Bridging the Gap: Why "You and I" is More Than Just a Concert
- Charlie Widmer
- Apr 21
- 3 min read
As an artist, I have always been at odds with who I truly am. I started my whole journey because of a love of the music of Stevie Wonder. From there, I fell headlong into the world of hip-hop due to the now controversial artist Kanye West and other greats like The Roots, Lupe Fiasco, Black Star, and Nas. As a guitar player, I was actively pulled into the worlds of Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, James Taylor, and other visionaries on the instrument I was learning. As a singer, I got my start in musicals, eventually going off to study classical singing for my undergrad. To say I've struggled with what my "identity" is when it comes to music is an understatement.
That's why, back in 2021, I finally took a leap of faith and started building my first ever multi-genre concert program with Eric Trudel. No one knows me better (he was my first voice teacher and is still my music mentor) and he was ready for the challenge. We put together a program that had a centralized theme but allowed us to go anywhere we felt we wanted to explore. The result: a show entitled You and I.
The title was plucked directly from Stevie Wonder's song of the same name and became the centralizing theme of the show. These were to be songs dealing with the relationship of the self to external forces, whether that be self to self, self to another, self to the world, or self to God. Each song carried that same feeling of questioning, discovering, wondering what "our" place was in the world.
I am beyond thrilled to be pulling this program out again, alongside my dear friend Eric, for many different reasons. The challenge of jumping from genre to genre is incredibly unique and demanding, something that I love now more than ever, as I continue to try and grow as a singer, artist, and performer. So many of these songs also reflect different moments in my career and carry with them many feelings and emotions. Most of all, though, it's the interesting way that lyrics and songs, and their meaning, have changed now for me, because I have changed too.
I know for a fact that this program is unique, because it reflects me exactly as I am as a listener and an interpreter. Now, as Connecticut State Troubadour, this is my first time performing this program and focuses on one of my core missions: cultural literacy. I want to show that, regardless of genre or background, all music has a place in the room and that pieces can work together to create a musical experience all their own.
I have always intentionally left out the program for the audience member too, because I want you as a listener to just sit back and take the ride with me. This is a chance for both you and me to put down the world for a second, commit to where we are in space and time, and see what we feel and what comes out. So here's to hoping you can join us for something like this. If not, I'll include some links to past recordings Eric and I made of this, and hopefully we can find another place to put our worlds down, together, and see what sticks.
Join Us Live:
When: Saturday, April 25, 2026, at 4:00 PM
Where: South Congregational Church, 1301 Forbes St, East Hartford, CT
Tickets: Get Your Tickets Here
Past Shows: Bethesda Lutheran | Ivoryton Playhouse
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