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Birds of Chicago to Make Two Door County Appearances

Birds of Chicago will make two stops in Door County in June – on June 21, 6:45 pm, at the Trueblood Performing Arts Center on Washington Island; and June 22, 8 pm, at The Lodge at Leathem Smith in Sturgeon Bay.

Birds of Chicago is a collective band based around singer/songwriters JT Nero and Allison Russell. Nero (also of JT and the Clouds) is a strange and distinct songwriter – he lists Mark Twain and Sam Cooke among his biggest influences. With the Clouds he’s a rock n’ roll preacher – with Birds of Chicago he digs deeper into darker, often fantastical nuances of his work.

There’s not much Russell (also of Po’ Girl) can’t sing. She’s got a bit of the speakeasy chanteuse in her, a bit of old R&B, but with a delicacy and clarity of phrasing that Ma Carter or Loretta Lynn would surely approve. She plays banjo, ukulele, guitar, and clarinet.

The Nero/Russell combination first struck gold on the JT Nero solo release, Mountains/Forests (No. 2 on the American UK Critic’s List for 2011.) Realizing their chemistry, they formed Birds of Chicago as a vehicle for their shared musical vision, and have since toured virtually non-stop. The eponymous Birds of Chicago enjoyed over 10 weeks in the CMJ Top 200, peaking at #95. For more information visit birdsofchicago.com.