David Wolfenberger
Encyclopedia
David Wolfenberger is a singer/songwriter from Cincinnati, Ohio
. Former frontman for The Marshwiggles and Thom Scarecrow, Wolfenberger has 3 solo CDs to date; Tales From Thom Scarecrow, and World of the Satisfy'n Place on Blue Jordan Records
and more recently in 2006 on Fundamental Records, Portrait of Narcissus
. Wolfenberger also toured and recorded as a member of Mark Olson
and Victoria Williams
' Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers
. Wolfenberger occasionally records under the pseudonym Sunrise for Someone.
. It was played nationally and the band toured regionally to sizable crowds but broke up during the recording of their second album just prior to its completion and release. This album has never been released although tracks from it have shown up on Blue Jordan compilations. Wolfenberger then formed the band Thom Scarecrow with acoustic guitar
ist Jason Dennie and fellow Marshwiggles, Tony Moore and Joshua Seurkamp. This would be a short lived ensemble lasting just over a year.
In 1999 Wolfenberger's first solo album, Tales From Thom Scarecrow was released and won him Artist of the Year in his hometown at the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards as well as notoriety abroad from such notable media as the Corriere della Sera
in Milan
, Italy
which stated that "Wolfenberger puts forth folk with dark nuances, the grand introspective songs are illuminated with emotions in this exhibition of his life."
In 2000 he joined iconoclastic songwriters Mark Olson
and Victoria Williams
as a touring and recording member of the Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers
. In 2001 while still touring with the Creekdippers Wolfenberger recorded his second solo album with his band entitled World of the Satisfyn' Place. This album was decidedly more roots
oriented than his first (a return to his style with the Marshwiggles and Thom Scarecrow) and swung wildly from raucous to thoughtful on a song to song basis., It was even more well received by the critics. The Detroit Metro Times stated that "Wolfenberger ambles between homespun Appalachian traditions and classic pop and country forms with an unwavering dedication to simple, gorgeous melodies that are alternately uplifting and devastating." While in Britain
, Americana-UK called it "a 100% solid gold classic". and his hometown Cincinnati press named it "one of the best albums (local or national) of the year".
In the following two years he would appear on two Creekdipper albums, release a free folk gospel
album under the pseudonym Sunrise for Someone and eventually in 2003 stop touring and recording with the Creekdippers although maintaining a close relationship, which would become apparent with the release of his third solo album entitled Portrait of Narcissus
in 2006 which featured fellow Creekdippers, Victoria Williams
, Joshua Grange (by then a regular member of Dwight Yoakam
's band), and fellow independent folkie Michelle Shocked
. This would be Wolfenberger's first album to be distributed beyond America and Europe into Asia and Australia due to its release by recently revived Fundamental Records. It would even end up at #12 on the independent Euro Americana Chart
In July 2008 Wolfenberger recorded and made available another folk gospel project under the pseudonym Sunrise for Someone entitled Summer Lake Champion. In August of the same year he released Just Burned Upon The Page a live and mostly solo recording of 7 songs. The proceeds benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
.
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. Former frontman for The Marshwiggles and Thom Scarecrow, Wolfenberger has 3 solo CDs to date; Tales From Thom Scarecrow, and World of the Satisfy'n Place on Blue Jordan Records
Blue Jordan Records
Blue Jordan Records is an independent record label in the Northside neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. It was spawned by the Blue Jordan Coffeehouse, which closed in 1996, the same year that Janet Pressley founded the label...
and more recently in 2006 on Fundamental Records, Portrait of Narcissus
Portrait of Narcissus
Portrait Of Narcissus is the third solo album by David Wolfenberger. It was released in 2006 on Fundamental Records with Blue Jordan Records as an imprint. The album contains 12 original tracks and features such notables as Victoria Williams on vocals, Michelle Shocked on vocals, Joshua Seurkamp on...
. Wolfenberger also toured and recorded as a member of Mark Olson
Mark Olson
Mark W. Olson was a member of the Board of Governors of the U.S. Federal Reserve from 2001 to 2006. Filling an unexpired term to end on January 31, 2010, he resigned on June 21, 2006 in order to run the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.-Biography:In 1943, Mark W. Olson was born on March...
and Victoria Williams
Victoria Williams
Victoria Williams is an American singer-songwriter and musician, originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, although she has resided in Southern California throughout her musical career. She is noted for her descriptive songwriting talent, which she has used to immerse the listener of her songs into a...
' Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers
Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers
The Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers are an Americana group formed by songwriter Mark Olson and his wife Victoria Williams after Olson left his previous band The Jayhawks...
. Wolfenberger occasionally records under the pseudonym Sunrise for Someone.
Biography
In 1997 Wolfenberger's band the Marshwiggles released their first and only album Stone Soup on the local Cincinnati label Blue Jordan RecordsBlue Jordan Records
Blue Jordan Records is an independent record label in the Northside neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. It was spawned by the Blue Jordan Coffeehouse, which closed in 1996, the same year that Janet Pressley founded the label...
. It was played nationally and the band toured regionally to sizable crowds but broke up during the recording of their second album just prior to its completion and release. This album has never been released although tracks from it have shown up on Blue Jordan compilations. Wolfenberger then formed the band Thom Scarecrow with acoustic guitar
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
ist Jason Dennie and fellow Marshwiggles, Tony Moore and Joshua Seurkamp. This would be a short lived ensemble lasting just over a year.
In 1999 Wolfenberger's first solo album, Tales From Thom Scarecrow was released and won him Artist of the Year in his hometown at the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards as well as notoriety abroad from such notable media as the Corriere della Sera
Corriere della Sera
The Corriere della Sera is an Italian daily newspaper, published in Milan.It is among the oldest and most reputable Italian newspapers. Its main rivals are Rome's La Repubblica and Turin's La Stampa.- History :...
in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
which stated that "Wolfenberger puts forth folk with dark nuances, the grand introspective songs are illuminated with emotions in this exhibition of his life."
In 2000 he joined iconoclastic songwriters Mark Olson
Mark Olson
Mark W. Olson was a member of the Board of Governors of the U.S. Federal Reserve from 2001 to 2006. Filling an unexpired term to end on January 31, 2010, he resigned on June 21, 2006 in order to run the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.-Biography:In 1943, Mark W. Olson was born on March...
and Victoria Williams
Victoria Williams
Victoria Williams is an American singer-songwriter and musician, originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, although she has resided in Southern California throughout her musical career. She is noted for her descriptive songwriting talent, which she has used to immerse the listener of her songs into a...
as a touring and recording member of the Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers
Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers
The Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers are an Americana group formed by songwriter Mark Olson and his wife Victoria Williams after Olson left his previous band The Jayhawks...
. In 2001 while still touring with the Creekdippers Wolfenberger recorded his second solo album with his band entitled World of the Satisfyn' Place. This album was decidedly more roots
Traditional music
Traditional music is the term increasingly used for folk music that is not contemporary folk music. More on this is at the terminology section of the World music article...
oriented than his first (a return to his style with the Marshwiggles and Thom Scarecrow) and swung wildly from raucous to thoughtful on a song to song basis., It was even more well received by the critics. The Detroit Metro Times stated that "Wolfenberger ambles between homespun Appalachian traditions and classic pop and country forms with an unwavering dedication to simple, gorgeous melodies that are alternately uplifting and devastating." While in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Americana-UK called it "a 100% solid gold classic". and his hometown Cincinnati press named it "one of the best albums (local or national) of the year".
In the following two years he would appear on two Creekdipper albums, release a free folk gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
album under the pseudonym Sunrise for Someone and eventually in 2003 stop touring and recording with the Creekdippers although maintaining a close relationship, which would become apparent with the release of his third solo album entitled Portrait of Narcissus
Portrait of Narcissus
Portrait Of Narcissus is the third solo album by David Wolfenberger. It was released in 2006 on Fundamental Records with Blue Jordan Records as an imprint. The album contains 12 original tracks and features such notables as Victoria Williams on vocals, Michelle Shocked on vocals, Joshua Seurkamp on...
in 2006 which featured fellow Creekdippers, Victoria Williams
Victoria Williams
Victoria Williams is an American singer-songwriter and musician, originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, although she has resided in Southern California throughout her musical career. She is noted for her descriptive songwriting talent, which she has used to immerse the listener of her songs into a...
, Joshua Grange (by then a regular member of Dwight Yoakam
Dwight Yoakam
Dwight David Yoakam is an American singer-songwriter, actor and film director, most famous for his pioneering country music...
's band), and fellow independent folkie Michelle Shocked
Michelle Shocked
Michelle Shocked is the stage name of Michelle Karen Johnston, an American singer-songwriter.-History:Shocked received her first international exposure in Europe, particularly Britain, with her debut album The Texas Campfire Tapes .Her first U.S...
. This would be Wolfenberger's first album to be distributed beyond America and Europe into Asia and Australia due to its release by recently revived Fundamental Records. It would even end up at #12 on the independent Euro Americana Chart
In July 2008 Wolfenberger recorded and made available another folk gospel project under the pseudonym Sunrise for Someone entitled Summer Lake Champion. In August of the same year he released Just Burned Upon The Page a live and mostly solo recording of 7 songs. The proceeds benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
JDRF is the leading global organization focused on type 1 diabetes research. Driven by volunteers connected to children, adolescents, and adults with this disease, JDRF is the largest charitable supporter of T1D research...
.
with The Marshwiggles
- Stone Soup (1997 Blue JordanBlue Jordan RecordsBlue Jordan Records is an independent record label in the Northside neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. It was spawned by the Blue Jordan Coffeehouse, which closed in 1996, the same year that Janet Pressley founded the label...
) - "Valentine" (1999 single, Blue Jordan)
David Wolfenberger albums
- Tales From Thom Scarecrow (1999, Blue Jordan)
- World of the Satisfy'n Place (2001, Blue Jordan)
- Portrait of NarcissusPortrait of NarcissusPortrait Of Narcissus is the third solo album by David Wolfenberger. It was released in 2006 on Fundamental Records with Blue Jordan Records as an imprint. The album contains 12 original tracks and features such notables as Victoria Williams on vocals, Michelle Shocked on vocals, Joshua Seurkamp on...
(2006, Fundamental) - Just Burned Upon The Page -live EP (2008, Blue Jordan RecordsBlue Jordan RecordsBlue Jordan Records is an independent record label in the Northside neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. It was spawned by the Blue Jordan Coffeehouse, which closed in 1996, the same year that Janet Pressley founded the label...
)
Sunrise for Someone albums
- Spring Rome (2002, SFS)
- Summer Lake Champion (2008, SFS)
Other Projects
- 'Pepsi Jammin' On Main Compilation CD', 1997 Pepsi-Cola
- Blue Jordan Live Compilation, 1998 Blue Jordan RecordsBlue Jordan RecordsBlue Jordan Records is an independent record label in the Northside neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. It was spawned by the Blue Jordan Coffeehouse, which closed in 1996, the same year that Janet Pressley founded the label...
- Audiosyncrasies; 'The Queen City Collection' Live Compilation CD, 1999 X-Star Radio Network
- "People Like Us" Movie Soundtrack, 2000 KPG Ltd.
- Oasis Rock and Roots Sampler, 2000 Oasis Music
- 'Open Hands, Bare Feet', 2001 Crossroads Music
- Mark Olson and the Creekdippers, 'December's Child', 2002 Dulatone Music Group, Inc.
- The Wrenfields, 'Seconds', 2003 Wrenfields LLC
- Save Elizabeth Live Compilation, 2004 VC Music
- Rivertown Breakdown Compilation, 2004 RTB
- Blue Jordan Spring Songs Sampler, 2005 Blue Jordan RecordsBlue Jordan RecordsBlue Jordan Records is an independent record label in the Northside neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. It was spawned by the Blue Jordan Coffeehouse, which closed in 1996, the same year that Janet Pressley founded the label...
- Heartfelt Film Short, 2006 Pro Video Bandit Productions
- Fundamental Records Sampler 2006, 2006 Fundamental Records
Awards
- Cincinnati Entertainment Awards: Artist of the Year - 1999
- Cincinnati CitysearchCitysearchCitysearch is an online city guide that provides information about businesses in the categories of dining, entertainment, retail, travel, and professional services in cities throughout the United States. Visitors to each of Citysearch's local city guides will find contact information, maps, driving...
: Best Local Songwriter (2000 Editor's Winner/2000 Audience Winner) - CityBeat MagazineCincinnati CityBeatCincinnati CityBeat is an independent local arts and issues publication covering the Cincinnati, Ohio area. It has the second largest readership in the Cincinnati area behind the daily Cincinnati Enquirer.-History:...
: Album of the Year - 2001 - CityBeat Magazine: Top Ten Albums of the Last Ten Years - 2004
External links
- David Wolfenberger Website
- Sunrise for Someone, Wolfenberger's "folk gospel" project
- / Interview April 2006 in Altcountry.nl
- Review April 2006 in Americana-UK