Vance Gilbert

One of many self-styled contemporary folk singers to have come on the scene in the 1980s, Vance Gilbert was inspired to begin writing his own material after hearing Shawn Colvin perform at a Boston theater. While Gilbert has become recognized on the folk festival circuit as a songwriter of substance, performance for him is second nature. Gilbert is not a middle-of-the-road folk singer, and his diverse set of influences includes Kenny Rankin, Roberta Flack, Carmen McRae, George Benson and Stevie Wonder. His voice has been compared to everyone from Al Jarreau to Bill Withers and...