Meet the Trail Band

The Trail Band
Standing left to right: Mick Doherty, Cal Scott, Dan Stueber, Phil Neuman, Lex Browning, Rindy Ross. Seated: Marv Ross and Gayle Neuman

Lex Browning (guitar, violin, and mandolin) is a nationally recognized artist who has performed live and on record with artists such as Kenny Rogers, Tanya Tucker, and Pam Tillis. He is also a recording artist on Sugar Hill Records with those coast to coast PBS Lampoonsters, The Austin Lounge Lizards.

Mick Doherty (hammer dulcimer, string bass, electric bass) is known in the U.S. as a hammered dulcimer specialist, an instrument for which he teaches private lessons and festival workshops. Mick performs with the Cascadia Folk Quartet. Mick works as musician and storyteller with shadow puppeteer Deb Chase and the Oregon Shadow Theatre, touring award winning shadow plays from coast to coast.

Phil and Gayle Neuman (Phil: tuba, pennywhistle, recorders, flageolet, cornet, fluegelhorn/ Gayle: violin, tenor horn, trombone, banjo, recorders) are recording artists on Pandourion Records, award-winning musicologists and instrument makers. They also play with The Pioneer Brass, The Oregon Renaissance Band, and present a rare concert of ancient Greek music as a duet. For further information please visit: www.emgo.org or contact the Neumans at neuman@up.edu.

Marv and Rindy Ross (Marv: guitar; Rindy: reeds/woodwinds) were the founders of Quarterflash, whose award-winning debut album on Geffen Records went platinum in 1982. Rindy has been singing Marv's songs for over 20 years, and the couple received the Alumni Award of Excellence from Western Oregon University for their contributions to Oregon arts. The Rosses have toured with Elton John, Linda Ronstadt, and The Beach Boys. They founded The Trail Band in 1991.

Musical director Cal Scott (cornet, mandolin, guitar, keyboards) has been a composer, producer, and leader of musical ensembles for over 20 years. Cal has composed the scores for more than thirty PBS documentaries and specials. Films in The Getty Museum, The End of the Oregon Trail Center, and the Mt. St. Helens Visitors Center feature Cal's music. He plays on the latest CD of Celtic super group, Patrick Street (Street Life) and is currently recording with Irish fiddler Kevin Burke. For further information please visit: www.calscottmusic.com.

Dan Stueber (drums, percussion) attended Boston's Berklee College of Music, where he specialized in jazz and classical percussion. Dan performed extensively with The Flying Karamazov Brothers on Broadway in New York City. He currently plays with the traditional jazz band The Woolies and also Nashville artist, Tim Schneider.

The Trail Band is an 8-piece ensemble that creates an energetic blend of brass and string arrangements of traditional and original music featuring five great vocalists including Quarterflash's Rindy Ross. Hundreds of public and private appearances across America and Japan, plus seven successful albums have established The Trail Band as the premiere historic music ensemble from the Northwest. Cornet, tenor horn, tuba, fiddles, hammer dulcimer, guitars, penny whistle, mandolin, piano, saxophone, spoons, bones, drums, bass, and recorders combine with their rich vocal harmonies to create a diverse tapestry of sound.

Formed by Marv Ross in 1991 at the request of the Oregon Trail Council to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the trail, the band initially performed music exclusively from and about the era of the Oregon Trail with costumes, diary readings, traditional folk tunes, marches, hoedowns, and Native American melodies. Titled, Voices From The Oregon Trail, this performance has been the keystone of the band's repertoire for over 10 years.

In 1998 The Trail Band was presented the Meritorious Achievement Award by the Oregon-California Trails Association.In 1999 producer Marv Ross was presented an Alumni Award of Excellence from Western Oregon University for The Trail Band's contributions to history, education, and music.

In 1994 The Trail Band created a new show, Christmas With The Trail Band - a holiday concert reminiscent of the parlour orchestras and townsquare brass bands of the last century. Originally produced as a television special for Oregon Public Broadcasting, this concert has become an annual tradition for thousands of concert-goers in the Northwest.

In 1998, the band presented a new show and album, Immigrant Dreams, featuring music and stories of those who came west to America from Ireland, Scotland, Romania, Mexico, France, Spain, Greece, and other countries during the turn of the century. In 1999 The Trail Band debuted a new show and accompanying album, Lewis & Clark, and in 2001 the band released its seventh recording, a Christmas album titled, Making Spirits Bright.

In 2003 The Trail Band released its eighth recording, Oregon Stories, a contemporary collection of original songs tracing the lives of Northwesterners and their relationship to the land.