Marc Cohn
Popular folk singer Marc Cohn got his start writing songs in junior high, eventually moving to New York City during the mid-1980s where he demoed songs for established writers like Jimmy Webb and Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller as well as working in the band Supreme Court. Cohn's big break came when he played piano on Tracy Chapman's second album Crossroads, which led to him getting his own deal with Atlantic Records.
His 1991 eponymous debut became a hit on the strength of the soulful ballad “Walking in Memphis,” his signature song which would also win him a Grammy. Cohn would establish himself as one of this generation’s most compelling singer/songwriters with his poignant storytelling tunes, earning him wide critical praise and allowing him score guest appearances on his '90s from admirers including Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor, David Crosby, Graham Nash and Patty Griffin.
In 1998 Cohn took a decade-long sabbatical from releasing studio albums after putting out Burning the Daze, but he would continue to record with others, contributing to efforts by Kris Kristofferson (his collaborative Austin Sessions album), Roseanne Cash, Shawn Colvin, Rodney Crowell and Jackson Browne. Cohn was injured after being shot in the head during an attempted carjacking in 2005, but the bullet that struck the songwriter's temple miraculously didn't enter his skull and he was released from the hospital the following day.
Cohn end his break from releasing studio albums in 2007 with Join The Parade, an album that ruminated on his brush with dead and the Hurricane Katrina disaster. More recently, he issued Listening Booth: 1970, a collection of covers of songs that came out that year including tracks by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon and Van Morrison.
Marc Cohn
Tuesday, Aug. 11, 8 p.m. $37-$69
Yoshi's
Wednesday, Aug. 12, 7:30 p.m. $35-$125 (sold out)
Montalvo Arts Center
Friday, Aug. 14, 8 p.m. $35-$45 (sold out)
City Winery Napa
Saturday, Aug. 15, 8 p.m. $31.50-$45
Firehouse Arts Center