Friday, September 09, 2005

Wilmington, N.C. – Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Tift Merritt brings her sexy, soulful sounds to University of North Carolina Wilmington. Her performance at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 15 in Kenan Auditorium marks the launch of UNCW Presents’ Arts in Action Performance Series. The concert is being co-presented with the Association for Campus Entertainment.

Merritt began singing harmonies with her father before she could read or write, and went on to pay her dues in small clubs in and around her native hometown in North Carolina. Her vocals and overall musical style have been compared to Dusty Springfield’s classic Memphis recordings, '70s-era Linda Ronstadt, alt-country favorite Lucinda Williams, and one of her own cited influences, Emmylou Harris. While these comparisons may be not far off the mark, Merritt’s sound has its own personal charm.

“We couldn’t have placed Merritt’s performance at a better time,” said Shannon Hooker, assistant director for UNCW Presents. “This is the half-way point of the semester, right when students need to be rejuvenated—and her soul rocking tunes are sure to do just that.”

Merritt's an accomplished, largely self-taught musician. Her father showed her how to play her first four chords on the guitar and she learned the rest through trial and error. She can hold her own on both the acoustic and the electric, and can also play a bit of harmonica and piano. Her vocals are her greatest asset, and she's got a knack for blending different styles of music that retain a distinct country flavor.

Merritt possesses a potent voice, and her songwriting abilities have improved vastly in recent years. She stays true to the music, and has built a sizable cult following that grows as the buzz around her recordings and live performances increases. She began winning songwriting awards since she was a student at UNC-Chapel Hill. Merritt won the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at the annual MerleFest Music Festival in 2000, which helped her secure a recording contract with Lost Highway, the roots music division of major label, Universal. Merritt’s debut album, Bramble Rose, was issued in June of 2002, and received solid reviews from the critics. Her sophomore album, Tambourine, earned her a 2004 Grammy nomination for Country Album of the Year.

Tift Merritt will meet with singers and songwriters in an informal question and answer session at 4 p.m. Saturday before the concert in Kenan Hall room 114. This is a discussion session only, and no music will be reviewed. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required. Please RSVP to 910/962.7972 or berryt@uncw.edu.

BOX OFFICE AND TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets are $6 for university and area students, $14 for UNCW faculty/staff and senior citizens, and $18 for all others. Arts in Action season subscriptions may be purchased at a savings of up to 15% off ticket prices. For tickets, call Kenan Box Office at 910.962.3500 or 800.732.3643 outside the Wilmington area. Box office hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

ABOUT UNCW ARTS IN ACTION PERFORMANCE SERIES

Sponsored by the University Union at UNCW, the Arts in Action Performance Series seeks to culturally enrich, educate and entertain both students and the general public through the presentation of diverse programs featuring professional, high-quality performing artists. For more information, please visit the UNCW Presents web site at www.uncw.edu/arts.

UNCW Presents is a member of the NC Presenters Consortium and the US National Association of Performing Arts Presenters. The 150 member venues of the NC Presenters Consortium may be visited at http://www.presenters.org.

###