Top: Michael Connolly, Ingrid Elizabeth and Joe Stevens of Coyote Grace. Bottom: Coyote Grace joined by Eric Himan.
Well, I have been dying to post this little gem in my Sunday morning series, and now is the time. I went to see Coyote Grace in Philadelphia when they played with my musical boyfriend, Eric Himan. They were wonderful and amazing. Although better known for their own rootsy blend of Rock and Folk, in this clip they were joined by Eric for this performance of the MaMuse song "Hallelujah". Just enjoy the hell out of it!
Clockwise: Coyote Grace; Avi Wisnia; Eric Himan; Tom Goss; and Garrin Benfield.
Well, I was going to be coy about this, but to hell with that. It's my birthday today, so I wanted to be surrounded some of my favorites cover songs I've been lucky enough to not only hear live, but to tape, too. And, while I am at it, there are some of my favorite pictures I've taken of these talented and very good looking artists. And, did I happen to mention they are LGBT artists, too? Coyote Grace ended a fantastic set at World Cafe Live last July with a cover of a song by the West Coast band Ma Muse. To add to the fun, they invited singer/songwriter Eric Himan and Ty Greenstein, of the band Girlyman, to make "Hallelujah" a joyful experience.
When I found out Avi Wisnia would be performing at the World Cafe at the Queen in Wilmington, Delaware, I was thrilled to jump at the chance to see him play. Neither me nor my friends were disappointed, and we had a great time. Check out when Avi sings a jazzy cover of TLC's "No Scrubs," written by Kandi Burruss, of the Real Housewives of Atlanta fame.
I had been a big fan of Garrin Benfield and his music for several years before I finally had the chance to see him perform live. Afterwards, I could listen to him play forever, and even had a bit of a crush on him. I love the way he utilizes technology to layer his performance, while other times, just let the voice and guitar handle it. One of the times it is just a boy and his guitar is when Garrin sings a cover of the Alex Chilton song, "Thirteen."
I have been a fan of Eric Himan for a long time, hainv found him online and scooping up all the music I could find. Needless to say, whenever he is in the area, I am eager to hear him, and I have never been disappointed. I just saw him again in March, and Eric sang a great acoustic cover of the Police song, "Message In A Bottle."
I first saw Tom Goss when he opened for Eric Himan on tour a couple of years ago. I've been hooked since, attending shows in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and even in Delaware. Tom is worth a little travel. While he normally doesn't do many cover songs, at a recent show with Jeffrey Johnson, Tom managed a couple of them. None were more charming than this cover of Jack Johnson's "Better Together".
I wanted to compile a video that would prove once and for all what a lucky man I am. After all, I got to see Jason Antone, Levi Kreis, Eric Himan, Tom Goss, Nathan Leigh Jones, Garrin Benfield, Amy Regan, Shaun Hague, Jake Walden, Coyote Grace, Gareth Asher, Avi Wisnia, Jeffrey Johnson, and Namoli Brennet all perform live last year. They appeared at the World Cafe Live!, PSALM Salon, Joe's Pub, Sullivan Hall, MilkBoy Coffee, NightCat, World Cafe at the Queen, and Black Fox Lounge. Yep, I am a freakin' lucky man. Enjoy the highlights of my "show season."
Support independent musicians by attending their shows in your area, and buying their merchandise. You will not only feel better, you will undoubtedly be assured a better seat in heaven when the shows start.
For the LGBT Youth out there struggling with bullying, indifference, and heartache. People care. People how have been there. Like you are now. Like I was. Like Eric was. Like Tom was. Like Aiden was. Like Joe was. Like Ingrid was. Like Namoli was. Like Liz was. Like Brianna was. You are not alone, there are so many who have gone before you that felt that way. And there are so many who feel the same as you do now. Hold on, and have courage. It really does get better.
If you need to reach out, there are many who would be willing to help. If you are someone who is having these issues, or know someone who is dealing with this please contact The Trevor Project here or call 866-488-7386.
Eric Himan has been a part of my life for several years now, for I have been catching his tour stop in Philadelphia every year, something I am not willing to give up. He returned on July 26, with a show to celebrate the recent release of his new CD, Supposed Unknown. I loved it the first time I heard it (reviewed here), and it hasn't changed since. I really love the material on the album, and was excited to hear Eric tackle it live. Knowing Eric, I had no real worries, and it proved to be right. His live version of Save The Afternoon was just beautiful, and I thought I would share it with you.
Part of the fun of seeing Eric live is the joy and charm of Eric himself, a talented man who has such an ease and affability with the audience you feel like he has invited you into his living room. However, there is nothing too homey about Himan's soaring voice, nor his personal and strongly structured songs. Yet it all comes together to make a wonderfully intimate and glorious evening.
Both Eric and I wore the same t-shirt, one I had purchased from Eric via the internet when it was first made available. I have to say, it looked much nice on Himan, but that should come as no surprise. But the t-shirt is emblazoned with the title to the song I am starting this coverage with, You First. It is from the new album, and has a playfulness and a light and airy feel that belies the serious message of the song, that while people might be longing for change, or for rights or ideals, many look for someone else to stand up rather than be heard themselves. Give it a listen.
The next song I feature first appeared on Eric's Out With The Old album, which featured songs from Himan's catalog that were reworked for a piano-based arrangement. Well, except for the lone new song, Gonna Make It Work. On this album, Eric brings the song back to his acoustic guitar. In performance, he added another layer, mashing it up with the amazing song by The Cure, Just Like Heaven.
The next clip features a song originally recorded for the 2008 album, Resonate. Oddly enough, I remember attending Eric's show at the World Cafe when he first played the music from the album, and racing to the merchandise table after the show to buy it! While this might be an older song, one can't say Eric is afraid of mixing things up a bit. For this show, he invited Coyote Grace back on stage with him and together they sang the truly beautiful Only.
You can find out more about Eric by checking in on his official website here. To sample or purchase Supposed Unknown, go to iTunes here, Amazon here, or CD Baby here. I love the new album, but also all his others as well. For my money, it is a safe bet to buy any of them! Just as safe is going to see Eric performing live, for he is so charming, so talented, and so dynamic, I have never been disappointed.
Coyote Grace, left to right: Michael Connolly, Ingrid Elizabeth and Joe Stevens.
I first learned about Coyote Grace last summer, when they were part of a recording done by Eric Himan and several other LGBT artists, singing Patty Griffin's Tony in a hotel room, showing their support of LGBT Youth. I poked around to find out more about the band, and checked out their music. I really enjoyed it, so when I saw that they were opening for Eric at the World Cafe Live! in Philadelphia, I was so very excited. That was well served, as they are immensely talented, and showed it from the first song to the last. I love the feel of the music, which has a Mumford-&-Sons-meets-Tin-Pan-Alley flair that blossoms for the entire set. Their performance captured the folk-roots feel, imbued with the natural soul, humor and life of the artists. A fine example of that was their second song, a cover of Bruce Springsteen's I'm On Fire. It is sung beautifully by Ingrid.
Ingrid Elizabeth and Joe Stevens were the original members of Coyote Grace. They grew to be a trio, adding Michael Connolly, a talented musician. Throughout the evening we learn more about the band during their intimate show, from the trials and travails of life on the road, to insights into the lives of the people on stage.
One of the things we learned was how personal much of their music is. As part of the intro for A Guy Named Joe, Stevens talked about the very personal journey that inspired the song, that of a transman,giving the song an added poignancy.
During the intro to Heaven Dog, both Joe & Ingrid included us in the discussion when it touched on the issues of addiction, and the difficulties that could bring on the road. And they managed it with charm and humor, while not detracting from the great song.
Before ending the show with the gospel song, Hallelujah, Ingrid explained that it was a song the group had 'on loan' from the group Ma Muse. I am sure Coyote Grace made it their own, but the went even a step further, and made it very special by inviting Eric Himan and Tylan Greenstein (of the group Girlyman) to join them for the song, making for a wonderful and joyous song.
For more about the band, check out their official website here. For a copy of their latest album, Ear To The Ground, you can find it on iTunes here, Amazon here, and CD Baby here. Buy it, or one of their other albums, and you will not be disappointed.
On Tuesday night, I went to see Eric Himan at World Cafe Live! in Philly. While I try to get myself together, with videos and pictures to share with everyone, I thought I would give a preview to give myself a bit of time to catch up.
Eric came to town to celebrate the release of his latest album, Supposed Unknown. As he often does, he combnied the new material with cover songs and some old favorites to complete his set.
The group Coyote Grace opened the show, and were just amazing. It is the first time I've had the chance to see them live, but I hope it will not be the last.
Ingrid Elizabeth and Joe Stevens are at the core of Coyote Grace, with strong support from Michael Connolly. I loved their sound, and they had such a strong charisma. Yeah, I'd love to see them again, and soon.
For more about Eric Himan, check him out here. And to learn about Coyote Grace, visit them here.
I just discovered Coyote Grace when I saw them in a video with Eric Himan, Aiden James, Tom Goss and others, and I know I have to investigate them further. But until I get the new glasses, doing my normal due diligence just isn't working. So, I thought I would share this video until I get a chance to figure it all out. The song is Guy Named Joe. I really like their music, so I hope you enjoy it too.
To find out more, you can check them out on their website here.
L to R: Namoli, Aiden, Joe, Ingrid, Eric, Liz, and Brianna. Not pictured, the adorable Tom.
I just saw this video posted on YouTube and had to share, since it includes three of my favorites, Eric Himan, Aiden James and Tom Goss. There are also other performers, and now I have to check out their music, cuase I really enjoyed this. I think it is best to let the description online explain it all. After a day of performing at Tucson Pride on 10/09/10, the musicians, Namoli Brennet, Eric Himan, Aiden James, Joe Stevens and Ingrid Elizabeth of Coyote Grace, Liz Stahler, Brianna Lane and Tom Goss get together to do a rendition of Patty Griffin's, "Tony", a song that speaks to the recent string of LGBT youth suicides.
If you know someone who is dealing with this issue please contact The Trevor Project at:
