Wilder’s got so much character you half-believe he walked straight off the big screen. (It isn’t so far from the truth, given his offbeat filmic exploits producing a series of acclaimed cult shorts and his supporting role as the manager of the Drake Motel in The Thing Called Love.) He combines dry, homespun wit with an amalgam of country, roots and rock, wandering from backwoods through swamp and surf straight into the British Invasion. His career recalls that of Jerry Reed with Garrison Keillor’s understated demeanor, if he’d grown up on hush puppies instead of gefilte fish. Wilder released five albums between ’86 and ’96 before taking an extended hiatus to enjoy country living and married life. Since that ended he’s returned with a vengeance in just five years, releasing a live album/DVD (where his sharp humor, canny music and crack band coalesce in a killer combination), an odds-and-sods compilation and a pair of fine studio albums, including this year’s More Like Me.
Sat., Dec. 26, 7 p.m., 2009
Sat., Dec. 26, 7 p.m., 2009
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