Pittsburgh's The Commonheart Celebrates New Recording At Highmark Blues & Heritage Festival

In addition to being a world class jazz and blues city, Pittsburgh also boasts a strong roster of soul artists including Johnny Daye, Wild Cherry, Chuck Jackson and Louisiana Red. And though they've only been playing for eight years, The Commonheart will no doubt be included in that aforementioned listing of hometown soul greats. Since they've burst on the scene, with their lead vocalist Clinton Clegg, whose rough-hewn, Joe Cocker-tinged voice that Tinnitist described as, "... a lightning-bolt charismatic frontman with dynamically expressive pipes ...," the group has created legions of fans around the world with their Stax Records-style horns, Muscle Shoals-motored rhythm section and down-to-earth songs about life.

On Sunday, September 15, 2022, at 6:15 pm, at Highmark Stadium during the Highmark Blues & Heritage Festival, The Commonheart - featuring Clegg, saxophonist Abby Gross, vocalist Mariko Reid, bassist Anton DeFade, drummer Cole Inkso, trumpeter Nate Inkso, guitarist Mike Minda and keyboardist Lucas Bowman, will treat their audience to a rocking concert, performing music from their new recording, For Work or Love (September 16). Produced by Steve Berlin of Los Lobos (who the band toured with in 2017), the new release features their video single, "Trying to Get Over." Their previous releases include, Pressure (2019) and Grown (2016). They've also shared the stage with Willie Nelson, Van Morrison and Sturgill Simpson.

The Commonheart was formed in 2014, "to invoke emotion through tone and energy...," and the music world has taken notice. American Songwriter wrote that, "[t]heir emotion-packed sound radiates true soul," and No Depression penned that, "... [t]hey pay soulful tribute to the soul gods without disrespecting their exhumed remains." Their gig at Highmark Stadium is a great opportunity for hometown fans, and undoubtedly some new admirers, to catch these local rising stars in action.