The Union feat. Phil Cook perform live at SHIFT in Eau Claire

September 30, 2026

The Union feat. Phil Cook perform three songs at Shift in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.The Current

When the Eaux Claires Festival returned in the summer of 2026, The Current and Radio Milwaukee teamed up for a series of live broadcasts from Shift Coffee Bar in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

On Saturday, July 25, just one day after performing an uplifting set during day one of the Eaux Claire Festival, the gospel group The Union feat. Phil Cook visited Shift to perform a set of songs that was broadcast live.

The Union — a gospel duo out of Buffalo, New York, comprising Leslie Gardner and Simone Appleby — released the album Eclectic in 2025; in fact, the album’s release date is exactly one year prior to the group’s 2026 performance at Eaux Claires.

The union and phil cook performing on an outdoor stage — The Union featuring Phil Cook performed at Eaux Claires Festival in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, on Friday, July 24, 2026. Left to right: Leslie Gardner, Simone Appleby, Phil Cook.
Laura Buhman for MPR

Songs Performed

00:00:00 I Come to Praise His Name
00:04:04 There Was a Time
00:08:07 Still Have Joy

Song two is from The Union’s 2025 album, Eclectic. Song one is a gospel hymn attributed to Leo “Bud” Welch; song three is another traditional gospel song attributed to Danny McCrimmon and Joseph Calvin Jackson.

Musicians

Leslie Gardner – vocals
Simone Appleby – keyboards, vocals
Phil Cook – guitar, vocals

Credits

Guests – The Union feat. Phil Cook
Hosts – Gannon (The Current), Dori Zori (Radio Milwaukee)
Producer – Lindsay Kimball
Video Director – Evan Clark
Audio Engineer – Josh Sauvageau
Camera Operators – Evan Clark, Erik Stromstad
Graphics – Natalia Toledo
Digital Producers – Reed Fischer, Luke Taylor

External Links

The Union – official site

SHIFT – Eau Claire coffee bar