Videos and Photos

In 2017 a new friend in Eugene couldn’t do his concert at The Atrium downtown and asked Kenn to fill in for him. That concert was recorded for a local public TV station. Sound isn’t perfect– the mic picked up the guitar louder than the voice, but it was a fun gig. The whole thing (about 50 minutes) should be on youtube HERE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbMkGkjWC7A

The following summer, in 2018 the Atrium folks asked Kenn to do it again. Again it was recorded for a local TV station and should be on youtube, but we can’t seem to find it this moment. Kenn hired a sound guy to record this one, got permission to use the video and combined them. Several of the songs with video are on this site now. From that gig:

In June of 2019 Kenn played for the Muse Art group in Eugene. They hire someone to perform while artists and art students draw the musician. Interesting idea, and a fun gig. They live-streamed the set on Facebook and that may still be visible, although you might have to sign on to your own account first. Since high school, Kenn always sat on a stool to play, and this may be the last time he did that. During the pandemic of 2020 he determined to master playing while standing so he could get a little better vocal support. Ever after, he performs standing up. The Muse Art gig had great sound in the room, but this was recorded on someone’s cell phone. Should be here: https://www.facebook.com/MuseArtOfficial/videos/2275368822512283/

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Bag o’Notes

Ann Imes, John Imes, Sharon Polhamus (now Kermiet), May Lawry and Kenn Amdahl. Playfully calling themselves “Bag o’Notes.” They practiced mostly for fun, but also played a few gigs.

Bag o’ Notes practices the song C.U.B.A. Made famous by Bing Crosby. John whistles.

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Bag o’ Notes sings God’s Gift to Women. May sings lead:

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After Bag o’Notes and before Cottonwood, Kenn was in Penn Street, an acapella group Cap Hamilton put together so he could experiment with arranging songs. Here they are “rehearsing” their arrangement of California Dreaming.

Penn Street was Cap Hamilton (bass), Barb Henry (short dark hair), John Brady (high tenor), Jill DeLage, Kenn Amdahl (mascot). When the group disbanded, Barb, John, and Kenn continued singing together and became Cottonwood.

Nowhere Man, Beatles tune, by Penn Street:

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Penn Street arranging the Little Feat song Let it Roll. This is 18 minutes or so, maybe the first time we were attempting the song, and the only song featuring Kenn singing melody. Not fabulous musically but quite fun for those of us in the video to see ourselves at that age.

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Although Penn Street disbanded before we polished the song, here is Let It Roll a bit closer to finished:

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This picture is “Cottonwood” about the time it released its first CD, “Voted Most Poplar.” Bill Wilton, Kenn Amdahl, Barb Henry and Kc Dunn (on percussion and occasional very low bass parts). Earlier, John Brady was in the group, later John Galm handled percussion. Here’s Kenn, Bill, Barb and John Galm at a concert in January of 2003 for the Swallow Hill Music Association in Denver. They perform Kenn’s Christmas song, Last Month of the Year. This is the only time we performed it, and this is the only recording of the song by the group. Kenn sings lead.

Cottonwood practice, learning the Townes Van Zant song If I Needed You. Bill Wilton had just joined the group, he was learning to play bass.

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Kenn playing Johnny Cash’s Folsom Prison, 2021

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Kenn Amdahl performing his song “Jim Donelan” in 2018 in Eugene, Oregon

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Kenn Amdahl giving a talk to writers at the Mile High Con in which he uses his guitar instrumental of “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jerico” to illustrate forensic observation as it applies to either writers or musicians. This is a ten minute excerpt of an hour-long presentation. The first two minutes of interest only to other writers. The musical part starts about two minutes in.

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Kenn with Cottonwood doing his song Rememberin’ You in 1994. Kenn’s family was going to exchange videos with his relatives in California for Christmas. Cottonwood was practicing at his house, so he crammed everyone together on his couch and recorded this on a VHS tape. L to R: John Brady, Kenn Amdahl, Barb Henry and Bill Wilton.

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This is one song from a Cottonwood practice. We were figuring out the Marc Cohn song “29 Ways” John Brady sings lead, Kenn Amdahl, Bill Wilton, and Barb Henry sing the background, Kenn strums, Bill (who had just joined the group) plays bass. This is an example of watching sausage being made.

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Kenn plays a Bach bouree in Em on guitar. He learned this in high school, don’t recall when this take was recorded.

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Whiskers the Catfish a Fred Engleberg song.

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The New Lulazick Singers. High school students.

Elijah Rock written by Mahalia Jackson (?), done by the New Lulazick Singers. Berta sang lead

Come Walk Me Out by Bonny Dobson, sung by the New Lulazick Singers, about 1966. We probably heard the Goldbriars’ version. Kenn is playing the huge guitar he made with his father which never got within a half-block of the exact note he was fingering.

Can’t Go Skanooky a song by Kenn Amdahl and Stan Swanson sung here by them in maybe 1967

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Wouldn’t It Be Nice a song written and performed by Kenn Amdahl and Stan Swanson while they were in high school

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