Caroline Cotter & Ben Cosgrove at The Buttonwood Tree
Middletown, CT: On Friday, April 7th at 8 PM, The Buttonwood Tree announces the musical showcase of New England-based singer/songwriters Caroline Cotter and Ben Cosgrove. They will each be performing solo sets, followed by a set together. Admission is $25.
Caroline Cotter sings in the title cut of the sparkling Home on the River, the second full-length major release from the sweetly expressive Americana artist who has found a true home on the road and on diverse musical stages throughout the world. Co-produced by Cotter and Jeff Oehler of Beehive Productions and recorded in scenic Saranac Lake, New York, as well as in Kansas City, MO, "Home on the River" emphasizes both the freedom of wanderlust and a sense of place. The album features 9 original songs plus Cotter's hauntingly lovely a capella version of Woody Guthrie's "My Peace".
Opening "Home on the River" is "Peace of Mind," a declaration of Cotter's aspirations, both personally and professionally. “I’ve talked with many people who see the goal of a music career to be wealth and fame," she says, “but when I thought about it and really dug deep, I realized that everything I'm doing is to move forward with peace of mind. I’m taking the focus off of material wealth and recognizing that none of it matters if you don't have peace of mind."
From poignant reflections about her parents ("When I Think of You" and "Hey Mama") and grandparents ("1 4 3," which is based on the numbers of letters in the phrase, "I love you") to the title cut, "Home on the River" stands on a solid ground with a view both inward at the self and outward to the world. Brought to life by vivid, thoughtful lyrics and Cotter's honeyed soprano, the tunes are lightly tinged with raw emotion and brimming with honest, soul-searching expression. "My music is my honest expression of myself, reaching out to a world who I hope to connect with. There are a few songs that are one take, live with the band. No separations in the studio, just live in one room with bass, drums, electric guitar and me."
"Home on the River" is the follow-up to Cotter's acclaimed 2015 debut, "Dreaming as I Do", which reached No. 5 on the Folk DJ chart. Since that time, Cotter has played over 200 shows per year in such prestigious venues as Boston's Club Passim and the Alberta Rose Theater in Portland, Oregon, Florida's 30A Songwriters Festival, Alaska's Salmonfest and New York's legendary Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival. Along the way, she has shared stages with musicians Loudon Wainwright III, David Wilcox and Dan Bern, was selected for the Emerging Artist Showcase at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in New York and was one of four finalists in the 2018 Freshgrass/No Depression Songwriter of the Year Awards.
Over the past 15 years, Cotter's magical, musical tour has consisted of living in and traveling to 34 countries on five continents. While writing and recording her first album, she spent time working for the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) in Portland, Maine, as well as teaching yoga throughout the city and at camps, conferences and retreats. Prior to living in Maine, Cotter worked in International Education in Portugal, Spain and Thailand, studied yoga in India, and traveled and studied in South America.
Caroline Cotter grew up in Providence, Rhode Island, and attended college in Maine before setting off on what has become a global quest for adventure and education set to music and she’s not slowing down anytime soon. Since her 2015 release, Cotter has played over 800 shows in 45 states and 13 countries. In 2020 she continues to tour throughout the United States and Europe in support of the release of "Home on the River".
Ben Cosgrove is a traveling composer-performer whose “compelling and beautiful” instrumental music explores themes of landscape, place, and environment. He has performed in every U.S. state but Delaware, collaborated with groups ranging from rock bands to research scientists, and held residencies and fellowships with institutions including Acadia National Park, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, White Mountain National Forest, Harvard University, Middlebury College, the Schmidt Ocean Institute, the New England National Scenic Trail, NASA, and the Sitka Center for Art & Ecology. Ben’s fourth studio album, The Trouble With Wilderness, an evocation of different expressions of nature and wildness within the built environment, was released in 2021. It has been the subject of an episode of the NHPR show Outside/In, was deemed one of the spring's best new releases by WBUR, and has been called "beautiful and fascinating" (The Maine Edge), "deeply impressive" (Independent Clauses) and "immediately evocative and fully arresting... brim[ming] with technical mastery and emotional capital" (Seven Days). In addition to his solo work, Ben has toured and recorded with a long list of artists that includes Ghost of Paul Revere, GoldenOak, Max García Conover, and many more.
See www.Buttonwood.org for show details or call (860) 347-4957 email: TheButtonwoodTree@gmail.com