Slide & Steel Guitars at Centrum

Kicking It in the Music Business: The Music of Mike Neer

Mike Neer, who has been kicking it in the music business for more than twenty years, will be teaching at Centrum's Dobro Intensive, July 10-13, 2008. 

Equally at home in myriad styles of music, Mike made a name for himself playing Hawaiian steel guitar with The Moonlighters from 2004 through 2007. “I fell in love with the instrument years ago, but after a few failed attempts to play it, I kind of gave up. It wasn’t until I found the Moonlighters and my National Tricone that I had a purpose for playing other than my own enjoyment. I now had a voice.”

Mike used his knowledge of jazz and old-time Hawaiian music to great advantage by fusing them together, much in the same way that the early masters like Sol Hoopii and Benny Nawahi did. “I like to approach the instrument fresh every time I play, and I like to improvise most of my parts. It’s just the way I’ve always been. I guess I have a pretty small attention span, but that’s resulted in me having better ears.”

David Lindley to Perform at the Wheeler

Multi-instrumentalist David Lindley, known internationally for his work with Jackson Browne, and for leading  his own band El Rayo-X, will perform a solo concert at the Wheeler Theatre in Port Townsend at 7:30 on Friday evening, Feb. 8.  This concert, presented by UpWest Arts and Centrum, marks Lindley's first appearance on the Olympic Peninsula in four years.

Lindley, who has long championed the concept of world music, performs in a style that brings new meaning to the word "eclectic."  The David Lindley electro-acoustic performance effortlessly combines American folk, blues, and bluegrass traditions with elements from African, Arabic, Asian, Celtic, Malagasy, and Turkish musical sources.  Lindley incorporates an incredible array of stringed instruments including the Kona and the Weissborn Hawaiian lap steel guitar,  the Turkish saz and chumbus, as well as the Middle Eastern oud and the Irish bouzouki.  The eye-poppingly clad "Mr. Dave"'s uncanny vocal mimicry and humor make his on-stage banter a highlight of every show.

David Lindley grew up in Southern California, first taking up the banjo as a teenager, and subsequently winning the annual Topanga Canyon Banjo and Fiddle Contest five times as he explored the American folk music tradition.  Between 1967 and 1971 Lindley founded and led what must now be seen as the first world music rock band, The Kaleidoscope.  In 1971, he joined forces with Jackson Browne, serving as Jackson's most significant musical co-conspirator until 1981.  In 1979, Lindley began working with old friend Ry Cooder on Bop Till You Drop and on the Long Riders soundtrack.  Their musical collaboration lasts to this day, and has spawned many recording projects and several world tours as an acoustic duo.

In 1981, Lindley created his own remarkable band, El Rayo-X, which integrated American roots music and world beat with a heavy reggae influence.  El Rayo-X toured the world for the next eight years.  And throughout his long and distinguished career, Lindley has been one of Hollywood's most in demand session musicians, lending his skills to the recorded works of Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart, Linda Ronstadt, Crosby and Nash, Warren Zevon, and many others.

Lindley will perform one show only at 7:30 pm. Tickets are on sale at the Centrum ticket office (385-3102 x114), at the P.T. Food Co-op, at Quimper Sound Music in P.T., and online at centrum.org.

Leo Kottke Performance October 5

[Leo Kottke playing "I Yell At Traffic" and "Don't Call Me Ray"]

American guitar virtuoso Leo Kottke will perform on Friday, October 5, at 7:30 pm at Fort Worden's McCurdy Pavilion. Tickets are available on our secure online site as well as by calling Centrum at 360.385.3102, x117

Make Your Guitar Sing: An Interview with Orville Johnson

Orville Johnson, Artistic Director of Slide and Steel at Centrum, came up in the St. Louis music scene, where he participated in a wide variety of blues, bluegrass, and American roots music. In the years since, he has played on over two hundred albums, released four recordings, and been featured in multiple soundtracks.

Centrum: What in particular do you think attracts people to the sound of the slide guitar?   

Orville Johnson: One of the most fascinating things about the slide guitar is that there are no frets, no musical breaks. Because of this you can re-create vocal sounds and imitate singing on your instrument. The human voice has this complete range where you can weave around and cover the spaces between the notes. An instrument that is fretted can’t do this. But a non-fretted instrument, like a dobro or steel or slide guitar, can imitate the singing voice with its full range. Essentially, you can sing through your guitar. 
The slide guitar as we know it came from Hawaii, and became widely known in America during the Panama-Pacific World Exposition held in San Francisco in 1915. A group of Hawaiian musicians played all through the fair’s duration. During that time some of the musicians made recordings, and Hawaiian slide music swept the nation—much like rock and roll would later. It instantly made its way into other forms of music such as country and blues.

C: Where do you see slide guitar music heading in the future?

OJ: Slide guitar is being used more in popular music now than ever before. Primarily this is because there’s lots of exposure to the instrument through popular music, television,  and soundtracks. I don’t see why that won’t continue to be the case because it’s such an expressive instrument. Slide can really fit into any form of music because of the fact that you are singing through your instrument. You can sing any genre of music, so why not slide it?
The Campbell Brothers use steel and slide in religious settings by imitating gospel singing. They’re a new wrinkle in the mainstream gospel genre, even though this kind of music has been done in their church since the nineteen-forties. I‘ve used it myself in jazz, Brazilian, and Latin music, and, of course, in country and blues. Slide guitar can fit into any kind of music because, essentially, it’s singing. 
I have students of all ages and I tell them that I can teach them how to make the notes, play scales, and technically operate the instrument, but the only thing that makes it music is their expression. There’s no right or wrong way to do that…it’s all up to the individual. Once I’ve taught them how to technically operate the appliance, it’s up to their expression to bring music out of the instrument. I think the slide guitar is one of the easiest types of instruments with which to gain access to one’s personal expression. I see students of all ages responding to that. 

C: What new or continuing projects are you working on right now?

OJ: I’m always working on my own music since I’m a musician as well as a teacher. I’m finishing up an album of dobro duets with other players, and I hope to have that out at the end of this year. I’m also working on an album of my vocal tunes which will be out by next summer. I do a lot of producing, so right now I’m working on an album with a singer/songwriter named Kate Borkowski.

C: As the first Artistic Director of Slide and Steel at Centrum, what is your vision for that program? 

OJ: It’s interesting to have a guitar workshop that isn’t limited to a musical genre. Many of our musical workshops are categorized: Jazz, Blues, Fiddle Tunes…they focus on a certain kind of music. With Slide and Steel it’s a different kind of event. It’s great because we’re not limited to a genre or type and can include all kinds of music. I also want to continue offering Voiceworks at the same time as the week-long slide workshop.
Every other year the two will happen simultaneously, and in the alternating year I want to have three mini workshops: bottleneck, dobro, and steel. That way, we can also focus on one instrument’s aspects and then bring them all together in the weeklong session.

Orville Johnson leads a special weekend workshop in bottleneck guitar January 31–February 3, 2008. $550 includes all meals and lodging, and he's joined by Mike Dowling and Steve James in the weekend gathering celebrating what is considered by many to be the most expressive and tuneful sound ever conceived. The weekend will include workshop sessions, faculty demonstrations, tutorials, and open jams.

Participants must have a basic technical command of their instrument(s) and basic knowledge of music theory. As part of the workshop, participants will receive free admission to the February 2 public evening performance in the Joseph F. Wheeler Theater. For Workshop Registration follow this link or call 360.385.3102, x114. Faculty bios are beneath the jump.

Leo Kottke's Yes and No

Yes

Velcro, doubt, Ruth Roman, soybeans, crabgrass, Haynes manuals, Crayola silver, morphine, thermocline, blimps, laissez-faire, mahogany, wicker, Java trench, radar, fifties Gibsons, small blocks, teachers, Brompton's mixture, Velveeta, windmills, thumbs, verbs, punctuation, metaphor, divergence, synchronicity, coincidence, rain, PFAW, cumuli, titanium, the Empire State Building, Alvin, largo, chemosynthesis, beans, crop rotation, echoes, fish, deuce coupes, the Panama Canal, paint, moonshine, cotton, limnology, jiu-jitsu, craps, open windows, silence, glass eyes, Grant's tomb, GPS, frontal lobes, filtrums, opisthenars, palms, sleep, coelcanths, the Raid of the Terribore, corn.

No

Leaf blowers, de-regulation, sushi, spitting, snowmobiles, firecrackers, "community," black ice, brussels sprouts, public address systems, segregated use zoning, the Drudge report, CNN, sealed buildings, sperm banks, tags, room deodorant, Uzis, PCP, PCBs, high school, Monsanto, charter schools, lead, pulp, kumquats, binder, filler, Glade, teaching assistants, stun guns, Christmas records, mosquitoes, super delegates, billboards, talk radio, dog grooming, HMOs, boot scootin', diesel combustion, processed crossovers, cheeseburgers, cattle, sitcoms, hog lagoons, greeting cards, Mr. McPheeley, content labeling, soft money, personal contributions, corporate contributions, billboard lobby, speaking in tongues, Three Stooges, crack, hair blowers, 16-bits, entrepreneurs, super tankers, the NFL, Fox, diet plans, infomercials, advertorials, neologisms, adverbs, like, Valium, crank, spittoons, flower gardens, black holes, blue moons, Nostrodamus, belts, aspartame, Good Morning America, Demerol, styrofoam, Xanax, lapel ribbons, Hamburger Helper, possums, Trent Lott.

Friday, October 5, at 7:30 pm, American guitar virtuoso Leo Kottke gives a special performance at Fort Worden's McCurdy Pavilion. Tickets are available by calling Centrum at 360.385.3102, x117 as well as online at our secure site. 

Leo Kottke in Concert at Fort Worden!

[Leo Kottke onstage playing "Rings"] 

Leo Kottke, who has been referred to as "quite possibly the greatest guitarist on earth," will give a special performance at McCurdy Pavilion on October 5, at 7:30 pm. Listen to Kottke's classic hard-driving tune "Vaseline Machine Gun" here.

"Once you fall prey to Kottke's rollicking groove, it's hard to deny its allure, year after year," writes critic Josef Woodward. "He doesn't sweat the small stuff. It's all about an energy force, captured in well-honed musical terms."

Kottke's unique sytle of music draws on blues, jazz, and folk music influences. Growing up in Muskogee, Oklahoma, Kottke played trombone and violin before moving to the guitar. A mishap with a firecracker permanently damaged his hearing in one ear, a condition that would be exacerbated during firing practice during his service in the Navy.

After receiving his discharge, Kottke attended St. Cloud State University in central Minnesota where he was known for skipping class and instead going to the auditorium and playing his guitar for hours on end!

He calls his guitar playing "fussin'" with the guitar. And sometimes during performances, his mind floats off the stage, he says. "It just plain leaves," he says. "Gone until the night's over. There's no room for me. Sometimes when I come back I don't have a clue where I've been, I mean, while I was playing. Where I go when I'm gone is another story. I'm not there, either."

Kottke has collaborated on his records with his mentor John Fahey, as well as with Chet Atkins, Lyle Lovett, Margo Timmins, and Rickie Lee Jones. He is also a frequent guest on A Prairie Home Companion. For Tickets to the October 5 show, call Centrum toll-free at 800.733.3608 or 360.385.3102, x117 or visit our secure online Acteva site.

Choro Workshop Offering this Fall

CHORO: THE SWEET LAMENT OF BRAZILIAN MUSIC
November 8-11, 2007
$495 includes all meals and lodging. 

Join Mike Marshall (mandolin), Carlos Oliveira (six- and seven-string cavanquinho guitar), Andy Connell (clarinet and saxophone), and Brian Rice (pandeiro and other Brazilian percussion instruments) in this new Centrum fall offering. 

The thirty-person workshop is open to all instruments. “There will be people of different backgrounds and abilities and we’ll be sure to match you up!” Marshall says.

Evening jam sessions, combined with relaxing Brazilian film and audio sessions, round out the workshop. Participants will receive free admission to the November 10 performance in the Joseph F. Wheeler Theater. On Sunday morning, November 11, participants are invited to join the faculty for an authentic Brazilian brunch, prepared by chefs who have relocated to the United States.

For Tickets to the November 10 show, call 800.733.3608 or 360.385.3102, x117. For Workshop Registration, register on our secure online server. Listen to a sample of choro music here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksoTIbG48o8.

See you at Saturday's Concert...

Here's Bill Cardine, David Kramer, and Hannes Coetzee from last night's spectacular Wheeler Theater show. Hope to see you on Saturday at McCurdy Pavilion...

Saturday, June 30: The Mainstage Extravaganza

On Saturday, June 30, at Fort Worden State Park's McCurdy Pavilion, two separate shows (one in the afternoon and one in the evening) bring together some of the finest singers and slide guitar players in the country.

The afternoon show features a condensed history of the evolution of sliding instruments, from bottleneck to dobro to lap steel and, finally, pedal steel, with Marley’s Ghost showcasing all of the instruments at the show’s close.

The evening show features tight bluegrass duets with Laurie Lewis and Tom Rozum, the legendary stylings of South African spoon guitarist Hannes Coetzee, songs of the Carter family by Linda and David Lay, and the brilliant four-part gospel harmony singing from Alabama by the Birmingham Sunlights, whose performance at the 2005 Voiceworks Festival absolutely ignited the audience. 

Schedule and bios are below. For tickets, call Centrum at 360.385.3102, x117, or purchase tickets online using our secure Acteva site.

Saturday, June 30
Panoply of Slide Guitar, 1:30 pm
McCurdy Pavilion
Reserved seats: $20
• Terry Robb—bottleneck guitar
• Stacy Phillips—dobro
• Bobby Black—lap slide
• Joe Wright—pedal steel
• Marley’s Ghost

Guitarist Terry Robb is one of the most-heralded players of the Pacific Northwest’s blues scene, an eighteen-time winner of the Cascade Blues Association’s Muddy Award. Resting Place, Robb’s debut album with Yellow Dog Records, features cover songs that compliment Robb’s originals, echoing a broad swath of roots legends.

Stacy Philips is a dynamic mainstage headline performer. An internationally acclaimed resonator guitarist, Phillips’s shows are popular throughout the world. Phillips is also the author of more than twenty-five teaching and repertoire books and DVDs for lap style slide and fiddle, and he has worked effectively to educate novice players of this instrument, playing a central role in its resurgence in popularity.

Bobby Black is a master of the steel guitar whose resume looks as if someone could have made it up.  He has played and performed for over fifty years with such artists as New Riders of the Purple Sage, Dolly Parton, the Eagles, John Lennon, Elton John, Barbara Mandrell, the Moonlighters, the Beach Boys, and the Grateful Dead.

Joe Wright’s electric slide technique ignites audiences. He is famous for his use of fuzz tone. His speed metal phrasing of “guitaristic” riffs have drawn rave reviews and his album Powerslide is one of the seminal works of the rock steel genre. His comedy stints are also a well-received feature of his Steel Jam appearances. 

Marley’s Ghost
Jerry Fletcher sings and plays drums, percussion, and keyboards. He’s been in the music business for over thirty years performing, touring, and recording. He has worked with John Denver, Steve Martin, and Jimmy Rodgers, to name a few. His solo CD is entitled We’re Here To Love.

Ed Littlefield, Jr., a product of the northern California folk scene, relocated to Washington state in the early nineteen-seventies. He played with western swing band Lance Romance before founding Sage Arts, one of the Pacific Northwest’s premier recording studios. With his band, Marley’s Ghost, Littlefield, Jr. has released eight albums. 

Mike Phelan of Marley’s Ghost plays in many styles, including bluegrass, rock, folk, and blues. A fine singer and soulful lead instrumentalist, Phelan has released a solo CD, Donora Street. Phelan cites guitarists Steve Cropper, Eldon Shamblin, Doc Watson, and BB King as major influences.

Dan Wheetman came to Marley’s Ghost after the John Denver Band. Wheetman has been Hank Williams, Jr.’s fiddler and had one of his songs recorded by Kermit the Frog. His showmanship and unique sense of humor, combined with an uncommonly powerful and resonant baritone, provide the focal point for the group’s sterling performances.

Jon Wilcox is a member of Marley’s Ghost. He has also released several solo recordings on the Folk-Legacy, Sierra-Briar, and Sage Arts labels, and has toured internationally as a singer-songwriter and interpreter of traditional American and British Isles music. He is a dynamic performer, heavily influenced by the tenor vocal styles of Sam Cooke and the songwriting of Van Morrison. 

Saturday, June 30, 7:30 pm
Saturday Night Extravaganza
McCurdy Pavilion
Reserved seats: $20
• Laurie Lewis and Tom Rozum
• Hannes Coetzee
• Linda and David Lay
• The Birmingham Sunlights

Laurie Lewis and Tom Rozum. Laurie Lewis’s stage shows are renowned for their musical virtuosity and front-porch friendliness. She has released over a dozen CDs, won a Grammy Award, and twice been named Female Vocalist of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association. Vocalist and instrumentalist Tom Rozum mixes traditional bluegrass and old-time music with Western swing.

Hannes Coetzee was born on a farm in the Western Cape region of South Africa and taught himself to play guitar on a three-stringed homemade guitar built from an oil can with cat-gut strings. Since meeting South African songwriter David Kramer, who will join him at the Festival, he has performed to sold-out crowds in every major South African city. This marks his first trip outside the borders of South Africa. Coetzee’s teaspoon guitar technique have made him a YouTube sensation. A single video of him playing has garnered nearly one million hits.

Linda and David Lay. Linda began singing in church and on stages when she was six years old. She sings bluegrass and learned many of her songs directly from the Carter family. She sang lead and played bass with Appalachian Trail, one of the most respected bluegrass bands to come out of the bluegrass heartland. David Lay plays guitar and sings low harmony; he has a keen ear for the traditional music of the Virginia region.

The Birmingham Sunlights grew up in the heartland of African-American a cappella gospel quartet singing in Alabama. With deep respect for their musical heritage, the Sunlights sought out and received priceless musical instruction from older local quartet masters. They have developed a repertoire of impressive original gospel compositions to complement their traditional songs. Their music inspires audiences and brings listeners to their feet.

Old-Style Cajun Honky-Tonk Dance!

Friday, June 29
Old Style Cajun Dance, 8 pm
Building 204 Dance Floor
General Admission: $10/children 18 and under free
• Christine Balfa Powell and Richard Comeaux

Dance to the classic sixties’ Cajun roadhouse dance hall sounds, or just come and listen to the hot Cajun sounds of pedal steel, lap slide, twin fiddles, and rhythm section!

Christine Balfa Powell grew up playing triangle with her father, Dewey Balfa, and absorbed music and language from the thriving culture around Basile, Louisiana. She plays guitar and is the primary vocalist of the Balfa Toujours, a brilliant young band from Louisiana making a name for itself in traditional music. She is also the founder and director of Louisiana Folk Roots, a non-profit organization that supports Louisiana traditions.

Richard Comeaux, perhaps the best pedal-steel player in Louisiana, is currently signed to Capitol Records with his band River Road. Comeaux also plays pedal steel for Lil’ Band O’ Gold. As the Austin American Statesman notes, “Comeaux’s playing straddles melodies like a graceful tightrope walker.” 

For tickets, call Centrum at 360.385.3102, x117 or visit our secure online Acteva site.

Free Fridays at the Fort Concerts

Centum invites you to come to Fort Worden each Friday at noon for our free concert series "Free Fridays at the Fort." From June 29 through August 10 on the lawn at the Fort Worden Commons, audiences sample music from Centrum's summer festivals, as well as outstanding local and regional musicians.

Free Fridays at the Fort
12n-1pm
Fort Worden Commons

June 29: Voiceworks/Port Townsend Slide and Steel Festival
July 6: The Festival of American Fiddle Tunes
July 13: Rhythm Planet
July 20: Navy Band Northwest: Five Star Brass
July 27: Jazz Port Townsend
August 3: Port Townsend Country Blues Festival
August 10: Dwyer Family Band

Slide Styles from Around the World

Thursday, June 28
International Slide Styles, 8 pm
Joseph F. Wheeler Theater
General Admission: $10
• Mary Lucey with Billy Cardine
• Hannes Coetzee

The sweet sounds of east Indian-infused North Carolina bluegrass, followed by the sensational South African optel-en-knyp guitarist who plays with a teaspoon held in his mouth.

Mary Lucey is a singer, guitarist, and bass player for the bluegrass band The Biscuit Burners. She has also sung harmony with several bands throughout the United States. "I love traditional bluegrass," she says, "but I'm hungry to push the envelope." As writer Jonas Beals notes, the Biscuit Burners' star "is just starting to rise over the foothills of the west, and could streak across the heavens at any moment."

Billy Cardine's tone, timing, and technique have helped him emerge as one of the most cutting-edge dobro players today. Cardine released a solo CD, Organically Grown, in 2001, and in 2003 joined the popular bluegrass band the Biscuit Burners, with whom he has recorded two albums: their first, self-titled album, and 2005’s A Mountain Apart. Cardine has studied under east Indian guitar master Debashish Bhattacharya, and brings a strong Indian flavor to his dobro stylings.

Hannes Coetzee was born on a farm in the Western Cape region of South Africa and taught himself to play guitar on a three-stringed homemade guitar built from an oil can with cat-gut strings. Since meeting South African songwriter David Kramer, who will join him at the Festival, he has performed to sold-out crowds in every major South African city. This marks his first trip outside the borders of South Africa. Coetzee’s teaspoon guitar technique have made him a YouTube sensation. A single video of him playing has garnered nearly one million hits.

Tickets are available here or by calling Centrum at 360.385.3102, x117. 

June 27 Country Dance at the Fort

Wednesday, June 27
Country and Honky Tonk Dance, 8 pm
Building 204 Dance Floor
General Admission: $10/children 18 and under free

Dance to sizzling country tunes by Yahoo! yodeler Wylie Gustafson, pedal steel Hall of Famer Bobby Black, and the All-Star Faculty Band—a star-studded lineup comprised of Mike Phelan, Jerry Fletcher, Richard Comeaux, Grammy-winning fiddler Laurie Lewis, and many, many more.   

Wylie Gustafson’s blend of western swing, classic country, cowboy, and folk music is infused with integrity. Despite his successful career as one of the America’s most popular traditional entertainers, he still gets up every day to tend to his livestock. He's appeared on the Grand Ole Opry more than fifty times and recorded twelve albums with his band “Wylie & the Wild West.” And it’s his signature yodel you’re hearing in Yahoo! advertisements.

Wylie moves easily from quiet love ballads to romping "bring down the house" swing. In his elegant, danceable style, you can hear traditional western forms, as well as cutting-edge sounds. He's been described as having "one foot in the stirrup of tradition and the other in the stirrup of respectful innovation, spurring country and western music toward its future."

Bobby Black is a master of the steel guitar whose resume looks as if someone could have made it up.  He has played and performed for over fifty years with such artists as New Riders of the Purple Sage, Dolly Parton, the Eagles, John Lennon, Elton John, Barbara Mandrell, the Moonlighters, the Beach Boys, and the Grateful Dead.

He continues to cultivate an interest in Hawaiian music as well. Legendary Hawaiian guitarist Jerry Byrd is not only an idol of his, but a friend as well, and the lilting harmonies and gentle, swaying lyrics of Bobby's recent albums show off the influence of Byrd. Bobby's career as a steel guitarist has combined many music genres, and the result is the rich hybrid of Bobby's style. He writes: "It looks like I'll just keep steelin' right on into the sunset."

Centrum's Bottleneck Slide Weekend

BOTTLENECK SLIDE WEEKEND
Workshop: January 31–February 3, 2008
Concert: 7:30pm, February 2, 2008

Join Mike Dowling, Steve James, and Centrum’s Artistic Director for Slide and Steel, Orville Johnson (pictured left), for a weekend gathering celebrating one of the most expressive and tuneful sounds ever conceived! The weekend will include workshop sessions, faculty demonstrations, tutorials, and open jams.

Participants for this gathering must have a basic technical command of their instrument(s) and a basic knowledge of music theory. “Differing levels of ability are expected, and the classes are designed to accommodate these differences,” says program manager Peter McCracken.

As part of the workshop, participants will also receive free admission to the February 2 public evening performance in the Joseph F. Wheeler Theater.

• For Workshop Registration, call Centrum at 360.385.3102 x114 or register securely online.
  $550 includes all meals and lodging.
• For Concert Tickets, call Centrum at 360-385-3102 x117.

THE ARTISTS

In 1995, Mike Dowling launched his solo performance career with the release of the critically acclaimed Swamp Dog Blues. Dowling’s engaging voice, self-deprecating wit, and arsenal of elegant interpretations of old blues are well known—as is the quality of tone he produces when he lays a slide on a string.

Steve James is known internationally for his playing, songcraft, and original approach to the roots music he’s heard since childhood. A workshop veteran, Steve has published numerous articles and books, as well as instructional DVDs. His studio work, both solo and in support of other artists, has earned him many accolades, including Grammy nominations.

Orville Johnson, the Artistic Director of Slide and Steel, came up in the St. Louis music scene, where he participated in a wide variety of blues, bluegrass, and American roots music. He moved to Seattle in 1978, where he was a founding member of the folk/rock group the Dynamic Logs. Johnson has played on over one hundred albums and released four recordings.

Hannes Coetzee Live Onstage in South Africa

[Hannes Coetzee onstage in South Africa]

Hannes Coetzee will be playing at the Port Townsend Slide and Steel Festival on June 28, at 8:00 pm at the Joseph F. Wheeler Theater and on Saturday, June 30, at 7:30 pm at McCurdy Pavilion. For tickets, call 360.385.3102, x117 or visit our secure online site here

Guitar Virtuoso Terry Robb

Pass Terry Robb on a Portland street, and you probably wouldn’t look twice at this soft-spoken, serious-minded guy who easily blends in with the crowd. Catch him in the middle of a gig, however, and you’ll find a passionate, precise player whose ability to grind out hot shot licks makes for a commanding onstage presence. It’s like watching Clark Kent turn into Superman.

Terry Robb has released seven CDs. He first came under the spell of the guitar as a kid; his uncle, a professional swing musician, tutored him in ragtime, blues, country, and jazz.

In the early 1980s, Robb struck up a friendship with John Fahey, who asked him to produce and play on several of Fahey’s recordings. One of these, Let Go, was cited by Rolling Stone as one of the top three releases of 1983, alongside Prince’s Purple Rain and Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the USA.

In the 1990s, Terry moved to focus on his own career. He toured nationally with rocker Steve Miller, appeared on the Conan O’Brien Show and, in the studio, contributed to a number of Grammy and Emmy award-winning projects.

Along the way, Terry's reputation grew. As he began cultivating an style that combined traditional blues elements with more licks drawn from the jazz world he developed a following of his own, winning the Cascade Blues Association’s Muddy Award a record eighteen times.

Terry will be at the 2007 Port Townsend Slide and Steel Festival, teaching, jamming, and telling stories. He'll take to the stage at McCurdy Pavilion on Saturday, June 30, at 1:30 pm. Following him will be Stacy Phillips, Bobby Black, Joe Wright, and Marley's Ghost.

Marley's Ghost in Residence at the 2007 Port Townsend Slide and Steel Festival

The entire band Marley's Ghost will be in residence at the Port Townsend Slide and Steel Festival. Individually, they'll be teaching, jamming, telling stories, and giving performances. And on Saturday, June 30, at 1:30 pm, they'll perform together in a mainstage show at McCurdy Pavilion. You can listen to clips of their music here.

Consisting of Dan Wheetman (vocals, bass, rhythm guitar, fiddle, harmonica, banjo, dobro, and lap steel), a former John Denver Band member and songwriter for Kermit the Frog; Jon Wilcox (vocals, mandolin, rhythm guitar, guitar, and bouzouki) who has toured internationally as a singer-songwriter and interpreter of traditional American and British music; Mike Phelan (vocals, lead guitars, fiddle, dobro, bass, lap steel), who records and performs in many styles, including bluegrass, rock, folk and blues; Ed Littlefield Jr. (vocals, pedal steel guitar, highland bagpipes, keyboards, mandolin, dobro, lead guitar), a product of the northern California folk scene who relocated to Washington state in the early 1970s; and Jerry Fletcher (vocals, drums, percussion, keyboards, arranger), who has been in the music business for over 30 years, working with John Denver, Steve Martin, Jimmy Rodgers, among others; Marley’s Ghost has built a singular reputation among discerning roots-music lovers for its instrumental virtuosity, ultra-tight four-part harmonies and animated live performances.

Producer and musician Van Dyke Parks describing the setting for Marley's ghost recent release, Spooked, in the following way: “Sage Arts Studio is...on the banks of an unpronounceable river in the state of Washington," he said. "We could see eagles with salmon in their talons, flying over the riverbanks. It’s a rustic setting for a studio that is a combination of thoroughly modern stuff and everything of value from the golden age of analog recording." The driving principle of Spooked, Parks said, “was to reverence the form in this music, and find its strength, and at the same time kind of skewer it.” 

Stacy Phillips to Teach and Perform at the Port Townsend Slide and Steel Festival

Internationally acclaimed slide guitarist (and recognized authority on the history of the slide) Stacy Phillips will be hanging out at the 2007 Port Townsend Slide and Steel Festival, June 24-30. He is leading workshops all that week, and will give a mainstage performance at McCurdy Pavilion on Saturday, June 30, at 1:30 pm.

In addition to being a stellar player, Stacy is the author of more than twenty-five teaching and repertoire books, as well as instructional DVDs for the lap slide. He is one of the most highly regarded teachers of the lap slide in the country, and has played a central role in its resurgent popularity.

In addition, he has performed with top acoustic musicians all over the world, including David Bromberg, Judy Collins, Leon Redbone, Peter Rowan, Johnny Gimble, and Mark O'Connor.

Besides his own albums, Stacy was one of the prominently featured performers of the CD The Great Dobro Sessions, which garnered a Grammy Award.

One of the Masters: Slide Legend Bobby Black

It was nearly fifty years ago that my parents presented me with my first guitar, a six-string Rickenbacker," Bobby Black says.

In the years since, Bobby, one of the true legends of the slide guitar, has played with such groups as the Eagles, the Grateful Dead, the Beach Boys, and such performers as Elton John, Dolly Parton, Stevie Wonder, and John Lennon. In 1970, Black joined Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen and toured every state in the union.

In 2006, Bobby Black helped inaugurate the first annual Port Townsend Slide and Steel Festival. Again in 2007, Bobby will be part of the Festival faculty, passing on the stories, skills, and techniques learned from a half-century on the road in small, intimate workshops for those who want a one-on-one experience with one of the rare masters of the slide guitar.

On Wednesday, June 27, at 8 pm Bobby leads a country dance together with Wylie Gustafson, the Yahoo! yodeler. On Saturday, June 30, at 1:30 pm, Bobby will give a massive mainstage performance at Fort Worden's McCurdy Pavilion.  

"I've hung up my traveling shoes but never stopped playing," Bobby says.

East, West: The Resophonic Artistry of Billy Cardine

Billy Cardine's artistry on the slide is best experienced by clicking here; or here; or here. These songs are from his solo album Organically Grown. At the time of the recording he was living in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, playing a lot of bluegrass and old-time music.

"The title," Cardine explains, "came from the rubber band that I was using at the time to help me hold on to the slide. I always got the rubber band from broccoli, always bought organic produce...I also thought the title gave a nod to the spirit of the project, being that it's a lot of original material, and was produced in a very organic way (philosophically, anyways). I built a solar panel powered laptop recording system that fit in my hiking pack and used it quite a bit on this project."

Cardine, who studies with India's legendary slide guitarist Debashish Bhattacharya, combines both eastern and western influences in his playing. He currently tours with the Biscuit Burners, the widely popular up-and-coming bluegrass band.

Takin' Care of Business

Joe Wright rocks the electric slide! You owe it to yourself to see these videos: in the first, Wright rocks out "Takin' Care of Business;" in the second the inimitable star leads with a joke about the "other" woman from "The House of the Rising Sun" and smooths into some nice steel playing. Wright will be hanging out June 24 - July 1 at the Port Townsend Slide and Steel Festival: teaching, jamming, and performing.

Hannes Coetzee

[Hannes Coetzee playing guitar in the Karoo]

Hannes Coetzee is making his first-ever trip outside of South Africa in order to play at the Port Townsend Slide and Steel Festival. He will perform June 28 at the Joseph F. Wheeler Theater and June 30 in a major show at McCurdy Pavilion.

Performance Information

Two years ago, audiences were simply blown away by Centrum's Voiceworks concert presentation. Last year, the inaugural Slide and Steel Festival had a similar impact on concert goers. In 2007, we are combining the concert presentations of each workshop for what we think will be a truly memorable week of music.

Tickets on sale May 1

Mainstage Performances

McCurdy Pavilion

Reserved seats: $20 (kids free)

Saturday, June 30, 1:30 pm

Panoply of Slide Guitar—Bottleneck, Dobro,

Lap Slide, and Pedal Steel

Terry Robb • Stacy Phillips • Bobby Black • Joe Wright • Marley’s Ghost

Saturday, June 30, 7:30 pm

Saturday Night Extravaganza
Laurie Lewis and Tom Rozum • Hannes Coetzee • Linda and David Lay • The Birmingham Sunlights

Weeknight Performances

$10 each night

Wednesday, June 27, 8 pm • Building 204

 Country Dance

  led by Wylie Gustafson, Bobby Black, and the All-Star Faculty Band

Thursday, June 28, 8 pm • Joseph F. Wheeler Theater

 Slide from Around the World

  Mary Lucey with Billy Cardine • Hannes Coetzee

Friday, June 29, 8 pm • Building 204

Old Style Cajun Honky Tonk Dance
  led by Christine Balfa Powell and Richard Comeaux