I finally got off the couch and out to clubs doing open mics and sitting in at gigs with friends. In 2011-12, eventually ended up being in the house band at a bar in Hood River, and helped host the open mic there with the late, great godfather of live country music in the Columbia River Gorge, and some other great local musicians. Got to expand my repertoire and develop some twang and country licks that I still slip in now and then to whatever I'm playing. Then from 2011-15 I played lead guitar with the Richard Wilkins Blues Band (see link below), performing at venues in the Gorge and blues festivals in the Pacific Northwest.
Around 2012, I also founded a side project Bluesbridge (see link below) which had an ever changing group of talented participants. I have infrequent and inexplicable collaborations with some other bands like Ski-Tar (and their country western iteration SkiTarkansas Texas Line), and The Vintage Blokes.
I'll sing a few songs in the band and do solo gigs, but mostly I'm a guitar player and song writer. I'm happy to let a singer sing, and hang in the back with the bass player and drummer and hold the the thing together. And you don't have to ask twice if you want a guitar solo.
I've been fortunate to sit in with a lot of great local musicians, and some of broader regional recognition like Kevin Selfe, Allen Markel, Jimi Bott, Jeff Minnick, Mo Dixon, Ben Rice, Al Hare, Eric Two Rivers, The Rogue Suspects, and Jeff Pevar. My band also got to precede and introduce the likes of Bnois King and Smokin' Joe Kubek, Lisa Mann, and the Lloyd Jones Struggle at blues festivals.
In 2011 I was asked to play music at some gallery openings in Oregon for several incredible and influential women artists from Costa Rica. The following year I was fortunate to be included as the only musician in a 3 week artist exchange program to Costa Rica, along with a dozen or so other painters, sculptors and graphics artists. We lived with the aforementioned women artists and local families, and did teaching and art exhibitions throughout CR. I got to sit in with local musicians, busk on the streets, beaches, and in parks, and teach English and blues guitar to teens in the Alejuelita barrio in the capitol city of San Jose. During my last week there I played impromptu gigs at little beach bars for tips and drinks.
For many years I volunteered with the Children's Cancer Association's Music Rx Program. I had the honor of playing music for the incredible kids, families and medical teams in pediatric oncology units at children's hospitals in Portland.
Like most folks, I laid pretty low through the Covid nightmare. But I wrote some songs and played unplugged at night when the house was quiet.
In 2022, I started a new project of free, outdoor, live blues performances called Blues In The Streets. (see link). I donate all proceeds to local charities like Mercy Corps, Columbia River Keeper, Maui Strong, World Central Kitchen, programs that support all women's health care needs, and local food programs.
In 2023-24 I was sitting in with players at the Backyard Bar and Grill and 'At The Garages' in the greater Portland area. In 2025 I've been honored to be invited to play lead guitar at blues sessions at The Bargeway in The Dalles, and The Blue Diamond in Portland.
Links to websites:
www.reverbnation.com/bluesinthestreets
www.reverbnation.com/richardwilkinsbluesband
www.reverbnation.com/bluesbridge
