Encore’s Dan Cooney Sings From His Heart: A Night of Music, Love and Healing

Dan Cooney, Jessica Grové and friends captivated Encore Theatre with heartfelt songs during the July 11 concert. The night featured stories of family, loss, love, and hope.

Image: Album cover artwork by Jessica Grové

Music is the universal language of the world. No matter the genre, music comes from the heart straight into the heart of everyone who listens. On Friday, July 11, Dan Cooney, along with his wife Jessica Grové and friends, captivated a large audience from the Encore stage.

Cooney was joined by Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Chris Roberts, singer/songwriter/guitarist Pat McGrath, multi-instrumentalist Brad Phillips, and drummer Joe Mowatt for a singer-songwriter round and the release of Cooney’s EP “Never Really Gone”.

While every performer contributed, the evening belonged to Cooney. He welcomed the audience into his “living room”, sharing what felt like a photo album of intimate stories from his life.

“Dan lost both parents within a month of one another, with his father’s death a result of COVID in early 2021, so he didn’t have a chance to say goodbye,” Grové shared.

The loss left Cooney feeling emotionally empty. “My mom was Catholic, so she had all the traditional elements of a Catholic burial,” he explained. “My dad wasn’t religious; he died alone from COVID. I didn’t get to talk to him. He was just gone.” The weight of his grief was evident in both his expression and his voice.

Cooney has begun to fill the void in his heart through music. He honored his mother with “Never Really Gone,” dedicated “14 Foot Dream” to his little brother Jeff, reminiscing about their childhood on a 14-foot aluminum boat, and reflected on his father’s love for fishing with “Go Fishin’.” His dad always extended an invitation to join him on the water.

After “Go Fishin’,” Cooney performed a song for his children. “Even though I was adopted, I grew up knowing my parents’ home was my home. Whether I was 18, 38, or 50, I was always welcome to just walk in the back door,” he reflected. “Come Home,” an emotional piece written by Cooney (and Roberts), conveyed the message that “our home is forever and always your home.” As he sang, the audience was moved to tears, captivated by the heartfelt masterpiece.

Chris Roberts and Pat McGrath also performed several songs, including “Happy to Be Alive,” “Radio Land,” “Trouble,” and the powerful “Tryin’ to Stop the Rain.” Their engaging performances left a lasting impression. Chris also co-wrote five of the seven songs with Cooney on the EP. Dan shared that Roberts has been a dear friend and cherished mentor throughout this entire process.

Continuing to share from the family “photo album”, Cooney sang a beautiful tribute to Jessica titled “My Over the Rainbow.” With every word and look exchanged between the couple, their amazing love story was clear. And who doesn’t long for an over-the-rainbow love story?

Music, which comes from the heart, carries a magical quality that can take the listener to a different time and place. It creates in the listener the ability to see and feel the lyrics of the song. And what Cooney created in each of his songs was something so personal. So private. Yet, he bared his soul and allowed everyone a peek inside the most personal highs and lows of his life.

Jessica Grové performed “Daddy’s Girl,” a tribute to her father, written by Cooney. Jessica and her father danced to the song at the couple’s wedding. During the concert, her angelic voice stirred emotions, leaving her father wiping tears from his eyes. A trained singer with Broadway experience, Grové infused the song with heartfelt emotion, culminating in a touching father-daughter embrace.

Throughout the concert, Cooney spoke about his family, sharing the story of his older brother, Chuck, who fell into addiction and lost everything. Cooney expressed the despair of witnessing his brother’s struggles and then performed the heart-wrenching “Streets of Monroe,” a reflection of what was and what is. “It’s also a song of hope,” he emphasized, wishing for his brother to find some peace.

The concert concluded with a fun rendition of Carole King’s “You’ve Got a Friend,” the perfect ending to a perfect night.

For music to be considered successful, it has to make the listeners feel and think. Whether laughing or crying, Cooney’s songs filled the theatre with emotion, with words sung from the heart.

You can hear all of Cooney’s music soon on Apple Music and Spotify.