Biography
Eddies of the Wind is a music ensemble who claim to be time travelers. A claim boasting a life changing event which teleported the group from the year 1910, while traveling from Chicago. Currently Eddies of the Wind has based their operation in Chattanooga, Tennessee, anchored firmly in the present. Find out more about EOTWís story and vast song repertoire, a time capsule of modern music featuring their own original compositions which lament the past, present and future of humankind. The members of Eddies of the Wind are all veteran musicians whose past experience range from ragtime and vaudeville performers, to studio performers, club bands, circuit bands, minstrel acts, original acts, studio musicians and solo performance. The group relies on energetic original melodies and solid musicianship to highlight catchy song choices for a broad audience appeal. The group highlights the talents of Kat Almlie on drums and vocals, Eric Almlie on guitar and vocals, Tim Salmon bass, guitar and keyboards. and Jack Gray, the groups founder, on guitars, vocals, bass and keyboards. Kat Almlie Kat is a superb singer with a powerful voice and a quartz accurate rock solid heartbeat of a meter. Shes considered the engine that powers the raging storm of sound known as Eddies of the Wind. Having played drums for 25 plus years, Kat is a skilled artist and drum/percussion technician. She is featured as lead and background vocalist for poprock act Eddies of the Wind. Born to play the drums, Kat began beating on objects at an early age. She greatly emulated her older brother Billy who also played the drums. Kat remembers, when the family would be away, she would secretly practice on her brotherís kit. But one day her talents were discovered, the family came home early, and yes, she was "busted." The trade off to getting caught in the act was , her family realized she really had a talent for musicÖ but why the drums? Girls werenít supposed to play the drums! As a kid growing up, Kat would stay up late at night to watch Don Kirshnerís Rock Concert on tv. On one late evening she saw a drummer perform with a new rock act. That drummer was none other than Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick. By his looks, it would seem he could have been a high school algebra teacher. He concluded the performance by beating on his drum kit with sticks that were the size of little league baseball bats. From then on Kat knew what she wanted to do. Her first drum kit was soon purchased ? a mid 70s Slingerland kit that she still uses . Kat marched in the school band throughout all of her high school years, drums were here specialty but she also played every percussion instrument and melody maker imaginable. Now a veteran at the music business, Kat is capable of playing many styles with a great deal of finesse. She is influenced by a number of
drummers ? first and foremost, the aforementioned Bun E. Carlos. She has
had the pleasure of meeting her idol in person on several occasions and
has even been able to swap drum licks with him. Other influences include
Ian Paice, John Bonham, Mick Fleetwood, Dave Grohl, and Cindy Blackman
to name a few. She plays Ludwig kits mostly, has a custom built Big Brew
kit that she helped build, but always has a soft spot for older Slingerland
kits as well.
Eric Almlie Also joining Eddies of the Wind , on guitar is Katís husband Eric Almlie. Eric is an accomplished player whose skills reach levels of perfection. He has a very dedicated technical approach to the EOTW project and has proven to be invaluable addition to the lineup. He develops spine tingling arrangements for each song, along with razor sharp accuracy. A late bloomer in the world of music, Eric bought his first guitar at the age of 15 while living in suburban Chicago. It was a cheap electric purchased from one of his friends for $20. To be paid in 2 installments of $10. "Credit was so easy to get back in those days," says Eric. " After assuring his friendís mother, ëyes, I PROMISE to pay the remaining $10?" Eric began his lifetime journey into music. Soon after, Eric moved to Chattanooga (yes, the $10 balance was paid in full ? he didnít just skip town) where he immediately began taking guitar lessons and was enthusiastically encouraged and supported by family. A fast learner and hard worker, Eric was quickly playing Jimmy Page and Randy Rhodes licks. Eric studied music theory extensively in High School and then further expanding his knowledge of theory in college. He began branching out on the guitar, learning classical, jazz and although now primarily a rock and roll player, he can throw in some blues and country licks from time to time. Eric is influenced by ANYONE and
EVERYONE he hears play a guitar. He has no one favorite but likes the styles
of David Gilmour, Randy Rhodes, Elliot Easton, Alex Lifeson, Rick Nielsen,
and James Mankey to name a few in a very long list. Eric is primarily a
Les Paul player but also loves his Fenders (Strat and Tele) and has always
liked the tones he gets out of Fender and Peavey amps.
Tim Salmon As a young kid growing up Tim Salmon was a little league baseball player. He loved to to play ball but soon he discovered he also had a love of music. Tim brings the same dedication and natural ability to his musical performance career as he did sports. A veteran of club acts ranging from country, to blues to jam bands. Tim now plays the position of a ìtime traveling musicianî in poprock group Eddies of the Wind. Born during the last waning months of the Eisenhower administration in Birmingham, Alabama, then later moving to Chattanooga, Tennessee, his first memory of music was his Father listening to country crooner Ray Price on his record player. He always encouraged Tim to practice. Practice paid off and in the late sixties his Dad purchased a Silver Tone guitar and amp for his ninth birthday. It was after that Tim followed the melodies of the Beatles, Black Oak Arkansas and Led Zeppelin, even witnessing the Zep magic in May of 1977. Tim has gone on to impress audiences with his involvement in such bands as Boyd Brothers Band, Nuthin Fancy, Spaceage Goats from Hell, Left Wing which toured extensively in Florida and the Southeast, Backdraft, Buster Hymen and the Penetrators, Groove Hollar. Jack Gray Spend some time listening to lyrics by him or watch Jack Gray play one of the many instruments in his bag of tricks and you will begin to realize he is truly a multidimensional man. A master troubadour, Gray has the ability to write and perform his way through time. His music works on many levels and, like the jounglers of old, he can juggle past, present and future before your very ears. A gifted songwriter with hundreds of original songs to his credit, a talented producer and performance artist. In his time-traveling ragbag of tricks you'll find Gray's talents as a singer, guitarist and keyboard player. A true showman, he also plays mountain dulcimer, harmonica, banjo and mandolin. Born on April Fool's Day 1960 in Norfolk, Virginia, Gray began blending time and music from an early age. His first memory of music was that epic moment when the Beatles appeared on Ed Sullivan in 1964. "I thought aliens had landed and given to me music," Gray says. From that point, he was bound by melody and music, growing up in a family where his brothers, father and mother, grandmother, cousins, aunts and uncles and their cats and dogs all sang. He cites as his musical influences
"everything that made a noise in the woods from the Big Bang on and beyond.
Gray has been playing music for more than 30 years, always trying
to capture in time that elusive melody that is so much a part of his stylings.
Purchase a copy of Eddies of the Wind at www.cdbaby.com/cd/eddiesofthewind.
Eddies of the Wind is now accepting bookings and has a wide repertoire of material to please any audience. You can contact Jack Gray at 423-886-1477 or email auidoqpro@gmail.com. Also, sample Eddies of the Wind music and get the latest info at myspace.com/eddiesofthewind. 423-886-1477
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