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The Earnest Lovers: Leslie Beia and Pete Krebs in The Helm. Photos by Christopher Sohler

Episode #42 with Earnest Lovers

We’ve always thought That Much Further West Podcast was for lovers, and on this episode we try to prove it. Not only is the word “lover” in the title of every song submitted to our playlist, but we have one of Portland’s hottest new country bands — The Earnest Lovers — in The Helm for an interview and performance.

Led by local performing veterans Pete Krebs and Leslie Beia, The Earnest Lovers are hitting stages all over the Pacific Northwest with big plans for 2015. Mr. Krebs is well-known for his early rock-and-roll work with the local Sub Pop band Hazel and later as a member of numerous Americana and traditional bands such as Golden Delicious, The Kung Pao Chickens and most recently the Western swing band The Portland Playboys. Ms. Beia has had a huge impact on the local country scene as half of the red-hot duo Copper & Coal, a band whose debut CD is often featured on our show.

Leslie Beia and Pete Krebs of The Earnest Lovers, barside at The Helm.

Krebs and Beia teamed up in late 2014 to form The Earnest Lovers and are in the process of recording and producing their debut EP. An ongoing Kickstarter campaign (see the video and link below) is already 100 percent funded, leaving the duo in position to move forward with confidence. In the interview, we learn how they came together in a love of classic country music in the tradition of the 1950s and 60s; their plans to record the EP with producer Jon Neufeld (Black Prairie, Jackstraw, Dolorean) at Portland’s Type Foundry studio; and how Pete’s love of punk rock eventually led to an appreciation of traditional country.

They also share a pair of wonderful original songs they’ve co-written for the upcoming EP. The songs fit beautifully in the mix of lovers tunes, presented here just in time for Valentine’s Day. Local Portlanders can catch Pete and Leslie this coming Saturday at The Secret Society for “Hearts On Fire” showcase, where several of our favorite singers are partnering for performances of classic country duets originally done by artists such as Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash and June Carter, Buck Owens and Rose Maddox and Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris. Pete and Leslie with being performing the songs of George Jones and Melba Montgomery.

We also share “lover” tunes on the show from some of the podcast’s favorite artists, including American Aquarium, Hearts of Oak, Lydia Loveless, Rachel Brooke and Steve Earle. So if you’re ready for some lovin’, just press play.

Here’s the playlist for Episode #42:

Lover Too Late, American Aquarium
My Lover Adorned, Cahalen Morrison & Eli West
If I Could Be Your Lover, Delbert McClinton
San Andreas Fault (Live In The Helm), The Earnest Lovers
I’m Still Missing You (Live In The Helm), The Earnest Lovers
Mary Wants A Lover, Foghorn Stringband
Lovers Ain’t Easy, Hearts of Oak
Oh, My Lover, Kory Quinn
Lover’s Spat, Lydia Loveless
Late Night Lover, Rachel Brooke
My First Lover, Sassparilla
Poison Lover (with Siobhan Kennedy), Steve Earle
Stone Hearted Lover, The Sumner Brothers
When Your Dream Lovers Die, Townes Van Zandt

Click here to donate to The Earnest Lovers’ Kickstarter campaign.