Meet Singer/Songwriter Dennis Warner

Dennis Warner, a folk/Americana musician who will be playing at the Ives at 7:30 p.m. on August 5, 2017, keeps a busy schedule. Happily, he enjoys traveling and performing the 100 to 125 shows he has each year. Recently we caught up with Dennis while he was on his way to Washington State and asked him a few questions.

How It All Began

Apparently, Dennis has been singing since before he can remember. One grade school teacher labeled him the “veritable warbler” for how often he hummed or sang in school. Dennis credits his father, who also sang and performed, for getting him started.

At age 14, Dennis borrowed his dad’s guitar and learned how to play over the summer. Not too long after that he started performing for others. The picture to the left shows a young Dennis in 1987 with Lee Hanley, coordinator of the Swayed Pines Folk Festival in Collegeville, Minnesota.

Americana Music

Dennis bills himself as a folk/Americana musician, and this show is titled “Acoustic Americana from the Heartland.” So just what is Americana music? According to the Americana Music Association, Americana is “contemporary music that incorporates elements of various American roots music styles, including country, roots-rock, folk, bluegrass, R&B and blues.” Some well-known Americana singers/groups include such diverse musicians as Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, The Punch Brothers (with A Prairie Home Companion’s Chris Thile), Lyle Lovett, and Mumford & Sons.

For his own music, Dennis has drawn inspiration from musical storytellers like John Denver, James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Janis Ian. He also likes to look for the upsides in life, so tends to prefer songs that are upbeat or humorous, like the song he heard his dad singing from the time he was a little boy—I’m My Own Grandpa.

Personal Philosophy

As a singer/songwriter Dennis believes in the positive power of music. He wants audience members to leave his shows happy that they came. He knows they are giving up their time and a little money to see him and he hopes to make it worth their investment.

For his part, Dennis puts a lot of energy into finding and creating songs that will resonate with his audiences. He also enjoys the recording process where he can determine instrumentation and fine tune other musical outputs to make the best end product.

The Ds

While Dennis performs quite a few shows on his own, he has also been performing with the Ds since the late 1990s. The three Ds, Derrick, Dan and DK, bring an extra depth to the performance with added percussion, guitar, and vocal color. They are also independent professional musicians who play with other groups so Dennis feels lucky to have them for the show on August 5.

Enthusiastic about the upcoming show, Dennis says the Ives Auditorium is a “beautiful facility” and he’s looking forward to making new fans of all ages in Bloomington. He is also working on a new album that will come out soon after the show, so everyone who comes to the show will get to hear some new songs.

Help welcome Dennis Warner & the Ds to Ives Auditorium on August 5, 2017. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are available at http://bit.ly/2n4Eo6U.