Nashville musician, Jeff Black, plays Me&Thee virtually April 16

Nashville singer-songwriter,Jeff Black, will play a virtual concert at the Me&Thee on Friday, April 16. Jeff is a songwriter’s songwriter; his songs have been covered by Alison Krauss, Waylon Jennings, Sam Bush, John Oates. and Jerry Douglas. According to Folk and Acoustic Music Exchange, Black is “one of those wonderful seemingly unassuming riches that kind of sneaks its way into your consciousness and won’t leave.” The Me&Thee show take place on YouTube and Facebook as well as on the me&thee website and it begins at 8:00 p.m.

Accolades from music critics and writers abound. Billboard proclaims “Nothing short of brilliant. Top to bottom, this stuff is special. Black is an artist of substance.” Patrons of the Me&Thee will, no doubt, fondly recall his last performance in Marblehead. Listeners at WUMB in Boston voted Black as one of the top 100 folk artists of the last 25 years. Steve Morse of The Boston Globe agrees: “Jeff Black has the troubadour quality of a Steve Goodman, the poetic dignity of Bruce Springsteen, and the outer-fringe edge of Townes Van Zandt. We did you not.”

Black’s self-produced latest album A Walk in the Sun was released in 2020. It’s his eleventh release and features Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Dave Roe (Johnny Cash, Jake Bugg), Jerry Roe (Alison Krauss), and Kenny Vaughn (Lucinda Williams, Marty Stuart). Jeff Black’s name is often associated with that of Sam Bush who has championed him for many years. Bush is one of the originators of progressive bluegrass and is a new inductee into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame as a member of New Grass Revival. He has included Jeff’s songs “Same Ol’ River,” and “King of the World” as part of his regular repertoire and he and Jeff collaborated on the title track to Sam’s Grammy-nominated album, “Circles Around Me.”

Black is no stranger to change. Prior to the pandemic that forced all musicians to put live shows on pause, he had to cancel an entire touring season due to severe chronic lower lumbar pain as a result of genetics. He had a long list of back issues that made it impossible for him to tour. As he said then, “The universe has a clever way of reminding us that this world was built on change. So here’s the new world for me now.” Needless to say, performing virtual shows and continuing to build a fan base is yet another new challenge. Vintage Guitar says” Jeff Black is a musical genius.” The Me&Thee is thrilled to have the opportunity to present him on its virtual stage.

A suggested donation for Jeff Black is $20. All are welcome to watch this concert on Friday, April 16 at 8:00 p.m. Links will be available on our website at www.meandthee.org but you can also tune into the me&thee Facebook page or YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/metheeTV).

The Me&Thee is one of the oldest continually running acoustic listening rooms in New England, and probably the country. It has been and will always be a volunteer, non-profit organization sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Marblehead. For information and directions, call 781-631-8987 or check the website at www.meandthee.org.

CALENDAR/PSA: Friday, April 16, 2021: The Jeff Black virtual concert is on YouTube and Facebook presented and produced by the me&thee. Suggested donation is $20. The show begins at 8:00 pm. Call 781-631-8987 or go to www.meandthee.org for information for more information.