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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Downtown 'behavior issue' discussion continued ... Oregon Action plans protest in Ashland of Malheur occupation ... Old McNeal Pavilion coming down to make way for new facility ... Downtown 'behavior issue' discussion continued ... Oregon Action plans protest in Ashland of Malheur occupation ... Old McNeal Pavilion coming down to make way for new facility ... MUSIC Keith Greeninger plays the Unitarian Fellowship Comment By Laurie Heuston Revels DailyTidings.com By Laurie Heuston Revels Posted Jan. 21, 2016 at 12:01 AM By Laurie Heuston Revels Posted Jan. 21, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News Singer and songwriter Keith Greeninger can be called a honeydripper — a man adept at saying sweet things. Few can write lyrics about the invariable nature of life with such pure, simple and romantic style. There's also something to say about Greeninger's gratitude for the ability to mix his music with that of so many other musicians and close friends. "When you get together with musicians and friends, there's a sound you can only make when you're with those people," he says during a telephone interview. "It's really wonderful to get back together with people you've worked with. You can reconnect with those familiar harmonies. Everyone brings their own personality to the music." Greeninger will present one of his solo shows at 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 23, at the Rogue Valley Unitarian Fellowship, 87 Fourth St., Ashland. Tickets are $18 in advance and can be purchased online at stclairevents.com , at Music Coop, 268 E. Main St., or by calling 541-535-3562. Tickets will be $20 at the door, $10 for ages 12 through 17, and free for ages 11 and younger. "I feel lucky," Greeninger says. "As much as I like playing with bands and other musicians, I often get out and do solo shows where I can focus on the songs and the stories. When you play solo, you think about the particular message you want to get across to the audience, and that part is enjoyable, too." Some local friends might join Greeninger at the show. Ashland folk musician Alice DiMicele and trombone and guitar player Mike Stevens are good friends of his. A professional singer and songwriter for 30 years, Greeninger has seven albums to his credit. The newest, "Soul Connection" on his independent Wind River Music label, was released in the latter half of 2014, produced by Tim Prince and recorded in Greeninger's studio in the Santa Cruz mountains on California's north-central coast. "Tim and I have made records together for the past 15 years," he says. "I've produced music at the studio for other artists in the Santa Cruz area in the studio, and some Oregon artists." Blues and roots artist David Jacobs-Strain has recorded there, and Jacobs-Strain and Greeninger have plans to tour California and Oregon together this spring. "We're good friends and have toured together off and on around the country," Greeninger says. "It's always nice to play with him." "Soul Connection" was recorded live at the studio with keyboard player Bill Payne of Little Feat, session bassist Hutch Hutchinson, rock, blues and jazz drummer Ricky Fataar, and Grammy Award-winning electric and slide guitarist Randy Mitchell. Mitchell also made an appearance on Greeninger's 2006 "Glorious Peasant." "Soul Connection" also features performances from longtime collaborators Dayan Kai, Jim Norris, John R. Burr, Barry Phillips, Jill Knight and Tammi Brown. "What a treat it was to get to play with those guys," Greeninger says. "In fact, we played at The Rogue Theatre right after the record came out. That was a smokin' band, and we had a great time making the record. I pick musicians because I like the way they play. When I invite them into one of my projects, I like to let them influence the music." Greeninger's daughter joined him on the vocals for the album's track "Face of Love." "Her youthful, innocent harmony lent itself to the song. My vocals tend to be strong, and I was driving the song too hard. It needed a softer touch, and my daughter's voice took the song to the place I was hoping to get it. She taught me a lot, let's put it that way. She taught me to lighten up," he laughs. "Be My Baby" and "Surprise" are standouts on the album. "'Be My Baby' was kind of a departure for me," Greeninger says. "It was a new type of song for me to write. When I was working on it, I wasn't sure I could pull it off. Everybody wants to be Al Green or Marvin Gaye for a day. But in the process, half the battle is allowing yourself to surrender to a song, and sometimes the vocals will steer it. If it feels right, then you try to make it your own. The more you start to believe in the song, the sooner it becomes your own." Greeninger is working on a new record and finishing some material that he'll perform at the Ashland show. He plans to start recording it this spring and use an approach similar to the one for "Soul Connection." "I'll get a couple of great musicians together and try to capture as much of that live spontaneity as we can," he says. "That's what makes being a songwriter so fun. You get to keep writing into the process. Each time you play with different musicians, you get a different sound. I'll build my set list around whoever I'm playing with." By Laurie Heuston Revels DailyTidings.com By Laurie Heuston Revels Posted Jan. 21, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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