David Berkeley’s gift as a songwriter and storyteller is that he sees both the tragedy and comedy in life, managing to both reveal the sorrow at the heart of the human condition and the blazing joy and beauty in the same. Berkeley’s songs are at once hard and hopeful.
For the Sake of the Song: A Tribute to Townes Van Zandt
“Townes Van Zandt is the best songwriter in the whole world and I’ll stand on Bob Dylan‘s coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that.” – Steve Earle
An American troubadour, Townes Van Zandt’s songs are considered standards of the songwriter-singer-genre. His work has been covered by such notable and varied musicians as Bob Dylan, Norah Jones, Lyle Lovett, Steve Earle, Cowboy Junkies, Andrew Bird, Robert Plant, Alison Krauss, Gillian Welch, Laura Marling, The Avett Brothers, and Devendra Banhart.
To honor what would be Townes Van Zandt’s 70th birthday, Arts Brookfield will present free lunchtime concerts at One New York Plaza and the Grace Building Plaza showcasing some of the country’s finest singer-songwriters performing music inspired by or written by Van Zandt.