Jeff Daniels at the Fargo Theatre

By Jeff Hanson
Contributing Writer

I’m sure everyone is aware of how hard it is to take anyone seriously whose claim to fame was considered a little less than serious, especially if it was merely pratfalls and slapstick antics. Even decades beyond their initial peak, actors, stand up comedians, and social icons try to shake off an image set in place years ago, with little to no success.

For instance, Jim Carrey has still never quite shaken off his stigma as an obnoxious buffoon, no matter how critically acclaimed his dramatic endeavors such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (a personal favorite) and Man on the Moon as well as many others have been. Ask anyone on the street and he’s still either a grating pet detective with an Elvis chop shop hairdo and a derriere that had a tendency to speak for itself in Ace Ventura, or a bowl-cut sporting dolt with a dire need for dental insurance in Dumb and Dumber.

Ironically enough, the actor of his latter persona’s best friend, Jeff Daniels, seems to have gotten out with more than just his dignity intact. Although maybe most recognizable from the aforementioned Farrelly Brothers movie, or perhaps the slightly campy thriller Arachnophobia, Daniels is really much more acclaimed by movie fans as a very well established dramatic actor.

Daniels has never really taken a break from acting for any real length of time, the man’s resume is impressive if only for sheer volume. He has been in at least one movie almost every year since Dumb and Dumber’s release. He has taken part in some amazing films, such as Good Night, And Good Luck and Blood Work.

One thing truly astounding about the regularity and reliability of his performances is that somehow, he maintained a lesser-known, but impressive career as a singer-songwriter. 30 years of playing and writing and four Albums deep in his discography, he is well established, and lauded by critics and music fans alike.

Many music cynics (like myself) would say the actor looking for a popular music career is almost certainly doomed to the realm of Steven Segal, Joaquin Phoenix and Keanu Reeves rather than the camp housing Jared Leto, Zooey Deschanel and maybe one or two other actor-turned-musician success stories.

Daniels guaranteed his credibility in the worldwide music scene by blending genuine emotion and wordsmithing with catchy and direct musical backing, creating relatable and memorable songs. Daniels also never tried to stake some claim in the popular music landscape. He has been playing and writing for so long solely for the passion of it, as any musician worth their salt will declare. Setting aside any previous notoriety and the biases that may accompany them, he can write songs that compete with the best of the modern folk scene.

Daniels also succeeds where most celebrity-cum-musician hopefuls fail: he was never a celebrity, and I mean this in the absolute best sense. The man has not spent a single arrogant, self-absorbed day as a media-hog.

Listening into the back catalog of radio interviews with Daniels, there’s not a single indication that he is any less than an a humble, grounded man with a passion for his work, without letting any of it get out of hand and have it go straight to his head.

His musical aspect is present for the same reason it is present in any passionate artist: self-expression. He uses music and acting alike to express himself. No one acts and plays music as long and consistently as he has without having a deep genuine love for each, and a dependence on them to release what he has to share with others. It is easy to suspend preconceived notions when watching Daniels play, because he is just another guy saying what he needs to say and he makes no effort to try to convince the listener. It’s as real as Bob Dylan.

Daniels’s song catalog is described by the man himself as his diary, plain and simple. He has written about things such as what it was like to work with Clint Eastwood in the “Blood Work,” to the simple pleasure of being a family man, to how playing guitar makes him feel. There is a wit one would expect from a well versed and humorous thespian that is intertwined in his lyrics, injecting a personality and individuality that is palpable.

Daniels has spent the past few years playing sold-out shows to aid funding the nonprofit theater he started in his home state of Michigan, The Purple Rose Theatre Company, which he founded in 1991.

And now Daniels is finally making a trip up to Fargo to grace us with an evening of music. He will be at the Fargo Theatre on November 9th. This will be a most convenient and opportune time to go see a man with more depth than expectation may lead you to believe.

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If You Go

What: Jeff Daniels
Where: Fargo Theatre
When: Tues, Nov 9, 8pm
Info: 701.239.8385