When Eddie Skuller takes the stage at My Father’s Place on Oct. 18, he will not be trying to mimic Tom Waits’ gravelly growl. Instead, the veteran New York singer-songwriter will deliver “Ballads of Tom Waits” with his own smooth, amber-toned vocals — an interpretation aimed at celebrating the songwriter rather than the voice.
“I’ve always admired Tom Waits’ music, but I wasn’t ready to take on a show like this until now,” Skuller said. “Maybe it’s just being older or living through more things in life, but the songs struck me differently.”
Waits is an American singer, songwriter, composer and actor known for his narrative lyrics that explore themes of hardship and Americana. Born in 1949, Waits gained recognition with his 1973 debut album, “Closing Time.”
Skuller said he approaches the material with the perspective of a fellow songwriter who understands the difficulty of reaching Waits’ level of craft.
“I’m a songwriter as well, but nothing I’ve ever written compares to anything he does,” he said. “As a singer, it’s incredibly satisfying and challenging to take on his gorgeous songs.”
The Roslyn performance will highlight many of Waits’ best-known ballads, including “Ol’ 55,” “Jersey Girl,” “Downtown Train” and “San Diego Serenade.”
Some titles, Skuller noted, will be familiar to audiences through other artists — the Eagles, Rod Stewart and Bruce Springsteen among them. “There’s definitely plenty that people will recognize,” he said. “But I’m also bringing in some songs that may be new for listeners, pieces that I really admire from his extensive catalog.”
Rather than trying to impersonate Waits, Skuller views his role as shining a light on the emotional intensity of the music.
“I think the most important thing to know about the show is that I’m celebrating his songwriting, not attempting an imitation at all,” he said. “People tend to think of Waits’ gravelly voice, but rarely name the songs they love. I feel like I have a job to do in honoring his songwriting and letting the songs come through me, my voice, my experience, my emotion.”
That approach has resonated with audiences. Early performances of the show in smaller venues drew strong reactions, including two standing ovations in Hoboken.
“Some people told me it was like hearing the songs for the first time,” Skuller said. “I thought that was an incredible response. What more could I ask for as an artist?”
He admits that some of Waits’ darker material moves him deeply in rehearsal.
“Sometimes I well up a little bit,” Skuller said. “The songs strike different things emotionally in me. But I don’t want people to think they’re going to a sad show. Somehow it ends up feeling upbeat, almost cathartic. Singing sad songs has always been that way for me — it’s a release, not a weight.”
Skuller’s collaborators include two well-known New York musicians: Joe McGinty, founder of the long-running Loser’s Lounge tribute series, on keyboards, and bassist Jeremy Chatzky, a veteran of Bruce Springsteen’s and Steve Earle’s bands. Skuller has performed with Loser’s Lounge for more than 20 years, sharpening his ability to command an audience with just a single song.
That skill will serve him well at My Father’s Place, a venue he long admired but has never performed in.
“I always wanted to play there in the original My Father’s Place,” Skuller said. “All my favorite acts played that stage. To finally bring this show there to the new venue still feels like a full-circle moment.”
Though Skuller has never met Waits himself, he has connected lightly with the songwriter’s son, Casey, through social media. Still, Skuller insists his focus is on the music rather than the man. “I think of him as the ultimate folk storyteller, with a great understanding of character and melody,” he said. “The songs need to be honored. That’s what I’m doing.”
For Skuller, whose career has ranged from post-punk shows at CBGB to jazz cabaret, reggae collaborations and folk singer-songwriter clubs in Manhattan, the tribute is the latest chapter in a lifelong willingness to shift genres and follow inspiration.
“I’ve always gone where the lightning strikes,” he said. “Tom Waits did the same thing. I feel aligned with him in that way.”
Tickets for “Ballads of Tom Waits” are available at mfpproductions.com
