Steelhead: Steelhead
Steelhead
Take some blues roots, blend in a healthy dose of Alaskan country rock, and top it with three part harmonies and you’re probably talking about Steelhead. That “little ole’ band “ from Big Lake, Alaska has been performing in lodges, clubs, breweries, bars and music festivals since ’99, where they effectively blend the musical genres into a soundscape as diverse as the Great State itself.
Drawing upon influences such as Paul Butterfield, Van Morrison, Grateful Dead, Eric Clapton, band members Dan Walsh (harmonica and vocals), Thom Bjornton (guitars, bass and vocals), Barry Billings (bass, guitars, keyboards and vocals) and Doug Herschbach (drums and percussion) offer up original songs and great, but sometimes obscure, covers with a distinctive sound unique to the band. From the opening harmonica licks, in “Fever on the Road”, the blues influence is melded with harmonies, in “Big Fungus” (that’s all we are), to a great cover of John Fogarty’s “Long as I Can See the Light”, through one night with an ex, in “Shared the Same Name”, Steelhead lands a sound that has captured the attention of music peers and fans alike.
After spending what seemed like months in seclusion (finally) recording their latest release, “Which Way Now?” Steelhead has been staying busy performing and promoting the CD, and combined their CD Release Party last April with a successful fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club of Alaska.
Look for them at a venue near you, when we're not out enjoying what we can of the very short summer here in Alaska.
Mike "Twanger" Collins - Guitars, percussion
MIke "Twanger" Collins has his roots in (you guessed it) country music and brings his smooth pickin style to the forefront of many songs. Add in his great vocals, and occasional drumming, and we have a talented addition to the band.
Alan "Shred" McCarroll - Guitars and bass
Alan "Shred" McCarroll brings some wild guitar playin' to the band, adding a hard rock sound that blends well with the STEELHEAD tradition. You'll find him jumping around the stage like a wild man. Just the way we like it. He occasionally fills in on bass when nobody else wants to....
Barry “Twin Dragon” Billings - Bass and Acoustic Guitar, Keyboards and Vocals
Barry sets back and pumps out the bass that really gets you “feeling” the music, and layers that with some great vocals. At times, he fills out the sound, from mellow to rockin’, on acoustic guitar or keys. A native Californian (not by choice), Barry played with a number of different bands as he moved up thru Oregon and Washington to Alaska some years back. He has performed with Steelhead since its inception and has penned several of the bands songs. Barry also runs his studio where “Which Way Now?” was recorded and mixed.
Doug "Moose Magnet" Herschbach - Drums, Percussion and Bass
Doug was “raised on Rock and Roll”, so when he starts laying down a backbeat, you can’t help but want to get up and dance. A pro drummer since he was a kid, Doug is solid, tight and utterly in the groove. A long standing (well, he usually sits) member of the band, Doug also fills in on the bass on our acoustic numbers. As a lifetime Alaskan, we figure he has swatted more mosquitoes than the rest of us combined.
Steelhead Productions
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