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Behind the Scenes- by
LynnAnn Hyde
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Behind the Scenes- by
LynnAnn Hyde
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"Behind the Scenes" is a periodic inclusion to the BluesNotes that profiles some of the many wonderful folks who give so much to the Blues community and to the Cascade Blues Association. As always, the honor is mine to write these profiles and to be involved in a small way with the CBA.
IF YOU KNOW OF SOMEONE that is a likely candidate for a "Behind the Scenes" profile, PLEASE let us know! You can call the CBA office at (503) 223-1850, write to us at PO Box 14493, Portland, OR 97293-0493, e-mail us at cbastaff@cascadeblues.org, attn: "Behind the Scenes", or speak to any CBA Board Member about your "pick" for a profile. This is YOUR Cascade Blues Association!
Terry Currier is known by many for his gracious donations of CDs
(and other forms of recorded music) at the Cascade Blues Association Monthly Membership
Meetings (and other CBA events). But, the truth is Terry has been
donating much more than that to the Blues community, and the CBA specifically, since the second
month of the CBA's inception. Terry helped produce early
CBA publications, served as CBA Vice President, chaired and campaigned
on membership drives (with Dave Clingan, Terry's membership
drives increased CBA membership by 300%) and continued to write
for the BluesNotes. Terry still hosts the "bevy of door-prizes"
giveaway at each membership meeting, with CD's from his eclectic music store, Music
Millennium.
Terry also cosponsors many CBA activities and records and distributes many of our fine Blues artists on his record label, Burnside Records. Terry Currier consistently advocates for musicians. He often hosts hard-to-see solos and small ensembles that are world-class recording artists and performers for FREE at his two Music Millennium outlets.
Terry got involved with music early on while still in grade school in Seattle. As a teen, Terry had seriously considered studying music at college. He got a job at a brand new record store while a senior in high school in Ridgefield, WA and he began listening to a lot of British Blues, and American Blues music. He started buying as many records as he could and attend as many concerts and live shows as possible. He credits Alligator Records with providing him a wealth of music to absorb, and mentions artists like Kim Simmons, BB King, Muddy, Waters, and Peter Green as having a profound influence on his diverse musical tastes. He also recalls selling a lot of "back-door" Blues artists POST "British Invasion", like John Lee Hooker and Buddy Guy.
Today, Terry is still giving his time and financial support to many great causes. "I am always fighting a 'cause' in the record industry .... and I try to help as many community-based charities as I can...," relates Terry. He also serves on the Board for The Association of Independent Music and is the lead Chair for The Coalition of Independent Music Stores.
Terry recalls that at one time, Portland had the greatest Blues scene going! He wonders if it is a lack of venue representation that has stifled the growth of the Blues as an "industry".
Terry credits folks like Bill Rhoades, Miles Ward, Errol & Bobbie Shervey, Mark Goldfarb, Ardis Hedrick, Dave Clingan, Joey Scruggs, Rick Hall, and every Board that has served the CBA, for helping the association to grow into one of the best Blues organizations in the country. He offers his support and encouragement to anyone who chooses to help the CBA in any way and hopes to see more people step up to serve as Board Members and volunteers.
From my own perspective, I can't stress enough the importance of Terry's independent recording and distribution of American Folk Art. Music is not meant to be a homogenous glob of similarities. It is ART and is dynamic. Without independents like Terry Currier, most of our music would sound the same .... and many fine musicians would not have an outlet for their art. Terry Currier has backed the Blues, and it's very POINT as Folk Art for many years. He has put his money where his heart is, and devoted countless hours to further the Blues as a musical form and to further many Blues performers. We are proud and honored to claim Terry as a past CBA BOD member and we are glad to have him here in Portland working so hard to promote the Blues.
Rick Hall was born in Los Angeles, California during World War
II and grew up at a most interesting point in American music history, the Post-War Blues and early Rock
'N' Roll period. Rick recalls his mother's great appreciation for music and says it rubbed off on him. He was drawn to Black R&R artists like
Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Little Richard and Bo Diddley while still very young. Later, while serving in the Vietnam War, he began to listen to British Blues, as well as Black
Blues artists (like BB King and Bobby "Blue" Bland) while in the Navy in the mid-'60s.
Rick credits the "British Invasion" (the Stones, Yardbirds, The
Animals, John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, etc.) with really turning him on to the Blues. He credits the recorded music of those "British Invasion"
artists as well as BB King, for making him aware of many of the established Blues artists.
Rick moved to Oregon in the late '70s to teach Graphic Communications at Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham. Since then, he's moved on to selling Real Estate, being a Fine Paper salesman and owning and operating several businesses, the most recent endeavor being his mobile DJ service, RJ Mobile Music.
Rick joined the CBA in 1989. By 1990, he was serving as a CBA Board member and for the past 11 years, has served in many capacities on the CBA's Board of Directors. Rick has been the BluesNotes Editor In Chief since 1993 and still loves producing the paper, even after seven years! Rick has been the President of the CBA since 1995, and has held or co-chaired many of the CBA's most important committees, including the Musician's Relief Fund, the 10th Anniversary Show, the Acoustic Blues Fest, the Scholarships, six times as the Chair of the "Muddy Awards'' and too many more to mention!
Now comes the part wherein I get to tell you some things you may not know about our "fearless leader". Beneath his business-only exterior, Rick is a fun guy! He can always find a reason to laugh or smile, sometimes breaking the considerable tension of a given situation. Rick is a fair-minded person, and always allows folks to voice their opinions on matters at hand. He is supportive of new talent in our area. In fact, he has booked many "unknown" acts for our general assemblies over the years, often times providing that first venue or "event-type gig" to aspiring entertainers.
Rick Hall is retiring from his position as CBA President this year. He urges ALL of us to support the events and functions that the CBA puts on (many that he helped to create). He has shown a deep and profound commitment to the Blues community and hopes that all of the musicians will come to realize that the CBA is their ALLY, NOT THEIR NEMESIS!
Rick calls the CBA "family" and feels honored to have served the membership for so long. He says that he got into the CBA to give something back to the music he loves so much. I think Rick has given heart & soul and blood, sweat & tears.... The CBA will miss him terribly as our leader, BUT, we will still enjoy the benefit of his many years as Editor (for several years to come). I thank Rick for being a positive example of what one person CAN do, and I wish him good health, good fortune, and Blessings from God!
Vern Lane has a contagious enthusiasm for the
CBA, and this profile will contain many direct quotes because of that enthusiasm.
Vern is actually a native Oregonian (from The Dalles) and he grew up in a household that was fond of traditional music (notably Western Swing, [pre-Nashville] Country and Country-Blues). Vern started listening to Blues ala British-Invasion bands like John Mayall, Led Zeppelin, et al, while still at Wahtonka High in The Dalles. Says Vern, "While other guys were listening to hard rock music, I was digging John Mayall! I was having a great time turning other kids onto it!"
Vern was living in Portland and a co-worker ("Psychic" Mike West) talked him into attending a CBA monthly meeting. Soon thereafter, Vern started doing volunteer "stuff" for CBA events. "Shelley Garrett (former CBA Board member) really got me into it! She was so friendly the people I was meeting were so much fun," Vern recalls. "I did a whole lot of volunteer stuff before joining the CBA Board and I guess that spirit of fun really made the difference," Vern says.
Vern Lane has been so many important things to the CBA since 1995 (not to mention pre-'95!) that it will be hard to name them all. One of the MOST important things Vern does without even knowing it is to set forth a truly positive example of CBA membership to the world. I know for a fact that many current CBA members (and even a Board member or two) joined the CBA because of Vern! He has been our Booth Sales, Volunteer and Merchandise Coordinator for years. He has consistently gone the extra mile to make sure the CBA is represented at Blues events all over the Northwest and that the CBA has the very highest quality of merchandise offered at very reasonable prices. Vern works hard at the relationships he maintains with the vendors who manufacture and provide our products. Vern also takes time to talk to the many folks who want to volunteer at CBA events, and hopes to incorporate the volunteer force into a working body. Vern says, "We have the BEST membership! I KNOW I can call on folks to help out at a Booth or at ANY of our events, because they will come through..."
Vern told me he has even greater aspirations for the CBA in the future. "All of the stuff the CBA has going on is great for the Blues community. We have our scholarships, (way to go Susie), the Willamette Delta Showcase, more educational programs and events to sponsor those programs. I would like to see more of the membership out there attending these events we work so hard at sponsoring. And, I want to thank ALL of our Blues radio programmers right now for all of their hard work. They make my day go better and they get this music out for everyone to hear."
Typical of Vern Lane, he is smiling and enthusiastic when he continues. "I guess you could say that I've had tons and tons of fun doing this. I've met fantastic people, and continue to meet great people at every CBA event. I just want other people to know how great it is to be a part of the CBA! On a personal note, it was Vern Lane, Dee Koch, Wait Lesher, Robin Ira, Susan Stewart, the lovely Kathleen, and Joan Semprebon that influenced me to join the CBA. Their total commitment to supporting the Blues and to having a Blues "family" which includes the entire membership was awe-inspiring for me and SO MANY others! Thanks from the bottom of my heart, Vern. You are a true gentleman, and a true advocate for the Blues!
The next "Behind the Scenes" will profile Robin Ira, Ken Condit and a third (as of today undecided) person. Thanks for taking the time to read about some of the many people that make YOUR CBA work for YOU!
- LynnAnn Hyde
© 2000 Cascade Blues Association