Just being a folk singer doesn’t mean you qualify as an immediate candidate to perform at the uNi Coffeehouse Concert Series held at the Unitarian Universalist Society Meetinghouse in Springfield on the second Saturday of each month. But, Minnesota singer-songwriter Peter Mayer – whose music breaks the boundaries of folk and transcends to a realm beyond the everyday love...
Peter Mayer
Just being a folk singer doesn’t mean you qualify as an immediate candidate to perform at the uNi Coffeehouse Concert Series held at the Unitarian Universalist Society Meetinghouse in Springfield on the second Saturday of each month.
But, Minnesota singer-songwriter Peter Mayer – whose music breaks the boundaries of folk and transcends to a realm beyond the everyday love song – placed him in the “must have” category as far as concert organizer Ed Brown is concerned.
Brown’s being “totally blown away by Mayer’s song “Holy Now” with the refrain “everything is holy now” – as performed by Michael Cicone, of the harmony trio Kallet, Epstein and Cicone who will return to the uNi stage in March – led to his interest in possibly adding the folk singer to their concert series.
“It is a meticulously crafted anthem to the ‘holiness,’ in the sense of a source of awe and inspiration we can all find - regardless of your religious upbringing - in the presence of nature and our fellow human beings,” said Brown.
Mayer will perform on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the uNi Coffehouse at 245 Porter Lake Drive, Springfield. Tickets are $15 at the door.
According to Brown, when he mentioned his admiration for the song, several friends said they were big fans of Mayer and encouraged him to learn more about him.
“Thanks to this Internet age of performer websites and YouTube videos, I did not need to travel to Minnesota to see and hear him perform more songs. Not only has he written many other fine songs, but his compelling singing voice, well matched guitar arrangements, and warm stage presence were there on display, right on my own computer,” said Brown.
Mayer began playing the guitar and writing songs when he was in high school. He studied theology and music in college, and then spent two years in seminary. After deciding that the priesthood wasn’t for him, he took a part-time job as a church music director for eight years, while performing at clubs and colleges, and writing and recording his music.
In 1995, he quit his job and started touring full-time. Since then, Mayer has gradually gained a dedicated, word-of-mouth following, playing shows from Minnesota to Texas, New England to California.
Whimsical, humorous and profound, Mayer’s songs are about interconnectedness and the human journey, and about the beauty and mystery of the world.
Acoustic Guitar magazine says “his fluid, clean, and tremendously intriguing guitar playing is topped with warm, rich vocals. This is music for the soul.” He has nine compact discs to his credit, and has sold over 70 thousand of them independently.
And, don’t be confused by the name. Mayer is not the same artist who tours with Jimmy Buffet.
“Several of our callers have asked about that. In fact, on his website, this Peter Mayer prominently asks, ‘Do you have the right Peter Mayer?’, and graciously provides a link to the other’s website,” said Brown.