Stephen Kellogg plus Will Varley

City Winery Philadelphia presents Stephen Kellogg plus Will Varley live on Friday, Jan 31 at 7:30pm.

A Stephen Kellogg performance is like watching Ted Lasso live. Whether he’s playing music or doing stand-up, his shows leave people inspired and restored. For more than two decades, this wordsmith, Tedx speaker, stand-up comic, author and troubadour, has delighted audiences around the world. Planet Bluegrass calls him “a first class songwriter with a poet's gift for fresh imagery,” and Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz says of Kellogg, “there are few people in rock n’ roll who are just so great.” He has received the Armed Forces Entertainer of the Year award and has had his work nominated for a Grammy. Rolling Stone magazine describes his sound as “John Prine fronting the Heartbreakers.” The recent “Sit Down & Stand Up” Tour was a one man show that opened to rave reviews from fans and critics alike, culminating in a two-night filming for a forthcoming one hour comedy special. A mix of music, humor and storytelling, each performance paints a unique canvas that covers the full spectrum of human emotions. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll go home with a full heart.

Currently working on his seventh studio record, Will Varley has mastered the kind of songwriting that can transport you to another place entirely. In the case of his astonishing new album, he continues his decade long exploration of the human condition, while conjuring strange, beautiful landscapes where salt-crusted pebbles crunch underfoot and snow pours in through the roofs of abandoned tour buses. These songs are rich, lyrical tales that speak of universal truths, hard touring, and the rebuilding of minds.