Little Blinky

photo by Gary DeHaven	This singer songwriter is legendary up and down the Lake Superior shoreline and on down to Tennessee. His work has been heard on disk, on the air, and in parlors across America. A true folk blues artist of the original sort. He continues to inspire my entire family to sing and play.
1. Lake Superior Blues -	12 tracks of original folk songs, traditional tales, and a Grandmother's strange rhyme. This is an enchanting album and should really be heard in one sitting. Listen to the nationally acclaimed "Me and My Dog" (.ogg file) "Me and My Dog" (wave file - may load slowly)
2. Willow and the Moon - "Farewell to Thee, Abbie" (wave file)	Nine tracks of original, soulful, Minnesota farmer's country bluegrass blues. My favorite song, "Farewell to Thee, Abbie", is a lament of the farmer packing up and moving to the city as the bank auctions off the last of his childhood lands. Having witnessed this heartbreak, I always come to tears at this song. "Dumb 'ol Shaggy Dog" is a frequent cover of Minneapolis bluegrass band, Cousin Dad and is available on their album, "First Cousin" at CDbaby.

Little Blinky - Lake Superior Blues coffee mugs and stiens now available!
Click Here

For more information about Little Blinky or other projects listed here, contact: gregorytraxler@yahoo.com

Other projects for this artist:
(link info and recordings)

1. Die Wolpertinger As the percussionist, vocalist and guitar player with this trio he tours the Midwest from May-fest to Octoberfest. You have never heard Bavarian Folk Music the way these three do it. You can find them locally at the Bayrischer Hoff out in Montrose or at the Minnesota State Fair (they are specially brought in to play for the Swiss cows, quite a treat!)

2. Cousin Dad 2005 winners of the City Page's Best Band Name Category, this is one of the Twin Cities most rockin' and bluesin' Blue Grass Bands. With the radical addition of the drum kit, they push the envelope of tradition and bring a real edge to old time strings music.
"First Cousin" is the only available recording outside of bootlegs!
Check out their myspace.

Howwastheshow.com review - here.

You can often find them playing at Dulono's on Lake Street in Minneapolis. They play loads of festivals and parts of this ensemble can be heard at various Discovering Origins/Building Traditions Ritual Shows!

3. As Raven Lunie his rhythms on "I Sing of a Maiden" completed the 1999 release of A Yuletide Celebration.

4. Alpenrose - a favorite 7 piece Bavarian Folk Ensemble. They were a favorite in the Midwest from the mid-eighties to the late 1990's. They had gorgeous vocal harmonies and a variety of original folk instruments including duo alpenhorns, marimba solos, and joddling. Their costumes were equally as rich making them a full sensory Germanic transportation. I loved dressing myself and the boys in their leiderhosen for the Aplenrose concerts! Three of the seven went on to form, Die Wolpertinger.

5. Leo Hates Us - Strange urban folk...lyrical and rythmic...bad feng shui on the name...a project involving JR Hartley, so, excellent recordings!

6. John Casey and the 'ol Possums - a favorite Uptown Bar band of the mid 1990's. A little sleepy and kind. Video footage in Superior, WI does exist...

7. Farm Accident - Urban Folk idols through the 1990's throughout the Midwest and Canada! This Twin Cities band did some astonishingly sophisticated music. Their lyrical content paved the way for their style choices which varied from Cajun to Classical. They blew this writer away. Members Pete Mathison, Paul Chamberlain, and Gregory Traxler continue playing as Cousin Dad.

8. Gene Pitney - Along with other of Minneapolis' finest musicians on some of the most beloved stages in America, this artist upheld the Gene Pitney Orchestra with his solid and graceful percussion.

9. The Crops - more on this later.

 

Recordings for bands highlighted thusly are available by contacting the artist:

gregorytraxler@yahoo.com

612-729-4019 (USA)