Cheryl Wheeler Returns to Oxford Friday

Cheryl Wheeler may not be a name you know immediately, but if you've been listening to country music on the Hawk for a number of years, chances are you've heard this songwriter's music recorded by some of the biggest names in country music, including Garth Brooks, Suzy Bogguss ('Aces'), Dan Seals ('Addicted') and Kathy Mattea.  In addition to being a great writer, Cheryl has had a successful Nashville recording career.

This Friday night, January 8th at 7:30pm, Cheryl returns to Oxford, playing the popular 6 On The Square venue, where she will do what she does best, entertain with music, stories and humor. Cheryl’s music ranges from thoughtful ballads to irreverent songs about potatoes, her pets, and the state of the world. In concert, she is known for her
self-deprecating sense of humor and stories of life on the road.

Cheryl has to be seen to be appreciated; nothing you read and nothing you hear from her albums prepares you for how entertaining a performer she is.

As a child, Cheryl learned to play the guitar from a neighbor. Her first public performance was at a Hootenanny when she was 12, and she started writing her own songs when she was 17. Cheryl has never had a “day job” and her first professional gigs were at the Steak and Ale Restaurant in her home town of Timonium, Maryland. She performed at venues around Baltimore and Washington DC before moving to New England in 1976, where she now lives.

Sing Out! Magazine writes of Wheeler, “A rare artist….strong poetry, complex melodies, and clever wit.”

Listening to her albums, you can tell that Cheryl is a gifted songwriter indeed, singing with a beautiful voice. From other people’s comments about her, you learn that she is a natural storyteller with a fantastic sense of humor. But until you see her in person, you never really believe what you’ve been told about her.

Interestingly enough, almost half of the songs she performs during her shows have never been recorded.