Album Notes

ALLAN BYER - CENTRAL OREGON'S EVERYMAN SINGER/SONGWRITER

It's heartening to encounter an Artist that takes his role in the world, his voice and his vision, seriously, who dares to imagine that art can matter in the unglamorous world of everyday survival, and that the every day world bears artistic expression. One such artist is Central Oregon singer/songwriter guitarist Allan Byer.

For over 20 years Byer has crafted his songs of love, wonder, pain and hope with power and eloquence. He can comment on the spiritual search or poke fun at fast food or political injustice with equal ability. Always grounded in compassion for the human condition, at his best, Byer reflects back to us our own struggles to envision the world as it could be. At the core of his work is a profound reverence for life and the gifts of this world. He explores the possibility of seeing the world as it is and not losing heart.

REVIEWS
Bend's Source calls his music "an eclectic mix of rootsy instrumentation and harmonies that breaths fresh air with wide-reaching inspirations." The Redmond Spokesman
says, "Allan Byer is an incredibly talented singer/songwriter who plays a smokin' guitar."
The Source later says, "Local groover Byer delights listeners with his refreshingly original acoustic folk rock sounds." The Bend Bugle says, "Allan Byer and his group provide a night full of originality and character." Bend Bulletin's Andy Whipple says of Byer's debut cd, "He delivers a pleasant surprise. It's a declaration of faith and self-confidence, proving up on the optimistic claim staked out in the title ("Sometimes It Works").
STYLES
BYER TOUCHES ALL THE BASES WITH A LITTLE BIT OF BLUES, FOLK, COUNTRY, ROCK, AND JAZZ.
VENUES
Byer has played over 100 gigs each year since 2000 as a solo act (on guitar, harmonica, and vocals),
in Duo with Doc Sackman or hot-licks guitar player Matt Engle, or as a Trio with featured soloist Dr. Marc Sackman on flute and Hal Worcester on bass and harmony vocals.
Venues played include many of Central Oregon's most popular clubs and restaurants as well as major
Fairs and Festivals including Bend's Summer, Fall, and Winter Music Festivals, the Deschutes and Crook County Fairs, Concerts on the Green, Conscious Living Expos, the Collage of Culture, Sun River's Music in the Village series, and the Sisters Folk Festival..

AWARDS & AIR-PLAY
Byer has been the featured guest on Bend's KLRR Homegrown Music Showcase six times since Aug. '99 and has had several songs played on that station regularly. The entire "Your Voice" album was played with interview, Feb. 15th on the KLRR Homegrown Showcase. In Eugene, he has garnered air-play on KLCC's folk music shows and "Blues Power." He's also appeared on COTV's Good Morning Central Oregon seven times in the past year and helped start the now popular Friday Music Feature which he debuted on Aug. 22, '03.
Byer has won 14 Song of the Month awards as part of Central Oregon Songwriters Association and took a "Folk Song of the Year Award" with his song "Storm" in 2001 and won "Unique Song of the year" with "Song of the Nations in 2003. His debut cd "Sometimes It Works' was produced at MirrorTime Records in Prineville and released in Jan. 2000. His current cd, "Your Voice," produced at Musi-Tech Studios in Redmond, was released in Jan. '04 on the Mirror Time Records label.

MUSICAL INFLUENCES & HEROES
ARTIS THE SPOONMAN, BRUCE COCKBURN, JACKSON BROWNE, DEAN PRESCOTT, AND THE SUBSTITUTES.

CONTACT INFORMATION
ph. 541-923-3505; e-mail afbyer@msn.com;
websites: www.allanbyer.com