Luke Redfield

Luke Redfield
Luke Redfield
Background information
Origin	Duluth, Minnesota
Genres	Folk, indie
Years active	2006-present
Labels	Dream Song
Website	www.lukeredfield.com

Luke Redfield is an American indie folk musician and songwriter. Sharing his Duluth birthplace with Bob Dylan, Redfield grew up in small-town Minnesota and Nebraska, and has since lived in Alaska, England, Scotland, Arizona, San Francisco, Nashville, and Austin, Texas.

In 2008, Redfield recorded his studio debut, Fire Mountain, with Andrew Bird's guitarist Jeremy Ylvisaker and drummer JT Bates of The Pines. The record was co-produced and mixed by the late rap star, Eyedea, but never physically pressed beyond 100 CD-Rs, which Redfield sold throughout Alaska. A few of its songs, however, are included on Redfield's official debut LP, Ephemeral Eon, which released to critical acclaim in 2010.

Redfield's music has been compared to Iron and Wine, Bright Eyes, and M Ward.

Early life

Redfield was born in Duluth, Minnesota and grew up in the small towns of Cannon Falls and Kenyon, the son of a hippie songwriter turned Lutheran minister. Redfield's family moved a lot during his youth, also living in Alliance, located in Nebraska Panhandle. Redfield attributes his vagabond spirit to his parents: “Dad’s lineage of Norwegian Viking and my ma’s Bohemian Gypsy blood pretty much cursed, or blessed, me to be a wanderer by nature...so I figured I’d write some songs along the way.

While dabbling in hip hop in his teens, Redfield heard a cassette copy of Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited in his dad's Buick and suddenly had an epiphany to switch genres. Teaching himself guitar, he became a folk-rock troubadour heavily influenced by Dylan's early work, as well as the albums Revival and Soul Journey, by Gillian Welch, and Nebraska, by Bruce Springsteen.

Travels & Music

Following an unfruitful year at Music Tech (now McNally Smith) College in St. Paul, Minnesota, a young Redfield set out on a voyage to see the world. In 2006, he busked his way through Europe, sleeping in hostels and at homes of musician friends he met in London, Edinburgh, Oslo, Dublin, and Rome. Networking through Myspace, he got his first break when he was invited to open for London-based songwriter, Nick Harper.

Redfield returned to the United States in 2007 and booked his first tour, which consisted of solo acoustic bar gigs and street performances in Madison, Chicago, Louisville, Nashville, Memphis, New Orleans, and Austin, where Redfield ended up living for an extended period. It was on this trip that Redfield and his traveling pal, Drew Swenhaugen (editor of Poor Claudia), met Willie Nelson, Riders in the Sky, and Ke$ha, whose family treated the boys to backstage passes at the Grand Ole Opry.

In summer 2008, Redfield sojourned in Homer, Alaska, where he lived a Thoreau-like lifestyle without the conveniences of modernity. Living in a seven-by-seven foot shack nicknamed "The Birdhouse," Redfield used this meditative time for self-inquiry and wrote some his most stirring material to date, including the song "Find Me in the Light," which attempts to explain Nondualism in layman's terms.

Redfield's music was first recognized in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he released his studio debut, Ephemeral Eon, in March 2010. The Star Tribune and City Pages both gave rave reviews, while Minnesota Public Radio and Cities 97 continue to play several of its tracks, many of which were mixed by Eyedea and feature Jeremy Ylvisaker and Haley Bonar. Redfield was "Picked 2 Click" by City Pages in August 2010 and Ephemeral Eon earned honorable mention on critic Rob Van Alstyne's list of the year's best local records.

Redfield has collaborated and performed with artists such as Dosh, Gregory Alan Isakov, Marissa Nadler, Haley Bonar, and The Tiny, and shares live/studio band members with Peter Wolf Crier, Sound Team, Bon Iver and Andrew Bird.

Activism

Like Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger and a young Bob Dylan, Redfield is a topical songwriter whose songs often address social issues and speak out against injustice.

David Lee Powell Case

In 2010, Redfield wrote the song "Let David Live" in a futile attempt to stop or postpone the execution of Texas death row inmate, David Lee Powell, who was found guilty of killing police officer Ralph Ablanedo in 1978. The song was played on the steps of the Texas State Capitol in an effort to grant a reprieve for Powell, who, at the time of execution, had served 32 years in prison counseling murder victim's families, educating illiterate inmates, and helping drug addicts come clean. Prison guards testified to David's remorse and believed he'd contribute to the betterment of society if allowed the chance to live out his life in prison. However, Governor Rick Perry ignored the outpouring of public support, including songs by Redfield and Lucinda Williams (who wrote a heartfelt ode to the fallen officer and donated proceeds to his family), as well as a petition by Amnesty International, and Powell was put to death by lethal injection on June 15, 2010. It remains one of the most controversial capitol punishment cases of all time.

Minnesota Remembers Vic Chesnutt

When Georgia-based singer-songwriter Vic Chesnutt died on Christmas 2009, Redfield rallied his Minnesota musician friends to record Chesnutt cover songs for the charity record, Minnesota Remembers Vic Chesnutt, which released November 8, 2011, via nonprofit label, Rock the Cause. Performers on the album include Dan Wilson of Semisonic, David Simonett of Trampled by Turtles, Ben Weaver and several other top acts from the Minneapolis and Duluth areas. The album came together through the pro bono work of over 50 industry professionals. 100% of proceeds are being split amongst two charities, the Twin Cities-based Lifeworks and Victoria Williams' Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.

Disc golf

Redfield is a professional disc golfer who has had moderate success on the PDGA tour, competing against Ken Climo and others. He is known for his unique sidearm and tomahawk throwing techniques. His PDGA number is 19123.

Discography

• Lonesome Traveler EP
• Fire Mountain EP
• Ephemeral Eon
• Tusen Takk
• East of Santa Fe

Compilations

• Minnesota Remembers Vic Chesnutt

External links

• Official website