Make no mistake....Greg Boerner
is a straight-shootin', clean livin' guitarist/singer/songwriter who
performs like some kind of a road-hardened guitar maniac on one song,
a 1950's pop idol on another, a Southern troubadour on the next -
and at last blows you out of the galaxy with an antique blues tune
that might well give John Lee Hooker pause.
Today at a young 40, Greg Boerner ( pronounced "Burner" ) shows
a musical maturity that belies his age, favoring traditional forms
of blues, folk, country, roots rock n' roll and all that comes between.
His songwriting reflects this eclectic mix and Boerner cites Ray Charles,
Tom Waits, Willie Dixon, Mose Allison, J.J. Cale, Bob
Dylan and Willis Alan Ramsey as a few of his influences. Audiences
feel quite at ease with where he takes them - as if they are being
taken to an old familiar place, but by way of a Southern backroad
that only Boerner knows. His performance of blues is immaculate, emotional
and convincing, standing proudly on the shoulders of B.B. King, Bo
Diddley, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and all the giants that have
come before.
Boerner hasn't always been an acoustic solo performer. He was a much
sought after sideman with an electric guitar steeped in traditional
blues and roots rock n' roll. At 18, he was touring the Southeast
playing the cool rockabilly of Carl Perkins, Gene Vincent and Elvis
as if he had been born to it. Through the years he found his singing
and songwriting were being appreciated as much as his potent Stratocaster.
Countless bands, gigs and hot licks later, he arrived on the solo
scene, discovering the simple and straightforward pleasures of just a voice and guitar.
But the rock n' roll attitude of those younger days has never left
him. It is the very thing that separates him from the majority of
singer/songwriters who offer an audience a pleasant "folk"
experience - but little more. Boerner's audiences, on the other hand,
are quite used to him being soaked at the end of a performance
expending more energy and passion playing
one song than most of us are born with. Like most great musicians
with something to say, Greg Boerner plays and sings as if his life
depends on it.....it does.
Born and raised in Augusta, Georgia...Greg Boerner now lives in
a far west suburb of Chicago near his son Jake. In addition to his three cd's, his music can be heard in several independent films and he can be seen performing at clubs, coffee houses, listening
rooms, house concerts and festivals. He has opened shows for Leon Russell, Patty Larkin, Willy Porter, Bill Morrissey, Chris Smither, Maria Muldaur, Pierce Pettis,
Robbie Fulks, Gove Scrivenor, Wayne Toups and Tinsley Ellis. |
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