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Jeremy Wilson, lighting up The Helm. Photo by Anne Marie
That’s his name on the letterhead. But long before he started up The Jeremy Wilson Foundation — a nonprofit supporting music artists and crew who can’t afford health insurance — Wilson made a name for himself as singer for the iconic Portland indie rock band Dharma Bums.
He later emerged as a critically acclaimed solo performer and producer, all of which made it an honor to welcome him into The Helm for Episode #60 of That Much Further West Podcast.
Jeremy’s been especially busy lately. He’s just coming down from one of the foundation’s cornerstone events, The Next Waltz — held annually over the Thanksgiving weekend here in Portland — and is already prepping for another big evening of music honoring the late Brian Berg at Doug Fir Lounge this coming Saturday.
As he’ll breathlessly tell you, it’s all been a whirlwind. His nonprofit work since setting up the foundation in 2010 has been “never ending.” It all started as an idea after the local music community rallied to help him cover medical expenses related to a heart condition that proved life-threatening just a few years back.
Jeremy Wilson fills in the “Empty Spaces” live in The Helm. Photo by Anne Marie
In our interview, Jeremy talks about the foundation’s work but he also goes deep into his musical upbringing and the influences that shaped his career. He shares some great stories from his days at the forefront of American indie rock in the late 80s and early 90s, and also plays some songs from his stunning solo record from 2014, “Empty Through Empty Spaces.”
We hope that after hearing Jeremy speak about the work he’s doing with the foundation (and catching on to his infectious spirit), you’ll make a donation to help provide a safety net for our local musicians in need. Also, you can support Jeremy by purchasing a download of his latest record.
This episode features more music from some of our finest local artists, including The Resolectrics, 44 Long, Tin Silver and Missi & Mister Baker. We also share some tunes from podcast favorites such as Matt Woods, Turnpike Troubadours, Hellbound Glory and John Moreland.
So settle in on a rainy day, and dream away. Here’s the playlist:
Newspaper, The Resolectrics
In From The Cold, Missi & Mister Baker
Everybody Has A Way, 44 Long (featuring Paul Brainard)
Empty Through Empty Space (Live In The Helm), Jeremy Wilson
The Sliver, Jeremy Wilson
The Whisper (Live In The Helm), Jeremy Wilson
Let The Poor Man Beg, Jeremy Wilson
Drown, Son Volt
For The Good Life, Joey Kneiser
Repossesed, Hellbound Glory
If The Good Lord’s A Good Ol’ Boy, The eXcavators
Drinking To Forget, Matt Woods
American Flags in Black & White, John Moreland
The Bird Hunters, The Turnpike Troubadours
David, Cody Jinks
Dear Susan, Tin Silver