THE lineup Ben Fuller

BY SEAN MCALINDIN

“In Tahoe, it’s probably easier than a lot of places because it’s a tourist town and there are lots of places to play. In general, it’s tough making a living as a musician. You really have to hustle.”

–

WhenTruckee musician Ben Fuller sits down to write music, it comes from somewhere deep inside his soul.

“I think it’s a way for me to release trauma or express myself in ways I otherwise can’t,” he says. “A lot of times I don’t know what it is I need to get out. For me, it’s about being open to it coming. Music is my conduit to bringing what’s inside out.”

Born in Southern California, Fuller grew up in Philadelphia and first discovered music through his older brother and sister.

“My brother was a huge Grateful Dead fan,” he says. “I got into the jam band Phish through him. He was a guitar player and singer and his bedroom was next to mine growing up. Most nights I’d fall asleep to him singing and playing songs. I always knew I wanted to get into music. I just didn’t know how at that point.” Fuller started out playing hand drums and little bit of piano before landing on guitar. When his father retired to Incline Village, Nev., Fuller came to Incline High School for his senior year. By then he was playing, singing and writing his own songs.

After graduation, he moved to Missoula to attend University of Montana where he met his future wife, Tanya. By the end of first semester, they ditched school, came to Tahoe for the winter to ski and traveled to Alaska where they lived in a treehouse nearby Alyeska Resort. They bought a school bus and tried to drive to the East Coast, but it broke down in South Dakota.

So, they rented a U-Haul and made it to Vermont where Fuller worked at Stowe and attended Johnson State College. A year later, they moved back to Missoula where Fuller earned a degree in geography. He formed a local band called Midside Stereo that played on a spectrum somewhere between alt-country and bluegrass.

On a trip to Austin City Limits, he saw Colin Meloy perform with The Decemberists. He was a University of Montana alumni who found musical success in Portland, so Fuller followed his lead, moved to The City of Roses and started a band called Lucky U. He and Tanya had their first child and moved to Tahoe in 2008 to be closer to his family.

Back home, Fuller joined up with the guys from Mama’s Cookin’, a band originally from Crested Butte, Colo., that had relocated to the North Shore. With Steve LaBella on bass, Mike Adamo on drums and Eric Matlock on keys, Fuller toured California and the Pacific Northwest. He released his first EP, “Aquarian Son,” in 2010 followed by LP “Little Siberia” in 2013. His latest EP, “In Service to the Stars,” came out in 2019.

In between tours, Fuller plays weekly gigs at various venues around the lake.

“In Tahoe, it’s probably easier than a lot of places because it’s a tourist town and there are lots of places to

Fuller

play,” he says. “In general, it’s tough making a living as a musician. You really have to hustle. In summertime, I like being able to play outside. It’s beautiful. I like that are lots of tourists. All different people from around the world get to hear my music. And I love living here.”

Fuller is currently mixing a new album he recorded at Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas, with David Bowie bassist Tim Lefebvre and Los Angeles producer Scott Fisher, which he hopes to release later this year. He lives in Truckee with Tanya and their three children and has recently been exploring breathwork at men’s retreats in Sedona, Ariz.

“I think it’s helped with my music,” he says. “It brings these things up. Once it comes to the surface, it’s a lot easier to write or to sing about. It’s the idea that what you fix on the inside is going to fix the rest of the world.” | oldmanfuller.com n

Events are subject to change & cancellation; always check in advance for current schedules.

MOUNTAIN ROCK

Feb. 10 & 11| Bar of America | Truckee

Nashville singer Lindsay Lou along for the ride. The quartet twists bluegrass, folk and rock through a kaleidoscope of homegrown stories, rich mythology, American wanderlust and psychedelic hues.

The event is part of the Road to WonderGrass concert series. Lindsay Lou will also appear at the WinterWonderGrass festival at Palisades Tahoe next month. Expect a night of captivating collaborations and high-energy string music. | crystalbaycasino.com

MAGIC

Feb. 8-24 (select dates) | The Loft | South Lake Tahoe

North Shore country crooners Everyday Outlaw features a traditional honky-tonk lineup of acoustic guitar, Telecaster, pedal steel, Fender bass and drums. Led by Jake Zender’s expressive baritone vocals and a heavy dose of attitude, this band is sure to move you to your feet and pull at your heart strings with hits, “This Ain’t No Love Song” and “I Can’t Sing Country.”

As Tahoe’s best true country band, they have performed at the Pro Rodeo Series and festivals, as well as clubs and honky-tonks. They make a special appearance at Alibi Ale Works in Truckee for their annual Winter Hoedown. | alibialeworks.com

Live Music

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, noon

Ben Fuller

22 Bistro, Olympic Valley, 1 p.m.

Alex Ramon Magic Show

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 7 p.m.

Magic Fusion Starring Robert Hall

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 p.m.

THURSDAY, FEB. 9

Live Music

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, noon

Ikon Pass Live Music

Plaza Bar on Ikon Pass, Olympic Valley, 2-5 p.m.

Live Music With Ben Fuller

CB’s Bistro, Carnelian Bay, 6-8 p.m.

Wolves & Friends Live

The Good Wolf, Truckee, 6:30 p.m.

Alex Ramon Magic Show

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 7 p.m.

Magic Fusion Starring Robert Hall

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 p.m.

No genre is off the table for South Shore’s Bread & Butter Band whose mix of popular covers and original music has been pleasing crowds in the Tahoe Sierra for years. Led by lively Alabama vocalist Lindsay Cheek, Bread & Butter Band is sure to tickle your taste buds and elevate your eardrums with their downhome-style of rock, funk, blues, folk and soul. | barofamerica.com

BLUEGRASS

Feb. 15 | Crystal Bay Casino | Crystal Bay, Nev.

Step into the imagination of a mesmerizing magician as he weaves a web of emotion and wonder. Robert Hall is a talented event host, closeup artist and versatile entertainer who captivates children and adults alike with his wit, humor and, of course, magic. As South Lake Tahoe’s resident magician and No. 1 headliner, Hall has a bottomless bag of tricks to amaze you with his one-ofa-kind “sleight of mind.” | thelofttahoe. com

COUNTRY

Feb. 18 | Alibi Ale Works | Truckee

Formed fittingly in a kitchen outside of Bozeman, Mont., the leading luminaries of “galaxy grass” Kitchen Dwellers arrive in Crystal Bay with fun-loving

Kings Beach rapper Father Baker released a new EP “Towers” in December. Since moving to Tahoe in 2009, Collin Wright has articulated a prolific DIY style using complex beats to mirror his unusual lyrics and unexpected rhyme schemes.

New songs such as, “Tragedy of the Commons” and “See Through Bulletproof Backpacks” recall the topical explorations of The Streets with a psychedelic trip-hop backbeat. On Spotify and other streaming apps. | fatherbakerknows.com