The Band of Heathens

When The Band of Heathens decided to dub their sixth studio album of original material Stranger, released in 2020, the veteran band, formed in Austin, TX nearly 15 years ago, had no idea how prophetic that title would turn out to be. 

On February 25th, The Band of Heathens released their latest studio album, “Remote Transmissions Vol. 1.” Featuring a talented lineup of 10 guest performers such as James Petralli, Margo Price, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Nicki Bluhm, Todd Snider, and more. The album is comprised of 10 classic cover songs imbued with the Heathens’ own unique style of rock & roll and they have plans to begin touring immediately in support of their latest release.

Hannah Dasher

When Dasher takes the stage, you see a country star who was born to entertain. 

What you don’t see is what it took her to get to that stage. “In order to pay my band, I had to start cleaning houses and sell all my guitars, including the first and only one my daddy ever gave me. For years, I wrote songs and played shows on borrowed guitars,” Dasher recalls. “Eventually, I scrubbed enough toilets to buy my first Gibson.” 

Aside from Hannah’s work ethic, her strong, non-conforming, swaggy lyrics set her apart from her peers early on, earning her the nickname Hannah Damn Dasher. Accompanying her big hair and her larger-than-life personality is a voice that’s even bigger. Listen closely and you’ll hear remnants of Lorrie Morgan, Dolly Parton, Aretha Franklin and Alan Jackson. It all makes for a sound that’s familiar -- like your favorite 90’s country -- yet uniquely fresh.

Quaker City Night Hawks

The last time we heard from the Quaker City Night Hawks, they were traveling the country in support of their Lightning Rod Records debut, El Astronauta, an album that mixed the greasy strut of 1970s rock with doses of down-and-dirty Texas blues, science fiction, and Bible Belt boogie. The guys were Texans by birth, but their music whipped up its own geography. With its spacey, southern stomp, El Astronauta could've been the soundtrack for a road trip across the American desert…or even the house music for a weekend night at the Mos Eisley Cantina. 

Noisey said “this ragtag bunch of boundary-pushers is likely to appeal to fans of Fu Manchu and Tom Waits in equal measure,” and Rolling Stone proclaimed Quaker City Night Hawks songs “fly in the face of mainstream rules.”

Jaime Wyatt

If there’s one lesson to be gleaned from Neon Cross, the newest release from singer, songwriter and guitarist Jaime Wyatt, it’s that life, in all its inherent messiness, goes on. And through it all—good times and bad, triumph and trouble, dreaming and desperation—Wyatt continues, to borrow the title of one of her new songs, just L I V I N.

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“I tried not to have any filter with these songs,” Wyatt says about her open-book approach to writing. “Because I'll be honest—it feels like I'm gonna die if I don't tell people how I feel and who I am.” She pauses and lets out a slight laugh. “It sounds so dramatic, but that's the truth.”

Jesse Daniel

Jesse Daniel possesses the hard-won life experience that many sing about, but few have actually lived. Instead of wearing those trials like badges of honor, he has used them to forge the solid foundation from which he has built his career. After overcoming years of addiction and all that comes with it, he set out to make a life in music and hasn't looked back since. This unrivaled determination led to his debut in 2018, Jesse Daniel, which proved to be a major foot-in-the-door for him as an artist. After touring this record extensively he released his second album, Rollin’ On, in 2020. If the first record was a foot in the door, Rollin’ On was a battering ram, making it near impossible to ignore his name in country music. It let the world know that Daniel was here to stay and received national (and international) praise from the likes of Rolling Stone, Sirius XM Outlaw Country DJ Shooter Jennings, American Songwriter and Saving Country Music among many others. It’s success in spite of a global pandemic only highlighted the impact it had.

Haley Johnsen

Haley Johnsen is a Portland, Oregon-born musician with a knack for genre-bending and a hard-earned career path that is uniquely her own. Raised listening to powerhouse singers such as Brandi Carlile, Grace Potter, and Annie Lennox, her greatest inspirations become apparent in her soaring vocals, introspective lyricism, and cross-pollinated style of indie-pop, and bluesy folk rock music. Whether her songs muse on the aches of self-doubt, the joy that can accompany nostalgia, or simply trying to stay afloat in tough times, her bona fide songwriting combined with her performance ability is bound to evoke an emotional response. “I want my music to encourage people to push through their challenges and continue to have hope and belief in themselves and their authenticity,” she says.

Austin Jenckes

Ask Austin Jenckes about his unwavering need to write and perform music, and as he pauses to gather his thoughts, you can practically see a montage of the country singer-songwriter’s life playing before him: a childhood spent watching his father play guitar in the park; high school talent shows; dingy bar gigs; televised singing competitions; publishing deals; Nashville writing rooms; a forthcoming debut album. “But at the root, it’s always been me trying to move somebody enough emotionally to pay attention to what I’m singing about,” Jenckes says. “Music’s always been a way for me to observe and process the world around me.”

Cody Beebe & The Crooks

Cody Beebe & The Crooks are a Northwest Country staple and have been around the block a time or two, touring through 30 US states and 7 European countries over the span of ten years.  In the past few years, family and personal matters took them off of the road and out of the recording studio. In the summer of 2018 they started writing new music and went into the studio to record just as the Covid-19 pandemic was taking hold of the world, but they were not deterred and a new record is set for release after their five year hiatus.

Known for their progressive rock take on country music, they have found themselves playing Watershed at the Gorge three times, opening for notable acts all over the country, backing Nashville recording artist Austin Jenckes, and even starting their own festival as a result of their die-hard fanbase, Chinook Fest.  With a new-found energy and fresh songs, the band assures “you really ain't seen nothin' yet.”

Aaron Crawford

Aaron Crawford is an independent Country artist based in the Pacific Northwest. Aaron Crawford is forging a new path: paying respect to the roots, instrumentation, and songwriting of traditional country, yet blending those flavors with the Seattle sound including the likes of the grunge scene icons Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and even Foo Fighters. Approaching his career with a blue collar mentality, Crawford writes and records his way (with a little help from his friends) choosing to build a grassroots following in the often overlooked country scene of the Great Northwest. Penning the now ubiquitous “Evergreen” a tribute to living in the Seattle area, he has logged over 1,000 gigs, and it’s apparent.  His live show is just that: a show. His charisma and stage presence entice the audience to sing along, and the powerhouse Seattle radio stations championing him and his band.  If you haven’t heard of him yet, you will. His drive, enthusiasm, and desire to succeed, will most certainly make him a mainstay of the die hard country music scene.

Hillstomp

Hillstomp is a 2-man band comprised of Henry Hill Kammerer and John Johnson. Henry plays guitar  and banjo like a hurricane, and if you close your eyes you’d swear he’s playing 2 parts at once. John  Johnson beats mercilessly on his drums, with the fury of a demon loose from hell. Once you get past the pure ferocity of his playing, you notice the parts are intricately crafted patterns that provide the  framework for Kammerer’s guitar and banjo sorcery.

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Hillstomp sounds like a boom box blasting from a shopping cart. Two madmen have strapped an  engine to the cart and it’s too big and running too hot. They've got a banjo and a megaphone, a washboard and a kick drum. Hillstomp is folk music in its purest form – from loud and gritty, intricate and poignant, and most importantly, always heartfelt and true.

Hunter Stiles

Hunter Stiles grew up in Moxee, WA playing the guitar since he was 9 years old. He now steps into adulthood as a singer/songwriter creating original country songs under the influence of artists like Billy Joe Shaver, Townes Van Zandt, Chris Ledoux, Cody Jinks, Jamey Johnson and Alan Jackson.

Hunter is a member of the Inland NW Country Music Association and has performed in Nashville, Washington and Idaho at various bars, wineries, breweries, festivals and nightclubs.

The Wicks

Pauline and Jedidiah are the musical soul of the independent folk band, The Wicks. Small town kids from the Pacific Northwest, who made a recent migration to the heartland of Texas. Pauline’s earthy songwriting and powerful voice seamlessly blend to form a vocal depth that is rare, and demands attention.  Jedidiah accompanies her with a strong rhythm section that includes mandolin and slide guitars. Recently the duo has set to support and perform with Josh Weathers. Josh is known best for his viral version of Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” and has sold out crowds of thousands throughout his home state of Texas.

In 2016 The Wicks joined forces with Josh Weathers to help raise $100,000 for The Hope Home, a project Josh and his wife, Kady are pioneering for the children of India. They look forward to returning to Chinook Fest for their traditional “Sunday morning coming down” performance.

Blake Noble & Friends

Originally from Australia, Blake Noble returns to Chinook Fest with his truly unique blend of roots/rock with glimpses of folk, funk and blues. A multi-instrumentalist, Blake combines 'Percussive Fingerstyle' guitar chops (think Andy Mckee meets John Butler), simultaneously with the deep drone of the ancient Australian Didgeridoo.

Blake creates high energy, foot stompin' music that will have you kicking off your shoes and dancing barefoot in the dirt. Sharing the stage will be members of Blake Noble Band and Thunder Honey, featuring vocalist Kaylee Jorene, Joel Hoyer on bass, Matt Teske on pedal steel guitar, Chris Lucier on drums, and Martin Celt, also on bass.

Kate Dinsmore

Kate Dinsmore is a singer-songwriter based in Seattle, WA. A dynamic performer and vocalist, Dinsmore brings her songs to the stage with an undeniable presence. She found her passion for songwriting when she returned to the Pacific NW after almost a decade spent in Oklahoma. Her music is powerful and emotional, with influences ranging from Jazz to Rock to Americana. Dinsmore’s performances quickly gained a following in Seattle, allowing her to open for notable artists such as Colin Hay and the Dip. Her voice is at one triumphant and intimate. The perfect soundtrack to dropping off the last of your ex’s stuff and driving off into the sunset.

Kilo Bravo

Long Beach, California based Kilo Bravo is an alt-rock band that creates heavy hitting tunes that blend complexity with a thoughtful restraint. The songs are catchy but chaotic. A perfect blend of equal parts classic and contemporary. The band's debut album Chew This Slow is out now.

Robbie Walden Band

The intensity of singer/songwriter Robbie Walden is evident in everything he does, including the recording of his latest album "Robbie Walden Band", a collection of originals blending Texas Red Dirt and Spaghetti Western with his native Pacific Northwest Rock and Country sounds. With influences such as Randy Rogers Band, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Gary Allen, Walden's Music pleasantly surprises listeners with his distinctive, unexpected vocals and poetic, vintage outlaw songwriting that expresses his inner strength, dedication, witty sense of humor, and personal heartbreak.

Supermother

SuperMother is the brain-child of Skyler Mehal, those of you that have attended Chinook Fest in the past may know that he often plays in 3, 4, 5, 6…. You get the idea…. He’s a hard working guitarist that just loves sharing his passion for live music. If you frequent venues in the Ballard neighborhood or are a regular of the festival you have probably seen him play in a dozen different bands. SuperMother is progressive, aggressive, loud, emotional and bombastic. This set is going to wake you up!

Brett Benton

Alabama-born and Southern-raised, Brett Benton has been obsessed with country blues ever since he was a child, listening to his parents’ and grandparents’ records at an early age. By his teens he was playing behind a drum kit, and by his early 20's was learning his way around slide guitar. Currently in the Pacific Northwest, he has played many regional and national festivals and venues and most recently he has signed to Knick Knack Records with his first studio album You Got To Pray in April of 2019.

Shop Singers

Shop Singers are a Walla Walla based alternative rock band. Originally formed as a duo, they have grown into their current lineup of Chris Jonlick, Nate Carlile, Ty Lane, Brendan Hummel, and Braedyn Bruner. Pulling sounds from many different genres they have formed a cohesive sound that blends rock, pop, folk, and whiskey to form a sub-genre, which they’ve labeled as ‘Xennial Rock’

American Honey Band

American Honey is a high energy, country/rock band based out of the Yakima Valley. American Honey formed in early 2016 and has since opened for country star Jason Michael Carroll and headlined several shows in Washington State. American Honey plays songs from all genres to keep the crowd on the dancefloor all night long!

Chase Craig Band

Within a stylistically unique band from day one. Chase Craig Band has elements of roots rock, rustic blues, and outlaw country. They just released their debut album "Whiskey Again", picking from old delta blues and southern rock. Rock 'n' roll is the foundation for each unique song. Formed in Washington state, the Pacific northwest has been Chase Craig's home since day one, and it's not that hard to hear it.

WOLFCHILD

WOLFCHILD is a Cinematic Folk Rock band haling from Seattle, Washington. At the core of the project is Gabriel Wolfchild and his brother Elion TruthHeart.. Gabriel’s emotive lyricism, enchanting vocals and unique guitar work is met with Elion’s incredible ability to smoothly flow between drums and a variety of exotic string and woodwind accompaniment, all the while adding to rich vocal harmony only brothers can create. The duo has been playing music together since their earliest of years. While In many ways they have evolved to be  about as different as they can be from one another… it is in that contrast that they find their creative spark. Together they weave cathartic storytelling with dynamic soundscapes, from dreamy shoegaze-esk weightless atmosphere, to heart pounding grunge blur. After staying mostly silent during the pandemic WOLFCHILD had just released a new full-length album: “The Earth as Seen from the Moon” on 2/22/22.