The music of Oregon reflects the diverse array of styles present in the music of the United States, from Native American music to the contemporary genres of rock and roll, country, rhythm and blues, jazz, pop, electronic music, and hip hop. However, throughout most of its history, the state has been relatively isolated from the cultural forces shaping American music. Much of modern popular music traces its roots to the emergence in the late 19th century of African American blues and the growth of gospel music in the 1920s. African American musicians borrowed elements of European and Indigenous musics to create new American forms. As Oregon's population was more homogeneous and more white than the United States as a whole, the state did not play a significant role in this history.
The Decemberists are an American indie rock band from Portland, Oregon. The band consists of Colin Meloy, Chris Funk, Jenny Conlee, Nate Query (bass), and John Moen (drums).
Pink Martini is a musical group that was formed in 1994 by pianist Thomas Lauderdale in Portland, Oregon. Members of the band call it a little orchestra that crosses the genres of classical music, classic pop, Latin music, and jazz. The co-lead vocalists for Pink Martini are China Forbes and Storm Large.
Thomas Mack Lauderdale is a musician, largely known for his work with the Portland-based band Pink Martini.
Scott Lewis McCaughey is an American singer and songwriter and the leader of the Seattle and Portland-based bands The Young Fresh Fellows and The Minus 5. He is best known as an auxiliary member of the American rock band R.E.M. from 1994 until the band's break-up in 2011, contributing to the studio albums, New Adventures in Hi-Fi, Up, Reveal, Around the Sun, Accelerate and Collapse into Now.
David Geoffrey Allen is an English musician, formerly the bass guitarist for the post-punk band, Gang of Four. In 1981, he left Gang of Four to form Shriekback.
Courtney A. Taylor, known as Courtney Taylor-Taylor, is an American singer-songwriter from Portland, Oregon. He is the lead singer and guitarist of alternative rock band The Dandy Warhols, a band he co-founded. Taylor-Taylor has written the majority of the band's songs.
Time is the 16th studio album by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released in 1995. This album features a unique line-up for the band featuring the addition of former Traffic guitarist Dave Mason and country vocalist Bekka Bramlett. Lindsey Buckingham, who had left Fleetwood Mac in 1987, makes an appearance as a backing vocalist on one track, but Time is the first and only Fleetwood Mac album since 1974's Heroes Are Hard to Find not to feature any contribution from Stevie Nicks.
Storm Large is an American singer, songwriter, actress and author. She attracted national attention as a contestant on the CBS reality television show Rock Star: Supernova. For many years solely a rock artist, in recent years she has branched out into the theater and cabaret world. A resident of Portland, Oregon, she currently balances performing with her own band in venues around the country and touring with the Portland-based band Pink Martini around the world.
Norman Fowler Leyden was an American conductor, composer, arranger, and clarinetist. He worked in film and television and is perhaps best known as the conductor of the Oregon Symphony Pops orchestra. He co-wrote with Glenn Miller the theme "I Sustain the Wings" in 1943, which was used to introduce the World War II radio series.
Wet Confetti is an art rock band that formed in Portland, Oregon during November 2000. They are a three piece that consist of Alberta Poon on vocals, Bass VI and keytar; Daniel Grazzini on guitar and keyboards; and Michael McKinnon on drums. The band's name is taken from the French novel To the End of the World by Blaise Cendrars. The band blends rock, punk, pop, noise, rhythmic drumming and melodic breathless vocals together to make their own very distinctive sound. In January 2007 they introduced Richel Martinez as a live touring member. The band recently appeared in the third installment of the Burn to Shine series produced by Fugazi's Brendan Canty and directed by filmmaker Christoph Green. Their most recent album, "Laughing Gasping", was published by Pampelmoose, a label started by Gang of Four bass player Dave Allen.
Marriage Records is a small, independent record label based in Portland, Oregon. It was founded in 2001 by Curtis Knapp and Adrian Orange. The label has released a number of albums by musicians such as Adam Forkner, Dirty Projectors, Little Wings, Lucky Dragons, Tune-Yards, Yacht, and Karl Blau. Artists on the label frequently collaborate and swap members.
Michael Davis was an American bass guitarist, singer, songwriter and music producer, best known as a member of the MC5.
Dolorean is an American band based in Portland, Oregon. Their current line-up is Al James, guitar/vocals, Jay Clarke, organ/piano, Ben Nugent, drums/percussion/vocals, James Adair, bass, and Jon Neufeld, guitar. They have released four studio albums. Their most recent, The Unfazed, reached No. 41 on the Top Heatseekers chart. The group has worked with Portland area musicians such as Jay Clarke who records with Knitting Factory Records under the moniker Ash Black Bufflo, and Emil Amos who records on Partisan Records under the moniker Holy Sons.
The Hugs are an American indie pop and psychedelic garage rock band from Portland, Oregon, United States. Formed in 2007 by lead singer-songwriter Danny Delegato while attending Cleveland High School. Current members include Danny Delegato, Keagan O'Brien, and Kauri Voss. A self-described "pop" band, their music is primarily influenced by the 1960s British Invasion movement and post-punk The Hugs have self-released four studio albums and two EPs.
Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds is a Brooklyn, New York-based seven-piece soul/rock band. The band is led by singer Arleigh Kincheloe, with Jackson Kincheloe on harmonica, Josh Myers on bass, Dan Boyden on drums, Phil Rodriguez on trumpet, and Brian Graham on baritone and tenor saxophones.
Typhoon is an American indie rock band from Salem, Oregon. The band has eleven members. They have released four albums, two EPs, a split 7-inch record with Olympia-based band Lake, and have contributed to a number of compilations. The band's latest album Offerings was released on January 12, 2018. The band originated in Salem, Oregon in 2005 but is now based in Portland, Oregon. They are signed to the indie record label Roll Call Records.
Live Wire Radio is a radio variety show that was launched in 2004 in Portland, Oregon.
The Stolen Sweets are an American Jazz group from Portland, Oregon. Formed in 2005, the group comprises vocalists Jen Bernard, Lara Michell and Erin Sutherland, Pete Krebs and David Langenes on guitar, and Keith Brush on double bass. They have released two albums so far: Shuffle Off to Buffalo (2006) and Sleepytime in Chinatown (2009).
David Longstreth is an American singer and songwriter. He is the lead singer and guitarist for the band Dirty Projectors.
