By Laurel Tuohy, Litchfield County Times

Many urbanites relocate to the country with high hopes, but never feel truly comfortable with the different pace of life. Nor do they find acceptance among the locals. Singer songwriter Kenn Morr, is not one of those stories.

Though he’s lived in rural Colebrook only five short years, he has reached a level of small town comfort and familiarity that few do, due mostly to the local celebrity his roots-based acoustic rock songs have brought him.

He ingratiated himself with the locals early on, though not intentionally. He moved to backwoods Connecticut for peace, quiet, seclusion and privacy but found community instead.

A father to two young sons, Kenn, when he's not performing, writes and plays guitar around their schedules on the porch overlooking his lush green acreage or from the kitchen table in his 150-year-old clapboard home. For accompaniment he can count on the sound of the rushing brook across the street or the wind rustling through the tall greens.

The good people and unforgettable scenery of this tiny town of fifteen hundred have quietly woven themselves into Kenn’s rich musical tapestry over the last few years.

He became a local hero with his, "Moonlight Meadow Song," the closing number on his second CD, "New Moon Rising," a mix of unplugged Americana, folk, rock, and blues.

As he was writing the evocative tune, Kenn learned that a well-loved elderly neighbor, the sort of local character you find in a town with a general store, had died. Ed Case supplied many of the families on the street with produce from his legendary garden. Suddenly, Kenn had a last verse for his song – as if by magic.

The result was the throat-tightening closing prose ‘Old Ed ain’t livin down the road anymore/ Last night they called his number up to heaven’s sweet door/ He was the last of the old folks, last of a breed/ Now there’s no one around to grow us the food that we need.’

"He was such a part of this great Colebrook scenery. It was his final gift to me," Kenn explained.

Kenn’s gifts to the rest of us are his songs, which push boundaries while recalling a time when the world was a simpler place. His music has a dreamy, simple quality that harkens back to a time when American music and life was less complicated yet just as strongly felt.

Bob Dylan’s brand of acoustic rock is referenced by Kenn’s low persuasive tones, and traces of John Mellencamp are recognizable in the songs’ heartfelt quality and accessibility. The lyrics address universal themes such as love, fear, cautiousness and curiosity and speak to everyman. Even Kenn’s newest songs feel like they’ve existed forever and embody the time transcending quality of art that is truly organic.

Never are Kenn’s talents more palpable than in his live show. Often accompanied by his band manning a revolving lineup of instruments including violin, mandolin, organ, banjo and drums, Kenn performs triple duty on guitar, piano & harmonica.

An evening spent with Kenn Morr feels intimate no matter what size the venue and he has performed with such kindreds as John Wesley Harding and Aztec Two-Step. The latter are such big fans they recorded a version of Kenn’s song "Follow The Moon."

It isn’t just his contemporaries that enjoy Kenn’s performances either. He and his band were recently nominated "Best New Band" in the Hartford Advocate’s live competition the Grand Band Slam, competing against dozens of bands from around Connecticut.

With his recently released third CD, "Coming Home," Kenn puts to use the lessons learned by the side of his former producer, the legendary Bob Johnston. He produced the warm, soulful disc at home in his cozy, wood-paneled studio.

Kenn credits Johnston for much of his musical progression. The famed Nashville-based music man is responsible for records by Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, Leonard Cohen, The Byrds, Johnny Cash, Louis Armstrong, Jimmy Cliff, Carl Perkins and Willie Nelson, among others.

"New Moon Rising," the Johnston-produced disc, was completed in 2003 but stalled on the way to a large release when Kenn’s wife learned she was pregnant.

True to the American values implicit in his music, his family came first and Kenn’s musical dream was put on pause. The couple was soon blessed with another son, James. "He was born and that’s what I’ve dedicated these past two years to," Kenn said.

That kind of thinking is integral to Kenn’s music and his life. His songs come at you like a much-needed reprieve from the world and provide a portal into a time when there was time - to reflect, to chat, to visit, to just be.

Kenn’s songs echo that uncomplicated kindness and the resilience of the human spirit. A master of metaphor, he shines at making broad gestures with the tiniest of phrases and exemplifies that the fewest words and simplest melodies often offer the most sweeping images and emotional resonance.

"I think I was over stimulated for many years. I haven’t had a writer’s block since moving out here. It just comes more naturally to me here," he admits.