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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Gov. Kitzhaber steps down, federal investigation begins Successor Kate Brown must run for election in 2016 Emergency services, Feb. 14 Community leaders saddened by governor's departure She needed time to think Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency services, Feb. 14 Police arrest robbery suspects who wore underwear as masks Purple Parrot robber sentenced Busy burglar still at large in Medford Sheriff's lieutenant may face misconduct charges over ticket dismissals Politics and Elections Gov. Kitzhaber steps down, federal investigation begins Gov. Kitzhaber announces resignation Successor Kate Brown must run for election in 2016 Community leaders saddened by governor's departure Read Gov. John Kitzhaber's statement on his resignation Education Logos to receive a slice of Wes Howard Memorial Sports Park Medford School Board OKs full-day kindergarten Former superintendent sues district, board member Sharing black culture SOU board names officers, committees Environment Coho salmon road trip Mt. Ashland Ski Area celebrates snow Company fined for illegally dumping asbestos in White City Solar pavilion going up at Coyote Trails GMO opponents can join Jackson County in defending ban State News Gov. Kitzhaber announces resignation Read Gov. John Kitzhaber's statement on his resignation Top Democrats call on Kitzhaber to resign Legislative leaders join in call for Kitzhaber resignation (updated) Oregon secretary of state calls meeting with governor 'strange' Nation - World Obituaries Richard Lester Spencer Arlene M. (Ryan) Mills William J. 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Mangino: The government has access to your emails Letters to the Editor, Feb. 13 Our View: Time to end the vaccine exemption Guest Opinion: Weed killers should not be sprayed on streams, homes Editorials Our View: Time to end the vaccine exemption Our View: Hemp hemp, hooray — old crop is new again Our View: Maintaining a major community asset Our View: A small contribution to fairness Our View: Call for resignation is premature Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Feb. 13 Letters to the Editor, Feb. 12 Letters to the Editor, Feb. 11 Letters to the Editor, Feb. 10 Letters to the Editor, Feb. 9 Columns Guest Opinion: Weed killers should not be sprayed on streams, homes Dana Milbank: Bobby Jindal's unpleasant record George Will: The Pence paradox Kathleen Parker: Brian Williams' six-mile stare Guest Opinion: Understanding Wes Cooley Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Weed killers should not be sprayed on streams, homes Guest Opinion: Understanding Wes Cooley Guest Opinion: Smokers: Quit before this happens to you Guest Opinion: Our public school system is a stew pot of clashing ingredients Guest Opinion: How long will we look the other way? Lifestyle Latest stories She needed time to think The zwickels shall flow David Murdock: Take a nice little walk Looking Up: The sky on Valentine's night Fishing Report: Friday, Feb. 13 Food The zwickels shall flow Community blog: Custard mashup omits scary step for amateurs Season Stepp: Prepare a steakhouse meal at home Tammy Kelly: Healthy at-home Valentine’s Day meals (and desserts) for two Donna Knight: Meatloaf holds lessons Home and Garden Repair or replace your garage door panel? Dear Monty: Hot markets change agent behavior Carol Link: How to make sure yucca plants are gone Home Help: Repurposing garage doors into stunning walls with a view Landscape lighting for beauty, safety and value Health Health Watch: The rise of wearable fitness tech Community blog: Are You Losing or Gaining on Your Investment in Health? Community blog: Simple Solutions Health Watch: Simple swaps for a healthy lifestyle Community blog: Five "Must Haves" Hiking Biking Faith Religion briefs: Friday, Feb. 13 RELIGION BRIEFS, Feb. 6 Religion News: Church of England consecrates first female bishop Religion briefs Religion briefs, Jan. 23 Milestones and Achievements New arrivals: Sunday, Feb. 8 Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Soo Rah Korean Cuisine Southern Oregon Rod and Custom Show Ayron Jones and The Way play Rocky-Tonk Brett Dennen plays the old Ashland Armory Blues Jam at The Little Brown Jug in Talent Theater Le Cirque presents 'City Walk' 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers' 'Dames at Sea' opens at Oregon Cabaret Theatre Camelot presents Playwright Richard Manley's 'A Question of Words' Classics, premiers highlight '15 season for OSF Music Live Music in Local Clubs Roy Zimmerman's 'The Faucet's on Fire" Victor D. Infante: Just in time for Valentine’s Day, some favorite breakup songs Ayron Jones and The Way play Rocky-Tonk Brett Dennen plays the old Ashland Armory Community Events Southern Oregon Rod and Custom Show Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Jacksonville celebrates Chinese New Year Comedian Susan Westenhoefer pulls no punches Paula Poundstone performs at the Craterian Dining The zwickels shall flow Soo Rah Korean Cuisine Stylish shareables are the feature at Brickroom Sandwiches and burgers are hits at The Rogue Chef The Vine offers a taste of Italy Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW Get Up & Go: Saturday, Feb. 14 ... Gov. Kitzhaber steps down, federal investigation begins ... Successor Kate Brown must run for election in 2016 ... Get Up & Go: Saturday, Feb. 14 ... Gov. Kitzhaber steps down, federal investigation begins ... Successor Kate Brown must run for election in 2016 ... MUSIC Brett Dennen plays the old Ashland Armory People who say you can’t go home again might want to consider the story behind Brett Dennen’s 2013 album, “Smoke and Mirrors.” Comment By Alan Sculley Last Word Features MailTribune.com By Alan Sculley Last Word Features Posted Feb. 12, 2015 @ 9:00 am By Alan Sculley Last Word Features Posted Feb. 12, 2015 @ 9:00 am » Social News People who say you can’t go home again might want to consider the story behind Brett Dennen’s newest album, “Smoke and Mirrors.” On tour behind his 2011 album, “Loverboy,” Dennen found himself wearing down, getting stuck creatively and unsure about where to go with his music. “Every time I tried to sit down and write, it just wasn’t happening,” Dennen says during a telephone interview. “It was just getting to be too much. And that was like, it’s not working. I’m going to put out a bad album. I’m going to put out a really bad album that’s just not me.” Up until “Loverboy,” Dennen’s career and music progressed nicely. He’d steadily built a following over the course of his first three albums: 2005’s “Brett Dennen,” 2006’s “So Much More” and 2009’s ”Hope for the Hopeless.” But then “Loverboy,” on which he consciously pursued more of an uptempo, danceable concert-friendly sound, met with mixed reactions. Unsure about what to do next musically, Dennen went back to square one. He moved into a house he had purchased a couple of years earlier at the base of the Sierra mountains in California — close to where he grew up — and unplugged from music. Going home, it turned out, helped him reconnect with the songwriter and the person he was before he got caught up in his music career. “It’s like (I became) the guy that I used to be before I was a musician,” Dennen says. “I was the guy that I was when I was dreaming about being a musician. I was the amateur songwriter. Like my first album, most of that first album was written up in the Sierras while I was a camp counselor. At night after the kids would go to bed, I’d sit on a rock, look at the constellations and write. This was very much the same thing. I’d hike all day or I’d be in the mountains and I’d ski or in the summertime hike and swim, and sort of not, at the beginning, not really know what I was going to do. "But once I started getting into the rhythm and getting comfortable with not having somewhere to be all of the time, the inspiration came back and I started to think, 'Wow, I’m lucky enough to get to start over,' connected with the source of it all.” Songs started to flow, and Dennen got a welcome vote of confidence when Atlantic Records offered to sign him based on the new batch of songs he had written. “They (Atlantic) came in at a time where I was feeling a little lost,” Dennen says. “I needed a partner. I needed some encouragement.” “Smoke and Mirrors” spotlights two distinct sides to Dennen’s music. Mainly acoustic, fairly stripped back songs such as “Only Want You,” “Sweet Persuasion” and “Don’t Mess With Karma” capture the more intimate and honest personality of his early albums, while “Wild Child,” “Not Too Late” and “When We Were Young” are more uptempo, breezy and fun. “I didn’t really realize that’s kind of who I am,” Dennen says. “Half of me, I’m like an introvert that doesn’t really feel comfortable opening up. That’s why I’m a songwriter, because it’s just easier for me to be honest with myself and with people through songs. Then I have another half of me that just wants to be a comedian or a performer, somebody up on stage entertaining people. Both come from the same place. They both come from the same sort of shy insecurity, but they both manifest themselves in different ways.” By Alan Sculley Last Word Features MailTribune.com By Alan Sculley Last Word Features Posted Feb. 12, 2015 @ 9:00 am » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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