Bluegrass musician O'Brien to hit folk notes in Homer</MCC HEAD>

Story last updated at 1:53 p.m. Thursday, February 13, 2003

Bluegrass musician O'Brien to hit folk notes in Homer
by Carey James
Staff Writer

While some might quickly characterize the mandolin and fiddle-playing Tim O'Brien as a bluegrass musician, the musician's own appraisal of his style is less specific.

In a description on his Web site of his current recording undertaking, he tells fans, "It'll be another good old singer-songwriter, bluegrass-roots, alternative something or other, like you've come to expect from me."

Well, now that that's cleared up.

Regardless of what box you care to place O'Brien in, his musical background is a testament to his efforts as a musician.

In the past year, O'Brien has added numerous performances and recordings to his resume, not the least of which was recording with the Chieftains on their latest album, "Down the Old Plank Road."

"The joke goes, 'Why did the chicken cross the road? To record with the Chieftains," O'Brien writes of the experience. "And while it's true that many have guested over the years with this veteran Irish band's recordings, I was still very honored to participate in their latest project at the end of April."

O'Brien sang "Shady Grove," and parts of "The Old Plank Road," as well as playing the mandolin, fiddle and claw hammer banjo on several other tracks.

Also adding a feather to O'Brien's cap this year are the Dixie Chicks, who will record his song "More Love," on their upcoming bluegrass record.

O'Brien's music career started in West Virginia, where he grew up seeing artists like Charley Pride, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Country Gentlemen and Jimmy Martin. In the late '70s, O'Brien formed the band Hot Rize with three other Colorado bluegrass musicians.

The band eventually split in the early 1990s, but not before the musicians soaked up exposure with awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association. O'Brien took the association's male vocalist of the year award in 1993, and within a few years, his solo career was well on its way.

While O'Brien's musical roots are firmly planted in the bluegrass and folk scene, the artist says he is constantly editing his own style.

"It's like chiseling away a sculpture," O'Brien says of finding an artistic style. "It was always there. You've just got to find what it is that's you."

Carey James can be reached at cjames@homernews.com.

We encourage you to add your comments. To prevent spam, comments with links are manually approved during the normal business day. Please be respectful of others with your comments, bear in mind anyone in the community may be reading your comments.