Archie James Cavanaugh / Black and White Raven

Archie James Cavanaugh was born in Wrangell and raised in Kake, Alaska, small town of 600 people, a predominantly Tlingit community located on Kupreanoff Island in Southeast Alaska.
The album “Black and White Raven” project, his dream of one day recording music that Cavanaugh had written, was materialised locally. Cavanaugh started to auditione musicians to record the album, Pete DePoe (drummer) was the first guy Cavanaugh secured. Then, DePoe suggested that Tony Bellamy (guitarist), his former band mate in Los Angeles might be interested in playing lead guitar on the album, thus Bellamy accepted. Two guys came across Kenny Day (keyboard player), and Day brought his fellow bassist Tag Henning from Puyallup, Washington. Eventually they began to lay tracks at the studios and visited Pacific West Recorders in Redmond, Washington to record there. The album took a year-and-a-half to finish recording. Finally in the spring of 1980, the album “Black and White Raven” was self- released as the physical form of his dreams.
The album had been one of the hidden treasures among AOR / Rare Groove / Blue-eyed Soul maniacs. Surprisingly, Vivid Sound Japan succeeded to reissue this rare materials on CD format in the summer of 2000. As you see the musicians credit, you will not be able to find out any familiar names listed on many other early 1980's AOR / Westcoast albums. However, you will be satisfied with the album once when you will start to listen. I feel that his voice and music style is a little bit alike mid 1970's Boz Scaggs. Particularly, "It's Our Love" (Track 4) remind me Boz Scaggs' smash hit tune " Low Down".
In the years after the album release, Cavanaugh continued to record and play, releasing an album of love songs co-written by his wife Melinda, and a record of Tlingit-speaking jazz inspired by a return to his hometown Kake, a village in southeast Alaska. Cavanaugh passed away at the age of 67 in 2018.

Release: Spring, 1980
Label: Black & White Raven, Inc. - A&M Cavanaugh, USA (BWR-LP-001)

First Reissued CD Release: 15 August, 2000 (Vivid Sound Corp. Japan, VSCD-077)

Tracks:
1. Take It Easy
2. Make Me Believe
3. Just Being Friends
4. It's Our Love
5. Light Unto The World
6. Foolin'
7. Living Without You
8. Jail Cell Door
9. High Rise
10. Stay With Me

Executive Producer: Archie James Cavanaugh
Producer: Tony Bellamy

Archie James Cavanaugh: Vocals, Handclaps, Percussion

- Musicians -
Guitar: Tony Bellamy, Dave Perry, John Morton
Bass: Tag Henning
Keyboards: Kenny Day, Dave Perry
Drums: Pete Depoe, Charley Lee
Percussion: Tony Bellamy, Pete Depoe, Michael Spiro, Dave Perry
Sax: Jip Pepper, Grant Reeves, Mitchell Riley
Flute: Jim Pepper
Trombone: Mark Williams
Trumpet: Don Smith
Background Vocals: Carnie Emestim Sammi Baker, Kenny Day, Tony Bellamy, Pete Depoe, Bob Keller, Billy Reed
Handclaps: Billy "Bubba" Reed, Bob "Duck" Keller, Kenny Day, Pete Depoe, Tony Bellamy

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