It's time once again to update you on the latest Deep Roots happenings:

1. If you're in Portland on Tuesday, March 27 (5PM - 11:30PM), please join us for an exciting evening of music and fun at The McMenamins White Eagle (836 N. Russell St., Portland, OR ).

That is the night and location of The Deep Roots Friends and Family Night.  Admission is absolutely free, and 50% of all food and beverage sales will be donated by McMenamins to support The Deep Roots Music Porject.

The music starts at 6 PM, and the night's performers include Ezra Holbrook, Madgesdiq, Breanna Paletta, and The Kinder Scale.

All ages are allowed, but if you're under 21, you'll have to clear out by 8 PM.

This is an excellent opportunity to enjoy great food and music, and also help The Deep Roots Music Project while you're at it. We can't wait to see you there!

Special thanks to McMenamins and our volunteer performers for making the evening possible!!

2.  I recently returned from a trip to Berkeley, California, where I met with Berkely High School teachers Matt Carton and Madalyn Theodore. We had an encouraging conversation in regard to Berkeley High School starting their own Deep Roots Music Project during the 2007-2008 school year. Berkeley will be an outstanding addition to the Deep Roots family, and we look forward to hosting a team of teachers from their school at our 2007 Deep Roots Conference at Lewis and Clark College.

3.  The day after I returned from California, I was pleased to sit down with a group of representatives from local Portland non-profit Girls Inc of Northwest Oregon. If you haven't heard of Girls Inc, they are an amazing organization with a variety of programs designed to help girls become "stronger, smarter, and more bold."

The outcome of the meeting is that Girls Inc now plans to begin work on the very first all girls Deep Roots CD starting in the fall of 2007.  They too will send representatives to participate in the Lewis and Clark Deep Roots Conference (summer 2007).

4.  Students at both Reynolds and Roosevelt High Schools in Portland recently completed their lyrics for this year's Deep Roots CDs, and their teachers are already meeting with our network of musician-volunteers to match each musician or band with the words that will soon become this year's Deep Roots songs. Both CDs will be completed in May. Stay tuned for an update as things progress.

The best way to find out what's happening with Deep Roots is to subscribe to this blog.

Until Then,
Chris Gragg
(Director - The Deep Roots Music Project)