Trick Pony Rocks!

Bios

Heidi Newfield

Musical Instruments:

Vocals, harmonica and acoustic guitar.

Background:

Born October 4 and raised in Healdsburg, CA (Sonoma County). Went to Nashville for the first time at age 13 to record some demos and returned as often as possible until moving there just after high school.

Musical Influences:

Waylon Jennings, Loretta Lynn, Bonnie Raitt, Tina Turner and early Tanya Tucker. Mother was a singer and greatly influenced her. Grandfather played the harmonica.

Songwriting Influences:

Merle Haggard (favorite writer/singer), James Taylor and Carole King. Songwriting generally has to come to her organically... sometimes with a glass of wine, a martini or a cold beer.

Performing Live:

The whole reason she sings. Most of her musical influences are not only great singers, but also terrific entertainers.

First Live Performance:

At age 6 on a trail ride in northern California in front of about 300 people, she sang "Delta Dawn" and "Cow Patty."

Special Interests:

Skydiving, fishing and horseback riding.

Favorite Holiday:

Christmas, because it's the only time when the whole family gets together.

Ira Dean

Musical Instruments:

Stand-up or electric bass and vocals. Known for playing his trademark shiny chrome upright bass with flashing headlights.

Background:

Born August 23 and raised in Raleigh, NC. Attended Southern Illinois University majoring in jazz performance, but left college during his junior year to pursue his country music career. Moved to Nashville about 10 years ago.

Musical Influences:

Johnny Cash, Buck Owens, the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac as well as many jazz influences including Miles Davis and Charlie Parker. Trick Pony recorded Cash's "Big River" with Johnny and Waylon Jennings

Songwriting Influences:

Mac McAnally and Skip Ewing. Usually does his best songwriting around two o'clock in the morning at his house with some candles lit.

First Live Performance:

St. Paul, MN where he won a talent contest playing the drums. Began playing full band live shows at age 16 with his brother's band, the Billy Dean Band.
Special Interests:

Riding motorcycles, skydiving, working on old cars, watching movies and going to hockey games (team: Nashville Predators).

Famous Family Photo:

Father has a picture of Ira singing into a Brut cologne bottle at age 3, from a weekly family show.

Keith Burns

Musical Instruments:

Acoustic guitar and vocals. After breaking his ankle at a high school football game at age 14, Keith used his spare time to learn the guitar.

Background:

Born November 16 and raised in Atlanta, GA. Performed with his band, prior to moving to Nashville in 1990 to play in Joe Diffie's touring band. After talking to Ira, who was playing for Tanya Tucker at the time, and meeting Heidi, Keith knew they had to form Trick Pony.

Singer/Songwriter Influences:

Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Ray Charles, Don Henley, Elvis and Hank Williams. Father and uncles performed in either bluegrass or rock-n-roll bands while he was growing up.

First Singing Performance:

He used to get in front of the mirror with a tennis racquet and act like he was Elvis, but first live performance was at a junior high school talent contest where he and a buddy sang "Surf City."

Special Interests:

Spending time with his kids, reading (favorite book: "To Dance With The White Dog"/favorite author: Pat Conroy), golf, basketball, working out, fishing, camping and most of all, football (teams: Georgia Bulldogs and Tennessee Titans).


	Bios *Heidi Newfield* *Musical Instruments:* Vocals, harmonica and acoustic guitar. *Background:* Born October 4 and raised in Healdsburg, CA (Sonoma County). Went to Nashville for the first time at age 13 to record some demos and returned as often as possible until moving there just after high school. *Musical Influences:* Waylon Jennings, Loretta Lynn, Bonnie Raitt, Tina Turner and early Tanya Tucker. Mother was a singer and greatly influenced her. Grandfather played the harmonica. *Songwriting Influences:* Merle Haggard (favorite writer/singer), James Taylor and Carole King. Songwriting generally has to come to her organically... sometimes with a glass of wine, a martini or a cold beer. *Performing Live:* The whole reason she sings. Most of her musical influences are not only great singers, but also terrific entertainers. *First Live Performance:* At age 6 on a trail ride in northern California in front of about 300 people, she sang "Delta Dawn" and "Cow Patty." *Special Interests:* Skydiving, fishing and horseback riding. *Favorite* Holiday: Christmas, because it's the only time when the whole family gets together. Ira Dean *Musical Instruments:* Stand-up or electric bass and vocals. Known for playing his trademark shiny chrome upright bass with flashing headlights. *Background:* Born August 23 and raised in Raleigh, NC. Attended Southern Illinois University majoring in jazz performance, but left college during his junior year to pursue his country music career. Moved to Nashville about 10 years ago. *Musical Influences:* Johnny Cash, Buck Owens, the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac as well as many jazz influences including Miles Davis and Charlie Parker. Trick Pony recorded Cash's "Big River" with Johnny and Waylon Jennings *Songwriting Influences:* Mac McAnally and Skip Ewing. Usually does his best songwriting around two o'clock in the morning at his house with some candles lit. *First Live Performance:* St. Paul, MN where he won a talent contest playing the drums. Began playing full band live shows at age 16 with his brother's band, the Billy Dean Band. Special Interests: Riding motorcycles, skydiving, working on old cars, watching movies and going to hockey games (team: Nashville Predators). *Famous Family Photo:* Father has a picture of Ira singing into a Brut cologne bottle at age 3, from a weekly family show. Keith Burns *Musical Instruments:* Acoustic guitar and vocals. After breaking his ankle at a high school football game at age 14, Keith used his spare time to learn the guitar. *Background:* Born November 16 and raised in Atlanta, GA. Performed with his band, prior to moving to Nashville in 1990 to play in Joe Diffie's touring band. After talking to Ira, who was playing for Tanya Tucker at the time, and meeting Heidi, Keith knew they had to form Trick Pony. *Singer/Songwriter Influences:* Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Ray Charles, Don Henley, Elvis and Hank Williams. Father and uncles performed in either bluegrass or rock-n-roll bands while he was growing up. *First Singing Performance:* He used to get in front of the mirror with a tennis racquet and act like he was Elvis, but first live performance was at a junior high school talent contest where he and a buddy sang "Surf City." *Special Interests:* Spending time with his kids, reading (favorite book: "To Dance With The White Dog"/favorite author: Pat Conroy), golf, basketball, working out, fishing, camping and most of all, football (teams: Georgia Bulldogs and Tennessee Titans).