Shipe song among “Best of 2011″ in region

My new year kicks off nicely with a boost from the Eugene Register Guard (specifically, musical writer Serena Markstrom) who lists “Hard to Believe” as one of the Best Local Songs of 2011.

It’s my simplest, rootsiest country tune off Villain. A broken-hearted country lament in the classic male/female duet style. I credit my duet partner Halie Loren for putting it over the top, and producer Ehren Ebbage and guitarist Al Toribio for injecting just the right amount of twang.

Now, if I can find someone to help me shop the tune around Nashville, I will pay such a person handsomely in foot massages, grilled cheese sandwiches, and untold royalty percentages.

Shipe in Lewiston (Idaho)

Back in my surrogate home of Lewiston/Clarkston, last night was a superlative, truly unplugged, gig at La Boheme.

When I say unplugged, I mean no microphones, no amplifiers, and no P.A., in an intimate venue, with an audience accustomed to listening quietly. I gotta tell you it’s lovely.

I was a accompanied by Scott Cargill and his lineup from 7 Devils, who nailed these arrangements on the fly. Outstanding musicians, and great friends, they had brushed-up shortly before my arrival. We had minimal discussion, ran through a couple songs, and called ourselves ready. It could not have gone better.

The Devils: Nathanael Tucker on Fiddle, Jim Laws on percussion, Scott Cargill on mandolin, and Ryan B. Gibler on bass (who managed songs he has never even heard before.)

My close friend Scott is the perfect musician to do this sort of total acoustic set-up. As a deep, knowledgeable fan of roots combos driven by mandos, banjos & stand-up basses, he has the attitude for it. His mando strumming is relentlessly in-the-pocket! Together with Jim on the percussion (handling such quiet volume with authority, emotion and dynamics) I felt comfortable rhythmically — more than usual.

Fiddler Nathanael, in the unplugged format, marvels at “being the loudest instrument in the ensemble.” But with such sweet tone and phrasing, it’s a good thing. The country-ish material went particularly well with fiddle: “Villain,” “Honky Tonk Romans,” “Like Some Folks Do,” and “Some Hidden Things ” (which features a whole string section on the studio album).

We closed the show with “What Right Do We Have to Fall in Love?” The Devils didn’t know this one at all, but damn if they didn’t turn it into the big finale!

Nathanael is also the owner of La Boheme. I exhort my acoustic colleagues to get in touch with him sooner than later. A great, relaxed host, he produces special shows, taking care of both the audience and his fellow artists. He comes from a family of musicians (brother of Simon Tucker), so he knows what matters.

Tonight, Scott joins me for a duo show at Eichardt’s in Sandpoint. Come Saturday, we get take the 7-Devils/Shipe combo to the next level @ Hogan’s in Clarkston.

Shipe @ Park Bar & Grill (7/23)

Thanks to my friend Lisa C. Pollock, I was pasted onto the Saturday night Park bill in Burbank.

It felt good showing off some new songs in L.A. that I’ve been carrying around the Northwest. I was in comfortable form due to recent steady gigging. But the real highlight was performing 2 Country duets with lovely & talented Tracy Dixon (aka Amy Wray, my Hollywood wife.)

I wish I could post the video. But there’s a bunch of editing left to do. So here’s the next best thing: a couple of slide shows featuring the same two songs as performed on our fake radio show, Laurel Canyon Back Porch Variety Hour.

“Call Me Darling,” by John Grimshaw

“This is the Day,” by John Shipe & Amy Wray

Also, it was a treat to finally meet B.B. Chung King in person. B.B. is Lisa’s producer, a great guitar and vocal talent, and a man who believes in the importance of lyrics.

Shipe Vid w/ Lisa C. Pollock at Voodoo Lounge

Here is a video, filmed surreptitiously at the House of Blues Voodoo Lounge (3/31/11).

Lisa C. Pollock joins me on “Hard to Believe” (from Villain).

Lisa is my Hollywood go-to lady for duets in L.A. She is the daughter of a great fellow Oregonian from KLRR in Bend–Dori Donoho, champion of independent Northwest Music.

Filmed by Jeff Fleiss.

The song is available here: CD BABY

(FYI: The studio version of “Hard to Believe” is sung by Eugene colleague Halie Loren. I am lucky to work with the best.)

Laurel Canyon Back Porch Variety Hour gets legs(?)

I loaded slide shows up on YouTube to go with the 12 segments of our Laurel Canyon Back Porch Variety Hour.

I promise, we have no intention of pulling the wool over anyone’s eyes. We’re just having fun, keeping the juices flowing. It’s a chance for me to put out some whimsical material, for Amy to do some whimsical singing, and for our production-mate John Grimshaw to practice voice over & editing. (Plus, he wrote the show’s best song: “Call Me Darlin’”)

Well, wouldn’t you know it? The LCBPVH ended up with a listing on the Old Time Radio web site. And the whole “cast” gets mentioned. Ozark Otis, TC Ragstix, Tracy Dixon, Bill Heathrow, Sammy Levine…

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