Deb Talan, formerly half of the folk duo The Weepies, will perform a live concert Friday, Dec. 1, at Bishop Hill Creative Commons, l309 N. Bishop Hill St.

The family-friendly show will begin with a potluck dinner at 6 p.m., with music starting at 7. and is open to guests of all ages. A $20-30 donation is suggested.

Deb Talan has been writing songs since she was 14. Granted, her style has changed a bit since writing the forever-unknown smash-hit “Through the Window ” about feeling numb, like life was going on somewhere out there but not accessible to her (at 14. so jaded.) 

She played clarinet, wrote songs on piano, later taught herself to play guitar in college, got obsessed with Shawn Colvin, was a vegetarian for four years, ended that with a hot dog and a swim in Lake Michigan, started a band in Portland, Ore. with her friend Mark, named it Hummingfish, wrote a lot of fun songs that people danced to ‘til they were all sweaty in that hipster/grungy/geeky Northwest kind of way.

Then, moved back to the east coast 6 years and a divorce later and began playing solo in Boston coffee houses (read: 4 different Starbucks that she also poured espresso at) opened shows for Catie Curtis (a songwriter hero of hers) met up with Steve Tannen and formed The Weepies, played shows all over the country and the world, toured in a real tour bus!

Deb then moved to LA, got married to Steve, made 5 records and 3 amazing boy-children together with him, had songs placed in loads of movies and TV shows, moved to Iowa, got breast cancer, recovered from breast cancer, made a solo album, struggled with mental health issues and relationship issues for 6 years, and, eventually, divorced Steve.

Deb has a lot she could say these days. She prefers to listen. But playing songs for people is a close second. Music heals. Songs can be prayers.

Deb Talan is lovely proof of that.

For more information please visit DebTalan.com and XRoadsCC.org.