Local Blues Artist at Gazebo

Manchester Enterprise – July 21, 2005

By:  Nathan Bomey

Award-winning blues artist to play for home-town crowd

A nationally acclaimed, locally rooted blues artist will perform next week at the Manchester gazebo.

Chris Sirvinskis, a Manchester resident, will get a chance to show off for a hometown crowd on Main Street.  The performance is set for 7:30 p.m. next Thursday, July 28.

Sirvinskis, whose style mixes blues, punk and country, has received several major awards.  “Chef Chris,” as he’s known in the music world, and his Nairobi Trio won the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tenn., in 2002.  They were named the best unsigned blues band in the world, beating out 55 others to earn the honor.

Sirvinskis has performed at the annual Manchester Chicken Broil in the past, but he said he is looking forward to the opportunity to perform once again in his hometown.  “I haven’t really (played) there in a while,” he said.

Sirvinskis, 40, is best known for his hits “average Girl” and “You’re Going to Jail and Your Car Is, Too.”  He once performed “Average Girl” on the Handy Awards which was broadcast nationally on PBS.

Surprisingly, Sirvinskis didn’t start his music career until he was 28; someone noticed him singing a few tunes and told him he had a great voice for the blues.

Sirvinskis then saw a Detroit Metro Times advertisement seeking an additional blues band member, and he pursued the opportunity.  That’s how he got his first start in the blues business.

Sirvinskis said he always used to listen to classic artist like Billie Holliday when he was young.  In fact, he said, his childhood cultivated a love of music.

“I credit my mother and my father for a lot of my artistic influences,” he said.

Recently, Sirvinskis has been able to combine his to long time passions, music and blues.  He currently manages the kitchen and is head Chef at the Northfield Roadhouse in Whitmore Lake.  The restaurant features live blues music four nights a week. 

Sirvinskis wrote the menu for the restaurant and opened the kitchen in January.

Sirvinskis will perform in Manchester with local legend Al Hill on guitar, Bill Lewis on bass and Julian Van Slyke on drums.