Silver, Wood & Steel: Engine 7

Several weeks ago, I found a website about Anthony and David Powell. Both of these young men graduated from Sandpoint High School. They also used to sit across the altar from me at St. Joseph's Catholic Church. My sister Barbara had Anthony as a student in her photography class.

Since their high school graduation, they've made a name for themselves with their music and related activities. I first heard Rex James (their middle names) while participating in an authors' event an Oden Grange Hall event in 2001.

The program, coordinated by Christine Holbert of Lost Horse Press, featured readings by women authors of the West, scrumptious potluck dinner and wonderful music by Rex James.

Since that time, David and Anthony (I knew him as Tony) have moved on as you'll read below. I promised them that I'd feature them sometime on my blog. Today seems to be a good time to do that.

So, enjoy the following news about these creative and very talented young men, and be sure to check out their new CD.

Silver, Wood & Steel: Engine 7
For more info contact:
David Powell
Rex James Studios
5140 E. Forest Ave
Athol Idaho 83801
(208) 660-9632
info@rexjames.com
www.silverwoodandsteel.com
www.rexjames.com

“Get your genuine old time fix on with the sounds of Silverwood!”
At the beginning of 2006 we find our heroes with a purpose for their talent.
“We couldn’t let another season go by without providing great music for the people,” says Anthony.

“Rise of Silver, Wood & Steel: Who are these guys?”

The story of the music goes something like this: the decision was made to record an album of acoustic music using sound effects of all the audible memories Silverwood Theme Park has to offer including: Tremors, and Timber Terror roller coasters, The steam train; Engine 7, and various other memorable sounds. Anthony then crafted custom instruments in the fashion of centennial times, including the American Harp Guitar, and Wooden Banjo.

Some instruments were actually constructed using salvaged mahogany wood from the train itself! Traditional and original songs were then written, arranged, and recorded with themes of Victorian Old West/Americana and, even newer, “Urban Acoustic.” Finally reunited, their old friend, cohort and fiddle champ, Avery Anderson flew back home to evaluate and lace the rhythm tracks. They finished it all off with great detail and care to the design, graphics and digital mastering of this brilliant CD.

Silver, Wood and Steel: Engine 7 is a full length acoustic bluegrass CD and goes on sale at Silverwood Theme Park and locally June 2nd for the 2006 season. More information, pre-ordering, music samples and a FREE MP3 SONG are available, online at: www.silverwoodandsteel.com <http://www.silverwoodandsteel.com>

“Men behind the Music”

“The Sultans of Steel String” grew up together in beautiful Sandpoint, Idaho. Originally from North and South Dakota, Brothers David Rex and Anthony James Powell formed the Rex James Trio in 2001 with their long time friend and musical cohort, Avery John Anderson. After recording their premier CD “Out of the wood work” in 2002 they went on to sell over 800 copies to local fans before the inevitable “fall of the Rex James Trio” in 2003.

Their album, now out of print, is a vibrant collection of originals seemingly built around an “Alice in Wonderland” theme with elements of folk, rock, bluegrass, country and jazz. The trio performed locally in 2002-2003 while working at Silverwood Theme Park, which is named after the silver mining and timber industries.

David was a full-time computer department manager and Anthony worked seasonally in ride maintenance. Avery who was substitute teaching for Bonner County School District also began performing fiddle tunes as the conductor of Silverwood’s train during the summer.
“Fall of the Rex James Trio”

2003 - The trio was un-officially disbanded when Avery moved to Portland Oregon, and then to Nashville, Tennessee to further his musical aspirations. Avery holds a degree in music from the University of Puget Sound and the Weiser, Idaho fiddle champ has performed and recorded with several national touring rock, R&B, and country groups. He offers an educated, classy and sophisticated sound to anything in which he takes part.

The summer of 2002 begins our story of the wood. Holding a degree in commercial photography from the Art Institute of Seattle and laden with raw musical talent, Anthony started making stringed instruments when some furniture grade mahogany fell into his father’s possession after the renovation of a 1909 home in downtown Sandpoint.

“Dad thought it was scrap wood; its guitar building wood,” Anthony recalled, who went on to build his first mandolin. He then built a tenor guitar for his father, world class mandolins, guitars, banjos, and two very unique American Harp Guitars. He was a featured Luthier (guitar builder) at the 3rd annual ‘Harp Guitar Gathering’ in Salem, Oregon, 2005.

David bought his house in 2002 near Silverwood Theme Park in north Idaho. An exceptional guitarist and a savvy computer technician, he continued collecting high quality digital equipment for his audio/video recording studio. Soon he was contracting studio work from many different clients, recording custom music CDs for local artists, and producing videos, audio sound tracks, and 3D animations for Silverwood and their Magic show. David has performed in Australia, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Seattle.

Quotes:
"... I am not a prophet, but I can tell these guys are going very far musically....."
- Leon Atkinson, Classical Guitarist, College Prof., radio host “The Guitar Hour,” KPBX Spokane Public Radio

"...What incredibly, sexual instruments."
- Verne Windham, Program Dir. KPBX Spokane Public Radio
".These guys are, quite literally, into their instruments."
- Mike Corrigan, Pacific Northwest Inlander
".My first impression of REX JAMES? The guitar player had devilishly quick fingers... He tipped, tapped, and snapped his strings with little to no effort..."
- Grant Purdum, the Local Planet

“You guys have definitely got the bug!”
-Leo Kottke, Guitarist