‘Empress of the Unexpected’ leads new Acoustic Brew season

The spring season of the Acoustic Brew Concerts series will kick off Feb. 6 with singer-songwriter Susan Werner.

Werner’s music features an emphasis on societal topics.

“I’m probably more about the ideas in the songs than any one sound,” she said. “Yes, there’s a guitar and a piano and people say kind things about my musicianship, which is always appreciated, but audiences seem most appreciative of my willingness to take on all kinds of subject matter, from agriculture to religion to xenophobia to cosmetic surgery.”

This show’s focus will be on American agriculture.

“Audiences will hear songs that honor my mom and dad and my farming family in Iowa; along with songs that tweak the whole recent romance with agriculture,” Werner said.

Werner comes from a long line of musicians.

“Everyone in my family has an ear for music,” she said . My mother sings like a bird — a bird with great pitch and feeling, both — and all us kids had ears for it, even to the point where me and my younger brother have perfect pitch. Some of that’s genetic, I suspect, and some of it’s that music was encouraged in our household.”

NPR has dubbed Werner the “Empress of the Unexpected.” It may not be perfect, but Werner thinks the nickname is valid.

“Beats a whole lot of other possible nicknames,” she said. “I do kind of wish it came with a pumpkin carriage, or something befitting an Empress, but its hard to complain.”

Werner lists her biggest influences as some of the biggest names in songwriting history.

“Randy Newman, Joni Mitchell, Stephen Sondheim, John Prine and Lyle Lovett,” she said. “Sounds like a fun party, right?”

As for reason to attend the show at WPSU Studios, Werner has several for on-the-fence audience members.

“Because they want to be entertained,” she said. “Because they enjoy talking back to a performer who’s likely to talk back to them. Because they want to laugh out loud. Because they’re tired of television and they’ve figured out social media is overrated and they’re hoping that this coming Saturday is somehow different than all Saturdays before or after.”

This story was originally published February 4, 2016 at 11:04 AM with the headline "‘Empress of the Unexpected’ leads new Acoustic Brew season."