The Gustavus Artist Series is delighted to bring Gustavus alumni and Red House recording artists Neal & Leandra to the campus for a very special pre-Christmas concert, Friday, Dec. 9, at Jussi Björling Recital Hall. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are available online at gustavustickets.com. Tickets will also be available at the door before the concert.
At the start of their career, folk legend Tom Paxton recognized that Neal & Leandra had that certain something that set them apart. “I’ve heard a half-dozen of their songs already that I believe will be classics,” he wrote. “Do yourself a favor and listen to them now.” Over the years, Paxton’s advice continues to ring true and the songs continue to gain the attention of the music world.
From their meeting at Gustavus to the success of their first album, Old Love, and nearly 25 years of concerts and recordings, Neal Hagberg ’81 and Leandra Peak ’83 have earned their place among the country’s foremost folk artists. They have earned accolades from the press from coast to coast: their concerts “might be as heavenly as listening to angels” and their song writing and “poetic imagery is brilliant.” The Monterey County Herald summed up the artistry of the duo with “the couple creates a mood so simple and direct, yet eloquent, that you can’t help but be drawn into their exquisitely crafted songs.”
Recent releases continue the tradition. The duo’s recording list has grown to include Dancing with a Ghost; Angels and Fools: A Christmas Collection Volume 2; A Dreamer’s Holiday: A Tribute to Perry Como; and Bridge Rail. Neal’s solo recording, It’s Not as Simple as it Seems, features 14 songs that tackle often-difficult issues. Leandra’s solo lullaby album, The Honeysuckle Vine, is perfect for listeners of any age.
Tours have taken the duo to Canada’s Winnipeg Folk Festival and to 45 states — from the Kerrville (Texas) Folk Festival to a tiny coffeehouse in San Luis Obispo, California, from New York’s Carnegie Hall and Minnesota’s famed Guthrie Theater to small-town Louisiana for a concert in a former Confederate hospital. On radio, they’ve made appearances on The Morning Show (Minnesota Public Radio), Fog City Radio (KQED-FM, San Francisco), River City Folk, and Boston’s WUMB.
With underwriting from the Office of Alumni Relations, ticket prices have been set at $15 for general admission and $12 for general admission for seniors, students, and Gustavus staff. Tickets for Gustavus students are free with a student ID.
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