Chris Parreira

Bio:

FOR AN UP TO DATE CALENDAR SEE:
www.chrisparreira.com

FOR ALL BOOKING INQUIRIES, CONTACT:
chrisparreira@gmail.com

Chris Parreira plays Indie-Americana/Folk music. When he's not playing solo, Chris often performs with Marc Jeffares on mandolin. He is also one half of the duo Lonesome Roses.

Combining energetic, percussive guitar playing with a smooth baritone voice, Chris Parreira sings from the heart about the joy, the loneliness and every emotion in between that comes with being a traveling songwriter. A Humboldt County resident for most of his life, Parreira's songwriting first started to blossom while living in Ashland, OR, and took new life once he moved to Austin, TX. Now back in Arcata, CA he continues to grow as an artist, and keeps a busy schedule as a performer.

Chris Parreira grew up listening to folk and jazz, and those influences have since given way to bluegrass and indie-rock. Early heroes such as Bob Dylan and Ray Charles now sit side-by-side with the Dave Rawlings Machine, The Avett Brothers and Ryan Adams.

He has completed six tours in the last two years; four to the Pacific Northwest, and two to the Southwest covering Oregon, California, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

'Before You Go' (2009) is available at CD Baby (link to your left) and also at Missing Link Records in Arcata, CA.

NOTABLE VENUES INCLUDE:
Momo's (Austin, TX)
Marylin's on K (Sacramento, CA)
Flipnotics (Austin, TX)
Dell Arte's Carlo Theatre (Blue Lake, CA)
Six Rivers Brewery (McKinleyville, CA)
Silver Moon Brewery (Bend, OR)
Mississippi Pizza Pub (Portland, OR)
Cafe Royale (San Francisco, CA)
Raven Cafe (Prescott, AZ)
Ukiah Brewing Co. (Ukiah, CA)
Babylon Club (Fresno, CA)
The Josephine (Seattle, WA)
Carousel Lounge (Austin, TX)
Muddy's (Arcata, CA)
Mosgo's (Arcata, CA)
Caldera Tap House (Ashland, OR)
The Mandolin Cafe (Tacoma, WA)
Tease (Ashland, OR)
Fort George Brewing Co. (Astoria, OR)
Pyramid Brewing Co. (Sacramento, CA)

FESTIVALS:
2010 Humboldt Folklife Festival [32nd Annual] (Blue Lake, CA)
2009 Bend Roots Revival (Bend, OR)
2008 Midsummer's Dream Art & Music Festival (Ashland, OR)









..

Member Since:

October 29, 2006

Members:

Chris Parreira - Guitar, Vocals, Harmonica, Bass, Percussion

Usually performs solo, or as a duo with:

Marc Jeffares - Mandolin, Vocals, Guitar

THE LONESOME ROSES
Claire Hashem-Hanlon - Vocals, Fiddle, Guitar

THE RECORDINGS FEATURE:

Sick (Austin, TX) - Fiddle

Laura Lee Imhoff (Austin, TX) - Vocals on "Left Behind"

John Paul Cravens (Austin, TX) - Lead Guitar

Brad Stewart (Austin, TX) - Drums

Marc Jeffares (Eureka, CA) - Mandolin, Percussion

Elysabeth Grey (Ashland, OR) - Vocals on "Look Away"

------------------

"Left Behind" was written by Frankie Hernandez (used here with permission).

"Look Away" was co-written with Elysabeth Grey.

------------------

Influences:

Bob Dylan
Tom Waits
Ray Charles
Ryan Adams
Marc Jeffares
John Craigie
Leonard Cohen
Django Reinhardt
The Devil Makes Three
Miles Davis
Hank Williams
Neko Case
AC/DC
Thelonius Monk
Gillian Welch
David Rawlings
The Avett Brothers
Led Zeppelin
Dan Bern
Jackie Greene
Darrell Scott
Bob Schneider
Patty Griffin
Gin & Tonics
Miller High Life
Pretty Girls
The Road....

Sounds Like:

"Chris Parreira writes songs like he was born to do it, and plays them like it's what keeps him alive."
-Lila Nelson, Songwriter/Former KHUM DJ

"This inspiration shines through Parreira's music in songs such as "Nevada Air." As he sings with sleepy, sincere eyes, "I'm walking the streets down in Reno/this place ain't no city of lights/there's a pawnshop next to a casino/next to a pawnshop, next to a bar." His descriptions aren't flattering, but they're beautiful. The song is the musical equivalent of a gritty black-and-white photo of the Silver State as Parriera describes The Biggest Little City in the World.

"Chasing a Muse" is also a snapshot of a path most of us will never travel. As he describes driving in the middle of the night, it becomes clear that Parriera has a lot of time in his head, but the song gives the audience insight as to why he chose this path."
-Nick Morgan, Ashland Daily Tidings (Nov 2009)

"His kind demeanor was offset by his playfully rough-and-tumble lyrics, letting all the men in the audience give a sigh of relief in knowing that his musical mission isn't solely honed in on swooning every female in the room. It was heartfelt and easily drawn from his experiences on the road."
-Josh Duke, Times-Standard (Oct 2009)

"Chris's music contains an honesty that is rare in the modern songwriter. You can feel the open road in his songs. You can feel the ecstasy and the loneliness. You can feel the adventure. From the first line, you know this guy is living it."
-John Craigie, Songwriter

"Chris Parreira is a guy with good street sense, learning a lot from his travels and bringing that to his music. You want to catch him when he gets to your town...
-Rod MacDonald, Songwriter

"...Folky with a hint of old-time county (before country was pop)."
-Melody Stone, The Eureka Reporter.

Record Label:

Labels are for Suckers