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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (July 10, 2019)
8 Wednesday, July 10, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon The White Buffalo returns to Sisters By Ceili Cornelius Correspondent The White Buffalo is returning to the Sisters stage for the Sisters Rhythm and Brews Festival Friday, July 26. The White Buffalo, given name Jake Smith, is known for his wide vocal range with a baritone sound and the dark, narrative storytelling of his songs. Born in Oregon, and even- tually living in San Francisco, Smith picked up a guitar in his teenage years and found a pas- sion for playing. <I started writing songs when I knew only a few chords, and didn9t realize I had such an affinity for it (songwriting),= said Smith. Smith attended college with no real agenda, he went in as a history major poten- tially wanting to enter into teaching, but realized that wasn9t for him and he came back to music. <I really didn9t know what or where I wanted to go, I didn9t have an agenda in col- lege and I was continuing to write,= he said. In 2002, Smith was wait- ing tables and living in San Francisco while also circulat- ing a number of tape record- ings of his songs, recorded on his brother9s Pioneer self- recorder. These tapes went out to friends and family for gifts and as a way for people to hear the songs he had written. One of his friends in the surf- ing world got one of his tapes to the director of a surf film. <This director of the film called me out of the blue ask- ing if he could use one of my songs in his movie,= he said. Smith, calling his musi- cal incarnation The White Buffalo, then went down to the premiere of the movie in Southern California where he saw audience members sing- ing along to his song in the movie. <I was baffled by the idea that people actually liked and knew my music, that9s when I felt inspired to keep going with music and made the move down south and knew I had to go for it,= he said. The White Buffalo now has around 80-plus songs to his name and has been in the music industry for 15 years. A number of The White Buffalo9s songs were fea- tured in the FX show <Sons of Anarchy.= They used so many of his narrative songs that they asked him to come in and sing on a number of tracks specifi- cally for the show. <It was amazing and I really felt like I became a part of that show,= he said. His songs have also been featured in other notable shows: <This is Us= and <The Punisher.= <It doesn9t really matter emotionally to me that I am in a TV show, but I try to hit all the emotions for the audi- ence with my songs and make people feel, that is my goal,= he said. Being featured in the shows has provided a huge bump in his career. <It is cool for people to recognize my music from one of their favorite TV shows; it helps them to get to know it,= he said. The White Buffalo came out with his most recent album <Darkest Darks, Lightest Lights,= two years ago, the album containing a number of songs that are true to the title, light, happier tunes and darker tunes as well. He is in the pro- cess of recording a new record with a new producer and musi- cian Shooter Jennings. <These songs are coming from that same honest and emotional place,= he said. When performing shows on the road, The White Buffalo performs a range of his songs, not just ones from the most recent album. <People connect their hearts to certain songs, and everyone has different favor- ite songs and ones that reso- nate with them, so I try to do a variety of songs for my audi- ence,= he said. <It is my job to make people feel and entertain them.= Year-round FIREWOOD SALES — Kindling — — — SISTERS FOREST PRODUCTS 541-410-4509 SistersForestProducts.com PHOTO PROVIDED The White Buffalo will perform one set on Friday, July 26 at the Village Green in the Sisters Rhythm & Blues Festival. The White Buffalo has been on the Sisters stage before, for the 2013 Sisters Folk Festival. <The Sisters crowds are special and the shows are unique. At the festival, there were some rocking and wild shows, and others that were more low-key,= he said. <The festival is unique in that way,= he said. Sisters also happens to be the place where Smith9s par- ents, Jeff and Ginny Smith, live. <It is always fun to come back and play in the town that my parents live,= he said. Jeff and Ginny have joined him on the road a few times for shows, and recently trav- eled with him to some shows in Canada. The White Buffalo will be performing one set only at the Sisters Rhythm & Brews Festival on Friday, July 26, at the Village Green. Doors open at 3:30 p.m. One-day passes are still available for Friday night and Saturday all day. Tickets are still avail- able to purchase online at bit.ly/SistersRhythmBrews. Welcome Quilters! A Stitch In Time... Prevents Costly Repairs Later! Tires • Brakes • Alignment DAVIS TIRE 541-549-1026 Serving Sisters Since 1962. 188 W. W Si Sisters t Park P kD Drive i | I In S Sisters Industrial Park across from SnoCap Mini Storage. Luxury Senior Independent and Assisted Living QUILT SHOW QUILTS ON DISPLAY! Come for a tour of our beautiful new community. 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