Yaak man turns mountain life into music

Whitefish night spot also hosts trio of bluegrass bands

The Daily Inter Lake

Life in the Yaak has been a blessing and a curse for singer/songwriter J.D. Smith of J.D. Smith and the 3 Legged Dog.

"The isolation has incredibly helped with my songwriting, as being up here I can spend hours on the guitar," he said. "But it hasn't helped with actual live performances."

He's made the effort, though, to get his music in the spotlight. Smith has to drive 4 1/2 hours to meet up with bandmates in Missoula, but his band has logged close to 30 shows in 2006.

The group next plays at Flanagan's Central Station in Whitefish on Tuesday at 9 p.m.

Smith, a Michigan native, has put together what he calls an "all-star band" of musicians from Missoula and the Flathead Valley. He calls their sound "Americana, country rock" - along the lines of musicians such as Steve Earl, John Hiatt, Tom Petty and Neil Young.

3 Legged Dog shows, Smith said, often follow similar patterns.

"We'll play two or three originals, kind of hot and heavy rock, and then break down with a Johnny Cash song or a two-step," he said. "It's our signature thing - we're always going to offer you 10 two-steps out of 30 songs in a night."

Smith's current backup band is comprised of Matt Schumacher, a bass player also part of the popular Missoula band Swyl and touring with Global Funk; Kalispell's Christian Gutierrez, a former Swyl drummer and graduate of the University of Montana music school; and Ryan Fadden of Missoula on lead guitar. Fadden also plays with Shane Clouse and Stomping Ground; Smith says his lead guitarist is "just phenomenol."

Smith, a carpenter by trade, recently released his first self-titled CD, recorded in Portland with top-notch studio musicians. The CD is described as "an Americana blend of rock and country going everywhere from grunge to bluegrass."

Smith plans on recording another more introspective CD later this year, and and he hopes the band's travel range will increase to include markets such as Seattle, Salt Lake City and Portland.

Also at Flanagan's this week, three bluegrass bands - The One Hat Band, Runaway Girl and Weekend Special - play on Saturday. The One Hat Band has roots in street performance and their shows are infused with elements of theater. The group has appeared on stages from the Northwest Folklife Festival in Seattle, to the Starwood Festival in Sherman N.Y. Their repertoire includes traditional and Irish fiddle tunes, jazz standards, bluegrass, old country, and contemporary folk; from old timers like Hank Williams, Bill Monroe and the Louvin Brothers to new artists like Mason Jennings, Gillian Welch and Greg Brown.