August Brick & Mortar show

Jul 22, 2010 Brick & Mortar shows

The August Brick & Mortar show will feature Bill Tierney and Keith Milligan plus an open mic to start the show. Join host Laddie Ray Melvin on Thursday, August 5th from 7 to 9 pm at Coffee Social 113 W. Indiana, Spokane.

Bill Tierney has been writing original music since he was 12 years old. His first song, “The Unbelievables” was inspired by the pop group “The Monkeys” in 1967 and was performed with backups by his brother Stan and his sister Jeanne in a front yard concert in Topeka, Kansas. Influenced by the Beattles, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Loggins and Messina and a host of 70’s performance artists, Bill has been playing guitar since he was 10 years old. Many years passed before Bill wrote another song. After his wife’s death in 1989, he wrote a dozen or more songs with the help of his friend and roommate, Ray Solomon.
Beginning in 1980, Bill has played in bands in Kalispell, Montana and Spokane Washington. After his second marriage ended, Bill began creating music again, this time with the help and influence of his fellow musicians in “The Blisstrz” and later in “The Detour Project”. Since The Detour Project disbanded in the fall of 2009, Bill has been playing occasional gigs with singer, songwriter and guitarist, Sam Endress. In addition, Bill has been performing his original music with singer and bassist, Brian Jones. Bill plans to record a CD of his original music soon. You can check out some of his music on his Youtube channel.
www.youtube.com/user/TierneyBill

It was an elementary school field trip to the New Orleans Symphony that first inspired Keith J. Milligan to become a musician. His eyes were transfixed on the timpani (a.k.a. the kettle drums) and his heart’s desire was to play those someday although they would probably take up the entire living room of his modest Mid-City home. Then, in 1965, a movie titled “HELP” about a little quartet from Liverpool, England came to the local movie theatre. He was riveted to his seat and knew in those 2 hours that he’d pursue a career at some point in music. Early influences were the 3 Bs…no not Bach, Beethoven and Brahms, but The Beatles, Buffalo Springfield and the Byrds. Later influences came in the name of James Taylor, Simon & Garfunkel, Crosby Stills, Nash & Young (coming from Buffalo Springfield & The Byrds), Jackson Browne and many more. You will hear these influences in Milligan’s music. For example, in “What Can I Do?”, there are distinctive Beatlesque qualities, however, it is rooted in one of the Beatles’ influences, namely Buddy Holly. Milligan is the former percussionist for the regionally successful Occasional String Band. During his tenure with them, from 1998 – 2003, his songs were performed and recorded with their exquisite accompaniment. Two of his best recorded songs, “Child Of The Fifties” and “Heaven In Your Eyes” feature Occasional String Band members Phil Kleinman on Dobro, Steve Schennumm on harmonica and percussion and Geoff Haworth on bass guitar. These selections appear on Milligan’s rough mix prototype CD “Messages From The Muse”, which will eventually be released after being re-mastered. In the past couple of years, Milligan has teamed up with fellow singer-songwriter on his recording projects, Steve Schlough who accompanies Milligan on bass and lead guitars on the tracks heard on this MySpace site. Schlough also currently produces Milligan’s material. “Love Held High” the other track that appears on this site was produced by Jim Bean who also plays lead and bass on that track alone. Milligan has performed live in his native Louisiana, as well as Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Idaho, Montana and Colorado. For booking info, contact Keith Milligan at “kongakeith@yahoo.com”.
www.myspace.com/keithjmilligan

News from Janet Johnson

Jul 16, 2010 News

Hi There!
This a link to check it out music that did a write up for Ray Wylie’s show last
night. Had a fantastic time and I am hooked on Ray Wylie! It was nice to get a
mention and some photos as well See below:

www.checkitoutmusic.com/2010/07/ray-wylie-hubbard-janet-johnson-and-blue-canoe

Peace & Love,
Janet Johnson
wwwjanetjohnsonmusic.com

Host Notes – July Brick & Mortar show

Jul 14, 2010 Brick & Mortar shows, News

The open mic portion of the July Brick and Mortar show at Coffee Social introduced us to new voices. Brian Jones and Bill Tierney, Grant Smith and Adam Kolger sang a couple of songs each, and familiar voices, Bill and Kathy Kostelec, played one song each. It was a wonderful way to open the show. Stay in touch because these folks will be featured writers in the coming months.
Bill Miller, who is a chaplain at Sacred Heart Hospital, was our first featured performer of the evening, and he took us on a very personal spiritual journey. The metaphors he employs are familiar. The bridge to the mystical–what is ignored in the moment–is a way an ordinary man might rediscover the “divine.” The divine in this case is one’s gratitude for life. And it is this thread, awareness of the world and the people in it that makes its way through Bill’s work. He reminds us of the lost connections we often long for as we negotiate daily life. Two of his most interesting songs are story songs about characters Bill has known, “Jack,” and a man who lived in a village in Holland during WWII. Both of these characters are extraordinary in their respective ways, and remind the listener that our attention to the world is what matters.
Our second featured artist was John Watson. He played instrumental selections with a gentle feel in open tunings, and sang songs he had written all of which were reflections on what it means to love. John’s work reminded me of how often in our culture love is something that is best expressed as a journey that moves from being lost to a place in which we are found. Mother Earth is often an expression of what is realized on this journey of rediscovery. I was moved by his song in tribute to his father, and when he sang “I’m lucky to have known you at all” I knew that he was sincere.

Write when you can!
Laddie Ray