Danny O'Keefe

O’Keefe has a catalogue of albums, dating back to 1966, that includes a rich vein of country songs. Although his early albums featured steel guitars and fiddles, O’Keefe wasn’t limited to one genre, mixing country with jazz, R& B and rock. “I don’t think marketing guys had a clue as to what to do with me” O’Keefe says.

His musical career began in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota coffeehouse scene. A chance meeting with Buffalo Springfield’s manager in 1969 led to a telephone audition with the President of Atlantic Records, who immediately signed O’Keefe. Danny O’Keefe’s second album with Atlantic produced the top-ten hit, and now standard, Good Time Charlie’s Got the Blues, a song that has been recorded by Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, Leon Russell, Waylon Jennings, Jerry Lee Lewis, Mel Torme, Chet Atkins and many others.

Throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s O’Keefe toured with many well known acts such as Bonnie Raitt, Jimmy Buffet, Linda Ronstadt, Loggins and Messina, and Jackson Browne, who also recorded O’Keefe’s The Road. Several of O’Keefe’s other songs have been recorded by artists such as Leo Slayer, Magdalena; Judy Collins, Angel Spread Your Wings; Andy Williams, Quits; The Mark Almond Band, You Look Just Like A Girl Again; John Denver, Along for the Ride; and Souvenirs, recorded by Jimmy Buffet. Allison Krauss, Nickel Creek and Ute Lemper have also covered O’Keefe’s songs.

After a decade break. O’Keefe released his most recent album, The Day to Day; Runnin From the Devil, on his own Coldwater label in 2000.

Summer Breeze Committee Chairman Steven White says, “We are excited to bring Danny O’Keefe to Norman on June 3rd. Danny O”Keefe is an incredible musician and we are lucky to have him on our Summer Breeze line-up this year. He will surprise a lot of people who will recognize his music, but were never aware of who wrote these great songs. I hope the weather stays nice and people come out to see this really talented artist.”

The Performing Arts Studio produces Summer Breeze Concerts, which are made possible in part by grants from the Norman Arts Council, Oklahoma Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. Sponsors include Michael Miller; Jamie Belknap D.D.S. and Donna Sparks D.D.S.; Skye Diers, Gingerbread Nursery School; and Victor T. Wilson, M.D. P.C., Caring Pediatrics.

Contributors include Corner Post Management and Consulting; Physical Therapy Central; and
Republic Bank and Trust.

Friends include Ed and Sumya Adwon; American First Abstract Co; The Crucible; The Earth Natural Foods; First State Bank, Noble; David Fries Roofing, MDS Plumbing, Pepe Delgados, Cardinal Engineering, T. J. Campbell Construction, and The Zoo Amphitheater. In-kind support comes from Montford Inn; Residence Inn of Norman; Norman Parks and Recreation Department; and the Summer Breeze Stage Crew.

For additional information, contact The Performing Arts Studio at 405-307-9320 . For more information on  Danny O’Keefe, visit www.dannyokeefe.com.