| Stephanie, Pat, Dave and Chuck Free 'N' Easy 1975 - Top 40 Band |
| Stephanie Wood started singing in 1973 with Pat Locke at Nendell's Inn on Canyon Boulevard in Portland, Oregon. The were a popular duo "Pat & Stephanie" who entertained at numerous dinner houses and upscale lounges (hotels, etc.), with their two guitars and great harmonies. In 1974 they added a keyboard player, Chuck Anderson. Their group was called "Trilogy" (they were big Tolkein fans). In 1975 they added a drummer from L. A., Dave Herring, and went on the road as "Free 'N" Easy". They played at the Holiday Inn in Ellensburg, Washington then traveled to Fresno and San Jose, California. They had a long playing gig at the Sheraton Hotel in Portland, Oregon. |
| In the fall of 1975, Stephanie began performing as a solo artist at a number of Portland dinner houses and clubs. She met Steven Kirkland, a keyboard player from L. A. and they moved to Huntington Beach, California, where they formed the group "Destiny's Child". In the spring of 1976, they returned to Oregon and the band, "Kirkland & Company" was formed and played at many Portland and surrounding area clubs, as well as frequent performances at the Surfpoint Inn, in Depoe Bay, Oregon. Just as their popularity was on the rise, along with other Oregon bands like Quarterflash, Stephanie had a family crisis that required her to quit the band. After awhile, she began playing as a solo artist at dinner houses and hotel lounges, along with popular local artists like Jeannie Walker, Jan Stiver & Rick Grumbecker, Tim Burr, and others. She provided high quality entertainment with her variety of popular, folk, country, humorous, jazz, and original music. She continued as a single artist, with occasional duo performances with Dave Hooning (Night Owl) and Christopher Cozad (Chris & Stephanie), as her favorite music has always been two gutiars and two voices - close, sweet, harmony and complimentary rhythm and lead guitars. |
| Kirkland & Company Steve Kirkland, Stephanie Wood, Mark Simon, Dave Hooning |
| Kirkland & Company at the Pepper Tree in Salem, Oregon. ....on August 16, 1977...the day that Elvis died. They heard about it on the way to the gig, and everybody cried. There were 'cathedral lights' streaming from the heavens through what looked like a face...with two holes for eyes, nose, and one for mouth. It was very surreal....like "the king" was looking down on all his fans. So, they sang "American Trilogy" and "All Shook Up" in his honor and his memory. |
| Kirkland & Company at Surfpoint Inn Depoe Bay, Oregon 1977 |
| Dave Hooning & Stephanie Wood Night Owl - 1978 |
| Pat Locke Stephanie Wood Chuck Anderson |
| Steve Kirkland & Stephanie at Cape Perpetua on the Oregon Coast |
| Stephanie Wood booked in the Portland area through Tom Stinnette Agency |
| Stephanie Wood and Steven Kirkland 1976-77 Huntington Beach, CA. |
| Dave Hooning became a band musician for the Holland America line, where he is still traveling the world and entertaining the cruise guests. He took a year off in 1995 to travel with the U.S. road company of "The Kiss of the Spider Woman." He is an accomplished arranger, as well as vocalist, guitarist, bassist, pianist, and songwriter. Visit his site: www.arruniquemusic.com |
| Pat Locke continued to entertain in Portland and throughout the states of Oregon and Washington. He now performs with The Straw Hat String Band, based in Olympia, Washington. www.strawhatstringband.com |
| Pat Locke ----> |
| Christopher and Stephanie played at Depo Bay, Oregon at The Sea Hag; in Beaverton, Oregon at The Rusty Mill; and in Portland, Oregon at the Travel Lodge by Lloyd Center. The songs here are from a tape of live performance at the Travel Lodge on Stephanie's Birthday, August 11, 1980. Here is Chris' website: www.christophercozad.com |
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