Who are the hardest working folks at Summerfest? Someone in the ticket booth or one of those folks slinging beer for 12 hours a day, or maybe a soundman at a stage, you say? You’re right, they’re all kickin’ it hard for 11 days.
But don’t forget 19-year-old singer and songwriter Nora Collins, who calls Brookfield home. Collins, twice awarded Wisconsin Area Music Industry’s "Rising Star" distinction, has – count ‘em – 10 performance slots at the Big Gig this year.
When she took the Uline Warehouse Stage on the far north end of the grounds Tuesday at 3 p.m., she’d already played six gigs down at Summerfest already this year. So, her chops were about as practiced as they’re going to get, which is to say pretty darn good.
But, that kind of furious musical activity isn’t unusual for Collins, who is in her third straight year of more than 200 appearances. Later this summer, Collins will open for country music’s Josh Turner at the Washington County Fair.
At Tuesday’s performance, in front of a couple hundred, Collins knack for melody and subtle twang recalled Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert, with twinges of Jewel and Australia's Kasey Chambers.
Collins released her third CD, "Only the Beginning," as Summerfest opened, so she has a load of new material at hand to feature. The stripped down disc, which features only vocals, guitar and fiddle, follows her successful disc, "Run Away With Me." (The video for "Dimpled Filled With Lies," from that record, is still airing nationally on ZUUS County, formerly The Country Network).
The record includes a quartet of covers, including "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" and Kris Kristofferson's "Help Me Make It Through The Night," along with six original tunes, including the title track, penned with Willy Porter (who is also on the Summerfest bill on Tuesday, headlining the nearby Johnson Controls World Sound Stage at 9:30 p.m.)
Opening with a pair or dark covers – Pistol Annies' "I Feel A Sin Coming On" and Miranda Lambert's "Mama's Broken Heart" – Collins staked out a position of sass that was a counterpoint to her sweet as pie between-song banter and the original songs she performed from her three CDs.
In honor of the Eagles' upcoming Summerfest appearance, Collins learned and played a cover of "Take It Easy."
If you missed Collins on the Uline today, don’t worry, you can still see and hear at Summerfest at the Tiki Hut, along Lake Michigan behind Johnson Controls World Sound Stage today at 6 p.m. and Wednesday, July 3 at 3 and 6 p.m.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
