Halyards schedule Anacortes gig

http://www.funkmason.com
Make plans now for Friday, August 6 when The Halyards will take the stage in the courtyard of the Majestic Inn and Spa on Commercial Avenue. It's been just over a week since I attended the group's CD release party at the Three Doors in downtown Seattle. Wow! The Anacortes Arts Festival website characterizes their music as "high energy Americana." That's true. Three great performers. What's really exciting to me is that the three musicians ... Carl Funk, Larry Mason and Eric Tingstad (r. to l., above photo) ... are "local boys," all boasting Whidbey Island roots. Funk and Mason have performed together since their high school days under a number of names. Tingstad has performed for many years as well as Tingstad and Rumbel. The three have released their first CD together as "The Halyards," and the music is awesome. A number of the songs are co-written by Funk and Tingstad. My personal favorite is "He's Walking By," a song based on a scene from the movie: "To Kill a Mockingbird." Check out http://www.funkmason.com/ to hear some of this group's music. And do whatever it takes to get to the Majestic courtyard for the Halyards' 4 p.m. performance on Friday, August 6. (Note: Photo from poster promoting release of CD titled "Fortune Smiles."

The Halyards

http://funkmason.bandzoogle.com/home.cfm

I had the distinct privilege Sunday of attending a downtown Seattle CD release performance by The Halyards, a Northwest band featuring three accomplished musicians from Whidbey Island. Long story short, I attended the Triple Door concert with Wallie Funk, father of band member Carl Funk. Carl and long-time music partner Larry Mason, friends since their early school days in Oak Harbor, have performed in Anacortes within the past year (The Majestic Inn). Last year they connected to record with Eric Tingstad, who has performed for decades in a duet with Nancy Rumbel. Together the three men have now put together a CD titled "Fortune Smiles" under the band name: The Halyards.

Tingstad describes The Halyards as "an independent, alternative-country, roots-rock, Americana" band.

Proud papa Wallie and I joined some 300 others Sunday night for the first live performance by the band. Several of the songs were written by Carl Funk, some in collaboration with Tingstad. Other familiar songs included Bob Dylan's Knockin' on Heaven's Door and Streets of Laredo, a long-time favorite among Funk/Mason fans. Also playing with the trio were Ben Smith, drummer for Heart; Garey Shelton, bassist for Tingstad and Rumbel; Chris Middaugh, steel guitarist for the Sky Boys.

Click on the link above to visit The Halyards' website. Enjoy audio snippets from their CD ... and keep posted to see when the new group schedules its first performance in Anacortes.