David Coller, Connecticut-based singer-songwriter, release of 2nd album, 'When Summer Comes'

David Coller, Connecticut-based singer-songwriter, release of 2nd album, 'When Summer Comes'

Folk Songs from a Life Well Lived

Release date: April 10 2026

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David Coller has been writing and performing folk music since his teens—which, as he’ll readily admit, was a very long time ago. Rooted in the singer-songwriter tradition, his music blends straight-ahead folk with touches of jazz, bluegrass, and sea songs, delivered with warmth, wit, and a deep well of lived experience.

A graduate of the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Arts in Music, Coller initially pursued a parallel career in emergency medicine, all while continuing to write, perform, and record. In 1995, he released his first CD, New Moon / Old Friends, before taking an extended hiatus—largely due to the all-consuming joys and challenges of owning and captaining a wooden boat (those who know, know).

In 2019, an invitation to share a bill at a local venue reignited the spark, and Coller returned to the stage with a 30-year back catalog of songs and stories. Drawing from a life that includes a successful medical career, two decades captaining a gaff-rigged schooner, raising two children, and a lifetime of outdoor (and indoor) adventures, his songwriting ranges from poignant to profound, protest to whimsy, poetic to deeply personal.

Since his return, Coller has become a regular presence on stages throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York, with occasional forays to the West Coast. He performs on guitar and banjo, with the occasional appearance of button accordion or piano, and is joined by his partner Diane Chodkowski, whose harmony vocals are an essential and beloved part of the sound.

Coller’s most recent CD, When Summer Comes, was released locally in November 2025 to a standing-room-only crowd, with a wider U.S. and European release scheduled for April 10. He is currently working on an EP of original sea music, as well as another full-length, wide-ranging album planned for late 2026, and is actively booking a West Coast tour.

Diane Chodkowski caught the folk music bug in sixth grade when a teacher sang folk songs to her class. Living in New York City during the 1980s Fast Folk singer-songwriter scene, she was immersed in a vibrant community of musicians and had the privilege of singing harmony and recording with artists such as Hugh Blumenfeld (former Connecticut State Troubadour), Richard Shindell, and Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary. In the 1990s, she was a member of the acclaimed female trio Madwoman in the Attic, known for their original material and tight harmonies.
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David Coller and Diane Chodkowski have been making music—and a life—together for 15 years and are delighted to once again be performing regularly for live audiences.

Tracklisting
1. Let Nothing Come Between Us (2:07)
2. Lillian’s Voice (2:38)
3. Tucson (4:17)
4. When Summer Comes (4:56)
5. Wherever You Are (3:33)
6. Balance of the Season (2:53)
7. Winter’s Here (3:22)
8. I’ll Take the Moon (4:25)
9. We’re Sinkin’ (1:48)
10. Trouble/Liberty (5:04)
11. Small Blue Island (4:16)
12. Why Not Today (3:18)
13. Sorry Blues (3:31)
14. Class of ‘63 (5:34)
15. Goodbye, Goodbye (3:42)

All songs by David Coller
except ‘Liberty’(Traditional/Public Domain)
The Musicians
David Coller: vocals, guitar, banjo
Diane Chodkowski: harmony vocals
Sara Milonovich: fiddle
Rani Arbo: fiddle (Lillian’s Voice)
Brian Mitchell: accordion
Rusty Park: pedal steel
Eric Parker: drums
Mark Dann: bass
Produced by David Coller
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Mark Dann
at Mark Dann Recording, Woodstock, NY

Website:
​davidcoller.com