Acoustic Tuesdays Musician Spotlight: Samantha Sears and Josh Gerba
Written by Cassie St. John
Get excited for our upcoming Acoustic Tuesdays! Next week, two incredible musicians take the stage at Liberty Magic for a great night of musical entertainment. The first hour will be performed by Samantha Sears and the second will be performed by Josh Gerba.
Samantha Sears’ love for music started when she was just very young. Even as a child, Sears was singing whenever she got the chance. “My mom said I was always singing, even before I could talk.” Sears said. “I’ve just always loved singing. When I was younger I wanted to be bigger than the Backstreet Boys.”
Her musical inspirations vary across a wide variety of musicians and singers including Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Gloria Estefan, the Beatles, Cheryl Crow, and Pearl Jam, among many others. Sears even finds that she is still being inspired today by modern musicians, like Jesse Welles. Her main style of music is based in rock, with many other genres incorporated including folk, pop, country, acoustic and others.
Sears favorite part of performing is being able to sing for listeners. For her, singing is something special that always makes her feel good. “Singing is such an outlet for me. I get to perform and I get to sing for people.” Sears said. “It’s very therapeutic for me.”
Sears is looking forward to performing at next week’s Acoustic Tuesday where she hopes to debut her new song for the audience.
The next performer, Josh Gerba, is a musician, audio engineer and composer. He has been performing since he was 13 years old, starting out playing guitar at bonfires and eventually beginning stage performances at the age of 15.
Gerba is known primarily for his skills as a drummer, the first instrument he ever loved, with acoustic guitar coming in close second. Beyond that, Gerba is talented at both the electric guitar and the bass, with some experience on the keys. As a solo acoustic artist, Gerba covers hit songs from the 1960s through the 2000s. His performances are known for being both unique and nostalgic for listeners.
“The songs I choose are usually ones that made a huge impact on me, not only as a musician, but as a human being.” Gerba said “Performing these songs is like a trip down memory lane for me, and I hope for my audience.”
Gerba’s inspiration for his music started as a kid as he grew up on classic country. From there, he gained inspiration from his exposure to MTV and performers like Nirvana, Guns N Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Aerosmith.
Through his passion for creating music, Gerba says that the best moments of performing are when everyone is truly in the moment of listening to his music.
“My favorite memories are the times when everyone in the room is feeling it. When everything else in the world can be shut off for just a moment.” Gerba said. “Music is the universal language. It has healing powers and It can unite people in ways nothing else can.”
With Gerba’s established musicianship, he looks forward to joining the Acoustic Tuesdays line up next week. He’s excited to be “sharing some music, stories and good vibes with the community there.”
Come out next week to Liberty Magic for your chance to see both Samantha Sears and Josh Gerba take center stage for a performance you won’t want to miss.
