Album Notes

This work came about because MJ Bishop kept demanding it and because Moe Provencher insisted on recording some Thornton Creek music. Then, Mark Drake (drummer) took the lead on the project and became the producer. It's a different sort of door than the Creek's earlier works. A bit more mellow. A bit more front porch. But it's still decidely ThorNton Creek.

AltCountryForum blog wrote this about "A Different Door":
"'A Different Door' contains beautiful melancholic Americana music with a laidback groove. It is a relief to hear the creative melodies, compelling vocals and lyrics about everything Bowman manages to touch. One objection is of such a rippling relaxed nature, that "A Different Door " with a total time of over 50 minutes is on the long side. Nevertheless, the fourth CD of ThorNton Creek, a wonderfully enjoyable and successful plate." -- written in Dutch by Johan Schoenmakers and translated by Google.

Victory Review wrote this about "A Different Door":
This is a great collection of tunes reminiscent of times long ago, yet freshly wrapped and presented to an audience without pretension or vamping out just to deliver something different. Listening to a tune like, “Can’t Leave Blues” brings back the reason I started playing. This is a great tune presented with a groove deep enough to allow a life time to pass and balanced like a tight ropewalker skipping along a mile high. Just flat good music as is “ Roll Back Baby”. Nice bottom ends, clever hooks and Drake and Miller to hold it all with the entire band vocalizing. It's a toe tapper and smooth as silk. [Christopher A]nderson

Musicians on this work include Don Miller singing and playing electric guitar, self built cigar-box mandola and mandolin; Eric Smith on dobro, mandolin, and bottleneck guitar; Steve Miller on bass, Mark Drake singing, playing drums and making jug sounds; Thornton Bowman singing and playing the acoustic guitar. MJ Bishop played some accordion and sang. Walter Harley joined in for some upright bass along with Lance Haslund.

...if you like Neil Young, Bowman will have you beaming. The man isn't a clone by any means, but there's enough in his voice to get you harking back to old Neil's acoustic work. As far as his writing goes, the songs are a much more slippery beast, lyrically dense, sometimes even serpentine, uncoiling soul the way a good song should and that little kernel of truth, the way the best songwriters should. (Chris Nickson)

ThorNton Creek oozes out of the cracks between Neil Young, John Hiatt, Wilco and John Prine, but their music is hard to define. Kevin Suggs at Avast! Studios commented while recording their CD "Whiskey" that he didn't know what to call their music but it would be the music everyone will be playing in 10 years. That was nice.

Thornton Bowman (songwriter, guitar and vocals) and Don Miller (guitar and a host of other things) started with Duane Taylor (guitar) out in 1996. Duane left for a while, some other people came and went, including Steve Miller on bass. Duane came back for a while in 2002-03. MJ Bishop (accordion, vocals, mandolin) joined in 2003, then Mark Drake (drums and humming) in 2004. Steve came back in 2007. Eric Smith (dobro, mandolin, and far too many things to list) showed up in 2010.

Based in Seattle, Washington. Thornton is from Virginia. Eric is from Shaw Island. Mark, Steve, and Don are local. They're a quiet bunch, hiding out in their secret ThorNton Creek lair.