Overlooked talent.

When you think of the number of wealthy sports stars that get paid millions to have fun playing a game for a few years, consider the number of kids who dream of making a living doing something they are good at like football or baseball or hockey, etc.  I want you to think about the musicians who make the music you love to listen to.   They too were once kids with a dream; the dream of playing music that tons of people would hear.   For all the talented John Mayer’s and Adele’s out there, there are thousands more who might be nearly as good (or just as good) who go unheard.  These unsung heroes (ok, they aren’t heroes, but using unsung seemed appropriate and heroes usually goes with it), are one of the reasons I love working at ann arbor’s 107one.

Mainly through my show the Acoustic Brunch (Sundays from 11 AM – 1 PM) I get the chance to expose you to acoustic versions of songs you know and occasionally introduce you to a new song or artist I think deserves your attention. The station also welcomes like minded singer/songwriters with talent to our studios for Studio A2 sessions as often as we can.

In the coming 7 days (as of this writing anyway), I’ll be welcoming two such talents who fit my unsung description.  On Saturday April 7^th, a very talented young man who got tons of applause at this year’s Ann Arbor Folk Festival returns to town.  Seth Glier is a youngster from the Berklee College of Music who has caught the attention of many with his beautiful tenor and passionate songs. Seth will be in studio with me around noon prior to his first headlining show at the Ark.  Sometimes you meet someone and you just want to root for them because they are so nice, so genuine, you hope they get through. Seth is that guy. His last two releases have several great songs that deserve your attention and in a freer radio world, radio play.  He hasn’t been that lucky yet.  I hope I can alter that.

Friday April 13^th, a return visitor to Studio A2 will grace our building.  Chris Trapper not only deserves to be all over radio, he sounds like he already has been.  His band The Push Stars did have success in certain markets and opened shows for matchbox 20 in their heyday.  I found him first as a singer/songwriter solo artist and then went back and “discovered” his rock band releases.  Chris’ last trip through Ann Arbor saw him open two sold out shows for Colin Hay at the Ark last April.  People seemed to really like him and I had hoped that his next trip through town would be sooner than a year later and the audience that saw him with Colin Hay would be anxious to see him again as I was.  Last I heard there were plenty of seats available for his show at the Trinity House (only about 25 minutes east of the Ark) in Livonia on the 13^th.  Chris Trapper has the voice, the looks and the songwriting chops to play with the big boys, yet plays to small audiences.  This is criminal.   He’s the nicest guy too who has overcome adversity as a youth with a stutter. In addition to his show at the Trinity House, the following day April 14^th, he’ll be doing a benefit show in Lansing.  The proceeds benefit three different research foundations that deal with “invisible illnesses.”  (http://iie.lifeasazebra.com/ for more info).  Do yourself a favor and see one or both of the shows.

Other recent visitors to Studio A2 that have me wondering what it takes to be heard by larger audiences include Dave Boutette (who has a fine new CD, Mending Time, available), Jennie DeVoe (who I hope is booked for Ann Arbor Summer Festival this year so you can see her live), and Jetty Rae (who has a gorgeous voice, the look and some darn catchy songs).

CD releases that have caught my ear this year include one released last year by a Detroiter who goes by the mysterious name YRLK (if you heard this CD, you’d think it fits perfectly with what we do at 107one), Grand Rapids own Drew Nelson (recently released his first nationally distributed CD “Tilt A Whirl” and blew me away with his band Highway 2 at a house concert), Tyrone Wells (who needs to come back to Michigan and sing songs from his excellent “Where We Meet” CD soon), and Adam Cohen (who has written a song that, in my mind, equals the best work of his father Leonard with “What Other Guy”).

-John Bommarito