Arctic Front Productions proudly presents critically-acclaimed American roots-folk artist Sean Rowe live in concert at the York Country Cabaret in downtown Cranbrook on Thursday August 13, with special guests Exandra Fang and Ferdy Belland.

Born in 1975, Sean Rowe hails from the upstate New York town of Troy. Music grabbed him from an early age, with him rattling out his first song lyrics on a Fisher-Price toy typewriter after hearing Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” all over the radio.

He took the plunge into instrumentalism after a favorite uncle presented him with a bass guitar for his 12th birthday gift; after discovering the soul music of Otis Redding in his mid-teens, Rowe was inspired to sing and thus began his path as a serious songwriter.

Rowe cut his teeth in folk clubs and open-mic nights across New York State and New England before recording his first independent albums with Collar City Records. A high-profile opening-support slot on a Noah and the Whale tour opened music-industry eyes to Rowe and his unique songwriting style: he possesses a powerful, emotionally raw baritone voice, described by National Public Radio (NPR) as being able to “crush granite,” with favourable comparisons to Van Morrison and Tom Waits.

Rowe’s singing is accompanied by a low, percussive approach to rhythm-guitar playing which fills out his sound. His stark, intimate storytelling is marked with vivid imagery and emotional grit, as opposed to linear storylines.

All these compelling traits convinced ANTI Records (the revered home of Solomon Burke, Mavis Staples, Marianne Faithfull, Mose Allison, Booker T., Beth Orton, Calexico, Neko Case, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, Fleet Foxes, Michael Franti, Merle Haggard, Wilco, and Daniel Lanois, among others) to sign Rowe on to their roster, where he recorded and released four critically-acclaimed albums.

And from there his career trajectory truly took off: he composed the soundtrack to the Western film “Front Crucible,” and his songs have been placed in NBC-TV’s “The Blacklist” and “Parenthood.” Rowe’s signature song “To Leave Something Behind” was prominently featured in the 2016 film “The Accountant” (starring Ben Affleck), and as of this writing has gained over 17,000,000 streams on Spotify.

Rowe is also renowned as an avid naturalist, spending up to 24 weeks at time alone in the wilderness and foraging off the land…a Christopher McCandless type, but with true outdoorsman skills and much more common sense. His popular blogs revolve around his music career, nature, wilderness survival, edible wild plants, and the love of wildlife – which all plays a major role in the themes of his songs.

Also joining Sean onstage is Lethbridge’s indigenous songstress Exandra Fang, and Cranbrook’s own Ferdy Belland in one of his rare solo-acoustic appearances.

The York Country Cabaret will be providing intimate jazz-lounge seating and table service for this special event. All in all, Sean Rowe is a unique performer of true heart and true talent, and this will be his first live appearance anywhere in the Kootenays. Be sure to see this one. Please do not miss out.

Showtime: 7-10 p.m.

Admission: $20 advance (tickets available online at York Country Cabaret’s website or through the Eventbrite QR code on the poster), or $25 at the door.

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