Danielia Cotton and Friends: Album Release Bash

Saturday, March 19
All staff, patrons, and talent are required to wear a mask inside the theater. As of 2022, all staff, patrons, and talent must show proof of vaccination OR a negative COVID-19 test. Please see our Health and Safety page for more information.
“…an honest-to-God voice with real power, conviction, emotion and soul.” – Boston Herald
Cotton’s childhood was spent on the Sourland Mountain in Hopewell, NJ. She is music legacy. Her mother and aunts were all professional vocalists and music was in her blood. Cotton started performing in her teens. Early on she began veering from the gospel and jazz/blues of her mother and aunts finding greater allure in rock legends like, AC/DC, Judas Priest, Led Zeppelin, and Todd Rundgren and soul and R&B royalty like Stevie Wonder and Donnie Hathaway. Cotton began crafting her own sound; an eclectic mix of the stuff that shaped her and the stuff that called her. Cotton’s magic is born of her ability to inhabit a song, to dwell in its rhythms and melodies, to live with the intricacies of its lyrical structure, and to emerge with an articulate proclamation of personal and social truths.
“Demographers, beware: Danielia Cotton doesn't fit neatly into any box. She's an African American, from a nearly all-white town in New Jersey. She's a singer and songwriter who can sound like a blues balladeer on one track, and a hard-rock wailer on the next.” - NPR
Cotton graduated from Bennington College in Vermont where she majored in Theater and studied Voice with Bill Dixon. Not long after college, Cotton left Hopewell for Manhattan and began performing in venues like The Bitter End and The Cutting Room. She was making connections in NYC’s music scene. Those connections led her to Kevin Salem of Chocolate Genius who would produce her first full length album, Small White Town. Shortly prior to its release she was selected as an Artist to Watch by WXPN out of Philadelphia. So, despite the move to Manhattan and attempting to get her feet wet there, she found herself headed south again; fully immersed in Philly’s music scene.
"Danielia's music has the swagger of 'Let It Bleed'-era Rolling Stones. Her singing has the raw emotional power of Janis Joplin. Her songwriting places her among the top new musical storytellers." – Philadelphia Daily News
Cotton has spent her entire career fighting for independence, space to create her own sound and an audience that would journey with her. Cotton released Small White Town in 2005 and then released critically acclaimed Rare Child, 2008 as a true indie artist followed by the Live Child EP (2009) in relatively quick succession. In 2012, came Gun in Your Hand (another collaborative effort with Kevin Salem) followed by Woodstock (2014), The Real Book (2014), A Prayer (2016), and The Mystery of Me (2017). Cotton is no stranger to the classic rock ‘n roll story…she’s lived some life; seen and been through some serious shit and this powerful body of work is what she did with it.
"Danielia Cotton has not had it easy. But lucky for us, she channels her pain and suffering into kick-ass musical creations we can all enjoy." – Guitar World
With the release of her new album Good Day she never lets her feet touch bottom as she traverses difficult waters, swimming through the turbulent currents of social issues such as racism and greed and the tempestuous waters of love and relationships. With an international pandemic in full effect to boot. “As an album, I think it’s a little varied,” says Cotton. “It’s the first album that includes songs that are both social and personal. On several of these songs I tried to get out of my own head and talk about the world outside. I think about the experiences of my listeners.”
“…with blaring, guitar-charged, Southern-rooted rock that links her to Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Black Crowes, Janis Joplin, Aerosmith and the rockier side of Bonnie Raitt. She’s a belter who can hold back or work her way up to a gospelly blues-rock shout, and in the songs she writes with her band’s brawny guitar riffs, she grapples with the road, salvation, holding on and letting go.” – New York Times
“Cotton brings a freshness to the soul-rock formula, not to mention a contagious fervor that is near irresistible.” – Los Angeles Times
Danielia Cotton embodies true artistry. With this new album, produced by Grammy winner Dave O’Donnell, she shines a light on deeply personal, and simultaneously systematic and pervasive issues that have plagued folks like her for an eternity. With the help of industry luminaries Charlie Drayton, Aaron Comess, Andy Hess, and Marc Coply, and Jeff Cohen, this expansive album will occupy every ounce of space she has carved out for it. She continues to evolve and challenge herself as a musician and it is evident in this collection of songs. Cotton’s creating music that spans time. It is prescient and relevant whilst likewise hearkening to the protest songs of the 60’s and 70’s. Cotton's music deeply rooted in yesterday and passionately and powerfully crafted for tomorrow. She’s still fighting A Different War.
Get merchandise here!
All staff, patrons, and talent are required to wear a mask inside the theater. As of 2022, all staff, patrons, and talent must show proof of vaccination OR a negative COVID-19 test. Please see our Health and Safety page for more information.
- Danielia Cotton returns to the HT stage to celebrate the release of her new album with a special one night only concert!
- Separate VIP tickets are available for exclusive sound check access before the show.
- You can bring Danielia Cotton's new songs home with you by pre-ordering her latest album, Good Day, here! Those who pre-order by 5pm on Thursday, March 17 using the link above will receive their album at the theater's box office on the day of the concert. Those who order after the cutoff will receive their albums by mail.
- Advanced Concert Ticket Price: $35-40 plus tax and fees
Day of Show Concert Ticket Price: $45 plus taxes and fees
*Get additional VIP sound check tickets here. Please note the VIP Sound Check ticket is for sound check only, from 5:30-6:30pm. You must purchase a concert ticket as well to also attend the concert.
“…an honest-to-God voice with real power, conviction, emotion and soul.” – Boston Herald
Cotton’s childhood was spent on the Sourland Mountain in Hopewell, NJ. She is music legacy. Her mother and aunts were all professional vocalists and music was in her blood. Cotton started performing in her teens. Early on she began veering from the gospel and jazz/blues of her mother and aunts finding greater allure in rock legends like, AC/DC, Judas Priest, Led Zeppelin, and Todd Rundgren and soul and R&B royalty like Stevie Wonder and Donnie Hathaway. Cotton began crafting her own sound; an eclectic mix of the stuff that shaped her and the stuff that called her. Cotton’s magic is born of her ability to inhabit a song, to dwell in its rhythms and melodies, to live with the intricacies of its lyrical structure, and to emerge with an articulate proclamation of personal and social truths.
“Demographers, beware: Danielia Cotton doesn't fit neatly into any box. She's an African American, from a nearly all-white town in New Jersey. She's a singer and songwriter who can sound like a blues balladeer on one track, and a hard-rock wailer on the next.” - NPR
Cotton graduated from Bennington College in Vermont where she majored in Theater and studied Voice with Bill Dixon. Not long after college, Cotton left Hopewell for Manhattan and began performing in venues like The Bitter End and The Cutting Room. She was making connections in NYC’s music scene. Those connections led her to Kevin Salem of Chocolate Genius who would produce her first full length album, Small White Town. Shortly prior to its release she was selected as an Artist to Watch by WXPN out of Philadelphia. So, despite the move to Manhattan and attempting to get her feet wet there, she found herself headed south again; fully immersed in Philly’s music scene.
"Danielia's music has the swagger of 'Let It Bleed'-era Rolling Stones. Her singing has the raw emotional power of Janis Joplin. Her songwriting places her among the top new musical storytellers." – Philadelphia Daily News
Cotton has spent her entire career fighting for independence, space to create her own sound and an audience that would journey with her. Cotton released Small White Town in 2005 and then released critically acclaimed Rare Child, 2008 as a true indie artist followed by the Live Child EP (2009) in relatively quick succession. In 2012, came Gun in Your Hand (another collaborative effort with Kevin Salem) followed by Woodstock (2014), The Real Book (2014), A Prayer (2016), and The Mystery of Me (2017). Cotton is no stranger to the classic rock ‘n roll story…she’s lived some life; seen and been through some serious shit and this powerful body of work is what she did with it.
"Danielia Cotton has not had it easy. But lucky for us, she channels her pain and suffering into kick-ass musical creations we can all enjoy." – Guitar World
With the release of her new album Good Day she never lets her feet touch bottom as she traverses difficult waters, swimming through the turbulent currents of social issues such as racism and greed and the tempestuous waters of love and relationships. With an international pandemic in full effect to boot. “As an album, I think it’s a little varied,” says Cotton. “It’s the first album that includes songs that are both social and personal. On several of these songs I tried to get out of my own head and talk about the world outside. I think about the experiences of my listeners.”
“…with blaring, guitar-charged, Southern-rooted rock that links her to Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Black Crowes, Janis Joplin, Aerosmith and the rockier side of Bonnie Raitt. She’s a belter who can hold back or work her way up to a gospelly blues-rock shout, and in the songs she writes with her band’s brawny guitar riffs, she grapples with the road, salvation, holding on and letting go.” – New York Times
“Cotton brings a freshness to the soul-rock formula, not to mention a contagious fervor that is near irresistible.” – Los Angeles Times
Danielia Cotton embodies true artistry. With this new album, produced by Grammy winner Dave O’Donnell, she shines a light on deeply personal, and simultaneously systematic and pervasive issues that have plagued folks like her for an eternity. With the help of industry luminaries Charlie Drayton, Aaron Comess, Andy Hess, and Marc Coply, and Jeff Cohen, this expansive album will occupy every ounce of space she has carved out for it. She continues to evolve and challenge herself as a musician and it is evident in this collection of songs. Cotton’s creating music that spans time. It is prescient and relevant whilst likewise hearkening to the protest songs of the 60’s and 70’s. Cotton's music deeply rooted in yesterday and passionately and powerfully crafted for tomorrow. She’s still fighting A Different War.
Get merchandise here!