says Stereo Review Magazine, “as is his
grainy, lived-in voice. And while his original songs are wondrous, his
covers are revelatory too.” Don’t miss this chance for an evening of
inspired and inspiring contemporary blues.
Milton is a New York City singer-songwriter who “has the pitch and rhythm to carry the day, and his sophisticated lyrics keep listeners coming back for more,” according to the New York Times. “The one-name singer knows what he’s doing,” says NPR. "Serving up a soulful blend of literate, street-smart NYC folk and free-wheeling Texas troubadour-syled alt-country, Milton hits all the right notes,” adds Blurt Magazine. Milton has released four albums, including his latest, Lady at the Bottom of the Hill. “My songwriting heroes,” he says, “have always been the really smart ones who write great poetry over great tunes: Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Hank Williams, Bob Marley. My favorite singers were always the real churchy ones.” He zeroes in on the little moments of life and reminds us of the wonder.