The following local musicians performed at Hosted For Haiti throughout the evening..
Matt Cox
After first picking up a 6-string at the ripe age of 14, Shenandoah, IA, native Matt Cox has gone on to produce an illustrious catalog of timeless songs, hymns full of lonely highways, distillery lunch breaks, longing and realization. After handling sticks for Phoenix, AZ, based Junk Ditch Road for a short stint in 2002 then later establishing his self as a vibrant part of the Omaha singer/songwriter scene, Cox released the celebrated Folker’s Travels in 2007. Since his formative time in AZ, Cox has begun to define his singular style and toured a good part of the United States. Performing in venues ranging from a warehouse in Oakland, CA to the Bluebird Café in Nashville, TN, while local stages like Mick’s Music & Bar, Barley St. Tavern, and Goofy Foot Lodge, allow Cox to bring his foot-stomping, white-boy blues & old-time country to a constantly ever-growing fan-base.
Once A Pawn
Once A Pawn is Eric Scrivens and Catherine Balta, a two-piece woman fronted punk/indie/alternative/rock band
John Klemmensen
Sometimes, as the song goes, you gotta fight for your right to party. But local singer-songwriter and jack-of-all-musical-trades, John Klemmensen’s “party” actually helps in the crusade of his right to rock out. Klemmensen’s been picking strings in the local scene for years with a host of projects (anyone remember Jive Monkeys? Reset? Microphone Jones?), and currently plays with indie outfit Landing on the Moon and eccentric funk-soul set Satchel Grande.
The Seen
The singing-songwriting duo that is Buck Blanc and Ryan Callinan pull from past experiences and the world around them to create an individual sound also known as, The Seen. With Buck’s indie punk rock persona and Ryan’s folky blues background it’s not uncommon for them to introduce a little bit of everything while showcasing the depth of their musical talents.
Unplugged
Dennis Scharp is one of the two founding members of the group. In fact, his on-stage appearance 32 years ago is how the band name came to life. After a performance, the club owner came up to him and said, “Kid, your guitar sounded okay but when you sing it sounds like a goose farting in the wind. Whoever plugged in your microphone should be shot. The next time you come to my place and sing, make sure your microphone is UNPLUGGED.” Dennis feels that the name Unplugged is recognized by many as the acoustical version that many popular artists are using today to showcase yet another side of their music. Joe Dowling is the lead vocalist of the group. He has played in several bands, both on bass and electric guitar. His influences range from John Denver to the Beatles. He loves to write original songs. Scott Sloan is a veteran guitar player (lead, rhythm, slide) and vocalist, and has been playing the blues for decades. He’s recorded with a variety of well known musicians as Hound Dog Taylor (and the House Rockers), Dan Fogelberg (solo artist), Joe Cabral (the Iguanas), Mark Vavra (solo artist), Scott Severin (solo artist) and has shared the stage with this century’s most creative and prolific personalities (he’s too humble to let us list them here). He has also played in some well known regional bands such as the BTU’s and the Del Ray’s.
