For more than 30 years, Dan Navarro has written, sung, played and acted his way through a rich and varied career.
He is most well known for his career as a recording and touring artist with longtime musical partner Eric Lowen in the acclaimed acoustic duo Lowen & Navarro. In a 22-year-career the duo recorded 12 albums, toured the world and were widely regarded as one of the very best in the singer-songwriter genre. But when Lowen was diagnosed with ALS in 2003, they had to significantly reduce their touring, though they continued to record and perform together for six more years. When Lowen retired in 2009, Navarro began to focus on a career as a solo singer-songwriter, and since that time he has been increasingly in demand on the national concert circuit.
A critic once said of Lowen & Navarro, “They are the logical extension of the creative and literate legacy that began with the Everly Brothers and emerged through Simon & Garfunkel. Immaculate harmonies, intricate but accessible melodies, intelligent heartfelt lyrics.” As Navarro has continued his career as a solo artist, the accolades have not diminished; a recent review said “Dan’s solo performances are marked by the same hallmarks as his work with Lowen & Navarro – songs of rich insight and experience, delivered straight-up, with honesty, grace and heart, in his moving and expressive baritone voice.”
Navarro has had his songs recorded by artists as diverse as Pat Benatar (the Grammy-nominated “We Belong”), The Bangles, Jackson Browne, Keb’ Mo’, Dave Edmunds, The Temptations, Dionne Warwick, Dutch superstar Marco Borsato, The Triplets, Austin outlaw legend Rusty Weir and many more.
Navarro has also made a splash behind the scenes, as a singer and voice actor in major motion pictures, television series, commercials and recordings, including the smash hit The Lorax, plus Rock of Ages, Happy Feet (1 & 2), Rio (Oscar-nominated “Real In Rio”), Ice Age (2 & 3), Robots, The Mexican, The Emperor’s New Groove, Envy; television series Prison Break, Family Guy, American Dad and The Cleveland Show; recordings with Neil Young, Andrea Bocelli, Luis Miguel, Jose Feliciano, Susanna Hoffs and Jon Anderson of Yes; and commercials for Shakey’s Pizza, McDonald’s, Toyota, Coca-Cola, Honda, El Pollo Loco, Nationwide and hundreds of others.
Dan Navarro will be appearing in concert on Friday, May 31, as part of the Sundilla Acoustic Concert Series’ 20th year of bringing the world’s best music to Auburn. The concert will take place at the AUUF; showtime is 7:30, and admission is just $15 at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased for just $12 from The Gnu’s Room, Spicer’s Music, The Villager Frame Shop and online at www.sundillamusic.com. There will be free coffee, tea, water and food, though as always attendees are invited to bring whatever food or beverage they prefer.