A10
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Wallowa County Chieftain
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
Homemade Jam band
spins out new CD
By Steve Tool
Wallowa County Chieftain
It’s hard not to smile at a new CD from
local down-home favorites, the Homemade
Jam Band. The fi ve piece band specializes
in old-timey country and traditional tunes.
Sandi Richerson ably plays the autoharp
and shares vocal duties with lead guitar-
ist, Mike Ragsdale. Sandi’s husband, Larry
Richerson, plays rhythm guitar and occa-
sional bass. Lorraine Ragsdale deftly plays
the accordion while Rusty Woods special-
izes in the upright bass and also plays some
rhythm guitar.
The band’s second and newest CD,
New Recipe, does not disappoint. The disc
opens with Hank Williams’ “Jambalaya,”
sung by Sandi Richerson with the auto-
harp and accordion lending a nice touch to
the classic. Each musician gets a chance to
shine, even Woods on the bass, who pro-
vides a compelling rhythm for “Sixteen
Tons” and Larry Richerson, who swapped
instruments with Woods on the staple,
“Columbus Stockade Blues.”
In an example of good taste, none of the
songs are majorly reworked from the origi-
nals. However, the group does add nice lit-
tle twists to songs such as Jimmy Rogers’
“In the Jailhouse Now.” “Goodbye Booze”
also has its amusing
moments.
The album closes
with the traditional
number, “There is a
Tavern in the Town.”
Probably the sec-
ond-to-the-last song,
“Arran Boat Song,”
deserved that acco-
lade with its stirringly
haunting and beauti-
ful melody that fea-
tures virtuoso per-
formances
from
every member of
the band.
Sandy Richer-
son said that the
group has tried to
fi ll a gap in the
musical
tapes-
try of Wallowa
County, which is
how they picked
the songs for the
album.
“We try to
pick songs that
Homemade Jam Band.
people in the area
don’t do so much,” she said. “We like to
stay on those old ones that people relate to,
that you can see people singing along to.”
Richerson said that the album was
some time in the making – a year and nine
months. She said it was worth it.
“I was real nit-picky,” she said. “I’m a
real stickler for getting everything exact
and perfect.”
The band recorded the album at Bob
Webb’s Mountainview Recording. Each
musician was recorded on a separate track,
which Richerson said was stressful and fun
at the same time.
“Bob’s great to work with,” she said.
“We had these sound effects, and he synced
the mule and the train and everything with
the rhythm of the song.”
Richerson is hopeful that those who pick
up or listen to the CD enjoy themselves.
“Our goal is usually to play happy
songs, or even if they’re unhappy, we put a
good twist on them,” she said. “We like to
keep people smiling while we play.”
The album is available in Enterprise at
the Dollar Stretcher and The Bookloft. It
is available in Joseph at the Sports Cor-
ral, Joseph Hardware, the Marketplace and
Copper Creek Mercantile.
For a nice listening experience that hear-
kens to yesteryear, this CD is hard to beat.
Ellen Morris Bishop
Artist Anna Vogel works to complete her centerpiece for the exhibit during the exhibit opening
on the evening of Feb. 9.
New pop-up Enterprise art
exhibit has theme of love
by Ellen Morris Bishop
Wallowa County Chieftain
Steve Tool
What could be more
appropriate for Valentines
day than an art exhibit about
love? There’s just such a
thing at the Lost Planet
Gallery, a new art venue
next to the OK Theatre in
Enterprise.
Started by Anna Vogel
and Steve Arment, the
small gallery is hosting a
“Pop-Up” exhibit of art
about love and relation-
ships by Vogel and artists
Lauren McDonald, Ehlana
Struth, and Kasiah Sword.
Looking for some
live music for an
event? Wedding?
Graduation?
Club/Tavern?
Festival?
A duet that provides
full band sound with a
focus on Country Western
and Classic Rock dance music.
Also small venue acoustic shows
The exhibit is viewable
through the front window of
the mini-gallery, and will be
up “for a couple of weeks,”
according to Vogel.
McDonald’s
pieces
refl ect the love that binds
the natural world together.
Struth emphasizes ways that
we make our own relation-
ships, and Sword, a river
guide when she is not cre-
ating art, looks at fl ow in
emotions and interactions.
“This is a show that
explores the expansive
nature of love and its limit-
less presence and features in
the world,” the show’s state-
ment of purpose says. “The
artists are coming together,
collaborating,
digging
into the moss and muck of
care. They are naming, in
the visual space, that they
don’t know exactly who,
what, when, why, but they
are here and to bear wit-
ness to what is unfolding,
what is unraveling, what is
love. These works are made
with intention and sparkle.
Ask about them. Be curious.
Invite passion into the con-
versation. Open that heart,
breathe, step into a new box,
out of an old one. We are in
this, with you.”
Don performs all the instrumentation for the
band. This includes the drums, keyboards, bass
guitar, fiddle, lead guitar and rhythm guitar.
He digitally records each instrument ‘and plays
he lead instruments ‘live’ while performing shows.
Don also writes all their original songs.
Amy is an award winning singer, who has
tremendous range and pitch control.
Spring/Summer of 2020 or 2021 Seasons
Contact Don at 541-577-3153, or email
dosky99@hotmail.com,or visit us at
countrymoonshine.wordpress.com.
References available upon request.
A three hour show costs $100
for expenses. For perfomances outside
of Imnaha/Joseph/Enterprise there is
a $.55/mile mileage fee.
Country Moonshine will provide all PA
systems, lighting, etc. Secure venues
which book back-to-back nights
get the second night half off.