The much anticipated Misty Lyn & The Big Beautiful will delight attendees on Feb. 17 at 8 p.m. at The Ark.
Bergeron said she has always recognized a creative streak within her.
“I am a songwriter and a photographer,” Bergeron said. “I’ve been an artist my entire life, though I didn’t begin writing songs until I was 24.”
She blossomed while living in a smaller town setting about 30 minutes from Ann Arbor.
“I’m from Pinckney, MI,” Bergeron said. “My love for nature developed while growing up there, and I suppose if it influences my songwriting, it would be in how I am moved and inspired by the beauty of nature and sometimes use that imagery in my songs.”
Misty Lyn & The Big Beautiful plans to play music new and old.
“We just released Narrows, a full-length studio album recorded by Ian Gorman at La Luna Recording in Kalamazoo, MI,” she said. “We will be performing those songs at the show in addition to songs from our other records, and some new ones, too.”
Her music is a reflection of intimate revelations.
“I would describe my work as my deepest, most vulnerable truth,” Bergeron said. “My work is also a way to share my love for the world.”
And while the Ark is not a new venue for her, it is very special.
“We have performed at The Ark many times over the years,” Bergeron said. “It is my absolute favorite venue. It is the place I got on stage for the very first time at an open mic way back when!”
The tree town people also cherish her.
“It doesn’t get better than an Ann Arbor audience,” Bergeron said. “I consider Ann Arbor my musical home and have always felt uplifted by the music fans in this town.”
Regarding the themes of her music, she said her music is not about any one concept in particular but rather snapshots of what moves her in the world.
“Everything I write comes from an experience I’ve had,” Bergeron said. “Can it be otherwise? It can be a beautiful experience or a traumatic one. Music is a form of catharsis for me—it’s how I process my life and the world.”
She added that she considers herself a folk singer and added that she has the good fortune of being in a six-piece band as well.
“Every (band) member shares their incredible talent, and the result is that the songs dance around genres in a rootsy way,” Bergeron said.
But she also hopes her music can help others in some way.
“It’s my deepest hope that my music reaches those who might need it or find some comfort in it,” Bergeron said. “I’ve been told it has helped others in the past. I suppose music helps us feel what we might have trouble feeling otherwise, or helps us find words that match what we’re feeling. It can help us understand ourselves more and not feel so alone with it all.”
She wants people to know that the show is not just about her, but everyone she plays with.
The Big Beautiful consists of many top-notch musicians. Carol Catherine Gray is on fiddle and backing vocals; Matt Jones is on drums and backing vocals; Ryan Gimpert is on electric guitar and pedal steel; Mary Fraser plays keys and sings back up; and the newest member is Timothy Monger who joins on bass.
Jim Roll will be opening for Misty Lyn & The Big Beautiful at The Ark.
Donna Marie Iadipaolo is a writer, journalist, and State of Michigan certified teacher, since 1990. She has written for national publications like The Village Voice, Ear Magazine of New Music, Insurance & Technology, and TheStreet.
She is now writing locally for many publications, including Current Magazine, Ann Arbor Family, and the Ann Arbor Independent. Her undergraduate degree is from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she graduated with an honors bachelor’s degree and three teacher certificate majors: mathematics, social sciences, English. She also earned three graduate degrees in Master of Science, Master of Arts, and Education Specialist Degree.
