Jonatha Brooke at Studio Bee Saturday!

Singer/songwriter/guitarist Jonatha Brooke began issuing albums that merged folk and pop during the early 1990s, first as a member of a female duo named the Story and later as a solo artist. Brooke formed the Story (originally called "Jonatha & Jennifer" during the duo's early years) along with another vocalist, Jennifer Kimball, who attended Massachusetts' Amherst College with Brooke in the early '80s. Despite playing regular local gigs during their college career, the girls never issued any recordings and took a break after graduation, during which time Brooke joined a dance troupe. But by the end of the '80s, the group had re-formed under a new moniker, the Story, and issued a demo called Over Oceans in 1989. The Story was promptly signed to the independent Green Linnet label, which issued the duo's debut album, Grace in Gravity, in 1991. It wasn't long before Elektra Records expressed interest in the band, in turn reissuing their debut the same year, as well as a sophomore effort, The Angel in the House, two years later.

In 2002, Brooke performed a pair of songs on Disney's Return to Never Land soundtrack, contributing an original composition ("I'll Try") and a cover ("The Second Star to the Right"). Two years later, she performed a set of ten shows at the Public Theater in New York, the highlights of which were collected for the 2006 release of Live in New York, complete with a DVD of the concert. Careful What You Wish For followed in 2007, and Brooke subsequently delved into Woody Guthrie's lyric journals for her follow-up effort. Released in 2008, The Works paired her original music with Guthrie's previously unheard lyrics. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide

Jonatha Brooke

Saturday, Aug 14 8:00p at Pikes Peak Center: Pikes Peak Center Studio Bee, Colorado Springs, CO

Price: $25

Phone: (719) 477-2100