Actor turns to singing

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It's getting harder for Jeff Daniels to play the self-deprecation card.The actor, best known for films like "The Purple Rose of Cairo" and "Terms of Endearment," has more than 50 concerts under his belt in his new guise as a tongue-in-cheek troubadour.

Tomorrow night, a full house will greet Mr. Daniels when he makes his debut at the Barns at Wolf Trap in Vienna.

Not bad for a man who pokes fun of his transformation with the original ditty "If William Shatner Can, I Can Too."

Mr. Daniels knew he was on to something when a series of events found him on stage with Guy Clark, John Hiatt, Joe Ely and Lyle Lovett, the latter affectionately calling him "movie boy."

Mr. Daniels also kicked off the encore on that fateful night.

"This past year I really started to feel I've turned the corner," says Mr. Daniels, who earned raves for his role in 2005's "The Squid and the Whale."

His music spins are as much from his Hollywood days as his Midwestern roots. While most actors call either New York or Los Angeles home, Mr. Daniels remains a Detroit Tiger-loving Michigan native. Hewing to his Midwestern values (his minor musical fame hasn't dented those), he even called this reporter at precisely the minute he said he would.

Mr. Daniels' songs range from whimsical folk to straight-forward blues — and a few tunes might make the crowd reach for a hankie. Life as a musician, he says, guarantees more control over the finished product than his day job.

"Everything is up to me. The script, the songs, the patter, the relationship ... there's no junior executive saying, 'try the red sweater and not the blue one,' " Mr. Daniels says.

Sauntering on stage while wearing so many hats makes live performances easier.