Treeline and Shaela Miller released a collaborative album 'Curtains' in 2013.  Recorded by Scott Franchuk of Riverdale Recorders (Edmonton, AB) working this time from Lethbridge at our recently acquired jam space etc, lovingly known as The Farm.  We toured to Toronto and back in June 2014 hitting great spots such as The Time(s) Change(d) in Winnipeg, AB ending it off in our home province at The Opera House in Waterton National Park. Other highlights included The 7th Annual Spaghetti Western Festival (Calgary, AB) and at least five weekend stands at The Nanton Auditorium. 

Treeline and Sean Brewer

It all began with a party at Shaela Miller's house, Sean Brewer from the famous 'UNCAS' and Derrick Anderson were in attendance in anticipation of their main stage show that upcoming weekend at The South Country Fair. Danny Dyck and I were introduced and quickly became good drinking buddies for the night with these guys from Edmonton. After seeing Treeline perform in Fort Macleod at The Queens Hotel Sean suggested that we might try to line some gigs up together as his backing band and "see where it goes".  It took us to a three-night stand at the Brooks Hotel, what a bizarre occurrence and first gig for us scruffy alt-country douches. It went as good as you might expect, we got payed, didn't get in any fights or die due to over consumption of various narcotics and the friendship was bronzed.  A year later saw us at Riverdale Recorders working with Scott Franchuk on what would become 'Prairie Sentimentalist' (2010) a split album of Danny and Sean's songs.  We toured in support of that album for the following year with some highlight gigs including The CKUA Backstage Series in Fort Macleod at The Empress Theatre and a main stage slot at the 2012 Wild Mountain Music Festival (Hinton, AB).

JUXTAPOSERS

Consisting of three songwriters, Don Cassel, Tyler Bird and myself the Juxtaposers is a truly organic experience.  I often felt naked on stage, exposed in new ways that I was't used too, but strangely enjoyed and even desired.  A stripped down approach to form, instrumentation, and a renewed focus on vocals and vibe was a breath of fresh air.  

The second release, simply titled Juxtaposers 2 (August 2016) is a cohesive set of songs featuring all three singers and songwriters, plus a few sentimental and showy covers.  Eclipsed by Tyler Bird's guiding light in the studio, patience and thorough approach to the sonic landscape.  The end result was an album I am very proud to have been a part of.  

Toques & Beards

My little garage rock gravy boat. Line-up varied, production level also varied, we always stayed high.  It all started with Brett Skauge and I playing guitars and hanging out while slacking around in post-secondary degrees.  We grew up together, playing hockey and even started that 14 year old punk group ' Poverty'.  Toques & Beards really began to take shape in about 2008 when Jason Schulten joined, he recorded the album 'Smoke' in Skauges house.  We gigged regionally for a while, nothing to serious but eventually drummer Clayton Smith had to step away and Tyler Bird join as the new drummer. We also convinced T-Bird to let us record the follow-up album 'II (Stand Tall)' in the basement of his new house!  After plenty of tokes and beers we managed to get the follow-up printed and did some support shows, but due to personal circumstances Jason left the group.  Fast forward through us trying to be a three-piece with NO bass to when Avery Friesen joined as the new drummer in 2013, moving T-bird to guitar, with Skauge and I splitting bass and guitar duties.  This line-up felt the most organic and rewarding, although we never managed to record a full length, many demos where cut, and even more great nights of a slamming feel were achieved. 

Shaela Miller Threesome

I began playing in the Shaela Miller Threesome in spring of 2010.  Western-Noir with a honky-tonk attitude it was through working with Shaela that I was able to focus my playing as a lead guitarist, often meandering away from classic country riffs into pyschfolk infused garage rock vibrations.

Scott Macleod

I had the pleasure of recording with Scott on his latest release Flicker and Fade (2015).  I continued on to play all the support shows for that release and really became great friends with Scott and his family.  

Hurtin' 

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DUUS

Daryl Duus, a freethinker, builder, craftsman, hell of a gardener and of course blues boss, and a great friend whom I consider to be my guitar teacher/life mentor from the age of 13 to present day.  From about 2009 - 2013 I was part of 'DUUS' moving around from drums, bass, guitar and vocals.  I very cool live off the floor approach to the entire project acknowledging classic blues repertoire and forms was the auto-pilot mode of this group.  However on the original material and later cover selections some deep inspirations arose such as AC/DC, David Wilcox, Funkadelic and R.L. Burnside to name just a few.  The release of Oilite (2012)  was meet with great appreciation from the Lethbridge music community and allowed for some regional touring and success which was long over due.  Daryl relocated back to his home province of British Columbia in the spring of 2014 where is now has a new incarnation of the 'DUUS' blues band gigging throughout Vancouver Island.  

The Alex Taylor Band

Where it all started for me, with my father Pat Ackerman on the bass and myself playing guitar and singing.  We worked with the best drummers in the Lethbridge area at the time including Brady Valgardson, Brad Brouwer and Kyle Harmon.  Gigging regularly across Southern Alberta, we became known for the high energy, guitar-driven, rocking' blues that was made popular by greats such as SRV, Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. Working for nearly 6 years from 2002 - 2008 we recorded two albums of covers and one all original album with Carson Cole (Edmonton, AB).  Eventually, as a result of diverging musical tastes and regrettable relationship tensions with my father, The Alex Taylor Band came to an end.