Viewpoint: Boise Jazz’s great Curtis Stigers talks about his career, creative relationships, and upcoming concerts

The award-winning singer, songwriter and saxophonist is preparing to take the stage for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
BOISE, Idaho – Curtis Stigers burst onto the music scene in 1991 with his single “I Wonder Why” from his self-titled album “Curtis Stigers”, which sold 1.5 million sales.
“I Wonder Why” reached number nine on the US pop charts and number five in the UK Since then Stigers has released 12 more albums and is now working on number 14.
During his career, Stigers also contributed a song to the soundtrack for “The Bodyguard”, co-wrote and performed the Emmy-nominated theme song for the TV show “Sons of Anarchy” and performed with and open for many master music including Eric Clapton, Elton John, Bonnie Raitt and Prince. He has also toured extensively in the United States, Europe and other countries around the world.
Stigers continues to record, sing, write songs and play the saxophone. However, he hasn’t been able to perform in front of an in-person audience since the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted live performances in March 2020.
To continue to connect with fans around the world, Stigers has started broadcasting live acoustic concerts each week in a series he calls âSongs from My Kitchenâ. His kitchen has literally been his concert hall.
Now is the time to get out of his kitchen and hit the road and get back on stage.
The Stigers’ first concerts since the start of the pandemic are approaching. Stigers and his band will perform his mellow jazz and adult contemporary style in Vail and Aspen, Colorado on July 8-9, 2021. Then, they will return to his hometown of Boise for his first show here in a long time.
Stigers and his band will be performing at the Idaho Botanical Garden on Sunday July 11, 2021. Doors open at 5 pm and the concert begins at 6 pm.
You can buy tickets for this event on The Stiger website or the Idaho Botanical Garden website.
2021 is a big year for Stigers, as it marks the 30th anniversary of the release of their debut album. He reflected on this period of his life, calling it “incredible”.
âI lived in New York for several years before I got my recording deal. I moved from Boise to there. Basically I was surviving pizza and getting on the subway to take part in The Tonight Show. and travel the world on a tour bus and meet my heroes like Elton John and Eric Clapton and open for people like Prince. It was crazy, âStigers recalls.â It was weird too, because it wasn’t isn’t really who I am. I really have my place here in my kitchen. I’m a little more normal than the big pop stars. So it was a good thing that I ended up finding my way back to jazz, and it kind of anchored me musically. It was a fun time, and because of those hits from the debut album, I had a musical career for 30 years. It’s incredible. It’s really strange to think that 30 years have passed. “
In this edition of Viewpoint, Doug Petcash has a conversation with Stigers about his career, the creative connections he’s made with big names in music, and upcoming concerts. Stigers also performs his greatest hits.
Viewpoint airs Sunday mornings at 6:30 a.m. on KTVB.
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