Musical Talent, Funny Stories and Self-Effacing Wit
Plymouth, N.H. –The 2011 Silver Series at Plymouth State University presents singer-songwriter Lucy Kaplansky at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14 in the Smith Recital Hall. The New Yorker called Kaplansky “a truly gifted performer with a bag full of enchanting songs.”
Kaplansky started singing in Chicago bars, but barely out of high school she headed off to New York City. There she found a community of songwriters and performers including Suzanne Vega, John Gorka, Bill Morrissey and Cliff Eberhardt, and she fit right in. With a beautiful flair for harmony, Kaplansky was a favorite singing partner and most often she found herself singing with Shawn Colvin. The New York Times easily predicted stardom for her.
Kaplansky, however, was convinced that her calling was in another direction, and left the music fast track to pursue a doctorate in psychology. Degree in hand, she worked with chronically mentally ill adults in New York, and started a private practice. And she kept on singing, often pulled back into the studio by her friends who n ow had contracts with record labels. She harmonized on Colvin’s Grammy-winning Steady On, on Nanci Griffith’s Lone Star State of Mind and Little Love Affairs, and on four of John Gorka’s albums. She also landed soundtrack and commercial credits.
Suddenly, Kaplansky was back in the music business full force with an international touring schedule that helped her establish a far-reaching fan base, and numerous albums to her credit. Last year she recorded a hugely successful acoustic folk album, Red Horse, with Eliza Gilkyson and Gorka.
A seasoned artist, Kaplansky has been featured on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered and Morning Edition, as well as Mountain Stage, West Coast Live, Acoustic Café and Vin Scelsa’s Idiot’s Delight.
The New York Times calls Kaplansky “…a folk-music veteran [with] … a fetching voice and an insightful perspective on the human condition.” Another critic said her performance is riveting, “…the nuance, power and texture in her voice are matched by the imagery and emotion of her lyrics and melodies. She gets to the heart of a song, touching listeners and leaving them wanting more.”
Tickets are $30 for adults, $28 for seniors and $15 for youth at the Silver Center Box Office, (603) 535-2787 or (800) 779-3869; or online at silver.plymouth.edu.
General information about events at PSU is available at ThisWeek@PSU.
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