Talent In Toledo
...As I have written...my brother Willie was the biggest influence and best teacher for my musical life...but, I can't let it go unnoticed how there was such an overwhelmingly large number of musicians that came from the little town I grew up in...and how there was such opportunity to play...because we loved to play...
...whether it was at high school dances, pageants, bank parking lots...finding generators and playing on football fields and beaches...we just loved to play...any time...all hours...for no other reason but to play...
Toledo, Oregon...7 miles east of Newport...had only around 2,600 people in this little town while I was growing up...but...starting with Willie...until I left around 1973...I can count over 30 professional musicians just off the top of my head...and I'm sure that there are some that I'm missing...of which I apologize...
Willie Reinen:
Guitar, Bass, Vocals, Songwriter, Trumpet
(Can play anything, any style, any time...worked with Jeannie C. Riley for years, wrote "Georgia Rain", toured and travelled extensively throughout
the world...I had the pleasure to work with him for years in Nashville and owe him so much...check's
in the mail...)
Rick Reinen:
Drums, Bass, Vocals, Songwriter, Guitar, Trumpet
(Very talented musician and artist...taught me my first complicated drum licks...)
David Brawley:
Guitar, Bass, Songwriter
(Absolutely one of the finest guitarists I have ever known)
Ron Norton:
Guitar, Bass, Vocals
(Ron & I formed our first band together and began playing clubs and school events in 1966...
at age 12...loved music with all of his heart...sorry to say that we lost him a few years back...
during our last meeting, I sat with a guitar and played while he sang "My Girl"...a great and lasting
memory of a dear friend and great musician/singer)
Duane Ransom:
Bass, Vocals
(worked in our first band together...still continues to play...an absolutely great bass player...
any style, electric, stand-up...right now with an excellent bluegrass band "Switchgrass"...one of the
best persons I know and proud to have him as one of my closest friends...)
Greg Wallace:
Keyboards, Vocals
(Great organist...never missed a cue or made a mistake...one of my life-long friends...)
Tim Meyers:
Drums
(Great player...just don't see enough of him...lives in Hawaii...maybe that's why...)
Mike Loomis:
Guitar, Bass, Vocals
(Mike & I have worked in so many bands together...not only a dedicated and very fine musician...
but, one of my closest friends...)
Vic Hungerford:
Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Vocals
(In a very good band called "Loyal Opposition"...I had to pleasure to work with Vic as well...
sorry to say that we also lost Vic a few years back...)
Doyle Scroggins:Guitar, Bass, Vocals
(Worked many times with Doyle...great vocalist...very positive approach to his music...always fun
to be around)
Bill Wallace:
Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Vocals
(Bill can play almost anything...why I say that is because I've only listed what I've seen him
play...who knows what he knows when I'm not around...great player)
Brad Tough:
Guitar, Vocals
(Played in and around the Oregon Coastal area...a great friend...)
Jack Loomis:
Vocals, Flute, Arranger
(Jack knew music...he helped us out on our arrangements of Chicago and other horn related songs...
he knew harmonies and seemed like he could sing anything...we lost Jack a number of years ago and
he is missed...)
Bruce Wampler:
Vocals, Percussion
(Not sure if I had more fun working with another vocalist as I did with Bruce...absolutely one of
the best Rock & Roll singers I had the pleasure to work with...)
Joe Todd:
Guitar
(Worked a number of gigs with Joe...very quiet...good player)
Doug Dahl:
Bass, Guitar, Vocals
(Also worked a number of gigs with Doug...funny guy)
Bob Werder:
Guitar, Vocals
(Worked with Bob a number of times...loved to play and sing)
John Fischer:
Guitar, Vocals
(John is another that started as I left Toledo...so didn't hear much of him...only know he made
his way to Nashville...)
Eric Wade:
Guitar
(Not only a good guitar player but one of Toledo High's best athletes)
Larry German:
Drums
(Very strong drummer...ahead of his time for how powerful his playing was)
Junior Hernandez:
Drums
(Drummer for "Loyal Opposition"...strong player...close, family friend)
Steve Wheeler:
Guitar, Vocals
(Fine player, didn't hear much of him as he started late after I left Toledo, he and his children
became really good players)
Tim Wheeler:
Drums
(Another strong drummer...good timing)
Terry Rose:
Bass
("Loyal Opposition" bass player...funny, nutty guy)
Alan Bittler:
Keyboards
(Knowledeable player...always had his parts down...also played with "Loyal Opposition")
Bruce Dixon:
Keyboards, Vocals
(Played with Willie in club bands around Oregon)
Cindy Criswell:
Keyboards, Vocals
(I worked with Cindy & her husband in Alaska)
Mike Moon:
Trumpet
(Mike not only handled the complicated parts of Chicago tunes...but...also...was the best catcher in
our league...sorry, I couldn't throw the ball straight...)
Jim Grenawald:
Trombone
(played his parts right on the money...and what a funny guy...)
Anderson:
Steel Guitar, Guitar
(I only worked one time with him...can't remember his first name...sorry...but...a really good
player nonetheless)
Keith Kapfer:
Bass, Guitar, Vocals
(Keith loved music so much...was one of my best friends, ever...we lost him a few years back and
he is missed greatly)
Then...there was also:
My nephew Jacob Reinen..a fine piano player...
My nephew Joshua Reinen...a fine singer...
My neice Jayvee Reinen Camacho...a great singer...
My sister Judy...piano and vocals (also lost her too soon...love and miss you Buah)
My Uncle Willie...guitarist and harmonica (late and great Uncle Willie)
...and...tho not from Toledo:
My son Brandon Reinen..a very good singer, guitarist, songwriter, screenwriter...
My daughter Sunny Nola Reinen...an excellent singer and choreographer...
My daughter Abby Reinen...a great singer, songwriter and choreographer...
My newphew Kevin Reinen...great guitarist...I mean Great!...and songwriter...vocals...plays every
instrument known to man...and is the lead sound engineer of the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville...
...then...there's me...
started playing guitar in 1964..I played drums in my first band...was given an ultimatum by my
coaches...'it's either music...or sports'..Ron Norton chose sports...so I switched to guitar for
our band 'Cobalt' and Duane Ransom, Greg Wallace & I brought Tim Meyers in as our drummer...great
solution...once we hired Mike Moon, Jim Grenawald & Jack Loomis...I felt our band was incredible...
one of the best I've been in...we have no recordings to show for it...
...that is one of the driving factors that I have to record the songs that I am writing now...whether
they are Latin, R&B, Blues, Jazz, Country or whatever...I am trying to make sure that these thoughts
in my head don't get buried along with me...but...they also stand as a tribute to not only my family..
but..as I have listed above...all of the great talent that seems to strive in a small little place
called Toledo, Oregon...just because we loved to play.
