THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 5, 1995 TAG: 9510040190
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Long : 172 lines
THE PEANUT FEST '95 entertainment lineup is impressive - two performers who have reached legendary status, two newcomers to country music who have garnered awards and critical praise.
Steve Wariner and John Hartford are the standard-bearers - Russ Taff and Lisa Brokop the young, impressive stars.
The Sun had the opportunity to talk to them, to give you an insight into their personalities and what to expect onstage.
Russ Taff: A tough, gritty-voiced, soulful sounding, highly acclaimed singer-songwriter, Taff switched from contemporary Christian to country.
His ``from-the-gut'' voice was described by Billboard magazine as ``one of the most incredible voices in any genre of music.''
``I was moving more and more to the country market,'' Taff said, during a phone interview from his Nashville home. ``A friend at Columbia Records heard eight demos and said - sounds like country.''
Warner-Reprise was the company that signed the 41-year-old performer who began singing praises to God when he was 6 years old. In 1976 he joined one of the oldest, best-known gospel groups - The Imperials.
He was only 22 years old. The other three men had him beat by a couple of decades each. Taff looked like a high-schooler in a retirement home.
At home, as a youngster, he listened to his grandfather, a fundamentalist preacher. On the radio he was listening to such country singers as Marty Robbins, Jim Reeves and Ray Price.
Merle Haggard was a favorite and it was his recording, ``Fightin' Side of Me,'' that struck a nerve: ``He sang with all the emotion of gospel singers, but he sang about real life.''
Taff's life was a mix.
``I began playing clubs about eight years ago - singing gospel,'' he said. ``One night in church, then a music festival, then a club.''
Between gulps of beer, the audience hears a good amount ``of hellfire and damnation,'' said Taff, who won a Grammy for his soulful solo Christian offerings.
``The club response is wonderful - honky-tonk dance halls and,'' he said, ``no, no, no, I'm not losing my religion.''
Taff's album seems to sum up his career at this point - ``Winds of Change.''
His producer, Randy Scruggs, calls it ``Mahalia Jackson meets Bill Monroe.''
Lisa Brokop: This singer-songwriter has had her share of accolades and awards - Canadian-style.
Now, the praise is coming from country fans in the United States, most of it directed at ``Every Little Girl's Dream,'' the 22-year-old singer's initial U.S.A. album.
``We'll be doing songs from that CD in Suffolk,'' Brokop said, during a phone interview from Medford, Ore. ``We might do songs from my first album, a couple of personal favorites, and some rock 'n' roll to get the crowd going.''
She will save some performance time for ``She Can't Save Him,'' her next single, due for a November release.
A recent Steve Wariner release, ``At the End of the Day,'' was written by Brokop. He follows her onstage at Peanut Fest. Is a duet likely? Wariner, who holds Brokop in high regard, did not dismiss that possibility.
``I like songs that have some meaning, not too cotton candy-ish,'' she said - ``something people can relate to, something that will make 'em laugh or cry.''
Brokop prefers making them cry.
``I love to sing ballads,'' she said. ``I like to do a lot of up-tempo, but ballads are my favorite.''
In addition to Brokop onstage, there is Brokop on film. Check your video store for a copy of ``Harmony Cats,'' in which she stars.
``I'd like to do more movies in a few years,'' she said, ``but right now, I'm concentrating on my next album.''
Steve Wariner: This singer, songwriter, guitarist and artist has been on the scene for 15 years, long enough to become an institution.
The 40-year-old performer is preparing for an international music festival in Shanghai.
Folks there, as here, will enjoy such Wariner hits as ``All Roads Lead to You'' and ``Tips of My Fingers.'' They may even hear his theme from ``Who's the Boss,'' Tony Danza's situation comedy.
``I have no idea why I was asked to go to Shanghai,'' he said, during an interview from his Nashville home. ``My dad was on a destroyer - stationed there at the end of the war.''
Before he goes east, there is Peanut Fest and a performance that will feature some unusual twists: Singing, of course - but also plenty of picking by the award-winning guitarist.
``I do a bunch of instrumentals. My show is based around the guitar. And, I have a killer band,'' said Wariner, who boasts 28 top-10 hits including 12 No. 1's.
He also boasts a Mr. Nice Guy reputation which will soon receive some tongue-in-cheek treatment, via a soon-to-be-released CD, ``No More Mr. Nice Guy.''
When not performing and/or being nice, Wariner enjoys painting. A recent endeavor was a CD album cover.
``My fan club sells a few lithographs,'' he said. ``They're overpriced, but the response has been tremendous.''
John Hartford: ``Gentle On My Mind'' is the first thing that comes to mind when you mention John Hartford.
He wrote it, Glen Campbell recorded it and both careers got a big boost.
For the most part Hartford writes for Hartford, Americana songs that have helped draw audiences for several decades.
He is easily recognizable by his trademark bowler hat.
``Someone gave it to a friend,'' Hartford said, during a phone interview from his Nashville home. ``My friend told me to wear it. He said it looked more like me.''
He is like no other - a style all his own as he sings folksy songs, plays banjo and other string instruments, and dances on a little board.
``The dancing started by accident, a joke that developed into something,'' said Hartford, who is still not sure what he developed into.
``It's better to be able to do it and not know what to call it, than the other way around,'' he said, offering a Mark Twain-ism.
Like that author, Hartford is a riverboat enthusiast - sometimes getting behind the wheel and piloting it down a waterway.
Otherwise, he tours and records.
``I have 25 or 30 albums. I don't know how many I've made,'' he said. ``My staying power is attributed to orneriness and ignorance.''
Speaking of staying power brings us back to ``Gentle On My Mind.''
Hartford, who said he had no idea it was going to be a big hit, described the inspiration behind the song: ``I'd been to see ``Dr. Zhivago'' and fell in love with Julie Christie. I came home after the movie and wrote it.
``It's not about the movie,'' Hartford said. ``It's a lot of images out of my past life.''
What does he do in this life beside music and helming riverboats?
``I sleep, eat, drink, hold hands with my wife and,'' Hartford said, ``try not to watch the O.J. Simpson trial.'' MEMO: [For a related story and a schedule of activities, see page 13 of The
Sun for this date.]
ILLUSTRATION: [Cover]
FEST MUSIC MAKERS
[Color Photos]
John Hartford
Lisa Brokop
Russ Taff
Steve Wariner
Russ Taff
Lisa Brokop
Steve Wariner
John Hartford
GETTING TO THE PARTY
STAFF Map
AT A GLANCE
What: Russ Taff, Lisa Brokop and Steve Wariner at Peanut Fest.
When: Taff at 1 p.m., Brokop at 2:30 p.m., Wariner at 4:30 p.m.
Where: ``Bud'' Fest Stage.
What: John Hartman at Peanut Fest.
When: 4 p.m. following the Pizza Hut Invitational Bluegrass
Showdown.
Where: Peanut Stage.
Details: All concerts are free to Peanut Fest visitors. For more
information, call 539-6751.
Staff photos by MICHAEL KESTNER
The Nansemond River High School Band won first place in the
competition for bands in the Peanut Fest parade on Saturday.
Kelly Bailey holds her cousin Coty Groves as they enjoy watching Mr.
Peanut pass by on his float.
by CNB