Roland Kushner

Images and sounds from sources as diverse as American steelmaking and the Canadian wilderness, rivers overflowing and an immigrant's look home ... musical reminders, glimpses of the future and stories from the world over are all heard in a performance by singer and guitarist Roland Kushner. He sings his own songs and material from Canadian, American and British folk and popular songwriters. Playing acoustic and electric guitars, long-necked mandolin and piano, he sings of love, work, travel, history and fun in a melodic and rhythmic style influenced by both traditional and contemporary sounds. With his original music, he covers songs carefully chosen from familiar and obscure sources, all presented in a clear and engaging tenor.

Born in Canada, Roland moved to Bethlehem, Pa., in 1980. He performed several times at Musikfest, the ten-day summer music festival in Bethlehem, and as an opening act at Godfrey Daniels, a well-known listening club and coffee house there. He took a break from performing for many years, and then returned to the scene as a writer and singer. In 1999, Roland was chosen to participate as a songwriter in "Steel Festival: The Art of an Industry," a multi-disciplinary homage to Bethlehem's heritage of steelmaking. The event inspired original songs about life as a steelworker in Bethlehem – “The Guy Who Keeps It Going" and “Hello, Mr. Wolle,” a tribute to steelworkers in the ranks of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem.

He performed in the festival and contributed these two songs to the Days of Steel CD on Bummer Tent Records. This CD, produced by Mike Krisukas, featured Lehigh Valley-area songwriters commissioned to write songs about steelmaking in Bethlehem. Roland is also on Lehigh Valley Christmas 1999 on Bummer Tent.

In 2000, Roland released a CD, 527 with eight original songs, including the two composed for the Steel Festival. (Link here for lyrics and samples).

His songs were included in Ensemble Theatre’s presentation of “Steelbound” in Cleveland Heights, OH, and his recorded music has been used in WLVT’s coverage of steelmaking in Bethlehem. His recording of his song "Penny Evans' Daughters" is included in a tribute CD to Steve Goodman which is part of a 2007 biography of the legendary Chicago singer-songwriter. He continues to write and expand his scope of subject and style.

Performances in recent years have included Godfrey Daniels, Borders (Whitehall), Rasputin's (Ottawa), the Yellow Door (Montreal), Musikfest (Bethlehem), Mayfair (Allentown), and for several years at First Night (Bethlehem). Roland plays periodically in the Lehigh Valley area, at area clubs and events. In 2005, his performance with Lee Daniels was featured in “The Last Cast,” a dramatic and musical celebration of the tenth anniversary of the end of steelmaking in Bethlehem, in Baker concert hall of Zoellner Arts Center at Lehigh University, In 2007, Roland is writing and preparing for a new recording.

As an arts manager, Kushner has added much to the Lehigh Valley's arts scene. He managed Musikfest in its first four years from 1984 to 1987, raised funds and helped to produce recordings for the Bach Choir of Bethlehem and David Amram Jazz Quartet, founded the Rose Garden Children's Festival in Bethlehem, and produced concerts for Sing Out! and Bethlehem's 250th Anniversary. In 2006, he was Interim Executive Director of WDIY-FM, the National Public Radio affiliate in the Lehigh Valley. He currently sits on the boards of WDIY and Sing Out!. In Canada in the 1970s, he managed artists (including Stan Rogers) and was a folk music broadcaster and concert promoter.

When not playing music, Roland is Assistant Professor of Business at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA. For many years, he was also director of Kushner Management Advisory Services, his management consulting practice.

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