Layer by Layer

Recording technology sure has changed over the years. Albums used to be recorded on 4, 8, 16 or 24 track magnetic tape. Now you can have umpteen tracks, all digital without a tape machine in sight.

The act of actually recording the musician playing on the individual tracks has changed too, but some of the process is still the same. Unless you're recording the entire band live, you still have to record individual performances in a layer by layer process.

In our case, we laid down a metronome track to help keep us in time, and along with those tracks, we laid down some "dummy" guitar and vocals. From there we laid down the drum performance for each song, then the bass guitar and then the rhythm guitars.

After that we will record guitar solos, steel guitar, fiddle, vocals and any other instrumentation, peformance by performance and track by track.

It's all very time intensive, but a lot of fun at the same time.

Back in the studio

Ah...it feels good to be back in the recording studio! We're laying down tracks to our new CD and hope to have it out by March sometime. Lots of new songs to swing by!

Asleep at the Wheel

We got quite the treat when Asleep at the Wheel was in town this month for their concert at Western Oregon University. Ray Benson appeared at a meet and greet at Mamere's Bed and Breakfast in Monmouth prior to the concert. Of course, a band photo with Ray was in order. After the show we were introduced to AATW's pianist, "Dangerous" Dan Walton by his mother Anne Walton. The show was great and we were inspired.

Scotts Mills

Super time in Scotts Mills at the grange hall last night! Chili dogs and western swing...what a combo!

They Like Us! They Really Like Us!

We are just plumb tickled beyond belief to have been nominated by the American Academy of Western Artists for not one, not two, but three award categories: "Best Western Swing Band," Best Western Swing Song" and Best Western Swing Album." The award ceremony will be held next January in Ft. Worth. Here's hoping that we win!

Dancin' In The Streets - August 3, 2011 Downtown Salem

It was nice to be invited back this year to the annual Dancin' In The Streets celebration put on by Go Downtown Salem every year. Highlights of this year's gig was watching a man and a large dog two-steppin' to our music. Then there was the unidentified gentleman who has showed up more than once to our gigs to sway to the music (if you know what we mean).

Loren, Hank and Doc get ready for the gig

Loren tries out his new cherry flavored guitar picks

Smokey having fun plunkin' on his gee-tar

It's not every day that we get to play in the middle of the street

Smokey

Good times at the Polk County Fair

The Oregon Valley Boys were honored to play at this year's Polk County Fair in Rickreall, Oregon. Lots of cattle, sheep and other varmints were on display throughout the fairgrounds (including us). We followed "A Tribute to Patsy Cline" by Jeanne Coady and then Joe Shinkle and his band followed us. Lot's of fun and about as close as you can get to how rural county fairs were back in the day.

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Swingin' on the Les Schwab stage.

Vicki greets some friends off stage

Oregon Valley girls Dawn and Robin cool off in the van

Hank goes incognito

4th of July: Cascade Locks

We took our swinging fandango of a show up to Cascade Locks in the Columbia Gorge for their annual 4th of July celebration. Fortunately the weather treated us a lot better than it did for the statue unveiling we played at there a few months ago.

 Kids love Western Swing!

Smokey and the Man of Steel get their swing on before the gig.

 Robert Waterhouse sat in on fiddle...great playing Robert!

 The ladies of Western Swing

 Some of our biggest fans

 Loren gases up the steel...ready for another hot show!

 View from the stage...that's Washington in the background.

The boss lady "manning" the controls.

Drain, Oregon

June 24th we took the Oregon Valley Boys tour down to the town of Drain, Oregon for their monthly dance at the Civic Center there. We had a nice drive down there; the folks were super and the dance was a success. We had some great Mexican food while we were there at a nearby Mexican restaurant. 

February 3rd at the Dixie Creek Saloon in Tangent, Oregon

Another rip roaring, knee slappin' swingin' time at the Dixie. Thanks to all who showed up. Mildred won "best swing dancer" award once again. Congratulations!

Aumsville Tornado Benefit a Success

We were honored to perform "unplugged" at the "Little Opry In The Valley" benefit on January 15th for victims of the Aumsville tornado that struck on December 14. The benefit raised $10,139. Many thanks to Ken Cartwright for putting this all together.

Photo Time!

We all headed down to Paz "Smokey" Reingans' joint to have some photos taken by his lovely daughter Sophie. Of course, Doc was the hammiest of the bunch.

Hot Club of Cowtown, "What Makes Bob Holler"

Hot Club of Cowtown playing at The button Factory, Dublin, 25th October 2010. This song features on their new album "What Makes Bob Holler", a tribute to Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys.

Cindy Walker and Willie Nelson

Dear Santa,
Please bring us this CD for Christmas.
Thanks and Adios!
The Oregon Valley Boys

Chuckaroo the Buckaroo gives the Oregon Valley Boys a spin

The radio spins of our new CD, "All Roads Lead To Howell Prairie" just keep 'a comin! Thanks to Chuckaroo the Buckaroo in Bend, Oregon for playing "Starry Night In The Valley" off the CD.
http://tinyurl.com/yfpbjuv

Faded Love - The Texas Playboys

                       

Review of the new Oregon Valley Boys CD

Good news from the land of french fries...a review of our new CD "All Roads Lead To Howell Prairie. This from Cri du Coyote 120:

The Oregon Valley Boys - All Roads Lead To Howell Prairie 

 

"A new band to add to the list of those who play western swing. From Oregon, formed by Randy Hill, Chuck Doc Z Zendner, Loren The Man of Steel Depping, Vicki Bakanoff, Paz Reingans, Oscar Quijano and Paul Hank Saunders, they're in the true tradition, apart from a modern country rock. But there are nuggets among the 10 tracks : the excellent All roads lead to Howell Prairie, mixing hillbillybop, R'n'R and western swing, the Bakersfield sounding honky tonk One foot, the stirring tex-mex Little white lie and the superb western waltz "à la Marty Robbins", Molalla waltz. A must to discover, you won't be disappointed."

In addition to the great reviews we've been getting, the CD has been getting some good airplay around Europe as well.


Let's Swing! 

Out of the studio and back to the Dixie

Seems like we've been recording for ages...but I think you're gonna like the finished product! Just a little more recording and mixing to do - then mastering - and then we're finished.

Meanwhile, we dusted off our instruments and headed to the Dixie Creek Saloon which is now under new ownership. Must say, the place looked great. Jake has done a great job with it.

Super crowd once again and it was nice to see some old friends there.

Swingin' The Dixie Creek Saloon

Boy howdy, we love playing at the Dixie Creek Saloon in Tangent, Oregon. Feels like an authentic beer joint, probably because it is. Great hamburgers, dance floor and the locals know how to have fun. Here's a few photos from last Thursday night's gig there.