Here is the Band

Brad Keeler sings and plays Guitar, Mandolin, Dobro, Fiddle and then some.... He brings the blues to the band, not that he's down and out and destitute, but he feels the flatted third.

Brett Dodd sings, chops away on the Mando adds a bit of swing guitar... He brings the rythmic drive to the band with wicked chops on his FlatIron mando...

Dave McRae sings, plays Banjo, Guitar, Bass, Dobro and a host of bizarre rythmic attachments found in his custom tool belt you will see attached to his waist at all times... He brings out the wild in wide river (sometimes people get our name wrong and call us Wild River!)

Janet Dodd sings, plays Guitar, Fiddle as well as playing the heck out of the big bass. She brings all of our collective musical training, excellent shopping skills, haunting harmony and lead vocals and keeps us in line...

Additional Bios...

Janet comes from a musically active family and was classically trained in piano and vocal technique. Born and raised in Spokane, left to sing Emmy Lou songs Montana and climb mountains. Has performed professionally since she was a child and has been a music educator for 18 years. Stole her husbands telecaster from under the bed two years back and traded it in on a stand-up bass. Has since then tackled fiddle and cello! Janet runs Outback Studio and Stables where she teaches music (piano) as well as running a facility for horse lessons, training and trail riding. Has a wide range of musical influences including world music, celtic and jazz. "I like bluegrass especially the close harmony singing".

Brett began playing in string bands in Corvallis, Oregon in 1983, playing for Contra Dances, Square Dances and Clogging groups with the "Late for Dinner String Band", and with "Way Out West" playing at "The Beanery"! Played bluegrass with "Alive and Pickin' in Ashland, Oregon and has since played everything from Klezmer to Jazz. Came to bluegrass via Grisman and Garcia's "Old and In the Way" (1974). "I grew up in New York (the Bronx and Westchester County) and bluegrass symbolized everything I longed for...the mountains, simple living, railroads, country roads and cabins in the pines"! Plays a custom Roy Noble dreadnought and his cherished early 80's Flatiron A style mandolin.

Brad has played professionally in Florida from 1978 to 2000 before resettling here in the northwest. He learned to play acoustic rock in the mid 70's in upstate New York. Attended his first Bluegrass Jam in '78 and played numerous open mics the 70's and 80's. Has performed his delta blues and original works solo in festivals and venues in Florida, Memphis, Minnesota, Arizona, Washington, Idaho and Montana. Brad has also recorded several self-produced CD's. He has performed at festivals featuring Doc Watson, Bill Monroe, Etta Baker, Jim and Jesse McReynolds and Vassar Clements.

Dave got his first guitar at age 15 inspired by the folk revival era groups such as the Kingston Trio and Chad Mitchell. Later influences include the Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, Flying Burrito Brothers and the Grateful Dead. A long time member of the Spokane music scene, he has been a member of the "Norm'l Fishin' Tackle Band", the "Mountain Magic Band", the "Occasional String Band" (to name a few) and currently in "Wide River" and "Sidetrack". Dave has a unique banjo-influenced guitar picking style and recently added dobro to his list of talents. Got to sing "Cat's in the Cradle" for an audience that included its author - Harry Chapin!