VIDEOS

Here's another tune from the Songwriters Unite!!! show on Feb 11th at the Slocan Lake Arts Council. It's been really great getting musically reunited with J Kleiss. We played music together nearly 20yrs ago with The Dirt and we are currently recording an album with a new project Hidden In Hills . Here's one of those songs "The Cure"

Presented by Slocan Lake Arts Council in Silverton BC I've been hosting Open Mic for many years and I must say the Slocan Valley has so much talent per capita!!! It blows me away. What a treat to host these shows. Upcoming Open Mic events : Feb 3rd 2023 at Three Lions Social House in Nakusp BC Feb 18th 2023 at Slocan Lake Arts Council in Silverton BC March 18th 2023 at Slocan Lake Arts Council in Silverton BC contact me at tractorgrease@gmail.com for more info about hosting or playing events. www.tractorgrease.com

I hosted a sweet show at Slocan Lake Arts Centre on Nov 19th 2022. The guest songsmiths, Gemma Luna, Sam Harrison and Christa Rebman were awesome!!! This is one of my newest tunes Slippery Nickel and what a treat it was to have everyone sing along! Slippery Nickel Back at it at it again once I’m moving Ya can’t stop this train Destination groovy times Get your ticket I got mine I paid the piper in the biggest way Petrified piranhas on a rainy day Feasting on us all like a Big Buffett Pop filter on the mic censor what I say Cover it all up with a pink toupee a pink toupee Back at it at it again now we’re cruisin’ Ya on A cosmic plane Time to rock the casbah and bust some rhymes Mark it on calendar a couple times Roger Miller rhymed purple with maple syurple It ain’t worth shit if it’s missing the pickle Sit around a fire jamming in a circle Silver and gold hammer or sickle Heads or tails it’s a slippery nickel it’s a slippery nickel…………….. Back at it at it again now we’re grooving’ We’re gonna win this game Clowns hate mimes Footloose’ is a crime If ya got corona bring lemons or limes The best things in life they say are free But ya gotta pay the bands so there’s a fee Nowhere to park in the big city Head to the hills too big to climb Hit ya like a punch its a fishy headline It’s a fishy headline

Winnebegin' by The Tractorgrease Folk This song was written in spring of 2000, life was simpler then and Winnebegin’ was used to describe all class ‘A” motorhomes. Kinda like “Zamboni or Jacuzzi”. Now that’s outta the way……… This song started with the loop of a sweet bass line by Jeff Bennett. Ridley Bent and I riffed back and forth with some lyrics and “Bam” it was a song. “We were dreaming about cruisin’ around in a vintage RV with a huge old steering wheel and the tunes cranked. “Joyridin’ in a Winnebago” In 2010 I recorded this version with The Tractorgrease Folk and then fast forward to 2022, I now have a vintage RV!!!!!! The star of the show is this 1976 FMC #994. Here’s some footage of my trip across British Columbia. WInnebegin’ Written by Jeff Bonner, Jeff Bennett and Brian Fowler Recorded at Tractorgrease Studio Jeff Bonner Vox and other stuff Geoff Eyre Drums, Vox and more other stuff Bill Fulton Bass Quinn Patterson Guitar, Vox Joyridin’ in a Winnebago Slow riding’ in a Winnebago Joyridin’ in a Winnebago All the way down to Tierra del Fuego

“Well I know in my heart ………..I need this fresh start” I’ve felt this way a few times , haven’t we all? I wrote this song in 2 stages and recorded it in another. It all started in 2007 when I decided to sell my house to pursue Tractorgrease in a bigger way. The house sold quick and I found myself living on a ranch north of Clinton. “A city boy in ranch land” I was working long hours on the Grand Cariboo Opry documentary, and I got to stay in a cool old ranch house with no internet and wood heat. That was the best!!!! I wrote the verses while looking out the frosty December single pane window at the tireless ranchers. Feeling guilty sipping coffee and strumming my Guit box. I got lots done that day, some folks don’t get it. And….. I got a song! It wasn’t until 2019 that I revisited what I called “City Boy in Ranchland” and I found myself in similar spot. Lots of bureaucracy, liquor board stuff with the Cafe had me looking for a new recipe of life. I still wanted everything I had, just more time for my creative instincts. Holy #@$% I didn’t expect this!!!!!!! March 14th was what I’d mark on the tombstone of Tractorgrease Cafe, that was the last indoor show and it was awesome!!!! Thx Salt Thief! It’s now 2 years later and after some quiet time to decompress, I know in my heart it’s time for a fresh start. I marked March 14th 2022 on my calendar this year to start something new. Recorded Nov 2019 at Tractorgrease Studio with Hollywood James Badger on drums. Bad Ass Bill Fulton on Bass Jeff Bonner Singing and guitar Kyle Axford on Trumpet. Thx to Jason Kleiss for mixing. Drivin’ Me Crazy I’m just a city boy in Ranchland you better bet I need a helping hand The woods not cut and the hay’s still in the field It’s winter time and cold as hell I’ll make it work I know I will This lands a sword and I ain’t got no shield Well I know…………in my heart I need this fresh start Get away from the days and the job that pays The big city haze and jammed highways Man that shit is Drivin Me Crazy I’m just a city boy in Ranchland and you better bet it’s hard to brand This way of life on any uncallused fool. The sky at night is lit up well with both the dippers And Orions belt That big ole moon looking like a sparkling jewel Well I know…………in my heart I need this fresh start Get away from the days and the job that pays The big city haze and jammed highways And…….. you're on your own from here, ha

Did we just find the coolest place in the Fraser Valley for live music? I think we did. We recently visited Tractorgrease and filled their outdoor concert space with 30 of our very special friends. The air was fresh, the music was lively, and ear to ear smiles were spread across all of our faces the entire time we were there. It was such a special afternoon and one we won’t soon forget. So, why keep this place a secret when there’s so much fun to be had? ALRIGHT, SO WHAT’S THIS TRACTORGREASE PLACE ALL ABOUT? Simply put, Tractorgrease is one of the Fraser Valley’s best spots for live music. It’s a place where both musicians and music enthusiasts alike gather together and jam out for live music nights, private events, concerts, and more. Big thx to everyone at Tourism Chilliwack and the talented film making crew for capturing a rainy day at Tractorgrease Cafe in Sept 2018. The tune is from The Tractorgrease Folk called "Better Days" https://tourismchilliwack.com/tractorgrease_mtm/

This song Freedom was written by Colin James and Tom Wilson. Our version is closer to the Tom Wilson one and some liberties were taken with the lyrics. Thx to Taysey Taylor for helping to set up, film and lend her sweet vocals. Not sure if this is a Tamihi tune or The Tractorgrease Folk? Either way it was lots of fun to record. "Nothing is better than Freedom" Performed live at Tractorgrease Studio Oct 2020

In November 2021 our communities in BC were hit extremely hard by floods. Mother nature can really kick some ass!!! Johnny Cash wrote this song " 5 Feet High and Rising" to remember a flood in 1938 that sent his family packing. He started it off with this: "My mama always taught me that good things come from adversity if we put our faith in the Lord. We couldn't see much good in the flood waters when they were causing us to have to leave home, But when the water went down, we found that it had washed a load of rich black bottom dirt across our land. The following year we had the best cotton crop we'd ever had." Here's to handling this adversity and coming together as a community stronger than ever. I don't know who took all these pics, I grabbed them off the ole internet. We'll remember the great flood of 2021

I wrote this song on June 28th 2012. I always remember that date, my 40th birthday and the evening I received the news that Red Hare has passed away. I didn't know him well, but I sure knew of him. He played the congas at every open mic in the town of Chilliwack BC. No matter who got up, Ole Red would jam along. He was also known for his epic musical parties up in Ryder Lake. That was the place to play, in the 70's and 80's. Around the start of 2012 Red started hanging' around Tractorgrease Studio. A friend of his Geoff Eyre had become a fixture there as the studio drummer. I got a chance to hang out with him in those last days, "He was a quiet man, but he said a lot" The Ballad of Ole Red Hare became an anthem at Open Mic nights at the Tractorgrease Cafe. I would always call up our manager/drummer Jakub to join in on whatever percussion he could find. This video was filmed at Red's place up in Ryder Lake in July 2019. Check out more about Tractorgrease at tractorgrease.ca Lyrics The Ballad of Old Red Hare When I first met Red he wasn't red at all seemed everyone knew him by name he's that guy in the back keepin the beat at every single jam No matter who got up with talent or not Red just kept good times never hear him speak he'd just keep the beat at every single jam Let's drink the first one it won't be the last one a toast to our good friend Red Hare soft spoken cerebral a Ryder Lake regal we won't hear congas no more.......... from our good friend Red Hare He was a quiet man but he said alot kept close to him all of his cards when he did pipe up his wit would trump all aces with so few words When his battery was fading no chance of saving a Red Hare bash one last time he made our lives richer and painted some pictures memories more fine than his wine Let's drink the first one it won't be the last one a toast to our good friend Red Hare soft spoken cerebral a Ryder Lake regal we won't hear congas no more.......... When I first met Red he wasn't red at all time had made him grey but that name just stuck I'll consider it luck to meet him in those final days Let's drink the first one it won't be the last one a toast to our good friend Red Hare soft spoken cerebral a Ryder Lake regal we won't hear congas no more.......... from our good friend Red Hare