Wednesday, July 29, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
11
Haley Johnsen to play Sisters will turn into ‘Erotic City’
for Sisters at folk event
By Ceili Cornelius
Correspondent
Haley Johnsen, a singer-
songwriter from Portland,
is one of the featured artists
in the Sisters Folk Festival9s
Close to Home concert event
at the Sisters Art Works
Building on August 1. The
event is sold out, but there is
a waitlist available.
Johnsen has performed
once before in Sisters at The
Open Door and is excited to
return.
<Any excuse to go to that
area, I am excited for,= she
said.
Johnsen first heard about
the Sisters Folk Festival from
Weather Machine founder
and Sisters Americana
Project standout Slater
Smith. Johnsen occasionally
lets The Weather Machine
band practice and record in
her basement in Portland.
<I had been hearing about
the Festival for years and
would have loved to play it
someday, as it is a big thing
in our state and I am excited
to be a part of this part of it,=
she said.
Johnsen has been passion-
ate about singing for most of
her life. As a shy kid, she
never really put herself out
there until she got to college.
She attended Oregon State
University and was a part of
the choir and honed in on her
ability to sing and perform.
At 20, she picked up a guitar
and dabbled in songwriting
and performed at open mics.
Shortly after that, she audi-
tioned for American Idol in
2011 and made it to the top
24.
<After I got kicked off, I
returned home to Beaverton
and lived at home. I was beat
down a bit after that time,
but I realized that music is
what I needed to do,= said
Johnsen. <I really tried to
make up the lost time of not
making music.=
She performed locally
and wrote over 100 songs. In
2015, she recorded her first
EP, and in 2019, released
her critically acclaimed
full-length album, <Golden
Days.=
Johnsen9s music fits
within the roots, folk-
pop genre, rooted in the
Americana sound.
<I9ve struggled over
the years to fit the music
into one genre. They aren9t
straight up folk songs, more
folk-pop,= she said.
Growing up, she listened
to powerhouse Americana
female singer-songwriters
including Bonnie Rait, Grace
Potter, Brandi Carlisle, and
Eva Cassidy.
<As I9ve gotten older I
can [see] a lot of my vocal
style comes from these
female musicians, especially
with the rootsy sound,= she
said.
One of the things music
has brought Johnsen is the
adventures it9s taken her on.
<I9ve met amazing people
through music and have got-
ten to tour around the world.
It doesn9t feel like work and
I have the ability to create
something amazing,= she
said.
Johnsen has been touring
and doing music full time
for the past three years. Last
year, the craziest year of her
career so far, included tour-
ing with EDM/Indie pop
group Big Wild, playing bass
and doing backup vocals.
Together, they played a num-
ber of festivals, including a
sold-out show at Red Rocks
in Colorado last year. She
was also touring her own
work and writing new music
at the time.
<My career has not been
super linear and I have
really tried to embrace every
opportunity that comes my
way,= she said.
During quarantine times,
Johnsen has been spending
most of her time editing and
writing songs and honing in
on what her next project is
going to be.
<I have been really patient
with myself during this time
and not putting too much
pressure on myself. I am still
figuring out the future as an
artist,= she said.
She has been doing some
collaborations with other art-
ists doing vocal tracks and
some production work.
<I see myself first and
foremost as a singer and I
can now use my voice for
other artists in other genres,=
she said.
Johnsen is also a voice
teacher and guitar teacher
and has been able to continue
doing that via Zoom. She
started teaching as some-
thing to live on her own after
See JOHNSEN on page 23
Hardtails Bar
We do require them
& Grill will turn
(masks) inside the
Sisters into <Erotic
bar 4 yes, even to
City= 4 for an eve-
walk through to the
ning 4 on Saturday,
outdoor venue. And
August 1.
if they choose to
The Prince trib-
hit the dance floor,
ute band Erotic City
everyone must wear
will play on the out-
their mask. Our
door courtyard stage
security has been
starting at 7:30 p.m.
enforcing this, also.
in order to allow the
They cannot make
bar to comply with
you wear your mask,
new restrictions
but they can remove
that require closing
you from the dance
at 10 p.m. Advance
floor without
tickets are available
them.=
at BendTicket.com
Macey has advo-
PHOTO PROVIDED
and sales are limited
cated for compli-
to stay within gath- Erotic City pays tribute to the late artist Prince.
ance with restric-
ering size and physical dis- with restrictions in place tions and protocols to allow
tancing requirements.
to mitigate the spread of Sisters restaurants and bars
For the last 20 years, COVID-19:
to stay open.
Julian Stefoni has been pay-
<We just all need to be
<We have a grid laid
ing tribute to <His Purple out on the grass that allows smart and wear the masks,=
Majesty.= Being multi-tal- folks to be six apart from he said.
ented, playing guitar, key- others. And we ask them to
Hardtails Bar & Grill is
boards, singing and danc- wear masks if they want to. located at 175 N. Larch St.
ing/performing, backed by
some really funky musicians,
Stefoni and Erotic City
deliver a high-energy show
that features classic Prince
songs.
When its time to party
like its 1999, Erotic City
doesn9t hold back 4 serving
Black Butte Ranch Live Music with Julie Southwell
up the high heels, the lace
JUL
and Friends 6 to 8 p.m. Socially distant on the lawn near
pants, the infamous purple
29
WED The Lakeside Bistro. For information call 541-595-1282 or go
coat, and all of the sexiness
online to www.blackbutteranch.com.
expected in a Prince show.
Hardtails owner Steve
Macey explained how the
Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Trivia Night 5:30 to
venue operates to main-
6:15 p.m. Family-friendly trivia. Socially-distant. Free. For
JUL
tain safety and comply
additional information call Eurosports at 541-549-2471.
30
THUR The Suttle Lodge Thursday on the Deck Summer Wine
Series Seatings every 30 minutes from 1 to 4 p.m. Wine
paired with small-plates from the chef. Reservations
required at www.thesuttlelodge.com/happenings.
Paulina Springs Books Virtual Event Books In Common
Regional Literary Event Series with Steve Olson
and Sharma Shields 6:30 p.m. A conversation about
their new books. For more info call 541-549-0866 or go to
A tribute to
BooksinCommonNW.com.
Entertainment & Events
?
EROTIC CITY…
Prince
Sat., Aug. 1, 7:30 p.m.
JUL
Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Friday Car Show 5-6:30
p.m. Bring your cool or vintage car for the free Friday car
show. For more information call Eurosports at 541-549-2471.
175 N. Larch St.
541-549-6114
AUG
hardtailsoregon.com
SAT
Hardtails Bar & Grill Live Music with Erotic City 7:30 to
9:30 p.m. Tickets online at www.bendticket.com. For more
information call 541-549-6114 or go to hardtailsoregon.com.
Online tickets only at
Bendticket.com
(Ticket quantity limited)
31
FRI
Open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
1
Facebook darcymacey
AUG
6
THUR
AUG
7
FRI
Paulina Springs Books Virtual Event Books In Common
Regional Literary Event Series with Larry Watson 6:30
p.m. The author will share from his new book “The Lives of
Edie Pritchard.” For more info call 541-549-0866 or go to
BooksinCommonNW.com.
The Suttle Lodge Thursday on the Deck Summer Wine
Series Seatings every 30 minutes from 1 to 4 p.m. Wine
paired with small-plates from the chef. Reservations
required at www.thesuttlelodge.com/happenings.
Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Trivia Night 5:30 to
6:15 p.m. Family-friendly trivia. Socially-distant. Free. For
additional information call Eurosports at 541-549-2471.
Hardtails Bar & Grill Live Music with Juju Eyeball
6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Beatles tribute. Free. No cover! For more
information call 541-549-6114 or go to hardtailsoregon.com.
Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Friday Car Show 5-6:30
p.m. Bring your cool or vintage car for the free Friday car
show. For more information call Eurosports at 541-549-2471.
Events Calendar listings are free to advertisers.
Submit items by 5 p.m. Fridays to lisa@nuggetnews.com
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