Sunday Music Spotlight - Dan Bern

“I guess Bob Dylan was sort of the Dan Bern of the ’60’s” says Dan Bern about the comparisons between him and the folk legend. Once listen and it’s obvious why there are comparisons. Bern is a raspy-voiced folk storyteller. And anyone like that will always be compared to Dylan. Bern is not Dylan, but he is a good singer, a good guitar player, and an excellent songwriter.

Hailing from Mount Vernon, Iowa, Bern grew up in a home filled with music and poetry. His father was a concert pianist and composer, and his mother was a poet, teaching him the power of both words and music at an early age. He started taking cello lessons at an early age, but abandoned them for the acoustic guitar after hearing Dylan’s “Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat” when he was 14. And he’s been writing and performing ever since.

Bern has had a prolific career, releasing a total of six full-length albums and numerous EPs since his eponymous debut in 1997. His latest album, 1996’s Breathe displays his maturity as a songwriter and confidence in his voice.

Dan Bern - Breathe

The album’s title track tells the story of a false messiah, feeding the hungry Snickers, turning wine into whiskey, and failing to walk on water. It showcases Bern’s storytelling ability, along with his ability to write a catchy tune.

Dan Bern - Feel Like A Man

Buy Breathe at Amazon
Official Site
Messenger Records
Filmspotting (the movie podcast where I first heard of Bern)