My Music

Lava lamp country is a new term describing Portland’s burgeoning country music scene, where the music brings back memories of the late 60’s to early 70’s country; a free spirited, amusing, and emotionally fluid sound. Something new, something old, something distinctly Portland.

Check out my past couple CD's and see what you think - then come on out to a show and get down.

Probably Not (2011)

Reveeled (2008)

"Along with a tall, cool Bud at the bar, order up a side of Brad Creel’s wisdom; you’ll like it...I've driven home from each of Brad's concerts feeling the better man for it."

-Craig Stewart, BETWEEN THE NOTES

Chris Kokesh, Brad Creel, Tom Frisch, Chris Funk at the Alberta Rose Theater

Probaby Not

These tunes are for you to download for free.

If you want the CD package with the artwork and highest sound quality, you can click here to buy my CD at CD Baby!

Illustration: Brad Creel

Download the Album Artwork here

Produced by Shay S. Scott and recorded at Klickitat Band Camp.

The Line Up

Brad Creel: guitar, vocals
Tom Frisch: keyboards, vocals
Bob Hawkins: drums, vocals
Ben Haynor: lead guitar
Ben Grosscup: bass

Word

“Hot off the release of his latest disc, Probably Not, the Portland singer-songwriter and cartoonist specializes in droll observations and barbed sentiments served up with deft honky-tonk touches: a tear in your beer with a side of wry toast.”

- Curt Schulz, THE OREGONIAN

The best CD ever…. Probably Not

Last November, Brad Creel and the Reel Deel released “Probably Not” at Portland’s Alberta Rose Theatre. The band's music has been heard on Kink, OPB, and other regional and national radio outlets.

The band also does a veriety of shows from all ages, family events like McMenamin's Kennedy School, to corporate gigs at Intel. Creel also performs solo or as a duo with various band members.

Klickitat Band Camp owner/engineer Shay Scott produced the CD. Guest appearances include local musicians Chris Funk (Decemberists, Black Prarie) on dobro and pedal steel, Chris Kokesh (Misty River, Broken Top) on fiddle, and Thad Beckman (Tom Russell) on guitar.

Reveeled

These tunes are for you to download for free.

If you want the CD package with the artwork and highest sound quality, you can click here to buy my CD at CD BABY!

Illustration: Brad Creel

Download the Album Artwork here

Produced by Vicki Ambinder

Word

"Gifted with the pen, the punchline, and the guitar, local singer/songwriter Brad Creel has released celebrates the release of his latest recording, “Reveeled”, tonight. In addition to his illustration work, Creel’s husky voiced folk ballads harken back to a time when folk music had plenty of strumming jesters eager to tell a tale and collect some laughs along the way. Similar to the early days of Louden Wainright III, Creel is a vulnerable performer with a deep sense of humor, one who isn’t afraid to turn the spotlight on his own imperfections."

- Ezra Ace Caraeff, PORTLAND MERCURY

My Debut Release

Before Brad Creel began creating smart and funny folk music, he was churning out smart and funny cartoons. Like the music he would later write, Brad’s comics have a friendly immediacy, a punch-in-the shoulder freshness and a big dose of self-deprecation. Brad’s songs will make you laugh, shed a tear, and be glad to be where you are.

Heartbreak drove Brad to turn to the uncharted waters of songwriting in 2000. Coping with a tough divorce, he found new meaning in the work of classic tears-in-your-beer country singers like Tom T. Hall, Merle Haggard, and Conway Twitty. He was moved by the way classic country songwriters tempered their sorrows with upbeat melodies, creating what he calls “dark music with a happy sound”.

Inspired, Brad began hosting acoustic jam sessions and devouring the Portland Public Library’s collection of Americana music. He developed a body of narrative-based country, bluegrass and folk songs, balancing tongue-in-cheek lyrical fun with an undertone of complexity and raw emotion. As his listening expanded beyond his honky-tonk heroes, Brad’s music took on an additional, whimsical flavor reminiscent of cosmic jokers like John Prine, Loudon Wainwright III, and Todd Snider.

Through his bustling musical social life, Creel found friends in the worlds of sound engineering and music production, and a team was born. Work began in 2004 on his debut record. Creel’s music attracted some of the best musicians in Portland to contribute, including session maven Tim Ellis on guitar, Three Leg Torso’s Béla Balogh on fiddle, local legend Peter Schwimmer on banjo, Eric West on pedal steel and Higher Ground leader Alan Glickenhaus on mandolin. Producer Vicki Ambinder also enlisted fiddle legend Darol Anger (Yonder Mountain, Tony Rice, Bela Fleck).

Peep the Album Artwork