Marc Cohn Essentials

With his distinctive voice—a mellow, honeyed-oak instrument with a touch of gravel—Marc Cohn was destined to become the kind of folksy troubadour who sings straight from the heart. He parlayed a love of '70s-era California soft rock into his own cozy amalgam, breaking through in 1991 with the soulful, piano-led “Walking in Memphis.” He worked with roots aces like Rosanne Cash and Rodney Crowell to broaden his sound over time, exploring personal trauma in his songs and paying homage to his heroes in both lyrics (“Listening to Levon”) and repertoire (2010's covers album Listening Booth: 1970).