Our PNW Music

With the “stay at home order” in place, Our PNW Music podcast had to get creative in order to bring you the best of the Pacific Northwest musicians. With most of the country hunkering down at home due to the COVID-19 virus, it got us thinking .... or maybe remembering.... there used to be a time, before music streaming services and mixed tapes, where we would listen to a FULL vinyl album (and 8-tracks/cassettes/CD’s). In the words of Shane Gildnes from Fanny Alger, it was a time “that provided for the ability to not listen to music as a background activity, but it was actually THE activity”. Now, when so many people have this extra time on their hands, it’s a great opportunity to go back and revisit the “lost art of deep listening”. On “Listening To Albums Again II” we spoke with Dennis Dorgan (New Brother, Whiskey Fever) and Chuck Dingée (The Walrus, Free Harmony)

Dennis Dorgan recounts how the “Commit This To Memory” album by Motion City Soundtrack helped him deal with the suicide of his brother; listening to other narratives helped him consider other prospectives. “Reconstruction Site” by The Weakerthans helped pull him through his own suicidal feelings.

Chuck Dingée spoke about his love of concept albums, starting with Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side Of The Moon”; where there was very little space between the songs because it was made to be listened to as one whole piece. Other concept albums that Chuck dives into are: “Twelve Dreams Of Dr Sardonicus” by Spirit, “It’s A Beautiful Day” by It’s A Beautiful Day and “Abbey Road” and “Sargent Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band” by The Beatles.

Do you have any albums that you’ve listened to over and over from beginning to end? If so, let us know. We’re always anxious to add to our own collections.

Savanna Woods, the PNW’s own “Queen Of Hearts”, joins us on this episode of Our PNW Music.

Ms. Woods, a Stanwood native, currently heads two bands, The Woods Sisters and Waking Maya; however she recently has been branching out on her own. She’s an amazing song writer who has an angelic voice with just enough grittiness to lull the listener into a mystical trance.

Savanna has two major loves: music and traveling. Visiting over 28 countries to date, this young woman of twenty five years of age, has been able to seamlessly combine her two passions on weekly Facebook posts titled “Wandering Wednesdays”. You can access these videos on Savanna Woods Music FaceBook page.

Please listen in as Ms. Woods regales us with stories of her travels, music and what drives her wandering nature. And make sure to subscribe to her social media sites so you will be alerted to all of her future endeavors.

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/SavannaWoodsMusic/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/savannaeden?igshid=q9gqlnh62zuv

Website: https://www.patreon.com/SavannaWoods

Email: [email protected]

In this episode, we talk to Brittany Collins, singer-songwriter from Stanwood, WA. Coming from a sports centered family, Brittany did not pick up the guitar until she was a young adult, however she had aspirations of writing and performing music since she was a young girl..

Growing up, Brittany’s grandmother introduced her to classic rock music from power hitters Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Janis Joplin. In fact, “Me & Bobby McGee” is a fan favorite in her live performance sets. Brittany often credits her grandmother as the main individual that influenced her to become a musician.

In this episode we explore Brittany’s struggles with stage fright and how joining community theatre helped bring her partly out of her shell .... then her own drive and perseverance of regularly attending open mic nights helped boost her confidence level and fine tune her stage skills.

Brittany also discusses her song writing process, travels with her family and why she always comes back home to the PNW, as well as her transformation as a musical artist during this COVID-19 quarantine era. Please make sure to subscribe to her social media links below so you will be notified of all future projects and performances. We’re sure that her charm, talent and positivity will make you a life long fan as it has done with us.

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/BrittanyCollinsBand/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/brittmakesmusic?igshid=1lksnk0cuteuh

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Bombshellnetwork

Website: https://brittanycollinsband.com/

With the 2020 “stay at home order” in place, Our PNW Music podcast had to get creative in order to bring you the best of the Pacific Northwest musicians. With most of the country hunkering down at home due to the COVID-19 virus, it got us thinking .... or maybe remembering.... there used to be a time, before music streaming services and mixed tapes, where we would listen to a FULL vinyl album (and 8-tracks/cassettes/CD’s). In the words of Shane Gildnes from Fanny Alger, it was a time “that provided for the ability to not listen to music as a background activity, but it was actually THE activity”. Now, when so many people have this extra time on their hands, it’s a great opportunity to go back and revisit the “lost art of deep listening”.

On “Listening To Albums Again”, we talk with Cory Vincent (solo artist formerly from Josey Wales), Michelle Montoya (Gin Gypsy), Andy Brown (Whiskey Fever, Fortune 500, Pavlov Jones, Hindu Grass) and Shane Gildnes (Fanny Alger, Blue Green, Stagnant Water) while they recount their favorite albums from their youth.

Discover how a used album of Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid”, purchased from a second hand record store, redirected Cory Vincent’s love of blues into a new direction.

Michelle Montoya talks about being introduced to Michael Jackson’s “Off The Wall” album by her neighbor ..... and that she would go to her neighbors house so often just to listen, it was eventually gifted to her.

Andy Brown talks about how Tom Petty’s “Damn The Torpedos” made a huge impression on him as a young adult growing up in Sedro Woolley. And on a comical note .... Andy will tell you what artists were not his favorites ... but always made big points with the ladies during his “dating days”.

And finally, Shane Gildnes, the walking encyclopedia of musical knowledge, talks about the impression that Pink Floyd’s concept album “The Wall” made on him. And .... as only Shane can do .... you will also hear his thoughts on what important people DJ’s are, his rules to reading liner notes, how Led Zeppelin snuck up on him, his memories of the Columbia record company and his 7 degrees of separation between Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” and actor Kevin Bacon. There is never a dull moment talking to Shane and we are so lucky to have him here in the PNW.

ourpnwmusic.com

We talked with Sue Passmore of the Good Lovelies. They will be in Mount Vernon at the Lincoln Theater on May 2nd.

We played the songs:

Crabbuckit - written by Kevin Brereton, known as the artist k-os

Kiss Me in the Kitchen - Sue Passmore wrote for their album Let the Rain Fall

I See Gold Caroline Brooks brought the song to the group with co-writer Robyn Dell'Unto.

Whiskey - A song from their first album; 2007’s Oh My!

Last Night - From their Burn The Plan album written by Kerri Ough.

From https://goodlovelies.com

Kerri Ough, Sue Passmore, and Caroline Brooks – immensely talented vocalists and songwriters in their own right; however, it’s their voices interwoven in harmony – powerful and pure, organic and inspiring – that elevates the Good Lovelies from impressive to peerless.

Over the course of their decade-plus career, they’ve covered plenty of stylistic ground, adding tinges of pop, roots, jazz, and even hip-hop to their country folk core at various points.

The trio first united in 2006 for a one-off performance and has since compiled a catalogue of four studio albums, a pair of EPs, a live album, and Christmas collection. Through it all, the unmistakable sound of their intertwined voices has been the sonic anchor, and that remains true as the Good Lovelies now look to push further into the mainstream with their most accessible and pop-influenced output to date.

Their upcoming collection offers a perfect balance between a more modern production style and the wholesome musical influences that have made them a household name over the years. What’s more, the songs themselves build on the Good Lovelies’ familiar foundation with a widespread appeal.

Website- https://goodlovelies.com

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/goodlovelies/

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/goodlovelies/

We recorded this interview before Caitlin had to cancel this tour

due to restrictions from Covid-19

What a fun discussion and great tunes on this episode! Really too bad she had to cancel this tour, but she will be back!

From her website-

To experience a Caitlin Jemma performance is to witness an artist blossoming in real time. Her sound fills the room with an assertion that remains open to all that it encounters, and each song is a living, growing entity that reflects the melding of a myriad of influences. Her versatility emerges through an honest exploration of her art, and her identity remains steady as she traverses the musical spectrum of soul, country, and mystical folk.

As an artist, she runs away from nothing: the wild stands alongside the polished, the intimate beside the far-reaching. At the heart of each song is a story: one we all live, relate to, celebrate and mourn… stories told with transparency that ignites the imagination of the lands she’s traveled and the people she’s gathered as her own.

Whether as a solo act or with her band, Jemma is constantly examining her work from every angle, while maintaining the raw emotion that provides the bedrock of both her songwriting and performance.

While music increasingly scoffs at the genres and labels one might try to slap on it, Jemma embraces the melding of a myriad of influences that inform her work. Rather than trying to drive her songs toward a destination, she sustains the courage to follow them and discover what they need to be. From the position of the audience, we get to watch, to feel, and ultimately contribute to where the path leads.

Website- https://www.caitlinjemma.com/

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/caitlinjemma/

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/caitlinjemma/

Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/artist/4HoLKkz2xfqo7LaveUkFkI?si=3G-Hu3XCTiuxsmEUU1Y7nA

The Enthusiasts, coined as the “Skagit County band to watch in 2020” and the “best band you’ve most likely never heard of” are based out of Anacortes, WA. The core of the band are siblings,  Sommer Velin-Carter and Andrew Velin, transplants from Southern California. 

In this episode of Our PNW Music, you will hear Sommer and Andrew talk about their musical up-bringing, their journeys that brought them to the PNW and the formation of their phenomenal Indie Folk/Gypsy/Rock/Roots band, as well as hear some acoustic versions of their songs. 

The Enthusiasts are the embodiment of a close knit family band whose music focuses on their surroundings in West Skagit County. They speak about how they are influenced by everything from the people down to the landscape and wildlife in Anacortes and surrounding areas. 

We’re positive that after you’ve listened to this podcast, you’ll agree that The Enthusiasts are destined for great success in the future .... and you can tell everyone that you knew them back when they were THE BEST band that no one knew about.

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/The-Enthusiasts-386609182157539/

Article - https://skagitbreaking.com/2020/01/06/band-to-watch-in-2020-the-enthusiasts/

Check out Whiskey Fever: https://jackmattinglyandwhiskeyfever.com/media The song used in the intro is 'Why Would I Ever Want to Miss This’

Cory Vincent of Oak Harbor played a Facebook Live show that blew out expectations out of the water.

His setup put out great sound d quality, so good that we pulled his songs out of the actual video from Facebook to put on the show. Hope you enjoy his guitar playing and singing as much as we do!

Link to his performance- https://www.facebook.com/cory.vincent.589/videos/3217350048284297/

Website- https://coryvmusic.com

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/coryvincentofficial/

What do you get when you mix a velvety, down home vocal tone with melodious flowing lyrics, spectacular guitar riffs, smooth, rhythmic bass and powerfully thunderous percussions? You get Lazy Acres, a burgeoning band from Sedro-Woolley, Washington.

Join co-hosts Rudy Giecek and Kristine Miller Cartwright as they sit down with Lazy Acres front man and songwriter, Wes Jones, and his ax-slinging lead guitarist, Jeff Spradlin. Don’t be fooled by the small town boyish charm of these musicians. They’re unwaveringly focused on driving their rock & roll style right to the top. Find out what makes these guys tick, their musical progression individually, as well as together, and what makes Lazy Acres a premiere PNW band.

Website- https://thatlazyacresband.com

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/TheLazyAcresBand/

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/lazyacresband/

We were at Birdsview Brewery to watch Jack Mattingly and Kristin Allen-Zito Zito play a show. A couple of Barfeet Band guys, Josh Fichter and Jim Fichter, were there as well as singer songwriter Brittany Collins.

We recorded a short discussion on the back porch. You never know who is going to show up when you go see live music!

Barefeet Band - Wandering

Website - http://thebarefeetband.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thebarefeetband/

Instagram - https://instagram.com/barefeetband?igshid=ah7w3lkm92u9

Brittany Collins- Demons

Website - https://brittanycollinsband.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BriCollinsMusic/

Instagram - https://instagram.com/brittmakesmusic?igshid=j44s9uttuw4n

Whiskey Fever- All Hands on Deck

Website- https://jackmattinglyandwhiskeyfever.com/media

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/WhiskeyFeverBand

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/whiskeyfever

Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/artist/45pnrlSFQJsWeuEWbDD3Fx?si=5-Lnf1O3RVC1KEmtGCmRzg

Kristin Allen-Zito- The Gardner

Website - http://www.kristinallenzitomusic.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/kristinallenzitomusic/

Instagram - https://instagram.com/kristinallenzito?igshid=b534per2cbq4

Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/artist/1H2vaILXsKWRZEvzSo4YhT?si=a5RDmS5TQa-34Zl7GeabrQ