Ted Harrison Foundation Presents
Willie Nile & Band, Stephen Stanley & Chris Bennett
Friday, August 12, 2022 - 7:30pm

Willie Nile 

The New York Times called Buffalo, NY born Willie Nile "one of the most gifted singer-songwriters to emerge from the New York scene in years." Uncut Magazine called him “A one-man Clash.” His album Streets Of New York was hailed as “a platter for the ages” by Uncut. Rolling Stone listed The Innocent Ones as one of the “Top Ten Best Under-The-Radar Albums of 2011” and BBC Radio called it “THE rock ‘n’ roll album of the year.” His single from that album, “One Guitar,” was the “Top Pick of the Week” in USA Today.

Bono, Bruce Springsteen, Pete Townshend, Lou Reed, Lucinda Williams, Jim Jarmusch, and Little Steven are among those who have sung his praises.

His album, American Ride, won “Best Rock Album of the Year” at the Independent Music Awards. It appeared on dozens of year-end Top Ten lists for 2013 and was voted “Album Of The Year” at Twangville Magazine. Bono called it, “One of the great guides to unraveling the mystery that is the troubled beauty of America.”

In November 2014 he released a new album of piano-based songs, If I Was A River, to great critical acclaim. “One of the most brilliant singer-songwriters of the past thirty years” said The New Yorker. Uncut called him “the unofficial poet laureate of New York City.”

MOJO wrote about his 2016 album World War Willie, “Four Stars! The real thing…stomp-‘til-ready rock’n’roll…timeless fare.” It won Album of the Year Reader’s Poll from Twangville Magazine and made numerous top ten lists for album of the year.

His album Positively Bob: Willie Nile Sings Bob Dylan from 2017 was hailed as “one of the best Dylan tribute albums ever made.” Powerpop Magazine wrote: “Astoundingly great…must be heard to be believed. If this doesn’t get your blood flowing, seek medical help.” And the Associated Press said his 2018 album Children Of Paradise “Might be the best album of his career!”

Willie has toured across the U.S. with The Who and has sung with Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band. As the induction program from the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame says: “His live performances are legendary.” His 2020 album New York At Night got rave reviews, with Downbeat calling it a “sonic love letter to Gotham.”

His new studio album The Day The Earth Stood Still, which features a duet with Steve Earle on the song “Blood On Your Hands.” will be released on Aug 13, 2021.

Stephen Stanley Band 

Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist Stephen Stanley is best known from his many years as a founding member, lead guitarist and vocalist with alternative rock band The Lowest of the Low. After years of touring and sharing the stage with the likes of Billy Bragg, The Violent Femmes, The Jayhawks and Lloyd Cole, a gold record for their “genuinely timeless album” (Exclaim!) Shakespeare My Butt, Stanley now leads his own band, The Stephen Stanley Band and has logged other monumental shows with Bob Mould, Cracker and Jake Clemons. The band also played at the 2018 Static Roots Festival in Germany and then went on to tour the UK and Ireland.  Americana UK described the band's 2018 album Jimmy & The Moon and Stephen's artistry this way: “The songs are big and bold, unafraid, unashamed to flaunt their heritage… Stanley’s voice being not a thing of beauty but a workman’s tool skillfully used to create just the right effect...” The band is currently finishing up the follow-up record to Jimmy & the Moon, slated for release in fall 2022. Stanley is joined by legendary Toronto guitarist Chris Bennett, who's work can be heard on his 2020 solo album Disenchanted World.