“A rich gravy of rootsy musical styles all evenly poured over the meat and potatoes of unique, savory songwriting, quirky, relatable lyrics, tasty guitar playing and honest, hearty vocals.”
“A rich gravy of rootsy musical styles all evenly poured over the meat and potatoes of unique, savory songwriting, quirky, relatable lyrics, tasty guitar playing and honest, hearty vocals.”
Formed in 2020, Ol’ Big Bear is a project that showcases the rocking swagger and RnB sides of singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Dan Trilk. With gravelly vocals, searing guitar work and powerfully positive lyrics, Ol’ Big Bear’s music will have you bobbing your head and singing along as if you grew up listening to it.
Trilk has been writing music and performing live since he was 12 - about the time he started shaving. This early onset of hairiness led to the nickname Ol’ Big Bear. The early onset of a passion for music led to many varied musical projects and experiences. This includes learning all of Guns N Roses’ Appetite For Destruction on guitar when it came out, studying jazz and classical guitar in college, touring the US from coast to coast, having music placed in film, television and video games and founding bands that covered the genres of rock, funk, progressive and Americana.
Solo artists Ol’ Big Bear aka Dan Trilk of Norwalk, Iowa and Lady Rock aka Jenna McGoran of Olympia, Washington are excited to announce the release of their first single Bad Love.
Trilk and McGoran have been collaborating since 2020 and have released four singles under the moniker Earth Shakers. This track, however, was a departure from their previous sound. With a 90’s retro rock feel, big guitars and an equal blend of both vocalists, Bad Love was screaming to be an Ol’ Big Bear and Lady Rock track.
Bad Love perfectly captures the essence of an unhealthy relationship. When you know it’s not good for you but you just can’t leave. They also manage to skillfully leave things vague enough so that just about anyone can relate to it. This track brings back familiar flavors of popular 90’s bands like Garbage and Veruca Salt while still sounding modern and vital.
Bad Love was recorded by Trilk at The Vortex, his home studio in Norwalk, IA. McGoran recorded her vocals in her home studio in Olympia, WA. It was produced, mixed and mastered by Trilk.
Solo artists Ol’ Big Bear aka Dan Trilk of Norwalk (Iowa) and Cinder Shine aka Cinder Ernst, of Napa, California, are excited to announce the release of their latest single Turn Me On.
Dan’s soulful vocals, rocking instrumentation and production chops pair beautifully with Cinder’s vibrant shine, powerful vocal stacks, and expertly honed songwriting skills.
The Ol’ Big Bear and Cinder Shine duo has been recently compared to bands like Queens of the Stone age and Arctic Monkeys.
Inspired by Dan’s wife Ellie, Dan had no problem finding inspiration for this one. Turn Me On is an ode to the love of his life and a testament that you can be married for years and still sustain a healthy does of excitement and passion.
Turn Me On was recorded by Trilk at The Vortex, his home studio in Norwalk, IA. Cinder recorded her vocals in her home studio at Napa, CA. It was co-produced by Trilk and Ernst and mixed and mastered by Trilk.
Solo artists Ol’ Big Bear aka Dan Trilk of Norwalk (Iowa) and Cinder Shine aka Cinder Ernst, of Napa, California, are excited to announce the release of their second single this year, Adventure Today.
Dan’s soulful, vocals, rocking instrumentation and production chops pair beautifully with Cinder’s vibrant shine, powerful vocal stacks, and expertly honed songwriting skills.
Dan and Cinder live their lives as epic adventures and want to share that grit and zest with the world through this song by asking you to come along for the ride.
Adventure Today hits you hard at the top of the song with one of Trilk’s trademark guitar riffs, bringing to mind such acts as Rival Sons, The Black Keys, and The White Stripes. And as soon as the first line “Let’s go have an adventure” comes in you know you are in for a fun ride.
Adventure Today was recorded by Trilk at The Vortex, his home studio in Norwalk, IA. Cinder recorded her vocals in her home studio at Napa, CA. It was co-produced by Trilk and Ernst and mixed and mastered by Trilk.
Dan Trilk carries on the hallowed tradition of great musical storytellers and has been compared to such artists as Willie Nelson, Randy Newman, and Jackson Brown. Dan started performing as a solo musician in 2009. Since then he’s released two full-length records, “Iowa Weather” and “The Antiparticle Man” and nine singles.
Trilk brings his talent as an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, and his ease in almost any genre, to his new inspired releases. Through the songs, you experience a rich gravy of rootsy musical styles all evenly poured over the meat and potatoes of Trilk’s quirky, relatable lyrics and unique, savory songwriting. From the funky and hilarious “Gas Station Hot Dog” to the touching and intimate “Not A Bird” he is showing some new sides of his personality and writing that are only hinted at in his previous work.
Although his songs often detail his personal journey, the power of Trilk’s music lies in its ability to reach the listener through their own experiences. His live shows are routinely peppered with requests for a fan’s favorite because they have built their own memories into the lyrical content as all great songs invite you to do.
For Midwest audiences Trilk’s music will make them feel like they’re having a beer with an old friend, taking stock of where they’ve been, and celebrating the good life with the ones they love.
About Dan Trilk:
Dan Trilk picked up music early in his hometown of Norwalk Iowa and began playing guitar at the age of nine. His musical career has encompassed a wide breadth of genres including “The Golden Gods”, a rock & roll power trio that was based out of the San Francisco Bay Area in the mid-2000s. Their album “The Thorny Crown of Rock & Roll” gained notoriety and prompted an extensive West Coast tour and opening dates for the likes of Sammy Hagar and Fu Man Chu. Their music has been featured on MTV’s “Homewrecker” & “Fast Inc.”, Tony Hawk’s video game “Downhill Jam”, a Vans commercial, the movie “The Waitress” and most recently Showtime’s “Shameless”.
Once back in Iowa Dan co-founded the jazz-inspired funk bands Electric Shag and The Sexual Undertones who were featured at the Crossroads Entertainment Conference held in Des Moines.
Dan is also part of a musical duo, Debbie Doo Wop & Dynamite Dan, featured at such prominent festivals as the Des Moines Arts Festival and has two original children’s albums, performing regularly throughout the Midwest.
As a solo artist, Dan performs both original material and unique covers in nightclubs, private parties, house concerts, restaurants, country clubs, weddings, corporate events, coffee houses, and dive bars in the Midwest.
Currently, Trilk is becoming busy as a music producer, producing for and co-writing with artists worldwide. In 2021 Trilk has released music under several different monikers including “Ol’ Big Bear”, “Earthshakers” and “Chill Shock”. He has also produced his daughter Quinn Trilk’s debut sings “Now I Know”. His project Ol’ Big Bear recently scored a placement in a commercial for Parkview Medical in Colorado. Dan is also just starting to write production music professionally.
Copyright 2021 by Dan Trilk.