Canadians among rock's elite

Toronto-born Neil Young is one of the
greatest rock 'n' roll stars to emerge from
Canada.

By STEVE SEYMOUR

Although some Americans may not realize it, Canadian artists have made a significant addition to rock 'n' roll.

Current hitmakers Nickelback hail from north of the border, but Canada's contribution to rock music includes dozens of top acts. The impressive list includes Paul Anka, the Band, the Guess Who, Neil Young, Steppenwolf, BTO, Rush, April Wine, Gordon Lightfoot, Bryan Adams, Alanis Morissette, Avril Lavigne and Theory of a Deadman, among others.

Anka was the first Canadian star to reach the top of the American charts. Born in Ottawa, Anka took "Diana," a song about the family's babysitter, to No. 1 in the summer of 1957. He followed with dozens of hits and remains a popular attraction in Las Vegas. In 1980, Anka was elected to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

Born in Arkansas, Canadian transplant Ronnie Hawkins put together the Hawks, which evolved into the Band. The assemblage comprised Robbie Robertson (vocals, guitar), Rick Danko (bass), Richard Manuel (keyboards), Garth Hudson (keyboards) and Levon Helms (vocals, drums). Although Helms was also from Arkansas, the others were Canadians.

Famous for touring with Bob Dylan, the Band may be best known for their single, "Up on Cripple Creek," and album "Music From Big Pink." The influential group was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

The Guess Who

The Guess Who, meanwhile, became a hit-making machine, with 21 charting singles to their credit. Based in Winnipeg, an early version of the group first struck with "Shakin' All Over" in 1965. Their streak ended with "Dancin' Fool" in late 1974. In the intervening decade, the Guess Who scored with "These Eyes," Laughing," "No Time," "American Woman" and others.

The quartet had eight significant members over the years as some quit and others joined, but the best-known line-up comprised Randy Bachman (guitar), Burton Cummings (vocals), Jim Kale (bass), and Garry Peterson (drums).

The Guess Who were one of the first Canadian bands to find success without moving from their home country.

Canada native Neil Young, however, met with his greatest achievements after moving to the United States. Born in Toronto, Young moved to Los Angeles in 1966 to form Buffalo Springfield. The group, which also included Stephen Stills, Ritchie Fury, Dewey Martin and Bruce Palmer, recorded the seminal hit "For What It's Worth (Stop, Hey What's That Sound)."

But Young didn't stop there. He went solo and recorded "Cinnamon Girl" with his backing band, Crazy Horse, then joined Crosby, Stills and Nash. CSN&Y owned 1970 with "Woodstock," "Teach Your Children," "Ohio" and "Our House."

As a solo artist, Young reached his peak with "Harvest," the best-selling album in the United States during 1972, and has continued as a relevant performer to this day.

Steppenwolf is another Los Angeles band which traces its history to Canada. Three members, including John Kay, Jerry Edmonton and Goldy McJohn were members of Canadian group Sparrow.

Named after the Herman Hesse novel, Steppenwolf recorded "Born to be Wild," "Magic Carpet Ride," and "Rock Me," among other hits. "Born to be Wild," now a rock anthem, was featured in the 1969 movie "Easy Rider," starring Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper.

In the mid-1970s, as the Guess Who declined, BTO (Bachman-Turner Overdrive), arrived on the scene. Famous for "Takin' Care of Business" and "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet," BTO included Randy Bachman, on guitar and vocals. He was a former member of the Guess Who.

Rush, circa 1974

Rush, another highly successful Canadian rock band, emerged in the late 1970s. Comprised of Geddy Lee (vocals, bass), Alex Lifeson (guitar) and Neil Peart (drums), the hard-rock trio was formed in Toronto. Their biggest songs are "Tom Sawyer" and "New World Man.," both from the early 1980s.

Along with Rush, Canada boasted April Wine, a rock group from Montreal. Popular in the 1980s, April Wine counted "Just Between You and Me" among their hits.

Not all of Canada's exports were groups, however.

Folk singer Gordon Lightfoot can attest to that. Born in Orillia, Ontario, Lightfoot enjoyed his first U. S. hit in 1970 with "If You Could Read My Mind." One of Lightfoot's most memorable tunes, of course, is "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald." The song immortalizes the 1975 shipping tragedy on Lake Superior which claimed 29 lives.

Another notable Canadian artist is Bryan Adams, born in Kingston, Ontario. The singer, songwriter and guitarist enjoyed a string of hits from 1982 to 1997. Adams has 12 Top Ten hits to his credit, including "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You," "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman" and "All For Love."

Alanis Morissette, meanwhile, dominated the charts when she appeared on the scene. Born in Ottawa, the multi-talented adult alternative singer had five consecutive trips to the Top Ten with "Ironic," "You Learn," "Head Over Feet," "Uninvited" and "Thank U."

Avril Lavigne followed in Morissette's wake. Born in Napanee, Ontario, Lavigne is known for "Complicated," "I'm With You," "Sk8er Boi" and other hits.

LaVigne's contemporaries include Nickelback and Theory of a Deadman.

Formed in Vancouver, Nickelback is comprised of Chad Kroeger (guitar, vocals), brother Mike Kroeger (bass), Ryan Peake (guitar) and Ryan Vikedal (drums). Their first hit, "How You Remind Me," spent four weeks at the top of the charts in 2001.

Even though he was busy with Nickelback, frontman Chad Kroeger signed Theory of a Deadman to his 604 Records. Based in Vancouver, that group is continuing Canada's hit-making tradition.

The Upper Peninsula's proximity to Canada has meant we've always paid attention to our northern neighbor and the music they've been making.

My wife Sue and I have been fortunate enough to see concert performances by Paul Anka, Steppenwolf and Gordon Lightfoot. We also like many more north-of-the-border acts.

It's safe to say that without Canadian artists, our rock 'n' roll experience would be considerably diminished.

Dead rock stars get attention

News media attention to music
celebrities has grown over the years to
the extensive coverage given to the
death of Michael Jackson.

By STEVE SEYMOUR

Despite the recent hysteria over the death of Michael Jackson, the news media have a long history of ramping up publicity when rock stars die.

Still, comparing the coverage given to rock 'n' roll's first great tragedy and the passing of the "King of Pop" shows a rapidly growing appetite for celebrity news.

Rock aficionados know Feb. 3, 1959 as the day Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson died in a plane crash shortly after taking off from the airport at Mason City, Iowa. Pilot Roger Peterson was also killed.

Known for "That'll Be the Day," "Peggy Sue," and "Oh Boy!," Holly was the headliner for a tour of the upper midwest called the "Winter Dance Party." Valens had "Donna" to his credit, while the Big Bopper was responsible for "Chantilly Lace."

The terrible news was carried in the Mason City Globe-Gazette under the banner headline, "Four Killed in Clear Lake Plane Crash." A subhead declared: "Nationally-Known Rock 'n' Rollers, Lake Man Victims." The newspaper carried a photograph of the crash site and headshots of Holly and Valens.

The Associated Press news wire carried the story, noting the "singing idols...stirred millions of teen-agers."

Rock 'n' roll was in its infancy at this point and the crash probably gained the most notoriety when Don McLean made the loss the centerpiece of his hit, "American Pie."

News media interest seemed to increase when another trio of superstars, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison, died in less than a year.

The headlining act at Woodstock, Hendrix died of a drug overdose on Sept. 18, 1970. His hits included "Purple Haze," "Foxey Lady" and "All Along the Watchtower."

Joplin, possessing immeasurable talent as a blues-rock singer, as illustrated by "Piece of My Heart," "Me and Bobby McGee" and "Down On Me," died of a heroin overdose on Oct. 4, 1970.

Morrison, lead singer of the Doors, died of heart failure in Paris on July 3, 1971. The Doors were a tour favorite and topped the charts with "Light My Fire" and "Hello, I Love You."

All three were just 27 years old and died presumably at the peak of their careers.

Morrison's death was kept quiet until after he was buried in a Paris cemetery. His wife, Pamela Courson, one of the few people to see Morrison's corpse, died in 1974. Some people believe the singer didn't die, but wanted to escape the music business.

Due to the circumstances of the stars' passing, the major news media covered the stories briefly. Rolling Stone magazine delivered consecutive cover stories on Hendrix and Joplin in October, 1970. Morrison's memorial issue appeared in August, 1971.

The passing of the three stars cast a pall over rock, but also immortalized the trio.

Hendrix is still a perennial favorite, and the Doors are the subject of periodic revivals. Joplin remains a revered vocalist.

When Elvis Presley, "The King of Rock And Roll," died on Aug. 16, 1977, the news generated headlines around the world. The Commercial Appeal newspaper in Memphis announced: "Death Captures Crown of Rock And Roll" and pictured a hearse carrying the singer's body from Baptist Hospital.

Presley died at his Graceland estate of heart failure caused by prescription drug abuse. He was 42 years old. The autopsy report was kept private so some speculate there may have been other factors contributing to Presley's death.

The star's demise came just days after a book called "Elvis Presley: What Happened" was published, detailing Presley's prescription drug use and fascination with guns.

Thousands flocked to Memphis to pay their respects to Presley who's legacy included "Don't Be Cruel," "Hound Dog" and "Heartbreak Hotel."

The world was stunned when former Beatle John Lennon, one of the founders of the world's greatest rock band, was shot outside his apartment in New York City on December 8, 1980.

The first Associated Press bulletin was transmitted at 11:25 p. m. eastern time, saying Lennon was wounded and transported to Roosevelt Hospital in a police car. The AP confirmed his death at 11:43 p. m.

Sportscaster Howard Cosell announced the assassination during a nationally broadcast Monday Night Football game, but many people didn't find out until the next day.

The late Walter Cronkite led his CBS Evening News broadcast with the awful news, as did the other two networks.

A 10-minute silent vigil was held at 2 p. m. on Dec. 14 in Lennon's memory. Millions participated. Radio stations played "Imagine," "Come Together" and "(Just Like) Starting Over" as Baby Boomers mourned the passing of their youth.

Another era ended on April 5, 1994 when Kurt Cobain, lead singer of the alternative rock band Nirvana, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Like Hendrix, Joplin and Morrison, he was just 27 years old. He brought the Seattle grunge scene to prominence with "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and defined a generation.

Rap fans were dealt a similar blow with with the murder of Tupac Shakur in 1996. The influential rapper was shot in Las Vegas on Sept. 7 and died six days later. Shakur had just scored a No. 1 hit with "How Do U Want It."

The press speculated about the deaths of both men, but the coverage was minuscule compared to the attention given to the passing of Michael Jackson on June 25, 2009.

My wife Sue and I watched NBC News with Brian Williams as we heard that the pop idol had suffered cardiac arrest at his California home and could not be resuscitated. The man who fronted the Jackson 5 and recorded "Thriller," best-selling album of all time, was gone.

It seems the news media knew a good story when they saw one. Non-stop coverage followed.

Fans of Jackson couldn't get enough about their idol, while others thought the saturation coverage was too much.

As pop music has become more prevalent over the years, the media attention it draws has also increased. The number of media outlets has multiplied, making coverage even greater.

When Buddy Holly and his companions died in a plane crash 50 years ago, the story was little more than a blip in the national news. Now, the Michael Jackson story has dominated the news, almost to the exclusion of everything else.

How things have changed.

'Lost' star sang in U. P. band

Award-winning actor Terry O'Quinn
(formerly Quinn) sang in a Newberry-based
rock band called Hitchcock Circus.

By STEVE SEYMOUR

A rock band based in the small Upper Peninsula town of Newberry spawned two well-known entertainment industry figures.

Hitchcock Circus provided some early professional experience for both an Emmy-winning actor and a top music arranger.

The quartet consisted of Terry Quinn (vocals), Paul Lavender (Farfisa organ and bass), Bob Robertson ( Gibson Les Paul Jr. guitar) and Daryl Bouchard (drums).

Quinn changed his surname to O'Quinn for his acting career which has included a role on the television series "Lost."


Paul Lavender

Lavender, meanwhile, is a prolific arranger for music publisher Hal Leonard.

While O'Quinn and Lavender have enjoyed decades of success, Hitchcock Circus was active for less than a year, Robertson said.

They played their first gig as the Roaming 5, according to Robertson. "Daryl Bouchard arranged our first job following a basketball game in the high school gym. They asked him the name of the group and we didn't have one so he just made up Roaming 5." The "5th" member of the group was nicknamed "Otto Matic," a reference to their light show, created by student Jeff Sainio.

The group came up with their memorable moniker after O'Quinn saw a track called "Hitchcock Railway" on a Jose Feliciano album and suggested the switch to Hitchcock Circus.


Bob Robertson

"We had a weekly gig at the Newberry Youth Center and also played a number of school dances, wedding receptions and such," Robertson recalled about the band's 1969 heyday.

The guitarist remembered playing a teen club in Curtis called the Silver Dome. "It was considered the big-time for us. Lots of bands from the U. P. and northern Wisconsin played there on weekends. Curtis was a rather hoppin' touristy place in the summer so the place was packed every weekend."

Robertson remembered a wedding reception Hitchcock Circus played in Paradise on July 20, 1969 when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon. "All of us wanted to watch the historic event so on our breaks we ran down the street to a tavern to watch it on the small TV in the bar."

Like other professional bands, Hitchcock Circus had a business card. Their card carried a three digit telephone number since Newberry was one of last areas to go to dial phones.

Robertson said Hitchcock Circus had a playlist of over 100 songs. "We played many of the hits from the mid-to-late 60s, by CCR, Beatles, Association, Rolling Stones, Classics IV and Gary Puckett." They also catered to the bubblegum crowd, playing hits by 1910 Fruitgum Co., Ohio Express and Lemon Pipers.

"The only original material we wrote were a couple of novelty-type songs. One was totally politically incorrect by today's standards. Since the Newberry High School nickname was the Indians, we did a song called "Un-Gow-A. I don't even remember how it went but I do remember it being quite silly."

Although Lavender wanted Hitchcock Circus to play on a March of Dimes Telethon on WLUC-TV6 in Marquette, "one guy didn't and a couple of us were indifferent," Robertson recalled. The disagreement apparently broke up the band.

Not long after, Lavender left to attend Central Michigan University (CMU) in Mount Pleasant and O'Quinn followed.

Lavender majored in music theory and composition at CMU where he completed his undergraduate and graduate work.

The former Newberry resident has more than 1,000 arrangements and compositions to his credit.

He is vice president of Instrumental Publications for Hal Leonard Corp., the world's largest music publisher.

Lavender and his wife Cheryl live in Brookfield, Wis. with their three children.


From left, Bob Robertson, Kirsten Gustafson
and Terry O'Quinn

O'Quinn, meanwhile, is widely-recognized for portraying John Locke on "Lost," a program broadcast by ABC television.

Born at War Memorial Hospital in Sault Ste. Marie on July 12, 1952, O'Quinn lived in Rudyard until age 7, then moved with his family to Newberry, where he lived until college.

O'Quinn's first acting experience came during plays when he was a student at Newberry High School. He was also cast as Henry IV for a play at CMU during the early 1970s.

The 56-year-old actor made his professional acting debut in a 1980 television movie called "FDR: The Last Year." He added the "O" to his surname because another actor had registered the Terry Quinn name.

He landed minor parts in films and television movies until 1996 when gained fame for playing the title role in the films "The Stepfather" and "The Stepfather II." His acting was praised by critic Roger Ebert.

O'Quinn was also cast as Peter Watts in the television series "Millenium," which ran from 1996-1999.

Best-known for his work on the hit show "Lost," O'Quinn won an Emmy award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in 2007.

During his career, O'Quinn has played in over 30 movies and television shows.

The Terry O'Quinn Fansite reports the actor enjoys playing the guitar and that his favorite artist is Neil Young.

O'Quinn and his wife Lori spend their time between Maryland and Hawaii, depending on when "Lost" is in production. They are the parents of two children.


Daryl Bouchard

A retired railroad employee, Hitchcock Circus drummer Daryl Bouchard lives in Marquette. The father of four grown children, Bouchard "hung up the sticks" in 1986.

"I remember playing the 4th of July in Newberry where after the parade the streets were blocked off and we played for the crowds. I had a blast," Bouchard said.

Today, Hitchcock Circus guitarist Bob Robertson works for the Michigan Commission for the Blind (MCB) in Lansing. A rehabilitation counselor, he is manager of Human Resources, staff development and program evaluation for MCB.

He and his wife Diane are the parents of two grown children and live in Grand Ledge.

With the days of Hitchcock Circus now forty years ago, Robertson says he still "picks up a guitar once in a while for fun."

Hitchcock Circus Rehearsing at Newberry Youth Center


Terry O'Quinn


Paul Lavender


Terry O'Quinn, Bob Robertson and Paul Lavender


Terry O'Quinn, Bob Robertson and Daryl Bouchard

The blues take hold over time

This statue on Beale Street in Memphis,
depicts W. C. Handy, known as the
father of the blues.

By STEVE SEYMOUR

Although I love the blues today, it didn't happen overnight.

As a teenager in the 1960s I was all about rock music. I wanted to hear Jimi Hendrix, the Animals and the Byrds. I liked Creedence Clearwater Revival, Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels and Bob Seger. I couldn't wait for the next hit from the Beatles, Rolling Stones and the Who.

Yes, I heard the occasional single from the great bluesman Jimmy Reed, like "Big Boss Man" and "Bright Lights Big City." B. B. King's "The Thrill Is Gone," made people take notice of the blues in 1970.

With the new decade, I wanted to discover the roots of rock 'n' roll.

To start, I bought a Howlin' Wolf album with a stark black and white cover. In large letters, the jacket said: "This is Howlin' Wolf's new album. He doesn't like it. He didn't like his electric guitar at first either."

For a picture of the Wolf, born Chester Burnett, you had to look at the flip side. That's where the song titles were listed, such as "Spoonful," "Smokestack Lightnin'," "Red Rooster" and so many others. Every track was a classic.

Chess Records in Chicago issued a series of double LPs called "Blues Masters," featuring rare and previously unreleased tracks from their extensive archives. I purchased a set by Sonny Boy Williamson and another by McKinley Morganfield, also known as Muddy Waters.

I discovered that the Rolling Stones took their name from a song Waters recorded in 1950. "Rollin' Stone" is three minutes and five seconds of pure blues. Other gems on the record were "Hoochie Coochie Man," "I Just Want to Make Love to You" and "Got My Mojo Working ."

I became aware that the classic "One Way Out," as performed by popular southern rockers the Allman Brothers, was actually written by Sonny Boy Williamson and Willie Dixon.

Money was short in those days, so I didn't go to many concerts. I always thought it was more important to collect the records. Afterall, concerts end in a few hours, but you can always play your records.

When I was finally able to afford to go to concerts, I went to those which featured the acts I liked as a teen. I saw the Rolling Stones, the Who, Grateful Dead and Bob Seger. Although the Beatles were disbanded, I witnessed performances by Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. I was delighted to attend a concert by John Fogerty, the man behind CCR. I got backstage to meet Eric Burdon, lead singer of the Animals. I attended a show by Pink Floyd, one of rock's greatest bands.

As my wife Sue and I were busy checking out some of rock's biggest names, we also slipped in a trip to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. There we saw the internationally-known bluesman John Lee Hooker, famous for "Boom Boom." He looked quite small, seated on a folding chair, but his guitar-playing and vocals were undeniably huge. Robert Cray, the blues-rocker known for "Smoking Gun," and the Radiators were on the same bill.

On Sept. 27, 1990 the Record Rack, Bay College and WGLQ co-sponsored a concert by guitar ace Jimmy Johnson, bringing Chicago-style blues north to the Upper Peninsula. Johnson's performance was awe-inspiring.

For a 13-month period beginning in 2000, U. P. blues enthusiasts were treated to dozens of extraordinary shows when the Shuffleaires, composed of Escanaba native Jim "Smiley" Lewis, "Big" Al Ek and Mary "Queen Bee" Corbett played around the area. Fans were challenged to guess the origins of the group's cover songs. Sue and I were hooked, attending nearly every show.

The Island Resort and Casino in Harris booked the Fabulous Thunderbirds with Kim Wilson and Kid Ramos in 2000 and the incredible guitar wizard Kenny Wayne Shepherd the following year.

In late May 2001, Sue and I made a pilgrimage to fabled Beale Street in Memphis to stand before a statue of W. C. Handy, known as "Father of the Blues."

But, it wasn't until August, 2001 that I went to my first major blues festival. Local residents Al Mokszycke and Gary Ethier had been attending the Bayfront Blues Festival in Duluth for years and finally persuaded Sue and me to join them. It was a fantastic weekend and we saw many noteworthy blues artists, including Marcia Ball, Candye Kane, Ike Turner and the Kings of Rhythm, Calvin Owens and his Blues Orchestra, Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers, the Lamont Cranston Band, and many others.

Sue and I won't forget April 23, 2003. That's when we saw one of the world's greatest bluesmen-- B. B. King-- in Sault Ste. Marie. King amazed us with his singing and guitar playing, although he never did both at once.

By 2004, the Marquette Area Blues Society began hosting an annual festival over Labor Day weekend. Sue and I have attended every one. Performers have included Lonnie Brooks, L'il Ed and the Blues Imperials, Tinsley Ellis, Saffire, Bettye LaVette, Watermelon Slim & the Workers and Tab Benoit, to name a few.

When acoustic blues master John Hammond played at Kaufman Auditorium in Marquette on April 17, 2004, we were able to add another name of the list outstanding bluesmen we've seen.

George Thorogood put on a terrific performance at the Island Resort and casino on May 28, 2005, showing us just why he's at the top of his game.

We saw blues legend Buddy Guy and up-and-comer Jonny Lang on a twin bill at Oneida Casino in Green Bay on Aug. 25, 2005. As Guy walked through the crowd playing his guitar, fans patted his bald head, giving their approval to one of the masters of the blues.

Sue and I couldn't resist visiting the historic Calumet Theatre on June 6, 2008 for a captivating concert by slide guitarist Johnny Winter. His incredible talent was still intact, despite his health problems.

During this decade, Sue and I have seen many great women blues players including Janiva Magness, Rory Block, Ana Popovic, Erin Jaimes, Shemekia Copeland, Sue Foley and Deborah Coleman.

We've seen promising young players like Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Jonny Lang and Anthony Gomes.

And, we've seen some of the giants of the genre such as B. B. King, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, Johnny Winter and John Lee Hooker.

Actually, we've seen so many blues performers, we can't remember them all.

After attending all those blues shows, I've learned to appreciate the blues community, fans and performers alike.

Blues fans are an accepting and tolerant lot and welcome all interested persons into their community.

The blues family is a diverse one and although there are many types of blues, the music is indeed a universal language.

When I first discovered rock 'n' roll, I didn't realize my favorite sounds could be traced to the blues. In fact, musicologists will tell you all modern music owes a debt to the blues.

Sue and I have met many like-minded friends with a common bond in the blues who consider the music to be a sanctuary.

Don't get me wrong, I still like vintage rock 'n' roll, but new music just doesn't cut it for me anymore.

In fact, the blues might be the last bastion of cool for those music fans, like me, who started out liking rock 'n' roll all those years ago.

Although I love the blues today, it didn't happen overnight.

Local acts issue debut discs

Veteran Delta County musician Larry Brown
has just released his first compact disc,
"It's Just Me."

By STEVE SEYMOUR

Debut compact discs have been released by a coterie of Delta County musicians.

Just out is a CD from Larry Brown, known for playing in area rock and country bands for more than four decades.

On "It's Just Me," Brown sings six original compositions while his daughter Cera performs lead vocals on two cover songs.

Brown recorded the disc in his basement, playing lead, bass and rhythm guitar parts himself. The disc also spotlights his lead and harmony vocals.

Two songs can be traced to 1972 when Brown was in a group called Round Island. "9th Street Earthquake" is about a "crazy dream" Brown had, while "Joshua" is a haunting tribute to his son who died of double pneumonia before his first birthday.

Daughter Cera Jean puts her spin on "The Rose," originally performed by Bette Midler; and "Black Velvet," a number one hit for Alannah Myles in 1990.

Brown recorded his disc at his home "mini studio" over the period of a month with the help of his son Larry.

Besides Round Island, music fans may remember Brown playing in Bounty Hunter, Redneck Railroad, Bear Cat Stew and Prophets of Doom. His first band was Teens Beat, which he joined as a youngster.

With all that experience you'd expect some solid guitar playing from Brown and he delivers in fine form.

Brown dedicated his new CD to his father, and in memory of his mother.

"I wanted some proof that I existed," Brown said about finally issuing his first CD.

Despite a bad back responsible for his retiring from live performances, Brown is considering a few solo shows to promote his new CD.

The musician lives in Ford River with his wife Debbi.

Meanwhile, area resident Craig Bonno has been especially prolific musically. He has issued a CD under his own name and also appears on the first release by his band, Intrusion.

Bonno's lightning fast guitar work takes center stage on his instrumental solo effort, "Cool Fire On Hot Blacktop."

An accomplished guitarist, Bonno played lead, rhythm and bass guitar on his new disc. Following in the footsteps of guitar virtuosos such as Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, Bonno is able to deliver a seemingly endless stream of metallic rifts with ease.

The guitarist's heavy metal talents are also evident on the band disc. Besides Bonno, Intrusion is comprised of Kyle Johnson (vocals, guitar), Terry Pearson (bass), and John Miller (drums).

Featuring seven tracks, the Intrusion CD boasts fierce guitars, throat-ripping vocals and a relentless drum beat. Fans of Metallica, Megadeth and speed metal should like Intrusion.

The quartet is based in Lansing, so Bonno must travel when Intrusion books gigs downstate. Several Upper Peninsula gigs have been booked this summer, however.

When he's not composing or performing, Bonno is a guitar teacher at Jim's Music in Escanaba.

Local band Sore On Sunday is making some noise with their debut compact disc, "Scars Have 2 S's."

Fronted by vocalist and rhythm guitarist Tyler Henderson, Sore on Sunday also includes Eric Nault (lead guitar), J. P. Grenier (bass, vocals) and Jason Kuehl (drums). Since the recording of this CD, guitarist Drew LaVacque has joined the band.

The 11-track disc shows off the group's impressive arsenal of original material such as "Push Comes to Shove," "Crystal Clear" and "Drunk Enough to Dance."

Some of the tracks have received air time on local radio, not an easy achievement when broadcast playlists are highly restricted.

Sore on Sunday have impressed live music patrons with their combination of self-penned songs and select covers of contemporary rock hits by the likes of Green Day, the Killers and Bowling for Soup.

Fans of pop standards should appreciate the first CD by Augie and Almudena.

The duo, actually Augie Peters and Almudena Aguirre, have catered to a local audience, titling their disc "... by Request."

Aguirre puts her vocal interpretations on these mostly-familiar numbers to Peters' guitar accompaniment with pleasant results.

The pair open their disc with "Crazy," Patsy Cline's gigantic country smash from 1961, written by Willie Nelson.

The Mexican song "Besame Mucho," with Peters' Spanish guitar and Aguirre's sweet vocals, may best represent the tone of the thirteen-track album.

While new releases by major artists gain the most media attention, local musicians have shown they have much to offer as well.