Spotlight artist: Tim Oehlers

3/24/2011

YEAR STARTED PERFORMING: I started playing the harmonica when I was around 12 years old (1968-69); started playing the guitar seriously when I was 17 years-old (1974); started performing publicly when I was around 19-20 years old; started performing semi-professionally when I was around 22 years old; started teaching when I was in my early 30s; started performing (and am still teaching) professionally full-time for around 16 years.

STYLE OF MUSIC: Entirely multi-stylistic, from Americana to Zeebop and all musical points in between.

SOUNDS A LITTLE LIKE: I've been told by many in the last few years that I sound like fellow guitarist Bill Frisell. I feel this is largely by coincidence as I have played that way since way before I ever heard Bill play any music. I have also been told by others I sound like Ry Cooder and Chet Atkins.

INFLUENCES: Cas Oehlers, Virginia Oehlers, Jim Oehlers, Jeff Oehlers, Janie Johnson, H.L. Johnson, Mitchell Johnson, JoAnn Johnson, John Paul Johnson, Larry Shelton, Chuck "Loser" Lindlay, Rusty Clemens, Jimmy Cook, Art Griswold, Pat Clancy, Ruben Villareal, Larry Fuller, Kurt Haas, Gil Hernandez, Jim Lee, Melvin Hoefflin, Bobby May, Terry Kopka, Steve Brown, Ron Rasberry, Maurice Myers, Jeff Williams, Joe Duris, Ron Thomas, Phil Dodge, Perry Tucker, Mark Ulinski, Ron Burgess, Jim Hoefflin, Ray Salazar, Don Laytart, Gene Parker, Rob Fetters, Larry Gold, Chuck Stohl, Marty Greenberg, Big Jack Reynolds, Kenneth C. Jones, Fred Shuman, Dave Harmon, Dave Ulinski, Keith Gorka, Bruce Huffman, Larry Smirin, Josh Boyd, Greg Orban, "Big Blues Bob" Michaels, Johnny Reed, Luke Billingsley, Patrick Lewandowski, Kelly Porter, Larry Latchuk, Mark Duris, and Don Beyer.

FAVORITE VENUE: Toledo Museum of Art.

RECORDINGS: "The Blue Slide" (1997), "One Gift" (formerly called "Christmas with Brother Tim") (1998), "Low Profile" (2000), "Lucky Brother" (2006). "Sunday Best" (2010), "Guitarisms" (2011).

WEB SITE: timoehlers.net