Morr balance, better music
COLEBROOK
Kenn Morr has crafted his life as carefully as he crafts his music.
The singer/songwriter, who has just released his 10th CD, “Along the Way,” has deftly balanced a career in music while holding tight to that most precious of commodities — his family life.
Morr reveals that in college, when he began his career as a musician, his goal was to become “bigger and bigger.” But marriage and fatherhood changed his perspective.
“Being dad comes first,” he said while sitting at his dining room table and awaiting the return of his younger son, James, at the end of the school day. “That’s why we tour largely in the Northeast — most nights we come home. If I (traveled further), I would miss these years.”
Morr’s studio is in his Colebrook home, a residence he and his wife decided upon in anticipation of the arrival of their first son, Nolan, now 16.
“It’s worked well to be able to work within a stone’s throw of my sons,” he said.
The fact he has limited the current scope of his career — despite his love for making music — says volumes about his dedication to his family.
“My musical career started after I stopped playing baseball after high school,” he said. “I found myself asking, what do I do now? I was in college, doing the responsible thing, but a voice kept saying that I always wanted to be a songwriter. Then I got a guitar for Christmas and it was life-altering.”
Like many artists, he had “a day job to fund my habit,” but he had found his true calling.
Now, at that vulnerable point when his children are teens, Morr’s latest album deals with “the feeling of time passing.”
“One reviewer said the album has a ‘bittersweet’ feel,” Morr said. “It’s about love, loss, life’s theme — my deepest and darkest thoughts put to happy music.”
Though the CD, released in the U.S. on Sept. 15, already has gained strong reviews in Belgium, the United Kingdom and Germany, he said bad reviews would not have discouraged him.
“I feel there is little anyone can say that would hurt me,” he said. “I just get more and more comfortable with our band’s style, and this last CD was so comfortable to make. All the songs came to me within a year’s span and so effortlessly. If people don’t like it, they just don’t get it.”
His band is composed of Tom Hagmasi, Patrick Ryan and Bob Gaspar, who play a variety of instruments and provide vocal harmony, while Morr, with his slightly smoky baritone, is lead vocalist.
The songs, which include titles such as “Out of the Fast Lane,” “Footprints to the Sea” and “Along the Way,” all were recorded with the musicians playing together in one room, rather than contributing tracks from different studios, which is often the norm these days.
“There is no replacing that energy in a room,” Morr said. “The whole time I listened to the CD, I was smiling.”
To learn more or to order the CD, visit kennmorr.com.
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NORFOLK — Norfolk Library will celebrate another pair of singer/songwriters on Oct. 29 at 5 p.m. when it presents Moors and McCumber in concert.
James Moors and Kort Mc-Cumber call on their diverse musical influences to craft songs that walk the line between folk and melodic pop.
The songwriters met in 2005 and immediately discovered in each other’s music something that fit. The two have performed and written together ever since.
Born and raised in Minneapolis, Moors draws inspiration from troubadours such as Ron Sexsmith and Eliza Gilkyson. A recipient of the prestigious McKnight Foundation Emerging Artist Grant, his songwriting has been recognized three times by the Big Top Chautauqua competition.
Multi-instrumentalist Mc-Cumber of Colorado plays guitar, banjo, mandolin, harmonica and piano in his own amalgamation of rock, blues and country-bluegrass.
He won the 2008 Flat Rock Festival Songwriting Competition in North Carolina and was a finalist in the International Songwriting Competition.
The concert is free. To reserve a seat, visit norfolklibrary. org.
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BARKHAMSTED — The Barkhamsted PTO is selling apparel with a “Barkhamsted” logo. An online store has been set up for shoppers at shop.myshirtbuzz.com/barkh amsted. Orders will be taken through Wednesday with delivery in mid-November.
Purchases will be sent home with students, or Vicki Preato will notify those from outside the school population and the purchasers can pick them up at the school.
NEW HARTFORD — The New Hartford Women’s Club’s Halloween Bash will be held on Oct. 28 from 8 p.m. to midnight at Berkshire Hall in Brodie Park.
Participants should don their best costumes and dance to music by Jolt Entertainment. Refreshments will be served at the adults-only costume party, but the event is BYOB. Tickets are $20.
For information, call 860402-8471.
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NEW HARTFORD — Beekley Community Library’s Historical Lecture Series continues on Saturday at 1 p.m. when Hamish Lutris, an associate professor of history at Housatonic Community College, discusses “The War that Went on Forever.”
Lutris will look at World War I tactics, weapons, battles and consequences.
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COLEBROOK — Veteran CBS News producer Tom Anderson will present “What Makes 60 Minutes Tick” tonight at 7 at the Colebrook Historical Society.
Anderson worked on the show for 20 years before retiring last year. During his long career, he produced stories with Mike Wallace, Dan Rather, Bob Simon and Scott Pelley, among others. His investigation of former Sen. Bob Kerrey’s war crimes in Vietnam won a Peabody Award. Anderson also covered the presidential campaigns of Bill Clinton, John McCain and Barack Obama.
He will share some of his favorite experiences, and provide insights on both the politics and personalities of the news show, which began its 50th season this fall.
The gathering will be held at the historic Seymour Inn at the intersection of routes 183 and 182A in the center of town. All are welcome.
For information, contact Carol Lord at carol. 9508@yahoo.com.
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WINSTED — Beardsley Library will hold a free “After School Halloween Party” on Oct. 27 from 4 to 5 p.m. for children ages 11 to 15 at 40 Munro Place. There will be a door prize for the best costume, and participants will enjoy crafts, games and food.
The library serves Winsted, Colebrook and Barkhamsted.
Noteworthy in North County is a weekly column covering events in the towns of Norfolk, Colebrook, Barkhamsted and New Hartford. Readers are welcome to submit information to Kathryn Boughton at k.bougton@ sbcglobal.net. Please note there is no ‘h’ in the address.
Singer/songwriter Kenn Morr of Colebrook has released his 10th CD, ‘Along the Way.’
PHOTOS BY KATHRYN BOUGHTON REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
Charlotte Ramsay, 3, of Norfolk, mixed two October traditions — Halloween and the annual Riverton Fair — when she attended the fair on Oct. 13. Here she enjoys watching the ox pull competition with her mother, Eliza Little, and father, Bevan Ramsay.
KATHRYN BOUGHTON
