Chad Okrusch – Wisdom Road

For Margi, Kaitlyn, & Karly.

Credits. I wrote all of the songs on this album with the exception of "Bottomless Lake" (written by John Prine) and "Don't Think Twice" (written by Bob Dylan). While the words and music are all mine, the local musicians who collaborated on this work brought it to another level with their spirit and musical acumen--for this I'm eternally grateful. Special thanks to Chris Cunningham for recording, co-producing, mixing, and mastering Wisdom Road at his Bozeman recording studio, Basecamp Recording. On this album, Chris also sang harmony, played guitar, e-bow, organ, accordion, and harmonica. Thank you to Brian Macgregor who graced my album on the stand-up and electric bass guitars; he grounded me as he added beautiful textures to my music. Thanks to Michael McDaniel (www.myspace.com/mtdrumz) who played percussion on "Opportunity blues" and "Big Hole River." I'm thankful I've been able to work with him on this project and hope to continue our friendship for many years to come. Thanks to Robert Frahm. He landed on the doorstep of Basecamp Recording like telecaster-wielding angel from GOD. you'll recognize his handiwork on "The Angel Mariah," "Opportunity Blues," and "I Woulda Danced with You More." Thanks to the amazing country/blues guitar man, Kevin Luce. His inimitable style completely transformed "St. Patrick's Day at the M&M" from a podunk cowboy song into what I hope might become an anthem for the people of Butte. Thanks to Betsy Wise, a woman I've never met, but who added so much to my album with her vocal talents on "One Blue One" and "Bottomless Lake." And last but not least, special thanks to my good friend Justin "Cold-lip" Ringsak for his bass harmonies on "Bottomless Lake" and his toxic trumpet solo on "Opportunity Blues."

Photography. Thank you to Lisa Kunkel, an amazing photo journalist and freelance photographer, for shooting the photographs I've included on Wisdom Road.

Acknowledgements. Thanks to the Butte-Silver Bow Arts Foundation, the folks at the Venus Rising Cafe, The Hummingbird Cafe, and to Monica Cavanaugh of Cavanaugh's County Celtic in Butte for their encouragement and support during this, my first journey into professional recording. thanks also to my musical compadres in Eugene, Oregon and, of course, the handball players at the B.P.O.E. no 240 in Butte who may have strong-armed me into a victory at the 2007 Experience Art singer-songwriter contest in Butte.

FMI. If you are intrigued by the "Opportunity Blues" and want to find out more about this community struggling to make their voices heard in the cacophony of powerful voices associated with Federal environmental clean-up, go to the Opportunity Citizens Protection Association blog at opportunitycpa.blogspot.com. If you'd like to learn more about what's going on our homewaters of the Big Hole River, check out the Big Hole River Foundation's web site at www.bhrf.org. To see what's happening in and around Butte's vibrant art community, visit www.bsbarts.org. And finally, learn more about river and watershed issues in the Upper Clark Fork River watershed at www.cfwep.org, the internet home of the Clark Fork Watershed Education Project.

Peaceful revolutions,
Chad Okrusch
www.myspace.com/okrusch

Support live, original music. Please do not reproduce & distribute this album without permission.