Trail's End & Li'l Lynne
Story by K.T.
"No guts,
no glory! I want some adventure!" declares Lynne of Li'l Lynne and the
Smokin' Soles. Bassist, vocalist and hotshot performer, she describes the motivation
for the band. Lynne and husband Suburban Slim ("Guitar Strangler")
recently moved from the Eugene area into the Portland area. They bought what
is popularly called a "restoration" house, dubbed by Lynne as a "resurrection"
house.
Their popularity
has resulted in regular work in the north Willamette valley scene, including
a number of trio gigs at smaller venues. Lynne also plays bass for those gigs,
delivering her road-house rockin' blues on a fretless acoustic Martin. She notes
that she had to stand on a stool to play the upright bass; and has made the
adjustment to a more horizontally-oriented instrument.
The band has the
"heavy duty" '60s-style sound, with the upbeat edge of a band that's
going 60 miles per hour standing still. This group provides proof that one needn't
"settle for less" just because there's a girl in the band; there are
no weak players here.
Slim, always a
solid chord-lead guitar player, provides the appropriate full guitar accompaniment
called for in certain tunes, while also giving the well-expected "screaming"
romp that drives the rocked-out blues numbers. "Dr. Joe Blow," plays
a very cool tenor sax and doubles on keyboard. His kit includes a Leslie-type
speaker, and the saturated sound of a less portable Hammond organ. His status
as a physics professor at the University of Oregon explains his hipness about
the mechanics of sound. Drummer Jeff Shuffleberg adds his high-class performance
to this already world-class act.
This band features
original tunes, many already available on two current CDs, So Good For You
and Strike Again. Co-authored primarily by Lynne and Slim, the tunes
have the feel and the impact of "standards." A new CD is in the works
but is not due for release until the end of 1998.
Lil' Lynne and
the Smokin' Soles perform authentic music in an authentic setting. The Trail's
End Saloon, located at 1320 Main Street in Oregon City, is easy to find, only
a block away from a turn off Highway 99 at the 14th Street exit. On-street parking
augments the parking lot at the rear of the building.
Owners Tom and
Debbie Snyder are proud of the historical significance of the Trails' End Saloon
and the Oregon City area in general. In the early 1800s, the building was a
grocery store. Around 1905, it suffered a fire and was rebuilt. The name changed
to McAnulty's Grocery in 1910, and during the World War II years was known as
Sam's Place, serving Chinese food. Other identities include Pat's Inn, the Spotted
Skunk and Doc Holliday's. The name Trail's End Saloon was bestowed in the early
1990s.
The club houses
museum-quality antiques. Suspended above the bar is a complete small horse-drawn
carriage (minus the horse!). The ceiling fans, driven by one motor and an ingenious
series of leather belts, came from an old hotel that sat near the Oregon City
Elevator in the 1890s. The chandelier is from the River Queen Sternwheeler.
Modern appointments,
provided by new owners Tom and Debbie Snyder, include a good quality house-owned
public address system, cable sports TV, video poker, 14 beers on tap, along
with micro brews and a full service bar. Many food specials are offered, including
a prime rib dinner on Saturdays for only $8.95. The club is open from 11 a.m.
until 2:30 a.m. Monday - Friday; Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.; and
breakfast is served Saturday and Sunday. Taco Tuesdays feature three tacos for
$1.50, and on Wednesdays barbecue ribs are served all day, for only $5.
A socially conscious
organization, the Trail's End Saloon sponsors various field trips, parties,
work groups (such as flood relief) and fund-raisers. One popular benefit, the
"Jimmy Buffet Birth-day," was in conjunction with the Oregon Food
Bank and collected 2,900 pounds of food. This year's event may well top that
score. Dart and bowling leagues are also active in this venue.
Acoustic blues
music is featured during the week, with a variety of well-known blues acts on
week-ends. On Sundays the jam is often hosted Delta Haze, sometimes by the Robbie
Laws Band. A photo display includes many recent blues artists and more faces
are slated to appear. Manager Cindy and regular patron Brenda are friendly and
make visitors welcome. This team, including the "handsome door guy,"
makes the Trail's End Saloon a comfortable and interesting place to dine on
wonderful food and hear great music.