Musician John Calvin Abney will play the Dolores River Brewery the evening of Oct. 7.
Abney originally made his name as a rowdy sideman, playing guitar, pedal steel, keys and drums for a number of other acts. “Thanks to years of extensive touring, both solo and as a gun for hire, Abney is possessed of some impressive instrumental stage chops,” states his website.
But lately, it’s lyricism where Abney finds his inspiration, with encouragement from a host of Oklahoma songwriters in close proximity.
His 2014 and 2015 releases, “Empty Candles” and “Better Luck,” find him abandoning his backseat post in favor of plaintive love songs and the misadventures of a handful of colorful invented characters.
There are glimpses of technical prowess in this new chapter, but now with an intent focus on storytelling. “Vice Versa Suite” marked his second release of 2015, and placed Abney further into a realm of introspective songwriting and piano composition.
“Few songwriters can weave so seamlessly in and out of genre that listeners are left wondering if they indeed heard what they thought they heard. And if they listen again, they’re likely to hear something else,” according to his website. “Abney’s songs can be both frenetic and meditative, deeply affectionate and mired in loneliness, and, like Abney himself, both road-weary and ready for adventure.”
In a review, No Depression says Abney is a promising young singer songwriter.
“Abney is long in the tooth by way of licks, melodies, and catchy bubblegum-laced indie folk,” the review says. “These songs are modern folk gems, filtered through Guthrie haunted Oklahoma dust and a well traveled young troubadour’s modern thoughts.”