David Kroll grew up singing in southeast Iowa, moved to Nashville six years ago and brings something new home with him every time he visits.
Saturday he’ll present the flavor of Nashville’s legendary Bluebird Cafe at The Washington.
Kroll formed a band when he was 15 and spent the next six years playing local bars and fairs, developing an impressive fan base along the way. That popularity helped him become a first-and-only Steamboat Days veteran in June, when he opened the main stage and closed the night with a second appearance on the south stage.
Kroll was asked to audition for “The X Factor” last year but was told he had to do a cover song, not an original. The fearsome Simon Cowell asked why, if he was a
songwriter, Kroll chose to perform covers for his audition.
Kroll told Cowell, “I wanted to do my song, Simon, but they told me I couldn’t.”
Whereupon the king of reality TV told Kroll to do one of his own. Kroll performed “Little Soldiers” a capella and won a standing ova- tion and a yes from all four judges.
“We have TV shows like this to find someone just like you, David,” Cowell said.
“To be honest, I really didn’t care what the other judges thought,” Kroll said. “I really only wanted to impress Simon. I just respect the guy. I knew if I could win him over and he liked me, that’s all that mattered to me.”
The premiere showcase for songwriters in Nashville is the Bluebird Cafe, long a local legend and more popular than ever, now that it’s featured on the hit network TV show, “Nashville.”
Kroll loves playing the Bluebird and decided to bring its special atmosphere home.
“We’re trying to bring a little bit of the Bluebird to Burlington,” he said. “As a songwriter, the Bluebird is the ultimate place. They do what’s called a writer’s round, where they take turns playing the songs.”
Kroll said the people go there
to listen, and their motto is, “Shh! Keep quiet!” Folks who chatter during a song will get dirty looks, and if they don’t get the hint, they’ll be asked to leave.
Kroll said his first set will be ala Bluebird, with songs and stories by himself and his songwriting partner, Keesy Timmer.
“Keesy is the most talented songwriter I’ve worked with down there,” he said. “All the songs I’ve written that my fans here in Burlington love, I wrote with him. Keesy’s going to be a big hit songwriter some day.”
Kroll said he and Timmer will do an intimate songwriter’s round, taking turns playing and telling the stories behind the songs they’ve written together.
They’ll have no trouble with a rowdy crowd — Kroll’s fans are rapt listeners who don’t need to be shushed.
“We do want that vibe the Bluebird has, because I want Burlington to experience what that is,” Kroll said.
The second set is rowdy time. Kroll said members of his old band Heartland will join in, including Donny and Donna DeJaynes and Micah Oleson.
“We’re going to play the old cover tunes we used to play, and just have a good time,” Kroll said.
Washington owner David Hazell said being in the Nashville music scene doesn’t take Kroll away from his roots, it just adds a dimension to his talent.
“David represents the heart and soul of this area,” Hazell said. The Bluebird Cafe with David Kroll, Saturday at The Washington, 306 Washington St. in Burlington.
Advance tickets $10 at Weird Harold’s, The Washington, and online at Tikly.com; $15 at the door. Doors open at 6 p.m., showtime is 8 p.m.
**Article Originally Seen in The Hawk Eye by Bob Saar**