Category Archives: Wildwood Sessions

Wildwood ’19 Sessions — Sammy Brue

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Sammy Brue . . . bringing it in the RV at the 2019 Wildwood MusicFest & Campout. Video by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media.

Stream or download Wildwood ’19 Sessions with Sammy Brue: Wildwood ’19 Sammy Brue

Sammy Brue was just 13 years old when he first graced the stage at the Wildwood MusicFest & Campout, the annual summertime music gathering in Sheridan, OR, USA.

That was five years ago.

Returning to the festival last summer with a few more road miles and most of his teenage years behind him, Sammy showed up at Wildwood ’19 with a full band a handful of great new songs that he had just recorded in Britain.

Our podcast team seized an opportunity to hole up with Sammy in the festival RV to record this solo session. He debuts a few songs from his upcoming record Crash Test Kid, due out June 12 on New West Records, and also talks about recording the new record, making connections in Europe and the scene of young listeners and concert goers he’s reaching out to in his songs.

Like a lot of our favorite artists, Sammy’s been sidelined by the restrictions revolving around the current global health pandemic. But stay on the look out for Sammy as the record is released and he makes his way around the world as one of the hottest young songwriters in folk and rock.

Here’s a playlist of the songs included in the podcast. Enjoy!

“The Catch,” from the Down With Desperation EP (2018)
“Teenage Mayhem,” Live in the Podcast RV
“Crash Test Kid,” Live in the Podcast RV
“True Believer,” from Crash Test Kid (2020)

Sammy Brue on stage at the 2019 Wildwood MusicFest & Campout.

Wildwood ’19 Sessions — Matt Woods

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Matt Woods — a man on a mission, bringing it to the poeple.

Stream or download Wildwood ’19 Sessions with Matt Woods: Wildwood ’19 Matt Woods

Anybody who has seen Tennessee singer-songwriter Matt Woods perform solo knows that all he needs is an acoustic guitar and his big, powerful voice to rock any house he’s in.

But last year, while out promoting his latest album, he toured the U.S. and Europe with a kickass four-piece band that cranked up the awesomeness to another level. Such was the case at last summer’s Wildwood MusicFest & Campout in Sheridan, OR, USA, where our podcast crew enjoyed a “full band” set of Matt Woods music for the first time, then retreated to the podcast RV for an interview and intimate performance by the man himself.

A longtime favorite and friend of the podcast and multiple time performer at Wildwood, Mr. Woods shares some tales from the road as well as a few of his greatest hits. The whiskey and laughs flow freely during this interview, so kick back and enjoy as podcast hosts Eric Kotila and Mike Lee get caught up with Matt while debriefing after the stunning Wildwood set with his band, The Natural Disasters.

Here’s the playlist:

Blue-Eyed Wanderer
Jailbird Song (Live In The Podcast RV)
With Love From Brushy Mountain (Live In The Podcast RV)
Cold Civil War

Wildwood ’19 Sessions — Drunken Prayer

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Morgan Geer of Drunken Prayer debuts a new song, “Nachos For One,” in the podcast RV at last summer’s Wildwood MusicFest & Campout. Video courtesy of Local Hero Media

Stream or download Wildwood ’19 Sessions — Drunken Prayer: Wildwood ’19 Drunken Prayer

There are a lot of great memories to unpack from last summer’s Wildwood MusicFest & Campout, but certainly one of the best was Drunken Prayer’s Friday night headlining set.

Flanked by a cast of talented Portland-based musicians, frontman Morgan Geer whipped the crowd into a frenzy while delivering tunes from the band’s spectacular breakout album of 2019, Cordelia Elsewhere.

The next day, the crew from That Much Further West Podcast welcomed Geer into the festival podcast RV to talk about the performance and get up to date on all things Drunken Prayer. Geer was in the midst of a cross-country road trip, traveling from his home in Asheville, N.C., along with his wife Krista and 6-year-old son Leon, covering thousands of miles and performing dozens of shows over a 75-day stretch.

He also shared a couple of performances on acoustic guitar, including a brand new song called “Nachos For One” (see video above) that he wrote while on the road in Europe opening for The Handsome Family.

Whenever Morgan and co-hosts Eric Kotila and Mike Lee get together, a lot of laughs ensue. So give it a listen and stayed tuned for more sessions from the RV at Wildwood in coming weeks as we try to shake off the winter doldrums and look ahead to warm, sunny days ahead.

Morgan Geer salutes the crowd after delivering the festival-opening blessing alongside Malachi Graham of Small Million at last summer’s Wildwood MusicFest & Campout in Sheridan, OR, USA. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media.

Wildwood ’19 Sessions — Tennessee Stiffs

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Tennessee Stiffs from Austin, TX (l to r): Ethan Lee Sadler, Adrian Voorhies, Cara Jane Sadler and Casey Kuznieski.

Stream or download Wildwood ’19 Sessions — Tennessee Stiffs: Wildwood ’19 Tennessee Stiffs

If you took every type of authentic American music — blues, jazz, rock, gospel, etc. — and tossed them in a blender, the noise you would make would sound something like Tennessee Stiffs.

Following in the footsteps of Americana favorites like Scott H. Biram and Shovels and Rope, the Austin-based four-piece lean on each other’s vast array of influence to create music that’s as specific to their personalities as it is limitless in potential.

We at That Much Further West Podcast were introduced to the music of Tennessee Stiffs in the run-up to their appearance at last summer’s Wildwood MusicFest & Campout in Sheridan, OR, and after their killer performance on the festival stage we were thrilled when they accepted our invitation to join us in the podcast RV for an interview.

Turns out this fabulous foursome is as fun to hang out with as they are musically gifted. Led by the husband-and-wife team of Ethan Lee Sadler and Cara Jane Sadler, the group crowded in along with a great group of our friends and followers for a fantastic visit led by podcast co-hosts Eric Kotila and Mike Lee.

During the interview, we learn about the formation of the band and also some of the struggles they’ve faced in the subsequent years of album-making and touring, and also the many and varied influences the group calls upon to generate their authentic sound. They also share a few sweet performances that will clue you in on why we’ve come to love this crew.

Enjoy this interview and be sure to take a look at the video (below) our teammate Anne Marie from Local Hero Media made from her cramped, restricted seat in the RV. A great memory for the podcast team we won’t soon forget!

Wildwood ’19 Sessions — Willy Tea Taylor

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Willy Tea Taylor on stage at the 2019 Wildwood MusicFest & Campout in Sheridan, OR, U.S.A.
Photo by Chad Lanning

Stream or download Wildwood ’19 Sessions — Willy Tea Taylor: Wildwood ’19 Willy Tea

Daylight Savings Time has slipped away, and as darkness descends earlier each day, we start to dream of the sunshine and some of our favorite things about the summer.

Here at That Much Further West Podcast, summer is our favorite time of year because we gather enforce at our favorite summer festival, the Wildwood MusicFest & Campout in Sheridan, OR. It’s where we discover so much great new music every year, and also where we meet up with old friends, some of which we may see only once a year.

And we definitely count Willy Tea Taylor among those friends. He’s been a guest on our show many times over the years and always brings a little bit of magic with him when he shows up at Wildwood. This past summer, he joined our co-hosts Eric Kotila and Mike Lee along with team videographer Anne Marie for an interview and intimate performance in the podcast RV.

Tune in to the find out what Willy Tea has cooking in the coming months, and listen to a few special performances, including a new song called “The Nurse” (see video below).

This is the first of several sessions we plan to publish over the course of the coming weeks. We hope these sessions will have you pining for summer festival season 2020 — and like us, looking forward to the lineup announcement for Wildwood ’20.

Give this first one a spin, and enjoy!

TMFWP at Wildwood MusicFest: Possessed By Paul James live in The Raven’s Roost

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Konrad Wert is a family man and an award winning educator, but when he hits the road to bring the music of Possessed By Paul James to the masses, he’s a one-man wrecking ball. Just give him a microphone, a guitar (or a fiddle or banjo) and a hard surface to stomp his foot, and he will bring down the house.

He’s also pretty darn good around a campfire. He showed that late night at this past summer’s Wildwood MusicFest & Campout in Willamina, OR when fully engaged a rowdy after-hours crowd and even invited a number of folks to join him in song.

Konrad Wert, aka Possessed By Paul James, performing at the Wildwood MusicFest & Campout. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media.

During the festival, he stopped by The Ravens Roost to sing a few songs for That Much Further West Podcast, including this performance of “Right Where We’re Supposed To Be,” captured exclusively for the podcast by Local Hero Media.

Check it out and be sure to visit the Possessed By Paul James website to learn when Konrad is coming to your town and how you can pick up his fantastic records. We wholeheartedly endorse this fantastic artist and thank him for taking time to visit us in the Roost.

 

TMFWP at Wildwood MusicFest: Matt Woods live in The Raven’s Roost

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Logging thousands of road miles and playing countless gigs every year, hearty-voiced troubadour Matt Woods has seen America from every angle. His latest album, “How To Survive,” is described by Lee Zimmerman in No Depression as “a brilliant blend of resilience and remorse ably conveyed in songs that consistently find an intimate connection.”

Such is the case on “The American Way,” a quick snapshot of the struggles folks are asked to overcome in their daily lives.

Matt Woods in the Raven’s Roost at the 2017 Wildwood MusicFest & Campout. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media.

We caught up with Woods this past summer at the Wildwood MusicFest & Campout in Willamina, OR, where he returned as one of the festival’s most favored artists. During a down moment at the festival, Woods dropped into the Raven’s Roost to perform “The American Way,” captured here by Local Hero Media for That Much Further West Podcast.

Learn more about Matt Woods and find out when he’ll be rolling into your town by visiting his website. And in the meantime, check out this video that demonstrates the power Woods can generate with a guitar, his voice and a great story to tell.

Enjoy.

TMFWP Special: Wildwood Sessions 2015 with Slim Cessna’s Auto Club

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Wide shot: Slim Cessna’s Auto Club . . . that’s Slim, third from the left. Photo by Christopher Sohler (www.christophersohler.com)

Wildwood Sessions: Slim Cessna

It was our final interview session at the 2015 Wildwood MusicFest & Campout, so we went for broke. We invited all six members of Slim Cessna’s Auto Club to cram into the RV, along with our three hosts, to enjoy a little bit of air conditioning on a hot Saturday afternoon.

Slim and crew obliged, sitting patiently for our interview to end so they could drop some musical knowledge on the team and our listeners. When time came for the performance, Slim pulled out his iPhone and we plugged it into the soundboard to provide a pre-recorded backing track for the band to play along with.

Moments later the entire band, led by Slim, were clapping, chanting and singing along to a song — we never quite got the title — that demonstrated the high power of the collective. Co-host Phil Favorite found the performance so engrossing he couldn’t help but join in with hand claps, and thankfully he managed to go pretty much unnoticed by the band — they were all living in the moment, a hallmark of their live stage performances.

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Men in black: Slim Cessna and his crew on stage at the 2015 Wildwood MusicFest & Campout. Photo by Christopher Sohler

Later that evening, Slim Cessna’s Auto Club set the main festival stage on fire with an intense, mind-blowing performance. It was a show that won’t soon be forgotten by the Wildwood faithful, most of whom were witnessing the Auto Club in action for the first time.

There really isn’t another band we can think of to compare to Slim Cessna’s Auto Club, but we recommend you go see them play live any chance you get. They’ll be at the Muddy Roots Festival in Cookeville, Tennessee, this weekend. Look for more information about the band and their touring schedule at slimcessnasautoclub.com.

TMFWP Special: Wildwood Sessions 2015 with Reverend Deadeye

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Praise the Lord! Reverend Deadeye (left) with Brother Al at the 2015 Wildwood MusicFest & Campout. Photo by Christopher Sohler (www.christophersohler.com)

Wildwood Sessions: Reverend Deadeye

Blistering heat took its toll on just about everybody on Saturday afternoon at this year’s Willdwood MusicFest & Campout, and just as temperatures in the Oregon valley were reaching triple digits, Reverend Deadeye and his partner Brother Al hit the main stage to entertain the masses.

With a mix of aggressive blues, gospel fury and good old-fashion storytelling, the good reverend lit the place on fire. Fortunately for the podcast team, he had a little something left to share during an interview and performance as the sun began to set on Saturday eve.

We supplied some water and a bit of whiskey as Reverend Deadeye told us about his recent touring exploits and his impressions of the festival. He also shared some information about his art and the influences who have helped shape his musical vision.

And taking a turn on his beat-up (but super cool sounding) resonator guitar, and with Brother Al riding shotgun on tambourine, Reverend Deadeye performed a tune about a former teacher of his called “Wade Wilson.” Mr. Wilson’s fate is cast in the first line of the song, but how he gets there proves well worth the listen.

Be sure to watch for Reverend Deadeye on the road this fall, and get familiar with his records at https://reverenddeadeye.bandcamp.com.

 

 

TMFWP Special: Wildwood Sessions 2015 with Adam Lee & Matt Woods

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Road warriors: Adam Lee and Matt Woods are Bass & Trouble.

Wildwood Sessions: Bass & Trouble

Listeners to That Much Further West Podcast are well aware of our love for Matt Woods, the hard-driving troubadour from Knoxville, Tennessee. We practically wore out his amazing 2014 album “With Love From Brushy Mountain” playing track after track on the show, and have featured him multiple times with guest interviews and performances. That’s why we were super stoked when it was announced that Matt would be performing at this year’s Wildwood MusicFest & Campout in Willamina, Oregon.

But Matt’s appearance at Wildwood was made extra special by the presence of his touring partner, honky-tonk superhero Adam Lee. Known for fronting his band, The Dead Horse Sound Company, and also for his role as Johnny Cash in the Chicago-based musical The Million Dollar Quartet, Adam’s distinctive deep baritone voice and killer showmanship helped entertain crowds during a pair of performances at Wildwood.

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Adam Lee and Matt Woods dropping some podcast love on co-host Phil Favorite at the Wildwood MusicFest & Campout.

The two touring mates have put together an act they call “Bass & Trouble,” and a theme song of the same name that they perform at the end of this interview from the podcast RV. It’s a rollicking fun (if a bit naughty) ditty the two worked out on the road after hooking up for the first of several tours they’ve now done together.

During the interview, we learned how the friends met and decided to take their act on the road, and their plans to head to Europe this fall. So if you’re over there, be sure to check ’em out — these two dudes are the real deal. Before then, be sure to look for Adam in Chicago and learn more about him at www.adamleeband.com.

Meanwhile, Matt will be road-dogging it around the Southeast U.S.A. while gearing up for their European swing. Be sure to check him out at www.therealmattwoods.com.