Adam Michael Rothberg (photo Kevin Sprague)
(GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass.) – Berkshire native Adam Michael Rothberg celebrates the release of his third studio album, “Soul of a Man,” at the Guthrie Center on Saturday, August 8, 2015, at 8pm. The new album features a mix of Rothberg’s signature folk-rock, which blends the eclectic pop melodicism of the Beatles, the intimate confessionalism of James Taylor, and the bluesy rootsiness of Blind Willie Johnson, who penned the title track.
“Soul of a Man” is a collection of 10 carefully crafted songs. Rothberg touches on a wide range of universal themes from love and death, to failed dreams and an appreciation for life at home and away, all with vision and a fresh voice.
This studio project is the culmination of his unanticipated, sometimes harrowing journey being treated for and recovering from a rare and potentially life-threatening cancer diagnosed in 2013. And that is what makes this beautifully lyrical and melodic album possibly his most personally significant work. Over a two-year period, his main focus was dealing with treatment and related fallout. “It was all-too easy to feel like a victim during this experience,” he said, but today Rothberg feels like a survivor. He is back on his feet, and delighted to be back in the studio and on stage.
Rothberg, who now lives in Cambridge, Mass., has performed and shared stages with artists including Joan Baez, Cowboy Junkies, Duncan Sheik, Bill Morrissey, Cliff Eberhart, Victoria Williams and Mark Olson, Sloan Wainwright, Meg Hutchinson, and Amy Speace, among others. He produced Dar William’s seminal album “The Honesty Room” and produced, engineered, sang and played acoustic and electric guitars, bass, and keyboards, and arranged strings for the comeback CD “Gypsy Girl” by Kat Goldman. In addition, he performed on 2015 indie releases from award-winning songwriter Rj Cowdery (Something Fine) and Bethel Steele (Shadows and Light).
He creates custom music for film and video and is working on a collection of instrumental music for alternative health practitioners. Rothberg also is well-known for his work in children’s music, particularly his recordings and performances with New England artist Vanessa Trien and the Jumping Monkeys.