January 14, 2002

FOLK ARTIST LUCY KAPLANSKY TO PERFORM AT
THE WACHUSETT FOLK CAFE

(GARDNER) - Folk Artist Lucy Kaplansky will perform at the Wachusett Folk Café at

Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner, MA, Fri., Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m. A singer/songwriter known for the nuance, power, and texture of her vocals, the Associated Press calls her, "among the largest talents on the acoustic scene today" with "lyrics that read like poetry and music that ranges from lacy folk to bluegrass to country to pop."

Her new recording, Every Single Day, features seven original tracks and four cover songs. The players, Larry Campbell, Zev Katz, Jon Herington, Duke Levine and Ben Wittman, bring a wide array of talent and inspiration, and the harmonies of John Gorka, Richard Shindell, Buddy Miller, and Jennifer Kimball combine with Kaplansky’s voice to produce a unique and amazing vocal synthesis. The result is a blend of folk-pop, and alt-country.

Her previous recording, Ten Year Night, is her most successful record to date and received the AFIM award (Association For Independent Music) for best pop album of 1999. Her first two albums, The Tide and Flesh and Bone, turned in impressive appearances on the Gavin Report’s Americana and A3 charts (reaching the top 10 and 20 respectively), as well as earning Honorable Mention Indie Awards from the Association for Independent Music (AFIM). She has been featured on featured on NPR’s All Things Considered and Morning Edition, Mountain Stage, West Coast Live, Acoustic Café, and Vin Scelsa’s Idiot’s Delight. Kaplansky is also featured in SOLO: Women Singer-Songwriters in Their Own Words, a book featuring today’s hottest female performers (Jewel, Sarah Maclauchlan, and Sheryl Crow among them) and Lipshtick, a collection of essays by NPR commentator Gwen Macsai.

At a young age, Kaplansky began her music career in the Greenwich Village folk scene, making her mark singing with Shawn Colvin and recording with him, John Gorka, Suzanne Vega, and Nanci Griffith. However, convinced that her calling was in another direction, Kaplansky took a break from her music career to pursue a doctorate in psychology. Dr. Kaplansky ran a private practice and worked in a New York hospital helping chronically mentally ill adults. However, she reentered her music career after being rediscovered by Bob Feldman, president of Red House Records, when Shawn Colvin produced a record with her.

As a performer, Kaplansky combines honesty and emotional intensity with her warmth and humor; as a songwriter her approach is original and powerful. The Boston Globe calls her, "Bold, vibrant . . . Kaplansky’s vocals seem to glide into the heavens."

Tickets are $14 in advance and $16 at the door. The folk café is sponsored by the MWCC Foundation, Inc., Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, and Wachusett Brewing Company. All proceeds go to student scholarships. The Wachusett Folk Café also features coffee, teas, and baked goods. For tickets or more information, call (978) 632-2403. For more information about Lucy Kaplansky, see her Web site at www.lucykaplansky.com