Also visit:
Maine Hysterical Society | Stacy Kane Photography | Bayley's Camping Resort | Simon Apple | Dan Merrill | Rebecca Martin | Brandon Baines
Maine Hysterical Society | Stacy Kane Photography | Bayley's Camping Resort | Simon Apple | Dan Merrill | Rebecca Martin | Brandon Baines
Dan Merrill
A Maine native from North Yarmouth, all Dan has ever known is his music. His velvet voice and mastery of the guitar are second to none on the national scene. Over the past 10+ years, he has added songwriting as well as producing to his artistic abilities. He was co-founder of the highly successful New England touring band Cornerstone in the 80s. With Cornerstone, the band produced the CD "Foundation", played night clubs and colleges, made several TV appearances, and opened concerts for .38 Special, Foghat, Marshall Tucker, and Jeff Healy.
In 1987, Dan received the "Male Vocalist of the Year" award from the Maine Music Awards. In 1992, economics as well as a need to shift artistic focus drew him to the acoustic guitar. Dan played everywhere from coffee houses to colleges. He eventually would come to share stages with the likes of John Hiatt, Warren Zevon, Chris Smither, Patty Griffin and Ellis Paul. His songwriting hit new levels in 1995 when Dan was chosen out of a field of over 800 entries nationwide and received national recognition by winning the "New Folk Award" at the renowned "Kerrville Folk Festival" in Texas with his song "Katherine" - a song about his daughter when she was 3 years old. Past winners of this award include; Lyle Lovett, David Wilcox, and John Gorka. In 1996 Dan released his first solo CD "Revolution", which was recorded in part in Nashville, TN. You can also hear Dan as lead singer with the group, Simon Apple on their latest release, "River to the Sea."
Those who attended the 9-11 tribute concert at Merrill Auditorium in 2001, will never forget Dan's stirring and passionate rendering of "America the Beautiful". WMGX had Dan on air and said it was the most incredible representation of that song they had ever heard.and played it frequently thereafter on the air.
A Maine native from North Yarmouth, all Dan has ever known is his music. His velvet voice and mastery of the guitar are second to none on the national scene. Over the past 10+ years, he has added songwriting as well as producing to his artistic abilities. He was co-founder of the highly successful New England touring band Cornerstone in the 80s. With Cornerstone, the band produced the CD "Foundation", played night clubs and colleges, made several TV appearances, and opened concerts for .38 Special, Foghat, Marshall Tucker, and Jeff Healy.
In 1987, Dan received the "Male Vocalist of the Year" award from the Maine Music Awards. In 1992, economics as well as a need to shift artistic focus drew him to the acoustic guitar. Dan played everywhere from coffee houses to colleges. He eventually would come to share stages with the likes of John Hiatt, Warren Zevon, Chris Smither, Patty Griffin and Ellis Paul. His songwriting hit new levels in 1995 when Dan was chosen out of a field of over 800 entries nationwide and received national recognition by winning the "New Folk Award" at the renowned "Kerrville Folk Festival" in Texas with his song "Katherine" - a song about his daughter when she was 3 years old. Past winners of this award include; Lyle Lovett, David Wilcox, and John Gorka. In 1996 Dan released his first solo CD "Revolution", which was recorded in part in Nashville, TN. You can also hear Dan as lead singer with the group, Simon Apple on their latest release, "River to the Sea."
Those who attended the 9-11 tribute concert at Merrill Auditorium in 2001, will never forget Dan's stirring and passionate rendering of "America the Beautiful". WMGX had Dan on air and said it was the most incredible representation of that song they had ever heard.and played it frequently thereafter on the air.
Barney Martin
UPDATE 10/14/2008
Leader of the band, Martin is definitely what one would call a "Mainah" being born and raised in this state he adores and is now raising a family of 4 with his wife Lauren of 15 years. Playing the guitar, writing songs, singing harmonies was his first passion back in 1973, but within a year of him picking up a guitar (John Denver was a huge inspiration during this time), he also found "the stage" taking lead roles in high school musicals from his sophomore thru senior years. It wasn't until the mid-80's when he found "on camera" acting on a set in Boston of a TV "movie of the week" called "A Case of Deadly Force" starring Richard Crenna and John Shea (John and I shared the same college in different years - John got me an extra part in this project). Today, in addition to his first love and passion of music with this extraordinary Coos Canyon band, Martin also performs in numerous local commercials, voice overs, and performs in an equally passionate comedy trio called "The Maine Hysterical Society" (MHS) (www.mainehysterical.com) with two other cronies Randy Judkins and Stephen Underwood. MHS performed the main stage for the international humor conference in Lake George, NY. We met Lucie Arnaz there and July 2008 we shared a stage with her at the legendary "Birdland" jazz club.
Born in Farmington, Maine, raised in a combination of southern Maine locations (Mexico, Topsham, and Lewiston), Martin graduated Mexico High school in 1977 heading to college to pursue the performing arts. Encouraged by his English/Drama teacher and mentor Burt deFrees, he attended New England College Henniker, NH and graduated in 1982 majoring in theatre performance / American history / secondary education. Already, Martin had lead off Livingston Taylor in concert, toured the British Isles for 5 months and a short Acadian song and dance tour in France for a month in central France, and had played several years in his first trios in various combinations with Mark Nordli, Claire Bureau (Sullivan today), Carole Wise, Dave Burgess, and my brother Michael.
The late 70's into the 80's learning James Taylor guitaring and "open tunings" was the order of business. Following college, not much in the way of "acting" would take hold again until the mid-90's, but singing as a solo, in duos and trios from Maine to Colorado, to Texas, to Florida, to the Bahamas, then back to Boston…where he lived until 1991 when he moved back to Maine. Being double booked as an opener for a traveling folk headliner is how Martin met Dan Merrill and they instantly became friends. Dan had just came out of performing in the highly successful Maine band "Cornerstone" for years and was embarking on a solo acoustic direction. He soon after got back together in a duo with his high school pal and Cornerstone crony Brian Johnson and it was not long before Martin jumped on stage and started filling in the 3rd part of songs from the top 40 to CSN, the Eagles, James Taylor, and more. It wasn't until 2004 that the three got together and officially called themselves "Coos Canyon" - named after a scenic, rocky gorge carved through bedrock by the Swift River known to harbor deposits of gold in Byron, Me - a favorite boyhood swimming hole an spiritually inspired place Martin had growing up. Coos is also an Abenaki indian name for "place in the pines" - the Maine Indians were a deep passion for his late father, Dr. J. E. Martin.
Other credits: He's opened for Livingston Taylor twice in his career and was popped up on stage to sing with David Wilcox once. On camera commercial…Megabucks, Hannaford, Handyman Tool Rental, AAA Christmas Elf, NextGen, just to name a few. Several "voice over" spots on radio and television. National television credit in Fox's 2001 "Murder in Small town X". Feature film: "Liberty, Maine" starring Eric Close, Nicholas Surovy, and Laurel Hollaman. Coming soon in late Fall 2008, an online commercial for Con-way Freight Co. called "the great listener".
Lastly, yes, my younger sister is THE Rebecca Martin (www.rebeccamartin.com) - a new up and coming jazz singer in New York and trail blazer of the "Nora Jones sound" back in the 90's with her duo partner at the time Jesse Harris (wrote 5 songs in Jones' debut album) of "Once Blue".
UPDATE 10/14/2008
Leader of the band, Martin is definitely what one would call a "Mainah" being born and raised in this state he adores and is now raising a family of 4 with his wife Lauren of 15 years. Playing the guitar, writing songs, singing harmonies was his first passion back in 1973, but within a year of him picking up a guitar (John Denver was a huge inspiration during this time), he also found "the stage" taking lead roles in high school musicals from his sophomore thru senior years. It wasn't until the mid-80's when he found "on camera" acting on a set in Boston of a TV "movie of the week" called "A Case of Deadly Force" starring Richard Crenna and John Shea (John and I shared the same college in different years - John got me an extra part in this project). Today, in addition to his first love and passion of music with this extraordinary Coos Canyon band, Martin also performs in numerous local commercials, voice overs, and performs in an equally passionate comedy trio called "The Maine Hysterical Society" (MHS) (www.mainehysterical.com) with two other cronies Randy Judkins and Stephen Underwood. MHS performed the main stage for the international humor conference in Lake George, NY. We met Lucie Arnaz there and July 2008 we shared a stage with her at the legendary "Birdland" jazz club.
Born in Farmington, Maine, raised in a combination of southern Maine locations (Mexico, Topsham, and Lewiston), Martin graduated Mexico High school in 1977 heading to college to pursue the performing arts. Encouraged by his English/Drama teacher and mentor Burt deFrees, he attended New England College Henniker, NH and graduated in 1982 majoring in theatre performance / American history / secondary education. Already, Martin had lead off Livingston Taylor in concert, toured the British Isles for 5 months and a short Acadian song and dance tour in France for a month in central France, and had played several years in his first trios in various combinations with Mark Nordli, Claire Bureau (Sullivan today), Carole Wise, Dave Burgess, and my brother Michael.
The late 70's into the 80's learning James Taylor guitaring and "open tunings" was the order of business. Following college, not much in the way of "acting" would take hold again until the mid-90's, but singing as a solo, in duos and trios from Maine to Colorado, to Texas, to Florida, to the Bahamas, then back to Boston…where he lived until 1991 when he moved back to Maine. Being double booked as an opener for a traveling folk headliner is how Martin met Dan Merrill and they instantly became friends. Dan had just came out of performing in the highly successful Maine band "Cornerstone" for years and was embarking on a solo acoustic direction. He soon after got back together in a duo with his high school pal and Cornerstone crony Brian Johnson and it was not long before Martin jumped on stage and started filling in the 3rd part of songs from the top 40 to CSN, the Eagles, James Taylor, and more. It wasn't until 2004 that the three got together and officially called themselves "Coos Canyon" - named after a scenic, rocky gorge carved through bedrock by the Swift River known to harbor deposits of gold in Byron, Me - a favorite boyhood swimming hole an spiritually inspired place Martin had growing up. Coos is also an Abenaki indian name for "place in the pines" - the Maine Indians were a deep passion for his late father, Dr. J. E. Martin.
Other credits: He's opened for Livingston Taylor twice in his career and was popped up on stage to sing with David Wilcox once. On camera commercial…Megabucks, Hannaford, Handyman Tool Rental, AAA Christmas Elf, NextGen, just to name a few. Several "voice over" spots on radio and television. National television credit in Fox's 2001 "Murder in Small town X". Feature film: "Liberty, Maine" starring Eric Close, Nicholas Surovy, and Laurel Hollaman. Coming soon in late Fall 2008, an online commercial for Con-way Freight Co. called "the great listener".
Lastly, yes, my younger sister is THE Rebecca Martin (www.rebeccamartin.com) - a new up and coming jazz singer in New York and trail blazer of the "Nora Jones sound" back in the 90's with her duo partner at the time Jesse Harris (wrote 5 songs in Jones' debut album) of "Once Blue".
Brian Johnson
Another Maine native, Brian hails from Cumberland. Much of Brian's musical past was shared with Dan as they grew up together attending the same schools starting in grade school. Brian was apart of those initial bands with Dan as Dan changed gears in the 90's to a more acoustic sound. Brian and he found they were more than able to connect as a duo to play the acoustic sounds, but in addition still deliver rock with the growing technology in sequencing (the ability to create the rest of the band on a computer). Brian has now become a master at creating sequences. Brian is a fine guitarist and one of the few true tenors of the likes of Graham Nash.
Another Maine native, Brian hails from Cumberland. Much of Brian's musical past was shared with Dan as they grew up together attending the same schools starting in grade school. Brian was apart of those initial bands with Dan as Dan changed gears in the 90's to a more acoustic sound. Brian and he found they were more than able to connect as a duo to play the acoustic sounds, but in addition still deliver rock with the growing technology in sequencing (the ability to create the rest of the band on a computer). Brian has now become a master at creating sequences. Brian is a fine guitarist and one of the few true tenors of the likes of Graham Nash.
Coos Canyon is ...yes, a wonderful, natural, beautiful place to visit, swim, camp and pan for gold. The physical Coos Canyon is the inspiration for the name of this singing trio. They are fresh, natural, fun, free flowing like the river, like thunder from the mountains.
Here is a band from Maine, but hearing them you'd think they were from "the city". It's simply 3 guys, 3 guitars, and a little help from "today's technology". They can do anything... from an acoustic James Taylor ballad to a 70's Grand Funk rock tune. Sure we do CSN, but can we do "Steely Dan"? - oh ya!
With an amazing song list that represents the best music from the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's into today, Coos Canyon surfaced in 2004 to bring back these songs "just like the record". Whether it's old time rock n roll, country, pop, disco, to folk,…it's all here.
Songs like > "Play that Funky Music, Brick House, Oh What A Night"… "Jump, Jive and Wail, Drift Away, Bye Bye Miss American Pie, Friends in Low Places"…and more!
Bands like > Eagles, Van Halen, Aerosmith, Loggins and Messina, Matchbox 20, Tom Petty, Tears for Fears, Dave Matthews, Garth Brooks, Beatles, Monkey's, Orleans, John Mayer, Steely Dan, Jackson Browne, Christopher Cross, Rolling Stones, Steve Miller, Brian Adams, Doobie Brothers, Van Morrison…and more!
It's a concert you will not soon forget, fun for the whole family (certainly the baby boomers!), and people will want to see again and again and again… "How do they make it sound so much like the record?" Come see for yourself…
Here is a band from Maine, but hearing them you'd think they were from "the city". It's simply 3 guys, 3 guitars, and a little help from "today's technology". They can do anything... from an acoustic James Taylor ballad to a 70's Grand Funk rock tune. Sure we do CSN, but can we do "Steely Dan"? - oh ya!
With an amazing song list that represents the best music from the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's into today, Coos Canyon surfaced in 2004 to bring back these songs "just like the record". Whether it's old time rock n roll, country, pop, disco, to folk,…it's all here.
Songs like > "Play that Funky Music, Brick House, Oh What A Night"… "Jump, Jive and Wail, Drift Away, Bye Bye Miss American Pie, Friends in Low Places"…and more!
Bands like > Eagles, Van Halen, Aerosmith, Loggins and Messina, Matchbox 20, Tom Petty, Tears for Fears, Dave Matthews, Garth Brooks, Beatles, Monkey's, Orleans, John Mayer, Steely Dan, Jackson Browne, Christopher Cross, Rolling Stones, Steve Miller, Brian Adams, Doobie Brothers, Van Morrison…and more!
It's a concert you will not soon forget, fun for the whole family (certainly the baby boomers!), and people will want to see again and again and again… "How do they make it sound so much like the record?" Come see for yourself…
Main Film BLOG
http://www.mainefilm.blogspot.com/
Barney with author Richard Russo supporting film incentives for Maine
http://www.mainefilm.blogspot.com/
Barney with author Richard Russo supporting film incentives for Maine
