There’s more to Gary than cats, but it is central to the new album Suite Woogie.

 

SATISFIED ARTIST. SATISFIED HUMAN BEING

House Concert Alert: Friday 9/18. Here are the details on how to hook up for the show. Record release celebration time.

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Part of the joy of sitting down and taking time to have that conversation with people you know well, and those less known? Discovery. Unexpected factoids. In the case of Gary, who I have met only a few times but certainly know as a working artist, is that I THOUGHT I knew all there was to know.

He’d been in and out of the Portland music scene for years. Began in music in the early 70’s. Played live shows constantly in Portland through the 80’s when the scene was raging and bands were being signed by record labels.

But as with all of us,  it seems there are some great backstories. Gary admits to being a late bloomer. He taught himself music by ear . Every effort was a chance to validate himself and his feelings through his own sensibility.

In our conversation, we begin at the beginning and this stroll takes me through his time discovering voice, to his time with Leon Russell, which leads to a couple of astonishing brushes with George Harrison.  And then to Gary’s take on the music being made today to feelings about his Cherokee heritage. And finally to the events that led to his new album, Suite Woogie.

 

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Here’s a bonus song from Gary that he did live at Robin Road. It is on the new album, Suite Woogie. “Look at You”. Yes an ode to Woogie. But.  Anthropomorphic!

I know you want to hear the “I Want to Live” again, so here that is.

 

Both of the songs remixed courtesy of Archer.

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The song you hear at the end of the conversation is called “I want to Live”.  It was covered by This Mortal Coil. Below is their version. I can understand why they were attracted to it.

 

LINK UP

Here are some of the people and places we talked about and how to find them.

 

Rex Recording

The Band

Leon Russell

George Harrison

Brothers and Sister

Hear Me My Chiefs

Jim Pepper

 

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