Denny Wilson
I was on tour in the Pacific Northwest when I found out I was going to be a dad. After the news, we decided to put a band together and tour as a family. Our first CD Warrior of Love was nominated for Best New Artist at the Native American Music Awards. It got a lot of airplay and we toured the country pretty extensively. After Quinn was about 2, I wrote the next release for him. The incredibly talented Chris Jensen took all the photos for our albums.
We put out 4 albums altogether including a Christmas CD. We toured year round playing coast to coast. We played arenas, outdoor festivals, casinos, and powwows. We also played schools and colleges.
We recorded some tracks for the Raven Boy album in Nashville. Reggie Young produced Midnight Sun and Wolverine's secret. He played with the legendary Memphis Boys having played on 100's of hits, including some from Elvis Presley (Reggie's playing guitar on the recording of Suspicious Minds). Reggie's wife, Jenny Lynn Hollowell is playing cello and Arvel Byrd is playing violin. Arvel is an extremely talented violinist, check out his music on the link. Jonathan McEuen is singing harmonies on both tracks. Helen Taylor wrote and arranged the string sections. The bass and drums were played by some session guys that were friends of Arvel's. I don't recall their names, but they were great. I played everything else.
You're My People is the first song Quinn ever worked on and recorded. Since then he's written and recorded many songs. My favorite is the Irish Delinquents. Quinn's recording of that song is featured on his Sean Casey's Camp video here. It was the first song he ever played the drums and guitar himself.
I was working on the Raven Boy album one day and Quinn came into my studio. He said he was ready to write a song. I asked him what kind of song he wanted to write, and he said, "First I have some questions Dad". He asked me why his mom always said "My People" when she was speaking to Native American people at shows. I told him she was part Native American and she considered them her people. He then asked me if she considered him her people because I was his dad. I told him she did. He then said he wanted to write a song for his people. I asked him who he meant, and he replied, "All the people Dad". We wrote the song right then. He is a remarkable young man. Quinn was 5 when he wrote and sang You're My People, and he was 5 when he sang All the Ice is Gone.
Helen Taylor is playing lead guitar on Warrior of Love, Dream of Point Hope, 77 Christmas Eves, and key boards on Trouble, Float, and Hooray for the Sun. Helen is the best pure musician I've ever known. Adam Levy is playing bass on Warrior of Love, Dream of Point Hope, Trouble, Float, 77 Christmas Eves, and Hooray for the Sun. Irene Bedard is singing on the Bi-Polar Bear, and Dream of Point Hope, speaking on Warrior of Love, Wolverine's Secret, Bowhead, and singing harmonies on Raven in the Midnight Sun, Float, Trouble, You're My People, and Hooray for the Sun. Jonathan McEuen is singing harmonies on Dream of Point Hope, Raven in the Midnight Sun, and Wolverine's Secret. DJ Old Toby provided the scratch.
All the rest of the instruments were played by me. I recorded and produced all these tracks, except for Raven in the Midnight Sun, and Wolverine's Secret, produced by Reggie Young.
The songs are free to download, but if you feel compelled to contribute, please donate to the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance so the arts may flourish in Dayton. A community cannot thrive without the arts! You can contribute any amount of money through the link below.
https://daytonperformingarts.org/give
Here are links to all the music on this site, there are many songs on different pages
The Fair Shakes/ The Rude Boys
All songs by Denny Wilson except You're My People by Quinn and Denny Wilson Copyright 2015. Warrior of Love, Dream of Point Hope, Raven in the Midnight Sun, Wolverine's Secret, and Bowhead by Irene Bedard and Denny Wilson copyright 2015.