Cascade Rye at Calapooia Brewery March 16, 2013

After many years of playing professionally all over the country as well as sharing the stage with the likes of Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Pat Green, Hayes Carll and more, Jake Payne is back home. His previous group, Jake Payne and Dixie Creek, earned critical acclaim and a reputation as one of the premier americana groups on the west coast as well as finding success in the ultra competitive music scene of Austin TX. Jake Payne, originally a bass player for texas sweetheart Pauline Reese, has since been joined by fellow songwriter and guitarist Kalyn Rich. The fortuitous meeting of these two musical minds came about by sheer accident. Rich originally joined Dixie Creek as a drummer after the band’s longtime percussionist exited the band. Unbeknownst to Payne was that his new drummer was a multi-talented and award winning songwriter and guitarist in her own right. That Rich and Payne’s voices blended so seamlessly in vocal harmony solidified the necessity for Rich to vacate her role as drummer and step up to the front of the stage. It is worth noting that Jake and Kalyn have since become husband and wife.

The duo formed Cascade Rye out of some of the finest musicians the NW has to offer, mandolin/banjo/fiddle player and former austin tx, pro Scott Eastburn and the guitar/dobro/slide/mandolin virtuoso and former nashville and sony recording artist Chris Arellano. Payne has switched from acoustic guitar to his original instrument the bass guitar. Primary vocal duties are now handled by Kalyn although Jake and Chris take turns singing lead as well. Rich, Payne, Arellano and Eastburn come together seamlessly for four-part harmonies.

Official Website: http://cascaderye.com