Dennis McGregor

Dennis will be performing at our house in support of his most recent CD Most People Are Good on the Small Pond recording label. He was the winner of the 2004 Sisters, Oregon Songwriting Competition.  His songs are lean, effective stories of life in Central Oregon, and Dennis' lifetime as a visual and performing artist.

Dennis McGregor started out in the 1970s with the original acid-swing group, Natty Bumppo. His electric violin and wacky songs were a key element of their uniquely exciting style. They were immediately discovered at L.A.'s Troubador and were soon opening for acts like Cheech & Chong, Jimmy Buffett, The Dirt Band and others. Every major studio in L.A. brought them in to record demos but no one could figure out how to market their "off the wall" sound in the disco era.

After a decade and the birth of his daughters, McGregor left the music business and moved his family to the tiny town of Sisters, Oregon. There he pursued his other love, the visual arts. Over the next decade he became nationally recognized for his posters and prints.

Then it happened. His town started a folk festival and he got sucked back in. He started writing songs again as he watched the Festival's contest produce winners like Chuck McCabe, Darryl Purpose and Dave Carter. He entered and won the songwriting contest in 2003.

In 2004 he released his first solo CD, "most people are good" and played in the Festival's lineup. Oregon Public Broadcasting showed up to document his songs and paintings for their series, Oregon Art Beat, which aired in March 2005. Dennis continues to paint, mostly by commission, as he writes songs for his next CD.

McGregor's songs are well-loved for their humor, lyrical wit and social relevance. His finger-pickin' guitar and deep voice add to his unique mix of "jazzy folk that lives on the outskirts of pop."

Join us for an afternoon of great songs, spry guitar licks, and the company of good friends in support of live music. 

The Sundogs’ own Joe Paquin won’t hesitate to tell you about the wild and wonderful ride of life he’s on. Armed with a wealth of history and inspiration, the ex-Marine, Viet Nam Vet, cancer survivor thrives on sharing his whole wide world with ours through his well-crafted, critically acclaimed songs.

Out of the molds of Carmichael, Prine, Haggard, and Cash comes Paquin, who gratefully acknowledges that his own songs are not exclusively his own. He reasons that, due to his oftentimes effortless writing sessions, he’s getting "help" from somewhere.

Joe Paquin recently completed a successful San Francisco Bay area tour that included a few of Joe's old haunts from back in his days in residence there (1984-2001).  Joe also got a chance to get into former Sundog, Jimmy Hobson's studio in San Pablo to begin work on   Hippiebilly Heaven, the title of his new record. He completed three songs, including "Little Winnebago", a favorite of fans of The Joe Paquin Band. 

Joe's song, "Pray for Peace", has been selected by producer and disc jockey, Arden Eaton of KPIG radio, to be included on a compilation CD titled, Take Me Home.  Other artists include Country Joe McDonald, Jesse Colin Young, Joe Craven, and Bob Brozman.  It will be nationally released and distributed to over 200 Americana radio stations sometime in February. All proceeds from the sale of this record will go directly to the Veterans for Peace organization.

Joe will be performing at the Strawberry Music Festival at Camp Mather this spring, so this house concert is a chance to see and hear Paquin perform in an intimate, friendly atmosphere.

Jim Page was born in Palo Alto, and raised in San Jose.

Jim began playing guitar at 15, went to New York in 1970, Seattle in '71. where he helped change street singing laws in '74. He went to Europe in '77, began touring and living abroad. He returned to Seattle in 1983 where he still lives.

After seeing him perform at the High Sierra Music Festival in the summer of ‘97, Rob Bleetstein of Gavin wrote:
“Jim Page is a lyrical genius with a guitar. This man personifies the word ‘free-flow.’ Page takes to the mic and the song invents itself on the spot; his talent is a natural wonder.”
And in any of the many countries, from the countless tours and stages he has played people say the same. “A truly amazing man...one of the great originals. Ignore him at your peril.” - Hot Press, Dublin

Jim has been on the scene for more than twenty years and his reputation continues to grow. He has shared the stage with the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris, Dan Bern, Michelle Shocked, Leftover Salmon, Mickey Hart, J.J. Cale, Robert Hunter, Chuck Brodsky, and John Hammond. His songs have been performed by Christy Moore, Michael Hedges, John Trudell, The Doobie Brothers, Joanne Rand, Casey Neill, and (yes) David Soul.

Often cited for his biting political pieces he is in constant demand by the social movements of the day.

“More reminiscent of the Woody Guthrie I heard as a boy than anyone I’ve listened to in the intervening years” - Philip Elwood, San Francisco Examiner

“A master of the craft of song writing, a wicked guitar player and the most relevant topical musician of his day.” - Casey Neill, Earth First! Journal

Jim easily fits into the concert hall or the class room. Brian Tokar, Goddard College: “Even the most skeptical students were convinced by the end of class that, in your able hands, the rich tradition of topical song writing is alive and well in the late 1990s. Your songs bring a phenomenal mix of humor, irony and lyrical brilliance to exposing the outrages and absurdities of our times.”

Or in the house concert. Peter Sussman, Duncan, British Columbia: “Jim is truly one of the best song writers of our day....the range of his creations is extremely broad and runs the gamut from biting satire to beautiful, sensitive love songs. He must be heard.”

And of course, at the festivals sitting in with his electric friends:
“The best had to be when that wonderful folksinger Jim Page joined the mainstage outdoor closer Leftover Salmon. He strums a few chords to get them started and then they build the melody up. Jim starts to improvise lyrics... And all of Leftover Salmon is grinning ear-to-ear. I’ve seen 1500-plus concerts and that moment was as wonderful a band/audience connection as I’ve ever witnessed.” - Dupree’s Diamond News

Nashville-based singer-songwriter Rod Picott (pronounced Pie-caught) performs a balance of gritty rock numbers and poetic acoustic ballads. His charisma and unique vocal style is truly mesmerizing.With his latest release, Girl From Arkansas, Rod continues to thrive and expand as a storyteller and singer. This CD brings Picott's eye for lyric detail and whiskey-voiced delivery together with a newfound intimacy. He's a narrative storyteller offering glimpses and insights into the lives of 'ordinary' people, giving the listener enough detail to identify and relate to the characters and situations - it's gritty, clever and honest songwriting that immediately grabs your attention. His gravel-tinged vocals are smooth and effortless, the musical backing is varied and dynamic, and the overall sound is elegant and sophisticated.

 

http://www.rodpicott.com

Rod is also known as the co-writer with Slaid Cleaves of  "Broke Down" and "Bring It On". Rod wrote "Getting to Me" with fireball Fred Eaglesmith on the critically acclaimed 50 Odd Dollars album.
 
In 2002 Picott's Stray Dogs displayed even finer skills as a writer and vocalist and featured guest appearances from Alison Krauss and pal Slaid Cleaves. The album was embraced by Americana radio and found it's way onto the chart for a time without the help of hired radio promotion - a surprise to some in the industry. It also found it's way onto many of the year’s best lists in both the States and Europe.