NEWS and REVIEWS

- Summer 2008- 1) I’m happy to say that I’ve been invited to teach a Summer Songwriting Class for the Cascade Community School of Music. Upcoming Class: "Writing Your Song", Cascade Community School of Music. They're having me back for another go. This is a 5-evening class July 28-August 1. That's right; five evenings in a row--you can do it! The emphasis is on learning (or improving your) songwriting in a supportive, encouraging, and focused environment. The last class raved. Raved, I tell you! Come on out and give it a try—I think it’s going to be a lot of fun. For more info or to register, here’s the link: http://www.ccschoolofmusic.org/ Or you can call ‘em at (541) 382-6866.

I've been a busy boy... 2007 Finalist Sisters Folk Festival Dave Carter Memorial Songwriting Contest 2007 Honorable Mention Woody Guthrie Folk Festival “****1/2 stars (out of 5) for this shining debut album! Rootstime Belgium (www.rootstime/be) “The groove is relentless—and the grit is what world class roots music is all about. My highest rating on this one!” Eddie Russell, Outlaw for Peace Radio DJ “Carmichael’s sensibilities cross over into his character-driven songs: bittersweet, angry, and humorous folk tales whose subjects seemingly take on a life of their own.” David Jasper, Bend Bulletin “Best Song Lyric” nominee 2002 for Jesus and the Ice Cream Man Just Plain Folks “The new Whistling Past the Graveyard album by Willie Carmichael & The Jack-Booted Thugs is one of the very top gems among all the diamonds. With strong voice, mind-bending lyrics and a spare group of players---the groove is relentless—and the grit is what world class roots music is all about. My highest rating on this one!” --Eddie Russell, Outlaw for Peace Radio DJ (Columbus, Texas) “This excellent disc is apparently the first of an author / composer / interpreter who is pushing fifty. One senses that the talent has slowly matured via the trials of life. It's not all happy. There are stories of loneliness, sickness, drugs, and death, but it is never heavy or morbid. There are some tasty lines, King George the 2nd Our Dear President (Closer to the Bone), some stories within which one can read between the lines (Ezekiel's Girl), and some short and catchy lines (I spend my prayers on hungry Africans/ And my money on ice cream). All this is delivered by a warm baritone voice with some stripped down arrangements that get down to the essentials. Electric guitar, and sometimes mandolin or lap-steel take the honors. When there are drums, there is an atmosphere of country folk and blues. This is Oregon sounds like it came from a Greg Brown CD. Closer to the Bone could be Tom Waits. Not bad as godparents for a baptism.” --Le Cri du Coyote,  American roots music magazine (France) “If you ask Willie Carmichael, ‘sometimes you just need to be smacked upside the heart’. We’re not sure exactly what that means, but we do know his music is apt to land blows on your funny bone and sentimentality receptors if you’re not careful. For “Whistling Past the Graveyard”, Carmichael enlists the talents of local players Peter Heithoff, Dale Largent, J. Patrick Lombardi, and Ed Zancanella to bring his songs to life. With touches of blues and politics, Carmichael’s no-nonsense vocals, sweet heartache, spirituality (see “Jesus and the Ice Cream Man”), and creative arrangements, the album is raw and colorful… --Jeff Trainor, The Source Weekly