The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

Singer to warm up local venue

One artist will arrive in Burlington to warm souls with their music just in time for winter to set in.

Singer-songwriter Joshua Radin is kicking off his tour, “Good Old War,” Nov. 1 at Higher Ground. Radin expressed his excitement for the tour.

“I’ve played in Burlington three or four times in the photo8past,” he said.  “I’m very excited to be back for the first show of the tour.”

Born in Ohio, Radin said he moved to New York to pursue his music career in his late 20s.

“I got into music pretty late,” he said. “One day I picked up a guitar and realized I could play a few chords just like Bob Dylan. I never thought I could do it, but it made me realize the beauty in simplicity. The Beatles are another one of my musical inspirations.”

Since the start of his career,  Radin has been writing and recording music.

His creative process usually starts with a melody that he can’t get out of his head, Radin said.

“Usually my best ideas come late at night when I’m fiddling around with my guitar,” he said. “I’ll have certain sounds that form a melody, but never full words. They’re pretty meaningless; as I work more on the melody, lyrics seem to take their place. Most of my songs are written as letters to people [who] I’m too shy to actually tell them.”

With six studio albums, some of Radin’s compositions have been featured on TV shows such as “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scrubs” and “House.” His single, “I’d Rather Be With You,” the Billboard Hot 100 in 2008. The song was inspired by heartbreak, Radin said.

“I had just had my heart broken, and this song was written for my ex as a Valentine’s Day gift,” he said. “I recorded it on my laptop, burned a CD and left it on her doorstep. She said she liked the song, but sadly did not take me back.”

Radin writes lyrics based on honesty and truth, and believes his fans are drawn to this aspect of his music.

However, he would not take on more heartbreak for the sake of a successful career. “I would rather have a happy heart than lots of hits,” he said.

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Singer to warm up local venue