With a string of platinum albums to his name and 16 Grammy Award nominations, Brian McKnight bursts into town on his Just Me tour. This is his debut performance at Strathmore, a joint presentation by the venue and Blues Alley. “When I put together my fourteenth album, which was released July 12, it was important to remember that people out there are having troubles,” he said. “They’re tired of being dictated to and told what they have to listen to on TV and radio. Every career has its peaks and valleys, so I thought it was a good time to combine new tracks with some of my old songs for the people who want to go back to something meaningful.”
This tour is the first time McKnight and his brother, Claude McKnight, have sung together since they were children. Growing in up a large, musical family in Buffalo, N.Y., they participated in church and school music programs. Claude, five years older, signed a record deal in 1987 and Brian followed suit in 1992.
| Onstage |
| Brian McKnight |
| Where: Music Center at Strathmore |
| When: 8 p.m. Friday |
| Info: $28 to $68 at 301-581-5100 or strathmore.org |
“I love everything I do, and when I go to bed each night I think about what I’ve completed during the day and wonder what the next day promises,” he said. “When I compose, I don’t have a set pattern. Writing songs isn’t easy, but I don’t sit in a room with lighted candles waiting for the spirit to move me. The creation starts in my head. When I hear something, I might be sitting with my guitar watching a sports program.”
McKnight is known for his congeniality and has collaborated with dozens of the top musicians of our time, among them Quincy Jones, Mariah Carey, Justin Timberlake, Willie Nelson, Kenny G and Josh Groban. His most meaningful partnerships, however, are with family members.
“Working with my brother and my sons is the greatest pleasure,” he said. “If possible, I’d also include my 21 first cousins. We’ve been doing this show for over a year and I don’t remember having as much fun as I’ve had on this run. Since 9/11, we’ve sung the national anthem at baseball games and we do it in our show.
“The anthem has taken on a new meaning as we think about the armed forces who protect us every day. We live in a day and time that’s very jaded, so I want people to fall in love again, to realize that what we see and hear isn’t really what is happening and that life can be better.”
