Craig Bickhardt – Singer/Songwriter of Original Blues, Folk, Country, with Decades of Stories | with our guest, Laura Mann

Craig Bickhardt brings a lifetime of American music to Godfrey Daniels, with his trusty acoustic guitar and stories vividly translated into words and melody. His music draws from folk, blues, country and ragtime, shaped by a life spent as a rock band lead singer, solo troubadour and dedicated songwriter.

His songs have been recorded by Ray Charles, B.B. King, Johnny Cash, the Judds, Tony Rice and Alison Krauss. A Craig Bickhardt live set combines original tunes, personal confessions, absurd anecdotes and the occasional choice cover, with guitar work that can put the instrument at the front of the band. Join us for an evening of songs and stories from a seasoned performer who aims to help audiences look deeper at the things we all take for granted.

Craig Bickhardt
craigbickhardt.com

When Craig Bickhardt steps onto a concert stage, he comes equipped with his trusty acoustic guitar. A side musician or two will frequently join him. He’s also accompanied by something invisible, yet ever-present: the stories of a lifetime, vividly translated into words and melody. From the boisterous club scene of Philadelphia to the country-rock milieu of Los Angeles to the picking parlors of Nashville, Craig has immersed himself in the sights and sounds of American music. His music reflects a life lived as a rock band lead singer, a solo troubadour, a dedicated songwriter, a husband and father. Dreams, heartaches and hard-earned lessons have fed his creativity. There is no other way he could’ve written the eloquent, often bittersweet songs that have become his trademark.

Craig is a singer/songwriter of the old school – you can hear echoes of such ‘60s folk revival artists as Tom Rush, Gordon Lightfoot and Eric Andersen in his work. Added to this is the melodic sophistication of a Jimmy Webb or a Paul Simon, as well as a spare but telling lyric approach. Also crucial to Craig’s art is his virtuosic guitar work, interweaving folk, blues, country and ragtime influences into a unique whole: “The guitar isn’t just an accompanying instrument for me – sometimes it’s the front man and my voice is the accompanist.” A Craig Bickhardt live set is a mix of absurd anecdotes and personal confessions, accompanying a well-stocked bag of original tunes and the occasional choice cover. His decades in music have given his performances the depth of experience – his love songs seem sweeter and more poignant, his story-song narratives more true-to-life than they could have in the past.

LAURA MANN
lauramann.com


Laura Mann has spent a lifetime following songs.

She picked up the guitar at eight years old and was performing professionally as a teenager. Her career took shape under the guidance of legendary songwriter and producer Robert Hazard, who wrote the original version of “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” As Laura's manager and producer, Hazard brought her to Philadelphia and helped launch her career, including an appearance on Star Search—the groundbreaking television talent competition that paved the way for shows like American Idol and America's Got Talent.

Over the years, Laura has shared the stage with legendary artists including Warren Zevon, Dave Mason, and Ronnie Spector. She has co-written with acclaimed songwriters Eric Bazilian, Scot Sax, Dan Navarro, and Cliff Hillis, and has enjoyed a decades-long creative partnership with Charlton Pettus, guitarist, songwriter, and producer with Tears for Fears.

In 2018, Laura founded The Living Room, the award-winning listening room just outside Philadelphia that became a beloved home for songwriters and music lovers. For six years, she built a community where listening mattered and every performance was treated with the respect it deserved.

When it was time for a new chapter, Laura closed The Living Room, sold her home, packed up her Winnebago with her two Goldendoodles, and set out to travel the country—not to leave music behind, but to find her way back to it.

Today, that journey continues through a new season of writing, recording, and performing. Her songs are rooted in honesty, connection, and the belief that music is at its most powerful when it makes people feel something. Laura is exactly where she’s always belonged—following the songs wherever they lead.