March 21, 2009

Dropping in from the “Music-Sphere”

 Hey there! So sorry it’s been a few weeks since the last entry, but it’s been crazy-busy. It seemed as soon as we kicked the skunks out of the house, the kitchen ceiling started leaking! Oh well, we’ll get that patched up sooner or later.

 Call it fate or coincidence, but it seems that my never-ending search for new tunes has caused another musician to be pulled out of the “music-sphere” and into The Gorge.

 And as usual, I didn’t see it coming.

 The CD I found is called “Tough as Nails,” by a band called “Bad Luck and Trouble.” I know, I’ve never heard of them either. It looked like a pretty standard rock or blues disc, created way back in 1998 – in Troutdale – of all places.

 As always, I’m reading over the credits, and there it is – Guest musician Tracy Grammer on violin. Hmm, this could be good. I threw it on the other day, and it was a really solid R&B sound – good singing – good playing. Tracy plays on one track, and it’s definitely a departure from Tracy’s genre – she’s steeped in the folk-acoustic-singer-songwriter scene. But I do understand, you’ve got to rock-out once in a while.

 A few days later, Tracy’s mass email alert notified me that she’ll be in The Dalles early April, so I decided to contact her and see what she’s been up to.

 For those who don’t know, Tracy was teamed up with Dave Carter in a successful Portland-based duo with several albums to their credit. They toured frequently and were hugely popular in the folk circuit.

 Luckily, Tracy is still keeping up the tradition, even after the unfortunate death of Dave in 2002. Tracy currently lives in the Northeast. She still tours and collaborates with Jim Henry, a multi-instrumentalist.

 And I’m sure her name will pop up again, on some long-lost CD, in the back of some dusty record shop. I just know it.

 Tracy Grammer plays the Fireside Room at The Dalles Civic Auditorium on Thursday, April 2, at 7 p.m. in The Dalles. Tickets are available at Columbia River Music. www.silverwireproductions.com

 Read Jim’s interview with Tracy Grammer here.