Brown, a two-time Grammy Award nominee, writes songs that go to the meaning -- and not infrequently the humor -- that he finds within the mundane, and he performs them in a distinctively deep, rich voice.

He grew up in Iowa, where his mother played electric guitar, his grandfather played banjo and his father was a Holy Roller preacher. He began singing professionally at the age of 18, organizing hootenannies in New York.

After a year, Brown moved west to Los Angeles and Las Vegas, where he was a ghostwriter for Buck Ram, founder of the Platters. Eventually he wearied of the fast track and moved back to Iowa, where he began writing songs and playing in small clubs and coffeehouses.

Brown's songs have been performed by artists including Willie Nelson, Carlos Santana, Michael Johnson, Shawn Colvin and Mary Chapin Carpenter. He has recorded more than a dozen albums; "One Big Town," recorded in 1989, and 1994's "The Poet Game" won Indie Awards from the National Association of Independent Record Distributors. 1997's "Slant 6 Mind" earned Brown his second Grammy nomination.

His latest CD, "One Night," is a re-release of a 1983 live performance originally on Minneapolis' Coffeehouse Extempore Records.

Opening for Brown will be Sarah Lee Guthrie (Arlo Guthrie's daughter and Woody Guthrie's granddaughter) and her husband Johnny Irion, formerly of Dillon Fence and Queen Sarah Saturday. They are touring in support of their debut collaborative album, "Exploration," and Irion's recently recorded solo effort, "Ex Tempore." "Exploration" includes members of The Jayhawks, Son Volt and Tift Merritt's band. Irion's solo CD features guest artists including Merritt and her rhythm section and members of Chatham County Line.

Guthrie was all of two years old when she made her singing debut as part of a children's chorus on Arlo's 1981 album, "Power of Love." Still, it wasn't until after she graduated from high school that she fell in love with making music.

She released a solo CD in 2002 and joined Irion on a live EP in 2004. Their collaborative music blends her folk traditions with Irion's background in rock and blues.