Vance Gilbert

One of numerous performers positioning themselves as modern folk voices during the 1980s, Vance Gilbert first turned to original songwriting after attending a Shawn Colvin show at a Boston venue. Although he has earned respect on the folk festival circuit for the depth of his compositions, taking the stage comes naturally to him. Far from a conventional folk artist, Gilbert draws on a broad range of sources that encompass Kenny Rankin, Roberta Flack, Carmen McRae, George Benson, and Stevie Wonder; listeners have likened his vocals to those of Al Jarreau, Bill Withers, and Donny Hathaway.

Born and raised in Willingboro, N.J., Gilbert headed to Connecticut College in Connecticut, then settled in Boston upon receiving his degree in 1979. A bass supplied by his brother initially kept him practicing inside the dormitory, yet he soon gravitated toward acoustic guitar and vocals to satisfy his urge to stand out and shape his own performances. Prior to presenting original material in concert, he spent time in cocktail lounges covering material that stretched from Gershwin through Top 40 hits by Stevie Wonder and Earth, Wind and Fire. Once those engagements ended, Gilbert took teaching positions in Boston-area public schools.

The experience gained in lounges later proved valuable once he concentrated on his own songs, granting him a keen sense for audience atmosphere and the confidence to follow his instincts when choosing material onstage. Three albums appeared on the Philo subsidiary of Rounder Records—Edgewise in 1994, Fugitives in 1995, and Shaking Off Gravity in 1998—while Gilbert maintained a steady touring schedule across the United States and Canada. A live recording made in 1999 received strong notices the next year, and he returned to the studio in 2002 for the self-produced One Thru Fourteen.