01) Press Release: Steel Bridge SongFest 3

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 21, 2007
FOR INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Ben Dowland, Assistant Director, SBSF3
http://www.steelbridgesongfest.org

Eds.: The spelling of pat mAcdonald is correct.

Steel Bridge SongFest 3 To Benefit Historic Drawbridge in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Christie Weber's love of old bridges, and a casual conversation with her brother, singer/songwriter pat mAcdonald, about the steel bridge that is a landmark in their hometown of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, set the two on a course they could not have imagined. In a matter of months, that chat and an exchange between mAcdonald and singer Jackson Browne gave rise to the Steel Bridge Songfest, a free annual concert that has helped raise almost $150,000 to supplement state and national efforts to save and maintain the bridge and to build community awareness of the importance of preserving it. This year's festival is scheduled for June 14 to 16 at several venues in historic downtown Sturgeon Bay.

The two-lane Sturgeon Bay Bridge spans the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal in the central business district of Sturgeon Bay. Built in 1930, it is only one of two bridges of its type in the United States—an upper rolling lift bascule bridge. The 1,420-foot bridge is comprised of a counter-balanced, movable span and 12 concrete and steel truss approach spans. The bridge, a familiar sight for Door County vacationers and locals, is listed on the Wisconsin Register of Historic Places and is a candidate for the national list.

With the bridge as its beneficiary, the songfest has developed into much more than a concert. It celebrates live music, activism, historic preservation and creativity. More than 100 bands from across the country donate their services to help raise money and awareness for the bridge. Components of the event include:

• Take It To The Bridge. An all-day, benefit concert headlined by Jackson Browne on Saturday, June 16, at the Great Lakes Yacht Services boatyard. Jane Wiedlin of Go-Go's fame will also appear.

• Take It Inside. Three nights of live original music will be featured in multiple venues around town, including all-ages shows. Venues include The Nautical Inn, The Red Room, Poh's, The Ladder House, Pudgy Seagull, Launch, Latham Smith, Trail Bridge Park, and DC Coffee.

• The Construction Zone. This component brings original songwriting into the festival mix. Twenty-five songwriters are invited for three days of intensive collaborative songwriting at the historic Holiday Motel. Writers are encouraged to write songs loosely based around the metaphor of a steel bridge. (The Construction Zone is for invited musical guests only.)

• The Steel Bridge Songfest CD. The best songs to come out of the songwriting workshops are captured on CD to be released the following year. Songwriters perform their original creations on the concert stages and at the venues around town and the live performances are recorded. Also, a custom-designed recording studio at the Holiday Motel is assembled for studio recordings. Steel Bridge Songs Vol. 1 has just been completed and its release party is planned for the upcoming Songfest.

Weber's and mAcdonald's efforts do not stop at fundraising. They are adamant about public education on the significance of the bridge and the efforts needed to keep it operating. Recently the Wisconsin Historical Society approved the bridge for listing on the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places. This listing has been sent on to the National Parks Service to be placed onto the National Register with approval expected sometime in the next two months.

Citizens for Our Bridge Inc. does ongoing work with federal highway officials and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to monitor bridge developments. The organization's aim is to raise the money and awareness needed to preserve the bridge. The money raised is used in the educational effort and is collected in a special fund held by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and earmarked for expenses related to preserving and enhancing the historic bridge.
# # #

02) Press Release: Johnsonville Brats and SB3

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 21, 2007
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT
Ben Dowland, Assistant Director, SBSF3
608-446-0778
http://www.steelbridgesongfest.org
http://www.johnsonville.com

(Eds.: The spelling of pat mAcdonald is correct.)

Beer, Brats, Bands and Small Town Determination Set the Stage To Save an Old Bridge

Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Small towns can generate big ideas. That's the case with both Johnsonville and Sturgeon Bay in Wisconsin. Johnsonville, population 64, is the home of Johnsonville Sausage, the number one national brand of sausage, which also sells in 39 countries. Sturgeon Bay is the home of the Steel Bridge Songfest (SBSF3), a three-year-old grassroots music festival that is already attracting national attention. This year, Johnsonville Sausage will be a major sponsor of the Songfest, just one small town company helping its neighboring city.

That help comes in the form of support for Door County's Sturgeon Bay Bridge, the beneficiary of the Songfest. The two-lane bridge spans the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal in the central business district of Sturgeon Bay. Built in 1930 and recently added to the Wisconsin Register of Historic Places, it is only one of two bridges of its type in the United States—an upper rolling lift bascule bridge. The 1,420-foot bridge is comprised of a counter-balanced, movable span and 12 concrete and steel truss approach spans. The bridge has become a familiar sight for Door County locals and vacationers.

The Songfest was founded in 2005 by historic preservationist Christie Weber and her brother, singer/songwriter pat mAcdonald, to raise money and awareness of the endangered steel bridge. The aging bridge had been targeted for demolition and replacement by a new structure. But, Weber and her colleagues in Citizens for Our Bridge took action to save the unique structure. mAcdonald recruited his friend Jackson Browne to perform at the first Songfest and a tradition was born.

This year's Songfest is scheduled for June 14 to 16 in several venues around Sturgeon Bay. The event includes live music at local bars, restaurants and taverns; a songwriter's workshop; and an all-day benefit concert on Saturday. Browne, mAcdonald, Jane Wiedlin of the Go-Go's, and some 100 other musicians and bands will perform. Much of the original and live music will be recorded for later issue on a Songfest CD. Steel Bridge Songs Vol.1 will celebrate its release party at this year's festival, featuring 15 original songs loosely based around the bridge theme from last year's festival. All proceeds from the CD benefit the bridge.

Shelly Stayer, owner/author of Johnsonville Sausage, will be on hand on Saturday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. signing The Johnsonville Big Taste of Sausage Cookbook (Random House). The cookbook features 125 recipes gathered by Stayer from treasured family collections, the Johnsonville Sausage corporate kitchens and famous celebrity chefs. It will be offered to festival fans for $10, discounted from the $15.95 retail price, with proceeds going to the bridge preservation fund being held by the National Trust.

"Our sponsorship of the Steel Bridge Songfest originated for a very personal reason," said Stayer. "My husband Ralph, whose parents founded our company in 1945 in their butcher shop, grew up in Johnsonville. He has such fond memories of a steel bridge near his hometown that was not saved. He always wished that bridge had been preserved. So, when we were approached by the Steel Bridge Songfest founders, we knew it was a fit for our company. With our corporate headquarters still in Johnsonville, we feel that small towns offer so much to the American landscape and we want to be a part of the preservation of this piece of architectural history."

# # #

Information about the Steel Bridge Songfest is available at http://www.steelbridgesongfest.org or by calling 920-743-5605. All events are in downtown Sturgeon Bay. Passes for all events throughout the festival begin at $30 per person.

03) Hi-Res Photos of Jackson Browne

Click an image to view the Hi-Res version...

04) Green Bay Press Gazette Article 5/17/2007

From:
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070517/...

Jackson Browne once again will lend his name to Steel Bridge SongFest June 14 to 16 in Sturgeon Bay. Organizers expect last year's fest-ending concert crowd of 4,000-plus to double for the third annual fest, which also will include performances by Jane Wiedlin of The Go-Go's, Pat MacDonald, Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons, Freedy Johnston, James Hall of The Pleasure Club, members of P-Funk and 100 or so others. A basic three-day pass to SB3 is $30 at http://www.steelbridgesongfest.org.

05) Promotional Poster

Here is our beautiful color poster from SB3.

To download a PDF of the poster, Click Here (2.7MB)

Right-click the image below to save it to your desktop and send it as an email attachment!

06) Press Release: Holiday Motel

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 25, 2007
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact Anna Sacks at 920 493 3334
or pat mAcdonald at 920 559 9693
pmAcd333@gmail.com
Eds.: The spelling of mAcdonald is correct.

HISTORIC HOLIDAY MOTEL PURCHASED BY INVESTORS TO CREATE SONGWRITING MECCA

STURGEON BAY, WISCONSIN. Holiday Motel Management, LLC, announced today that the corporation had completed the purchase of the historic Holiday Motel. Opened for business in 1952, the first motel in Door County is located at the approach to the Michigan Street Bridge in downtown Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.

The consortium of investors includes noted singer/songwriter Jackson Browne of Santa Monica, California; local rock legend pat mAcdonald; historic preservationist Paul Wozniac; two out-of-state entrepreneurs; and several members of the Door County business community. Anna Sacks, a songwriter from San Francisco who relocated to Sturgeon Bay after attending last summer's Steel Bridge Songfest, will manage the motel.

"We're honored to be the proprietors of this little piece of Door County history," said mAcdonald, creative director for the project, "We're going to keep it running as a motel, keep the classic look and feel of the place, while making little improvements. We'll continue to host the songwriters for Steel Bridge Songfest, and eventually hold events year round. We're going to fire up the local scene by bringing in creative influences from all over the world."

The gathering of investors was itself a creative endeavor. Many were involved in the 2006 Steel Bridge Songfest, a music festival founded by mAcdonald and his sister Christie Weber. The Songfest was designed to raise money and awareness to preserve the Michigan Street Bridge. In its second year, the festival featured a songwriter's workshop where 25 songwriters joined in collaboration and wrote and recorded more than 60 songs. The experience was so inspiring that Sacks wanted to continue it year-round. mAcdonald knew the motel was on the market and the idea took hold.

Plans are to have quarterly songwriting festivals at the motel and to install an on-site recording studio. Steel Bridge Songs Vol. 1, a collection of songs from the 2006 sessions recorded at the motel, will be released this summer.

Browne has performed at the last two Songfest concerts and was present at the songwriting workshops when the idea was presented. His interest in historic preservation, original music and artistic collaboration led him to join the investment group.

The corporation will submit an application for listing the motel on the National Register of Historic Places. Any upgrades and renovations will be undertaken with the idea of preserving the motel's original beauty and charm. Noted bluesman Chris Aaron will manage the on-site recording studio.

# # #

07) Feature on Ruby James, Songwriter

Ruby James is Rocking the Road
with Art, Heart and Soul on Her Amazing Journey
Talented touring songwriter to perform at Steel Bridge SongFest 3

By: F. Daniel Kent

The roads of life—specifically those routes traveled by the unfortunate who feel called as touring musicians—are littered with the immaculate road kill of those who weren’t prepared for the realities of living on the road.

Many are the touring musician who has been legally bound to people who had nothing more in mind than the next hit song…the next big sound…the rumbling applause of stadiums full of people who loved and adored their American idols along with all of the fortune they brought until the next big thing came along. The wheels of the big machine leave them splattered across the memorial stretch of one-hit-wonder-land and their brief flash in the pan is quieted by the rolling of rubber.

For every hundred or so budding VH-1 “I love the (fill in decade)” guests-in-training littering the musical landscape on the road to fame there are the lucky few who learn to keep their eyes on the road ahead of them. They remain firmly entrenched behind the wheel of their lives and their careers with hands firmly placed at 3 and 9 o’clock. The radio is blasting, the windows are rolled down and their foot is at the pedal always moving on down the road.

Touring musician Ruby James once almost found herself soaking up some sun on the pavement but managed to pull out of the spin before it was too late. James—the granddaughter of a man who as a child lived in the back of a wagon traveling from place to place “Grapes of Wrath” style—was fortunate enough to be able to listen to her heart and the legacy of the road that she inherited from her grandfather, and now the powerfully moving vocals and soulful, sweet-as-sin presence of the fiery-haired South Carolina via California native have made their way to the hearts and minds of hundreds of people around the country. From stages as intimate as The Continental in Austin or The Viper Room in L.A. to larger concert venues like Hard Rock Live, James is rock diva personified. She’s captivating audiences and capturing new fans on every stage she hits. Sharing stages with bands such as Soul Asylum, 7Mary3, War and Fastball while also headlining her own shows, the numbers keep mounting.
She is currently working on her first full length record in Austin, Texas, with Austin legends Charlie Sexton and brother Will. Not only producing, but playing on the sessions, Charlie and Will bring their legendary, classic sound to James’ fresh and innovative talent. The band features well-known percussionist Sam Aliano on drums, string virtuoso Rene Reyes on Guitars and The Incredible Taki on Bass. Ruby James will lend her breathtaking voice and talent to entertain crowds at the Steel Bridge Songfest, a benefit concert that has helped raise almost $150,000 to save and maintain the Sturgeon Bay Bridge and to build community awareness of the importance of preserving it. This year's festival is scheduled for June 14 to 16 at several venues in historic downtown Sturgeon Bay. With the bridge as its beneficiary, the songfest has developed into much more than a concert. It celebrates live music, activism, historic preservation and creativity. More than 100 bands from across the country donate their services to help raise money and awareness for the bridge.
Recently, Ruby James spoke to this reporter in an exclusive phone interview about her potholes on the road of living as a traveling musician and how she learned to avoid them and become the amazing performer that she is now. For more information on Ruby James and to listen to exclusive samples of her music please visit www.myspace.com/rubyjames. For more information on the Steel Bridge SongFest 3 please visit www.steelbridgesongfest.org.

I’ve heard a lot about your grandfather. You credit him with most of your inspiration to pursue a career as a musician. Tell me more about him.
My Grandpa is my hero. He just turned 80 and he’s still a badass. He grew up moving around in a tarp covered wagon during the Great Depression and they were so poor they would move between mining sites that his father would get jobs on. When he was 13 he had to live in a cave. His parents sent him into town so that he could go to school and every week they would come up and bring him a pot of beans that he could eat for a week. He’s one of the last 13 survivors of Iwo Jima from World War II and there is a picture of him on the cover of an old Life magazine peeping up over a foxhole. He’s probably the deepest, most incredible person I’ve ever known and he was the one who taught me everything I know that I learned early in life about music. He would sing me old Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings songs and then there were songs like “Red River Valley” that I had never even heard before.

With so many different opportunities to gain exposure out there why do you feel so drawn to touring?
My whole life is the road. For me the journey is more important than the destination. That may sound cliché but when I learned that lesson it seemed like my world just became flooded with all of these great things. If I can be on the road and do what I do then I’m content. I think there’s something deep within me that’s challenged by always being uncomfortable, unsettled and off balance because I’m always in a different place. I’m weird that way. Here and now the road is my home and I can’t imagine it being any different for any reason. I don’t want to ever become so big that I’d have to sell my soul to anyone. I just want to do what I’m doing with the people around me that I trust and love and I wouldn’t have it any different at all.

You have some legendary talent backing you up on your upcoming release. Tell me about working with Charlie and Will Sexton.
The stars really seem to be aligning for me because everything is really starting to come together. I feel honored and blessed that everything came together the way it did for the album I’m working on in Austin. Charlie Sexton will be playing drums on the album, which I believe is the first time he has ever played drums on a record and his brother Will Sexton is producing the album and he is also playing bass and doing a few of the guitar tracks as well.

Before you were in a place where you were able to make this record you had a number of personal setbacks that made your chosen profession a much more difficult journey for you. What change did you find was needed for you to get back on the road and doing what you do best?

I’ve had a lot of things pushed on me. There always seemed to be someone who wanted to try and turn me into the next pop princess. One day I looked in the mirror and I didn’t recognize the person I had become. I don’t have to be Madonna because there’s already a Madonna. I just want to be Ruby. Ruby is who I am. I’ve learned that people will let you down a lot but I try to let that go and keep moving forward.

08) Press Release: Songwriters Create New Music

CONTACT: Linda Akins
312-953-7830
Posted Friday, June 15, 2007

SONGWRITERS CREATE NEW MUSIC AT STURGEON BAY SONGFEST

More than 40 songs have already been written, recorded and mixed by some two dozen songwriters from across the nation at the third annual Steel Bridge SongFest in the first four days of the event. Running the spectrum from rock to country to experimental, the songs are the result of random collaboration by the songwriters.

Upon arrival Sunday evening the songwriters used the Spin the Bottle game to get their writing partners. The random selection resulted in songwriters being paired with people they might not have otherwise teamed with. Throughout the week, the bottle spinning is repeated to re-sort the teams.

All writers are headquartered at the historic Holiday Motel where a custom-designed recording studio has been installed. Noted bluesman Chris Aaron, manager of the recording studio, works with the songwriters to record their original compositions. The songwriters also perform with each other on the recordings. They also are performing their new songs live in venues throughout Sturgeon Bay on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening. An all-day concert at the Great Lakes Yacht Services shipyard on Saturday will feature many of the new songs as well.

Fifteen songs chosen from almost 100 songs written at the 2006 festival have been featured on a CD called Steel Bridge Songs Vol. 1. A follow-up CD will be produced with the 2007 songs.

The songwriters were selected by pat mAcdonald, co-founder of the Steel Bridge SongFest. mAcdonald, a noted singer/songwriter in his own right, drew from his acquaintances across the nation to assemble a diverse group of creative talent. The songwriters include:

Right on John (McColley) from Portland, Oregon. A songwriter who has planted over one million trees in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming.

Kris Doty. Boise, Idaho. Out with her first CD "Smoke in the Mirror." Described as a songwriter who can write a song that breaks your heart.

James Hall. Atlanta, Georgia. Has played with Rage Against the Machine and many others with his band The Pleasure Club.

Jane Wiedlin. Los Angeles, California. Founder of the Go-Go's and noted actress, songwriter, musician. Is acting as a facilitator for the group and providing inspiration.

Tex Coyote. West Texas. Plays folk, experimental and French pop on electric guitar, lap steel and mandolin.

Eric McFadden. San Francisco, California. Has performed with Bo Diddley, The Clash, Wide Spread Panic and others.

David Cox. Durant, Mississippi. Composes songs derived from real life struggles, hardship and love.

Burr Settles. Madison, Wisconsin. Started the February Writing Month Challenge to encourage writers to produce 14 songs in 28 days. In 2007 some 800 songwriters in 28 countries took the challenge.

Brian Cirullo. Vermont. A college hockey star turned songwriter.

These and many other songwriters are donating their talents to a week of celebrating the historic Michigan Street Bridge in downtown Sturgeon Bay. They are championing the causes of historic preservation, citizen activism, and artistic creation.

09) Video from Fox News

10) Jane Wiedlin Debuts Song on WALP

Contact: Linda Akins
312-953-7830
Posted Friday, June 15, 2007

JANE WIEDLIN DEBUTS NEW STEEL BRIDGE SONGFEST SONG ON WALP

Jane Wiedlin, noted songwriter and founder of the Go-Go's, debuted her newest song on WALP radio in Appleton, Wisconsin, at 9 a.m. on June 15. Jane wrote the song at The Construction Zone, a songwriter's workshop held in conjunction with the third annual Steel Bridge SongFest in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, on Thursday. She collaborated with Victoria Vox of Maryland and Richard Whitney of Wisconsin on the song.

"I woke up at 4 a.m. and the lyrics were just there in my head," Jane said. "The idea was so funny and angry at the same time. It is all about just wanting to push your lover off the bridge and the notion just turned into this funny, rockin' song."

Jane and the other songwriters have written and recoded some 40 songs in the first four days of the workshop. They were invited to create a song based on the metaphor of a bridge. The Steel Bridge SongFest brings together musicians to help raise money and awareness to preserve the historic Michigan Street Bridge.

A selection of songs written last year are available on Steel Bridge Songs Vol. 1. The CD may be ordered at www.steelbridgesongfest.org or purchased at the festival today through Saturday.

Construction Zone Songwriters Reunite at Holiday Motel

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 26, 2007
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT
Linda Akins
312-953-7830
Eds.: Spelling of pat mAcdonald is correct.

Steel Bridge SongFest Songwriters
Reunite to Expand Writing Horizons

Eleven Songwriters Gather at Holiday Motel for Songwriting Technology Class

Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Songwriters who participated in The Construction Zone, a songwriting collaboration at the Steel Bridge SongFest in June, are reuniting at the historic Holiday Motel, August 5 to 11. They are gathering at the Holiday Motel’s custom recording studio for an intensive workshop in Pro Tools, a computer system designed to expand the capabilities of songwriters and music producers.

Sponsored by the Madison Media Institute, the workshop will give the 11 musicians hands-on instruction in new media technology that is changing the way songwriters approach their craft. Travis Kasperbauer, an award-winning music engineer, musician and Certified Pro Tools instructor, explained that the system can revolutionize a solo musician’s ability to create music.

“Pro Tools will blow up their ability to hang on to the ideas they now write on scraps of paper,” said Kasperbauer. “For most musicians, it opens horizons in composing that shake up their whole notion of songwriting.”

Kasperbauer noted that songwriters can use the system to access emulations of hundreds of instruments. A solo artist who plays guitar can add the sounds of a famous Steinway that few have access to. Or, vintage instruments such as a Fender Rhodes piano. Or, a 500 pound Hammond B3 organ that would be impossible to lug around. Add to these, wildlife sounds and other effects and a songwriter’s range becomes limitless.

Participants in the week-long workshop include Jane Wiedlin (the Go-Go’s), pat mAcdonald, Eric McFadden (P-Funk), Chris Aaron, Freedy Johnston, Ben Dowland, Adam Mackintosh, Bruce Reaves, Victoria Vox, melaniejane, and Construction Zone engineer Steve Hamilton. After class on Monday, August 6, all the musicians will be appearing at a special Door County concert at 9 p.m. at Bayside Tavern in Fish Creek, Wisconsin.

On the weekend following the workshops, Jane Wiedlin, pat mAcdonald and other participants will appear at a benefit concert for Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin at Lambeau Field Atrium on August 10 in Green Bay. “Concert for Champion Kids” at 6 p.m. aims to raise over $400,000 in donations at the free concert, while recognizing the courageous children who have been treated at the hospital. It is part of the annual Woodward Communication Radiothon sponsored by 105.7 WAPL and 95.9 KISS.

On August 11, the musicians will be at The Nautical Inn in Sturgeon Bay. According to mAcdonald, they will be out performing “just for the fun of it. We'll need to party after all that intense schoolin'."

The Construction Zone was begun by mAcdonald as a feature of the annual SongFest, an event designed to raise money and awareness of historic preservation in Door County. Some 25 songwriters are invited to stay at the Holiday Motel and collaborate on songs with their peers. This year’s group wrote and recorded 60 original songs during their stay. A CD of select songs from the 2006 SongFest is now available at www.steelbridgesongfest.org.

For more information about Pro Tools certification and the Madison Media Institute, visit www.madisonmedia.com.

Madison Isthmus 8/2/07

Former Go-Go joins Madison band
Rich Albertoni on Thursday 08/02/2007 The Isthmus
http://www.thedailypage.com/isthmus/article.php?article=8047

The Go-Go who co-wrote "Our Lips Are Sealed" and "Vacation" is joining forces with a Madison band. Jane Wiedlin, 49, has asked the Madison avant-garage band Whore du Jour to back her on an upcoming album. And she's agreed to produce their next CD.

Wiedlin arrived in Madison earlier this week to learn ProTools from Master Blaster studio engineer and Whore du Jour member Travis Kasperbauer. She'll appear with the band four times over the next 10 days at shows in Madison, Green Bay and two locations in Door County.

How did the famous L.A. musician connect with a local band that formed just over a year ago? Wiedlin met Kasperbauer and his bandmate Pete Ress at the third annual Steel Bridge SongFest in Sturgeon Bay two months ago.

The SongFest was founded by Pat MacDonald (of Timbuk 3 fame) in 2005 to help raise money for the preservation of a historic bridge in Sturgeon Bay, the Door County town where MacDonald lives. Each June, musicians from around the country gather in Sturgeon Bay motel rooms and cafes, meet new people and write songs with them.

MacDonald has recruited some of his longtime friends to participate. That list includes Jackson Browne (MacDonald and Browne own Sturgeon Bay's Holiday Motel together) and Wiedlin.

Kasperbauer, 36 was the recording engineer at this year's SongFest. He and Ress, who are bandmates in the Skintones as well, attended the festival together.

"We were staying at the Nautical, and Wiedlin was at the Holiday Motel," recalls Ress. "Travis had his studio set up in one of the rooms, and she came by to check it out."

Eventually, Ress and Kasperbauer played her their best Whore du Jour song, "Deep Sea Diver." "She was really excited about that song," says Ress.

The festival concludes each year with performances by the artists involved. This year, Wiedlin asked Ress if he would accompany her on guitar when she performed. He countered by asking her if she would sing with Whore du Jour at their festival appearance.

By the end of the three-day event, Wiedlin and the members of Whore du Jour had made plans for future collaboration.

"She's been sending us her songs, and we're working them up," says Kasperbauer. They're already brainstorming on a name for the Wiedlin-fronted version of Whore du Jour.

"Right now it's 'Jane and the Wiedelbots,'" says Kasperbauer.

Ress is still blown away by the fact that he's working with a member of the Go-Go's.

"I couldn't believe I played with her in front of 7,000 people at Sturgeon Bay," he says. "I used to roller skate to her songs when I was a kid. It was surreal."

http://www.thedailypage.com/isthmus/article.php?article=8047

Update on Bridge Status and Work Schedule

Update on
Michigan Street Bridge
Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Description of Bridge

The two-lane bridge spans the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal in the central business district of Sturgeon Bay. Built in 1930, it is only one of two bridges of its type in the United States—an upper rolling lift bascule bridge. The 1,420-foot bridge is comprised of a counter-balanced, movable span and 12 concrete and steel truss approach spans. The bridge, a familiar sight for Door County vacationers and locals, is listed on the Wisconsin Register of Historic Places and is a candidate for the national list.

Condition of Bridge

The federal highway department has deemed that the traffic flow to downtown Sturgeon Bay requires a 4-lane bridge. After much research and citizen advocacy, it was determined that a new 2-lane bridge and the historic 2-lane Michigan Street Bridge would safely handle the needs of downtown traffic. Until the new bridge is completed in 2008, a 5-ton weight limit has been imposed for the Michigan Street Bridge.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation Web site gives this description and plan for bridge work in Sturgeon Bay:

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is planning two major bridge projects in Sturgeon Bay. The first project involves constructing a new bridge from Maple Street to Oregon Street. The second project, reconditioning the existing Michigan Street bridge, will begin once the Maple to Oregon Street bridge is completed….

The Michigan Street bridge spans the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal in the central business district of Sturgeon Bay in scenic Door County. In engineering terms, the 1,420-foot bridge is comprised of a rolling-lift bascule "movable" span and 12 concrete and steel truss approach spans. The Michigan Street bridge was built in 1930.

The bridge is significant because of its central location in the city and because it is one of only two crossings at Sturgeon Bay connecting upper and lower Door County. It is also eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.

The bridge rehabilitation will replace much of the operating machinery while preserving the historical integrity of the operating system. The estimated cost of rehabilitation is $13 million….

The two bridge projects are necessary to:
Provide a functional, reliable downtown transportation link across Sturgeon Bay.
Serve present and future bicycle, pedestrian, vehicle, and marine traffic needs.
Provide a facility compatible with existing and future downtown Sturgeon Bay comprehensive planning.
Preserve the Michigan Street bridge which is eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Maple/Oregon Bridge is currently under construction with completion slated for Fall 2008. Upon its completion, the Michigan Street Bridge work is scheduled to get underway. This work will include replacing the draw section and restoring the bridge to its 25-ton weight limit and is scheduled for completion in Fall 2009.

Mission of Citizens for Our Bridge

We are a grassroots group, established 10 years ago, to save the historic Michigan Street Bridge by raising public awareness and money for repairs, maintenance and restoration that are not covered by federal or state financing. We have a week-long celebration every June at which songwriters create music and donate their performances and songs to raise funds for the bridge. We have recently produced our first CD of original songs mostly based on a bridge metaphor. Proceeds from the sale of the CD support the first-of-its-kind fund held by the National Trust. Musicians from across the United States including Jackson Browne, Jane Weidlin (The Go-Go’s) and hundreds of others have come to this community, written their songs, and dedicated their efforts to preserving the historic bridge.

Contact Us

Christie Weber, CFOB President
920-596-3779
steelbridgesongfest.org