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Lane County Music History Project

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Arroyo

Categories: 1970s, Band, Eugene, Featured, Folk

Arroyo
Arroyo

Active Years: 1975 – 1977

Genre: Folk/Country Rock

Base Location: Eugene, Oregon

Arroyo was founded by Don Ross after leaving the band “Wheatfield”.

Arroyo had steady regular gigs at Murphy and Me in Eugene, the Reed Opera House and the Oregon Museum tavern in Salem, and Sacks Front Avenue and the Last Hurrah in Portland. They also played the WOW Hall in Eugene, the Earth Tavern and Euphoria in Portland and several festivals on the University of Oregon campus and around Eugene; opening for the likes of Pablo Cruise, the Son’s of Chaplin and sharing bills with Turkey Run and other popular Eugene bands.

Don met Conway Slack at a music store where he worked and they started jamming together. He enlisted a frequent Wheatfield jammer, Tommy Smith.

Arroyo
Arroyo

1975 – 1976

  • Don Ross – Guitar, Vocals (from Wheatfield)
  • Brian “Conway Slack” “Ercek – Pedal Steel Guitar
  • Tommy Smith – Guitar, Vocals
  • Mark Schneider – Bass, Vocals
  • Tom Grote – Drums, Vocals

 1976 – 1977

  • Don Ross – Guitar, Vocals
  • Mark Simpson – Pedal Steel Guitar, Vocals (from Portland’s Country Al and his Pal’s)
  • Mark Schneider – Bass, Vocals
  • Tommy Smith – Guitar, Vocals
  • Doug Ness – Drums – (from Notary Sojac)

Tagged With: Brian “Conway Slack” Ercek, Don Ross, Doug Ness, Mark Schneider, Mark Simpson, Tom Grote, Tommy Smith

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