SPEC Concerts is pleased to announce that soul singer Mayer Hawthorne will headline its annual Fall Concert in Harrison Auditorium at 8pm on October 11th. Up-‐and-‐comers Cheers Elephant will open the show with their nervy brand of Philadelphia-‐hewn rock and roll.
Hawthorne grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, just outside of Detroit, and vividly remembers, as a child, driving with his father and tuning the car radio in to the rich soul and jazz history the region provided. “Most of the best music ever made came out of Detroit,” claims the singer, producer, and multi-‐ instrumentalist, who counts Smokey Robinson and famed songwriting trio Holland-‐Dozier-‐Holland among his influences, but also draws inspiration from Michael McDonald, Juan Atkins, and J Dilla.
Snoop Dogg once heralded Hawthorne as his new favorite artist. Praise has also been shared via Twitter by the likes of Kanye West, Justin Timberlake, and John Mayer. Upon first hearing Hawthorne’s music, producer Mark Ronson remarked, “I have no idea what this is, old or new, but it’s fucking good!!!”
“He’s an able singer...an arranger of astonishing precision,” proclaimed the New York Times when Hawthorne first hit the scene. “Hawthorne emerges with a jaw-‐dropping collection of classic soul,” RollingStone.com wrote on Hawthrone’s debut LP A Strange Arrangement.
“We’re thrilled to be having Mayer Hawthorne for the Fall Concert this year,” said SPEC Concerts Director and Wharton senior Ronnie DiSimone. “His neo-‐Motown vibe is something of a departure from the indie rock bands Concerts has historically gotten for its fall show, but we think that Hawthorne’s music is unique in that it feels very familiar and fun even if you’ve never heard it before. Plus, he’s got a killer live show.”
More information about Mayer Hawthorne can be found at http://wwww.mayerhawthorne.com.
More information about Cheers Elephant can be found at http://www.cheerselephant.com.
