244:. Her big break came when Edwards asked her to audition for a spot in his band as a bass player. Wheeler didn't play bass, but she bought one and auditioned nonetheless. “To my complete astonishment, I got the gig," Wheeler recalled. "But I knew I didn't get it for my bass playing. So I thought I must've got it for my singing. So that was a real shot in the arm because I hadn't thought about it before, but I thought I might actually be a good singer if Jonathan Edwards is hiring me."
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wrote: “Over decades, she’s built a cult following through Boston radio and the New
England folk circuit for her uncanny ability, not unlike Tom Rush, to have her audience laughing during one song and silently tearing up with the next.” “If Wheeler never picked up an instrument, she could have easily
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beautiful, rich songs.” Another commented on her “free-wheeling live concerts” and called
Wheeler a “thoughtful, amusing musician and storyteller (and irrepressible social critic)…. er patter is a delicious, folk-flavored blend of Phyllis Diller and Mort Sahl, sometimes puckish, sometimes barbed.”
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Wheeler has toured extensively throughout her career, and her live concerts include both comedic and serious commentary in addition to the songs themselves. As one reviewer wrote, she “masterfully blends blisteringly on-target observational humor, simple storytelling, gorgeous guitar work, and
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Not long after leaving college, Wheeler was hired at a steakhouse as a waitress. “Within a week, the owners and me, we realized we made a terrible mistake,” she said. “I could never be a waitress. But they needed , and I thought maybe I could do that, and they were relieved to get me out of
351:, and D.C. Anderson. Wheeler has said she doesn't purposefully write for other people, but she appreciates when others cover her songs. “ great. I make money if they do well,” she said. “But more than that, it's wonderful to have a singer you respect singing your song."
200:, Wheeler began playing ukulele and guitar in middle school and writing songs in high school, making up melodies to go with the poems in “The Golden Book of Poetry,” a children's book. Wheeler completed two years of community college and then transferred to
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become a comedian,” said another reviewer. “Fortunately for us, she does both. Because, after the jokes, stories and self-deprecating comments have people rolling in the aisles, she starts singing and her voice is spellbinding.”
362:. Wheeler released the recording into the public domain to exempt radio stations from paying royalties (it was being played every hour near the high school), and Rounder Records ran a promotional campaign to donate money to the
385:
About half of the songs
Wheeler performs in concert are not available on any of her albums. Many never get recorded and eventually fade from her set list. Although she mostly tours alone, she has also toured with
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in South
Carolina. She quit in early 1972. “I didn’t quit thinking: Do I embark on a folk music career?” she said. “I quit because I was in 15th grade, and enough was enough already.”
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Heralded as a “folk luminary,” an “unassuming folk star,” and a “folk diva,” Wheeler is known for her well-crafted songs, stellar vocals, and witty on-stage patter.
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390:(who produced a number of her albums). White generally opens for her and then plays and sings harmony during Wheeler's set. Wheeler has also toured with the
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297:, which contains songs that never made it onto a commercial recording. Distribution of the album is free, but restricted to members of her e-mail list.
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417:. The two performances were recorded at the soundboard and although never released officially, have been favorites among fans of the three artists.
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in 1987 – were produced by North Star
Records in Providence. The song “Addicted,” from the self-titled album, was recorded by country singer
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In
October 2022, her management announced that her forthcoming concerts were cancelled due to hospitalization for mental health challenges.
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in 1988, the year before Colvin released her debut album. The three performed on two consecutive nights, to critical acclaim, at
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recorded
Wheeler's song “Aces” from this album, and it reached #9 on the country charts in 1992. Wheeler's next four albums –
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180:. She has recorded thirteen folk albums to date and has toured extensively throughout the United States since the mid-1970s.
429:. She and her wife, Cathleen, live in Swansea, Massachusetts. They were married in 2004, ten days after Massachusetts made
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358:), with the closing line "If it were up to me, I'd take away the guns" got nationwide attention shortly after the
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1047:"Cheryl Wheeler [canceled] at the me&thee coffeehouse 7 October 2022 | Kenny White Special Guest"
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290:(2005) – were produced by the folk-oriented Philo-Rounder Records in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
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1084:"Singer-songwriter Cheryl Wheeler talks about returning to performing after being in rehab"
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228:, and began playing at folk clubs throughout New England, opening for artists such as
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394:-inspired tour "On a Winter's Night" and occasionally as part of Lavin's consortium
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Following the success of her first two full-length albums, Wheeler was signed to
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Wheeler's songs have been covered by a number of other artists in addition to
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Cheryl
Wheeler performing live at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in July 2006.
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waitressing." Around the same time, Wheeler began performing at clubs in the
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and became a No. 1 hit for him in 1988 on
Billboard's Top 40 Country chart.
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908:
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761:"Folk Singer Cheryl Wheeler Brings Her Saucy Stage Persona To Iron Horse"
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In 2014, Wheeler was inducted into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame.
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Wheeler participated in a concert with fellow folk singer-songwriters
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Her song "If It Were Up to Me" (which was written shortly after the
799:"Cheryl Wheeler talks songwriting, humor, before Northampton shows"
293:
In 2003, Wheeler approved the production of a double disc album,
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In 1983, Wheeler released her first album, a four-song EP called
1106:
624:"Cheryl Wheeler follows her bemused muse wherever it takes her"
308:(2012) – were released by her own record label, Dias Records.
728:"Cheryl Wheeler: Comic, storyteller, poet, singer-songwriter"
505:
Greetings: Cheryl
Wheeler Live (feat. Kenny White) (2012)
1019:"Think, laugh and cry: An interview with Cheryl Wheeler"
874:"Several Singers Have Scored with Cheryl Wheeler Songs"
658:"Cheryl Wheeler Launches Record Company, New Record"
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844:Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame Historical Archive
447:Most of the following albums are still in print:
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1065:"Cheryl Wheeler with Kenny White - 10/15/23"
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176:-based singer-songwriter of contemporary
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790:
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872:Whitlock, Jennifer (January 19, 1996).
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1172:21st-century American women guitarists
1147:20th-century American women guitarists
726:Nostrand, George V. (March 24, 2016).
850:from the original on October 25, 2013
773:from the original on December 8, 2020
7:
439:She returned to performing in 2023.
356:1998 Westside Middle School shooting
1187:American country singer-songwriters
1177:21st-century American women singers
1152:20th-century American women singers
688:"Cheryl Wheeler - Hero, worshipped"
300:Wheeler's two most-recent albums –
16:American folk singer and songwriter
1222:People from Swansea, Massachusetts
797:Lenker, George (January 1, 2019).
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1182:21st-century American LGBT people
1157:20th-century American LGBT people
1082:Schaffer, Noah (April 23, 2024).
759:McNally, Owen (January 9, 2017).
622:Daley, Lauren (January 2, 2018).
556:Live at the World Café - Volume 9
366:each time the song was played on
19:For the American stuntwoman, see
1227:Singer-songwriters from Maryland
1162:21st-century American guitarists
1137:20th-century American guitarists
1069:Peterborough Folk Music Society
1217:People from Timonium, Maryland
1202:American women country singers
559:(1999) – "If It Were Up to Me"
360:Columbine High School massacre
1:
838:Bellaire, Rick (April 2015).
1112:Cheryl Wheeler guitar chords
961:"Performance Configurations"
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1197:American lesbian musicians
999:. June 8, 1999. p. 22
224:In 1976, Wheeler moved to
172:(born July 10, 1951) is a
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1212:LGBT people from Maryland
686:Hill, Whit (April 2007).
37:
991:"Wheeler's angry anthem"
226:Providence, Rhode Island
1192:American folk musicians
368:Adult Album Alternative
50:Background information
931:"If It Were Up to Me"
481:Mrs. Pinocci's Guitar
407:Mary Chapin Carpenter
333:Peter, Paul, and Mary
280:Mrs. Pinocci's Guitar
901:"No Previous Record"
588:on February 28, 2014
415:Alexandria, Virginia
21:Cheryl Wheeler-Dixon
1051:Me & Thee Music
941:on October 20, 2010
911:on October 12, 2006
700:on December 7, 2020
549:Other contributions
499:Pointing at the Sun
396:Four Bitchin' Babes
306:Cheryl Wheeler Live
302:Pointing at the Sun
196:Born and raised in
1053:. October 7, 2022.
1027:. October 25, 2013
693:Ann Arbor Observer
542:No Previous Record
530:Compilation albums
523:Live and Otherwise
469:Circles and Arrows
425:Wheeler is openly
295:No Previous Record
268:Circles and Arrows
198:Timonium, Maryland
77:Timonium, Maryland
1207:Fast Folk artists
1024:The Georgia Voice
965:Cherylwheeler.com
935:Cherylwheeler.com
905:Cherylwheeler.com
582:Cherylwheeler.com
431:same-sex marriage
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108:Singer-songwriter
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1107:Official website
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1089:The Boston Globe
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967:. Archived from
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937:. Archived from
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907:. Archived from
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879:The Morning Call
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840:"Cheryl Wheeler"
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584:. Archived from
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536:Different Stripe
370:radio stations.
242:Gordon Lightfoot
238:Jesse Winchester
230:Jonathan Edwards
210:Washington, D.C.
185:The Boston Globe
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493:Defying Gravity
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392:Christine Lavin
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319:. They include
288:Defying Gravity
264:Capitol Records
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79:, United States
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578:"Discography"
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67:(age 73)
65:July 10, 1951
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1031:November 28,
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1001:. Retrieved
996:The Advocate
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969:the original
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943:. Retrieved
939:the original
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925:
913:. Retrieved
909:the original
904:
895:
885:November 28,
883:. Retrieved
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854:November 28,
852:. Retrieved
843:
810:November 28,
808:. Retrieved
802:
777:November 28,
775:. Retrieved
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739:November 28,
737:. Retrieved
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704:November 28,
702:. Retrieved
698:the original
691:
668:November 28,
666:. Retrieved
661:
635:November 28,
633:. Retrieved
629:Boston Globe
627:
590:. Retrieved
586:the original
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572:
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522:
516:
504:
498:
492:
487:Sylvia Hotel
486:
480:
475:Driving Home
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403:Shawn Colvin
400:
384:
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377:Performances
372:
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337:Bette Midler
329:Garth Brooks
321:Kathy Mattea
317:Suzy Bogguss
310:
305:
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299:
294:
292:
287:
286:(1999), and
284:Sylvia Hotel
283:
279:
276:Driving Home
275:
272:Suzy Bogguss
267:
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248:
246:
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169:
168:
135:1976–present
131:Years active
25:
1127:1951 births
1003:January 25,
662:Dirty Linen
463:Half a Book
443:Discography
388:Kenny White
304:(2009) and
253:Half a Book
113:Instruments
1121:Categories
915:October 3,
564:References
349:Holly Near
192:Early life
178:folk music
105:Occupation
61:1951-07-10
945:April 15,
313:Dan Seals
270:in 1990.
257:Dan Seals
214:Baltimore
848:Archived
804:MassLive
771:Archived
282:(1995),
278:(1993),
234:Tom Rush
975:July 3,
592:July 2,
433:legal.
427:lesbian
345:Melanie
153:Rounder
147:Capitol
96:country
544:(2003)
538:(2000)
525:(1987)
519:(1983)
501:(2009)
495:(2005)
489:(1999)
483:(1995)
477:(1993)
471:(1990)
465:(1987)
459:(1985)
325:Sylvia
240:, and
220:Career
216:area.
212:, and
151:Philo/
140:Labels
122:guitar
119:Vocals
84:Genres
73:Origin
1033:2020
1005:2022
977:2009
947:2020
917:2006
887:2020
856:2020
812:2020
779:2020
741:2020
706:2020
670:2020
637:2020
594:2014
405:and
315:and
157:Dias
91:Folk
55:Born
511:EPs
413:in
1123::
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59:(
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
