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Jeff Tweedy in Ann Arbor

November 11, 2023

I got to see my favorite songwriter, musician, and bandleader in-person last night.

Jeff Tweedy—of Uncle Tupelo and Wilco fame—has a new book out, called World Within a Song. He’s out on his book tour and had a stop in Ann Arbor, so I had to go. Man, am I glad I did.

Over the course of an hour, Jeff was interviewed about his new book, the songs that have woven their way into his life, and how it’s affected his own music. There were a bunch of good questions from host April Baer, as well as a handful of both fun and serious questions submitted by audience members. Throughout, Jeff was insightful and funny, but more than anything, a constant advocate for the power of music to bring people joy, help them deal with difficult times, and connect to one another.

This was made most evident at the end of the evening, when Jeff brought out his guitar and took a few requests from audience members. A few folks got up and shared stories about their favorite Jeff Tweedy songs and what they mean to them. One discussed how Theologians helped him to get sober. Another how Family Ghost helped them through feelings of isolation during the pandemic. And a third about how Please Tell My Brother helps keep them connected to a family with a troubled history and differing views. Played on nothing but an acoustic guitar, it was inspiring to see how such simple, honest songs brought people together.

It was, honestly, one of the most inspiring hours of my life and a perfect event to coincide with the start of this musical project of my own.

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