Gary Ogan :: Sound Ground Publishing
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I’m on a mission and I won’t be denied
You wait, you’ll see, another sign from me
Another feeling that you’re not alone
You found a home
I’m gonna keep that light on till I find you
Cause if you’re there I will find you
If only there to remind you, hey I’m gonna find you
A so-called moment when we meet again
No where, no when … just my abiding friend
And if you follow, every falling star
I know you will see
I’m gonna keep that light on till I find you
Cause if you’re there I will find you
If only to remind you, hey I’m gonn find you
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O’siyo Friends – I created this, my first blog, around the time I started working with Darrell Scott roughly eight years ago. It was only acitve for a couple of years and in recently reviewing the few entries I managed to post over that period, I was delighted to have documented my memories of that rich time. And delighted enough that I’ve opted to include them here now. It won’t be easy to bridge the time or impart how much has happened since that last posting in 2007, but let’s see what we’ve got.
From 2006 through 2009, I toured fairly steadily as the singing drummer in the Darrell Scott Band. We were usually never out for more than a few days at a time, but over the four years we managed to cover a lot of ground and play for a large number of critical music lovers around the world. I was exposed for the first time to a huge contingent of music lovers I had never seen, much less up close and personal. This is one of the many gratifying insights I was able to bring away from the experience. The world is still full of people that need their live music, and it’s still a life-altering joy to be able to provide it.
By around 2009 Darrell had accepted an offer to join Robert Plant’s Band Of Joy, which kept him occupied for the next couple of years at least. As luck would have it though, I was about to have to drop the bomb that he couldn’t rely on me for awhile anyway though, as I was about to begin promoting my own new product, which he was hugely responsible for me creating by the way. Things oddly and suddenly took care of themselves without me having to do anything, and that’s how I began working with Darrell too. Here’s the story.
I had just celebrated the five-year mark in a band I had been drumming in, when it became prudent for me to move on from that situation. On the day I gave notice, I was promptly lamenting that I suddenly had no outlet for drumming, aside from whatever time I put in at home. On the evening of that same day though, while out to dinner with friends, a call came from Nashville. The next day I found out I was being asked if I had any interest in auditioning as the drummer/singer in the Darrell Scott Band. Oddly, over the previous couple of years I had become a huge fan of Darrell’s work, and if someone had walked up to me the day before and asked what I would most like to do musically, I would have said “play drums in the Darrell Scott band”. For me it was more than a gentle reminder that sometimes by being more proactive with the tougher calls in life, we actually manifest what we want, and without having to wait. This was soon shown to me again the next time I tried the exercise.
After meeting Darrell I decided to take some advice he had offered up via telling me how he liked to work as a producer, by only accepting that kind of work from artists whose writing he absolutely loved, and artists for whom he thought he could bring something meaningful to the table as a producer. I had to cringe at the thought of what I might be setting myself up for by adopting a similar work ethic, but within days of getting that advice and processing it, a meeting had been set up for me to meet with Danny O’Keefe who was looking for a producer. I had always loved Danny’s writing and had been a fan of him as an artist, but especially given the nature of the project he was bringing to me, I knew he couldn’t have found a more perfect fit as a producer – the cache of what I could bring to the table in this case was blessed, magical, and anointed, and we absolutely went for it and took advantage. For the next two years we slaved over a wonderful project of his called, “Dreamers”, about the Nez Perce Indians. Although it hasn’t been released yet, Danny finally got the tribe involved and with a few final touches, plans to put it out. It’s been 40 years in the making for O’Keefe, so he’s making sure to present a very special offering with this particular release. I know I love it and can’t wait for everyone to hear it.
So with that, I’ll knock off and call it a post. Plenty more to share about Darrell Scott and crew, Danny O’Keefe, and the rest of what has gone on in my world since 2007, but this has been a start.
Starting my second year of bi-monthly shows in Portland, at O’Connor’s Vault, a week from tonight, so prepping for that and so much more.
Love & Wado –
Noxi
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i hasten back to my blog to share the new years’ haps….aside from having my entire catalog finally up and available in cd or downloadable formats through mr. dean sciarra at itsaboutmusic.com, and starting the release of my catalog in japan through mr. keitaro endo at vivid sound, and having just over a dozen travel drum-dates scheduled already with mr. darrell scott via mr. john condon, beginning this month and sprinkled through to nov. 007, i thought it was a good time to do a show. i’ve spent the last few months compiling a retrospective concert i’m going to record in front of a small audience with my trio featuring kit garoutte and denny bixby. playing with kit and denny has been great fun, those cats are fine. the shows are saturday and sunday, april 7th, at the artichoke music backgate theater at 3130 se hawthorne, tel. 232-8845. although tickets will be available at both music millennium stores and the artichoke music store, they aren’t yet and the only way to get advance tickets right now is to respond to this message. it’s $15 in advance, $20 at the show. call sound ground at 503-694-1123. you can purchase as many as you’d like. doors open at 7, show’s at 8. and since i’m committing to such a small venue, there will be no assigned seating. i’m anxious to get back into some writing and recording of my own…and to start planning whatever will be my future shows. i’m thinking of one solo / guitar & piano, and the rest just taking off in all sorts of other directions.
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Once again I return from the hinterlands of my world to bring you the latest in what’s shakin’ on the home-front.
Work with Darrell Scott has put me back in the trenches of being a musician. We went back out on the road and this time I brought my lovely wife, Laurie, who was kind enough to help with merchandise for the shows which included stops in Charlotte, NC, Maryville TN (the smokey mountain Harley Davidson dealership), and Chattanooga, TN. This time the line-up was a power-trio: drums, upright-bass, and Les Paul. On bass we had the legendary British monster, Danny Thompson, who Laurie and I found endlessly delightful and engaging. He’s worked with greats such as Donovan, Peter Gabriel, The Incredible String Band, Richard Thompson, and he toured with Roy Orbison on a double-bill with The Beatles. So yes, it was an honor to be on stage with Danny and Darrell. While rehearsing in Nashville, we shot some footage for Darrell’s first music video, Hank Williams Ghost. Friend Suzi Ragsdale was in as background vocalist/accordion. I look forward to seeing the finished deal.
Last month Laurie and I took a 10 day trek to Chico California to see a Cowan, Scott, and Flynn show at the Sierra Nevada Brewery. FYI, we’re talkin’ John Cowan, Darrell Scott, and Pat Flynn. It was a great show. The owner of the brewery, Ken Grossman, is a long-time family friend of Laurie’s so we were invited out to his 2,400 acre spread just outside Chico for an afternoon and dinner. . . very nice, that. From there we followed Darrell and Suzi up the coast to Oregon and the Sisters Folk Festival where he played two more shows. Laurie and I hadn’t seen this gathering before and really enjoyed it. Darrell borrowed a hand drum and with one quick vocal rehearsal Suzi and I sat in on both Sisters shows which was a blast. We all had a lovely dinner and our server introduced himself as the brother of Portland music icon, Jon Koonce. Yikes!
I really want more folks in my hometown to get turned on to Darrell, so I’m going to try to produce my own concert for his band at a yet-to-be-determined venue. Not sure when yet either but it seems like a killer idea. With the right promo I could start a new love affair. . .
Last week I began to get notices for upcoming shows sprinkled throughout 2007 that I might be in on with Mr. Scott, so I look forward to all of it. . . I’m shopping for my first mandolin. . . it’s a gas. . .
That’s it for now friends!
gso
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I first met Darrell on a trip to Nashville in 1995. At that time I remember being very impressed with him. Then I began seeing his name as a writer. And by the time “Great Day To Be Alive” by Travis Tritt and “Long Time Gone” by the Dixie Chicks came along, I was getting it that he was writing all my favorite country hits. By 2002 he was ASCAP Songwriter of the Year, and not long after, Condon was tapped to manage him and run his record label, Full Light Records.
It was around this time I began to think of getting Darrell to play a show in Portland. With the help of Albert Garcia, we put together a sold-out solo show with a songwriting workshop on Easter Sunday 2004. I was subsequently given Darrell’s complete discography, and I remember thinking how much fun it would be to have a reason to learn his book. But by then I was well into launching my own new music business venture, Sound Ground, and simply couldn’t justify it. So, exactly two years passed before the phone call came that would provide the reason I needed. I was sent the soon-to-be-released studio project called “The Invisible Man” and after hearing it, felt more than ever that Darrell is a national treasure and any chance of playing music with him would be a good idea to pursue.
I flew to Nashville the first week of April for an audition. I passed the audition and had two weeks back in Portland before heading out on the first batch of gigs, which included an opening warm-up show on April 24th in Nashville at a club called 12th & Porter and four shows in North Carolina at MerleFest. For MerleFest, we played two shows as the Darrell Scott Band and two more shows backing up Darrell’s dad, Wayne Scott, for whom Darrell produced and released a CD called “This Weary Way” on his own Full Light Records.
I had never been to MerleFest but for me, it began with a six-hour car ride with Darrell. We left Nashville at 5:00 pm on Wednesday April 26, and arrived in Wilkesboro, NC, at around 1:00 am. We spent the better part of that time talking.
Next morning, because Darrell and I had switched rooms, I was awakened by a call from the front desk saying my packages had arrived. I remembered certain deadlines were in effect, so I hoped it would be the new product arriving from the manufacturers just in time. Without knowing this, Darrell had also just phoned to invite me for some of his own freshly brewed coffee. I arrived at his room with his new product and was given the first copy out of the first box. Wow!
Our first show was set for 6:45 pm with the Darrell Scott Band at the main stage. We all went over together at 5:00. The show went well, and our 10 minute rave-up on, “River Take Me” was a highlight. There was a seven camera film crew shooting us. After our set came the Jim Lauderdale Band, followed by, John Prine. . . I was jazzed to view all the shows from the wings of the stage, and only a few feet from the performers.
The next day I didn’t get to MerleFest until 3:30. We were set to meet at 4:00 at the Walker Center for the first of Wayne’s shows. After running everything down once more, we played the first show for Wayne. It went great and has been documented at mvyradio.com/audio/archives/0406/DarrellAndWayneScott.m3u. Then I was free to check out some other music on my own. That meant golf-carting to the main stage to see the Waybacks featuring Bob Weir. It was Bob’s first MerleFest too. Then it was back to the Walker Center to see a Canadian group Darrell suggested called the Duhks (pronounced “ducks”). They rocked mightily for sure. After that, I carted back to the main stage to see the Sam Bush Band. During his set, Emmylou Harris appeared for a guest vocal on one song, then vanished. With that, my second day at MerleFest was a wrap. For me, every act I had seen was very special.
Saturday was beautiful, and I had found the ease with which I could get around on my own was reason enough to head out early and enjoy myself. The first show for me Saturday was with the Darrell Scott Band at the Hillside Stage at noon so I had time to explore. We had a good crowd at noon, and I thought the set went real well. I remember being told after our first show that Darrell had spent enough time at the autograph tent to sell out of the first 200 copies of his new CD.
Then it was time to play the Cabin stage with Wayne Scott one more time. Our set was in-between the slots of Doc Watson and Nickel Creek, so I got to catch both of those acts too. It was while checking out Nickel Creek from different vantage points that I momentarily found myself in a confined space with Pete Seeger, awkwardly acknowledging one another. Anyway by then, the MerleFest grounds were swarming with upwards of 80,000 music fans, everyone very mellow.
Darrell and I headed back to Nashville on Sunday morning at about 6:30. Again, this afforded six hours of gab time, which we did. I suppose one of my favorite topics, which Darrell was kind enough to go into great depth about for me, was how bluegrass vocals are approached regarding ad libs, embellishments, melisma. I was astonished at his ability to be so graciously informative.
On arriving back in Nashville I was given a book called Tunesmith by Jimmy Webb. I’ve finished half, and I’m very impressed. So besides being the most soulful singer/songwriter I’ve heard in a long time, Darrell Scott is also a true gentleman, great cook, loving and attentive father, and great bandleader. Thanks for thinking of me, John Condon.
I look forward to bringing Laurie to MerleFest next year.
Gary Ogan
May 10, 2006
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