Honey Don't is a local band to see at the 4 Peaks Music Festival on June 16, bringing all that Americana music has to offer: bluegrass, folk, old timey, country, blues, swing and even bits of jazz. It is a genre limited only by the artist's interpretations and this group shows no restraint.
The band created a strong following after releasing its first album recorded under 2DOLLA RECCAS in Colorado in 2009. That debut album had a roots-heavy sound that the pair would become known for. It's latest album, "Heart Like a Wheel," strays from that recognition, says Bill Powers. "I had a different approach to this album. I wanted it to have a more all-encompassing feeling," he says. The album is heavy on more of a country sound than anything. "It's a lot sadder. There is a lot about love and loss," he adds. The first two tracks include "Breakin' Down" and "Rock and a Hard Place." Protests, love, welfare, loneliness, meth and other raw topics passed up by softer musicians are all fair game for Honey Don't.
Members have been in rotation since the group formed over a decade ago in Colorado, but the two permanent staples have been Powers, the lead singer and songwriter, and Shelley Gray who has contributed her soft vocals and sure hands on the bass since 2001. These two play more than just sweet music, they also make it. A husband and wife team who moved to Bend two years ago, they are finding their way into the local music scene.
"I feel like a kid in a candy store with all the venues here," says Powers. Although he admits that it wasn't always easy. "It took a bit to get the lay of the land," he adds. Honey Don't arrived on the scene with good recommendations coming from its album, "Heart Like a Wheel," recognized by the Colorado Sound Charts, where it reached #5, as well as the EuroAmericana Music Charts, where it reached #11.
Honey Don't
Wednesday, June 1, 7 p.m.
McMenamins Old St. Francis School, Bend
Sunday, June 5, 7 p.m.
The Open Door Wine Bar, Sisters
Thursday, June 16, 6 p.m.
4 Peaks Music Festival, Bend
