NEW YORK (Octone Records) - Singer/songwriter and Octone recording artist Michael Tolcher has set off on a tour this month in support of his debut release,
I Am. The tour began July 15 in Raleigh, North Carolina and continues through such markets as Nashville, St. Louis, Detroit, San Antonio, Tulsa, New York City, Chicago, Milwaukee and many others.
A gifted artist in every sense of the word, Michael Tolcher deftly blends unfailing melodic and organic pop sensibilities with a deep understanding of soul, R&B and urban grooves drawn from his Southern upbringing. His debut album, I Am, is an inspired collection of songs and melodies that muse on life, love and social consciousness. Tolcher has the potential to transcend generations of tastemakers, and I Am has so many hooks that it just might do that.
Hailing from Lovejoy, Georgia, one of Tolcher's early aspirations was to be an Olympic athlete. He was well on his way as a miler, running track at Georgia Tech, until an injury sidelined his career and caused him to refocus on what he wanted out of life. He began his musical education while singing in the church choir as a child and was always playing more than a little guitar here and there. Honing his chops everywhere from the Atlanta Summer Olympics to the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary, where his father was the resident chaplain, Tolcher broadcast his new musical gospel via a state-issued guitar and enlightened the local prison community on a weekly basis. He was convinced to pursue a formal musical career and embarked on a string of cross-country gigs in clubs, bars and coffee houses in search of more fans.
In the fall of 2003, having finally completed his journey in New York City, Tolcher set out to produce his debut album with pop crossover producers, Pop Rox. Recorded by Chris Shaw (Bob Dylan, Weezer, Dashboard Confessional) and mixed by Tim Palmer (U2, Pearl Jam, The Cure) and Mark Endert (Fiona Apple, Madonna), I Am boasts an impressive arsenal of ideas, melodies and messagesofrom the groove, beat-laden hooks of "Mission Responsible" and "No One Above" to the pop elegance of "Sooner Or Later" to the lyrical sophistication of "The Sun Song" and "Bad Habits."
After the release of I Am, Tolcher set off once again to strengthen his fan base and has shared the stage with the likes of Michelle Branch, Gavin DeGraw, Virginia Coalition, Pat McGee Band, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Sister Hazel, Everclear, Tonic, George Clinton & P-Funk, The North Mississippi All Stars, and Cowboy Mouth.
Tour Dates: (* indicates tour dates supporting Hanson)
7/15 Raleigh, NC @ Lincoln Theater
7/17 Nashville, TN @ Riverfront Park
7/22 Beaver, PA @ Thursday's
7/23 Morgantown, WV @ 123 Pleasant St.
7/24 Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart's *
7/25 St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant *
7/27 Nashville, TN @ The Ryman Auditorium *
7/28 Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room *
7/30 Detroit, MI @ State Theatre *
7/31 Cleveland, OH @ Tower City Amphitheater
7/31 Chicago, IL @ Navy Pier Skyline Stage *
8/2 Minneapolis, MN @ The Quest *
8/4 Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave *
8/5 Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theatre *
8/6 Boulder, CO @ R&R AAA Summit w/Jason Mraz
8/7 Tulsa, OK @ Cain's Ballroom *
8/8 Tulsa, OK @ Cain's Ballroom *
8/11 Kalamazoo, MI @ State Theatre *
8/12 Chicago, IL @ House of Blues *
8/13 St. Louis, MO @ River Splash
8/14 Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall *
8/15 Toledo, OH @ Centennial Terrace *
8/17 Wallingford, CT @ Oakdale Theatre *
8/19 Toronto, ON @ The Docks Night Club *
8/20 Ottawa, ON @ Civic Centre Theatre *
8/22 New York, NY @ Delacorte Theatre (Central Park)
8/24 Scranton, PA @ Scranton Cultural Center *
8/25 Pittsburgh, PA @ The Rock Nightclub *
8/27 Louisville, KY @ Kentucky State Fair *
8/29 Houston, TX @ TBA
8/30 San Antonio, TX @ Sunset Station *
8/31 Grand Prairie, TX @ Nokia Live *
9/2 Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues *
9/4 Clearwater, FL @ Ruth Eckerd Hall *
9/5 Pompano Beach, FL @ Pompano Beach Amphitheatre *
9/9 Milwaukee, WI w/Gavin DeGraw
9/10 East Lansing, MI w/Gavin DeGraw
9/11 Lewisburg, PA w/Gaving DeGraw
9/12 Towson, MD w/Gavin DeGraw
