She moved and inspired us… and pulled no punches.  What an articulate, joyful, sophisticated, wild child.  Blue Rock is all a buzz.  Thanks to all our wonderful volunteers and friends for helping to deliver this remarkable event.  Leave your review in the comments section below and enjoy these photos by Rodney Bursiel. 

Susan is the winner of the Best Contemporary Artist Award at the International Folk Alliance this year.  With 6 albums, a thriving touring career, and a string of accolades from the likes of The Washington Post, The Village Voice and The New Yorker, Susan Werner has become one of the defining artists of the folk music genre. Her songs are crafted, intelligent, and delivered with a sassy wit and classic Midwestern charm.

Werner recently released The Gospel Truth, a collection of originals she describes as “hymns for the spiritually ambivalent.” Tapping fearlessly into contemporary American religious culture, these songs are both heartfelt and incisive, biting yet optimistic, drawing from Werner’s own personal spiritual questions.

After self releasing her first two records, Susan grabbed the attention of Private Music/BMG and released Last of the Good Straight Girls.  She’s since taken various creative paths, from working with Nashville’s Darrell Scott on Time Between Trains and New Non-Fiction to releasing her album I Can’t Be New on Koch Records, which featured her performances of cabaret-style songbook classics.  All Music Guide called it “a brilliantly constructed, soulful, and cleverly tender effort by a songwriter and musician who is in such complete command of her gifts that it’s almost scary.”

As Howard Reich, chief critic of the Chicago Tribune, wrote in 2006: “Werner is one of the most innovative songwriters working today.”

For more information on this artist, visit http://www.susanwerner.com

Steve & Laura Fenech says:

Another beautiful night at Blue Rock! Susan’s a precise and brilliant musician with freakishly insightful songwriting…all from a heart that is more grounded than we could possibly know.

OH! and Billy, thank you for sitting in with Susan for a couple of songs. The instrumental piece was simply magical. I’d tell everyone how completely fantastic that was and how it was the highlight of the evening…but I know you as a very humble man, so I’ll leave that little amazing detail out.

THANK YOU BLUE ROCK!