Nathan McEuen performs in Sisters

Sisters Coffee Company was the latest venue for folk artist Nathan McEuen. The singer/songwriter gave a solo performance in the coffee house great room on Sunday afternoon, April 22 - every song followed with strong applause.

The McEuen name is well-known in music circles, and Nathan McEuen is continuing to build the reputation for the clan. McEuen grew up in and around the Rocky Mountains, surrounded by incredible music and talented musicians.

"I have played music all my life. It is my life," said McEuen.

As the son of John McEuen of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Nathan had an early exposure to music and performed with his father at a young age. His brother, Jonathan McEuen, is a member of the group Hanna-McEuen, which performed at a Starry Nights concert last year.

McEuen lives now in Southern California and likes to come to Oregon, although Sunday was his first time in Sisters.

"Everyone has been telling me that I need to go to Sisters, and after being here I

understand why. I really look forward to coming back again," said McEuen.

"I think that the Americana Project is a great idea. It would be great if more schools had the community support that there seems to be in Sisters. I was really lucky when I was growing up. I had a great school that promoted music and had support at home. But that is not the way it is for most people, and the schools always seem to cut back on music first."

He finds the Americana Project fascinating and would like to perhaps do a workshop in the schools the next time he returns to Sisters.

"The next time I come I want to bring my band. You can do a lot more when you have the other instruments. It allows you to explore the possibilities a little more than you can with only a guitar," said McEuen.

McEuen has mastered several instruments, including guitar, piano, drums and bass. He feels that by knowing more instruments, it is possible to have a greater compositional range that is allowing him to step beyond the genre that he currently performs.

Although his family has powerfully shaped his musical inclinations and style, his personal interests and abilities go well beyond the style that is associated with his family.

"I like folk music and perform a lot of that, but I actually wrote the music for a hip-hop band in Utah. They had someone else do the lyrics, but I wrote the music," said McEuen.

Three years ago McEuen moved to Southern California to continue pursuing his music career, "but most importantly because I love to go to the beach," he said.

Since his relocation he has performed on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, opened for David Crosby and Graham Nash, Dave Mason, Kenny Loggins, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and performed on Saturday Night Live.

McEuen has also worked with Paul Williams, Willie Nelson and started his own recording company called Lint Records. Since settling in California he has played over 500 gigs and started a group called "Enormous Ego Band." They play a wide variety of musical genres - from folk to bluegrass and rock to country.