Standout singer-songwriter brings storytelling talent to Gardiner
Shawn Colvin, the award‑winning singer‑songwriter, is set to perform at the Johnson Hall Opera House in Gardiner on Thursday, June 18. The show begins at 7:30 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30 p.m.
Over the three decades since her debut album, Colvin has built a substantial body of work that includes 13 studio albums, three Grammy Awards, and a critically acclaimed memoir. She has toured nationally and internationally without interruption, appeared on numerous television and radio programs, and placed her songs in major motion pictures. Her early releases, “Fat City” (1992) and “Cover Girl” (1994), helped establish her reputation, but it was the 1996 album “A Few Small Repairs” that brought widespread recognition. The single “Sunny Came Home” reached the Top 10, the album went platinum, and Colvin took home Grammys for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. In 2009 she released “Shawn Colvin Live,” a recording made during a three‑night stand at San Francisco’s Yoshi’s jazz club; the album earned a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Folk Recording.
Colvin’s contributions have been acknowledged with prestigious honors. In 2016 she received the Lifetime Achievement Trailblazer Award at the Americana Music Awards, presented by Bonnie Raitt. Raitt said, “Colvin is simply one of the best singers I’ve ever heard — and a truly gifted and deep songwriter and guitarist. She was groundbreaking when she emerged and continues to inspire me and the legions of fans and other singer/songwriters coming up in her wake.” Two years later, Colvin was inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame alongside Lyle Lovett and Buddy Guy. At the induction, Jackson Browne called her “ineffable,” then added, “Not many writers are able to do what Shawn does. It’s a very special way of relating what really matters. It takes an original to get our attention. Shawn is utterly original in her singing, and original in what she speaks about in her songs.”
The upcoming concert will take place at Johnson Hall Opera House, 280 Water St., Gardiner, a venue that is handicapped accessible. Tickets are $45 in advance and $50 at the door. The box office can be reached at 207‑582‑7144 or [email protected], and in‑person or phone sales are available on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (hours may vary). Online tickets are available at johnsonhall.org; all purchases will receive a digital ticket sent to the purchaser’s email address.
Colvin’s performance is expected to draw from her extensive catalog, offering fans a chance to experience the intimate, narrative‑driven style that has defined her career. The combination of her lyrical depth, warm stage presence, and the historic setting of the opera house promises an evening of music that is both memorable and deeply personal.
