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| Ed with Johnny Hickman 7-31-14, Castle Theatre |
Fresh off
the release of his debut full-length solo album, American songwriter Edward
David Anderson performs on Hopstring Fest’s mainstage from 4 to 4:45 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 23, in Joliet’s Silver Cross Field.
Tickets for
the 12 and a half hour celebration of live music, food and craft beer are $20/presale, $30 at the door and are
available through hopstringfest.com and at
Chicago Street Pub, 75 N. Chicago St., Joliet. Festival hours are 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Anderson has
shared stages with Hopstring Fest headliners Cracker previously, most recently
on July 31 at The Castle Theatre in Bloomington, where friend and Cracker
guitarist Johnny Hickman joined Ed onstage for his set.
He performed
two mainstage sets at the 2013 Hopstring Fest, one as a solo artist and another
with the band Magic Box.
Best known for his work with Backyard Tire Fire, who released a string
of acclaimed albums in the previous decade, Anderson in April released his solo
debut, “Lies & Wishes.” The
10-track collection was produced by Steve Berlin of Los Lobos.
Anderson was born and raised just west of Chicago and lives a simple
life, spending winters in an RV alongside the Gulf of Mexico in lower Alabama. He
says he’s on an existential quest to find meaning through song.
"I feel like every experience, every mile, every interaction, every
tune, sort of got me to where I am at this moment," Anderson says on his
website. "The songs on the record are confessional by nature. They are
songs about loss and love and living and hope. Halfway through my life, it's an
honest look in the mirror."
Anderson's journey over the last five years and his response to the
challenges he faced is what sets the lifers apart from those that concede the
artistic pursuit. The dissolution of Backyard Tire in 2011 was the first
obstacle to overcome. The band had built a devout cult following around the
U.S., counting Cracker, Reverend Horton Heat and Clutch among their fans, all
of whom took BTF on the road exposing them to a wider audience. It was around
this time that Steve Berlin of Los Lobos was first drawn to Anderson's
songwriting.
“Backyard Tire Fire opened a show for us and I remember being backstage
and listening to their music and I was like, ‘Wow, that song sounds really
familiar. Whose cover is that? It’s a classic tune,’” says Berlin. “It turns
out that they were all Ed’s originals. They just had that instantly memorable
quality to them. So, I introduced myself at the show and we became buddies and
then collaborators. Ed’s music is so evocative, so well written. I honestly
think he is as talented as anyone in the songwriting world and it is important
that he be heard.”
Anderson adds: "I was just starting to get back on the road again
after Tire Fire split, touring with my friend Johnny Hickman and I got inspired
to get back in the studio. I had these songs and had something pretty
interesting to say based on the experiences I just went through. I knew if I
could get Steve Berlin involved, who is an old friend that I’ve worked with in
the past, it could be something special.”
It was just prior to this that Anderson's mother passed away, while the
previous winter his wife lost her mother, both to extended illnesses. It was a
defining moment for the 40-year old artist and culminated in a torrent of
songwriting. Indeed, songs like "Lies & Wishes" "Lost &
Found" and "Chain Reaction" delve deep into the human condition,
asking difficult questions of both himself and his loved ones.
“A lot of the subject matter on this record came from reflecting on
these painful experiences” says Anderson. "After losing my mom, I decided
I’ve got to make a record and dedicate it to her and make a statement here on
my own. I feel like it's undoubtedly my finest work to date, the beginning of
the next chapter for me."
If You Go
What:
Hopstring Fest
When:
Saturday, Aug. 23, 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Where:
Silver Cross Field, 1 Mayor Art Schultz Drive, Joliet
Who: Local
talent and headline bands like Cracker
How much:
Tickets are $20 presale/$30 at the door
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