Marc Berger was in his early 20s when he fell in love with the West.
It happened while he was on a road trip across the country with a friend.
“And it became a lifetime obsession for me,” Berger said. “And eventually, I got the idea of making an album of songs that reflected this obsession, connection to the West.”
Now an “American roots” musician, this obsession has become a focal point of his music, and the theme of his recent album and tour. He’ll land in Mancos on May 3 to perform at the brewery along U.S. Highway 160.
Berger grew up on the East Coast and lives in New York. He was attending law school, with every intent of becoming a lawyer, when he decided to pursue music as more than just a hobby – partly inspired by some successes in the field.
“It seemed kind of legit,” he said.
Now he performs “American roots” music, a smattering of folk, country, blues, and rock ’n’ roll. He plays guitar, harmonica and sings, along with writing his own songs.
The first time he showed up in Colorado, he worried that he would not be well-received as an outsider.
“I wonder how people are going to react out there to some New York guy coming out and singing them songs about the West,” Berger recalled thinking.
But he said he was well-received in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming, leading to return trips and concerts.
“I think that had I grown up there, it would have just been normal for me, so I never would have created this album,” he said. “It was the shock of it in my 20s, coming from the Northeast, that really made the whole thing happen for me, to where I developed this connection to the West.”
He is on tour with his album “Ride.” Berger plans his next one to be about folk music and his take on the genre.
Berger will perform at the Mancos Brewing Co. on May 3 at 7 p.m. He will be joined by Evan Suiter on bass, Chris Goplerud on drums and Bruce Hayes on guitars and mandolin.
For more information, visit his website.
ealvero@the-journal.com
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