By Anelia K. Dimitrova
Making music has been a life and a dream for Cedar Falls native Brian John McCarty.
In fifth grade, as a member of a barbershop quartet started by his music teacher, Mrs. Isley, young Brian realized he wanted to be a singer.
In junior high, Mrs. Ruth Koltookian, took Brian’s dreams to the real world, signing the quartet up for singing gigs and talent shows, giving the kids an unforgettable memory of what music can do for the soul.
Paired up with the boy’s talent, the teachers’ efforts paid off in the most generous of ways.
Today, Brian is the rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist of a beloved local country band called Dry Run Creek, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary with two gigs on Friday, June 27, during this weekend’s town celebration – at Sturgis Falls from 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. at Overman Park and at the Cedar Basin Music Festival later that day from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Heritage and Main stage, located on First Street behind the Ice House Museum.
On stage this week, they may mention, in passing, a word or two about playing cover hits and originally written pieces for a decade together, but don’t expect them to dwell on it or dive into it for the fans. When the band is on stage, it’s about making music, and making sure the music they make resonates with their fans’ hearts.
And while the anniversary is unlikely to culminate with a special big to-do off stage (it is not their style to be flashy), it may be the right time to reflect on the journey so far, on how they got together and how they have grown as musicians.
In fact, the story of how Dry Run Creek came about makes for a great country song as it is a blend of the life stories of each of the performers. Add to this the spice, or, as some of them would say, the sustenance, of their lives on stage and you will likely have a country hit. The lyrics would be about a handful of friends coming from different paths, but bonded together by their love for music. All Iowa born and raised, at the time and space their lives collided, they had each independently committed to playing music as a life mission, in one form or another. So when their paths crossed, the band was inevitable as it was a way to share their talents with each other and their community.
A story song like this would overflow with passion, nostalgia and the joy of making music, but it would also have a stanza filled with gratitude for the teachers, the parents, the loved ones and the fans that have supported the once fledgling group, as it is well known, and this group’s history certainly bears it out, that talent needs guidance and nurture.
Another part of the song would pay tribute to Cedar Falls, where some of the band members grew up and others arrived, through a connection with the University of Northern Iowa, to plant roots.
At its essence, the musical version of their journey as a group would be about finding a home and a community whose culture appreciates local musicians and in return, they give back by sharing their talent and enriching the community with it.
On paper and in real life, Dry Run Creek is authentic and low key, but creatively strong and upward bound.
Perhaps the fact that the group is in the process of recording its first album of original work at Catamount Studio in Cedar Falls, tells most eloquently the story of their evolution as musically gifted humans, and as grit-tested performers who work hard, raise families, hold everyday jobs in order to keep the dream going and stay a part of the local music culture.
What it means to make music together and perform for your community
Somehow imperceptibly, between concerts at area town celebrations and county fairs, including, for the last several years at the Iowa State Fair, a decade of togetherness on the stage has flown by quickly, band members agree.
When McCarty, and his fellow musicians, guitarist Bryan Hendrickson, bassist Jesse Luke and drummer Jeff Kessler came together with the mindset to start their own band in the summer of 2015, they were ready to find their unique niche. Fiddle player and vocalist Cara Lockard joined the band two years ago.
But, just like at the birth of a new idea or a human, they had to find a name that reflected their identity and the kind of music they wanted to play, so they were serious and intentional about picking a fitting name.
Sitting in a boat on the Cedar River for about a week at the time, Brian and his buddies dreamed up Dry Run Creek.
“We all voted on them, ranked the choices and then we narrowed it down to three but the final decision was for Dry Run Creek,” Brian said.
They were a traditional country band, and that name, they all agreed, fit the bill.
Embracing it also came with a tongue-in-cheek advantage, Brian told me.
“We figured having those Dry Run Creek signs that you can see on the highways, every time you drive over the actual Dry Run Creek, we considered that to be free advertising,” he said. “So we thought it would be a good name.”
Names like Black Hawk County, Wraparound Porch and Jefferson County were also in contention but not get traction when the members voted.
“It was very important to us, so we wanted to make sure we were all very happy with what we were calling ourselves and we have gotten a pretty good response to this name,” he said.
Just like picking the name, composing their original music is a collaborative process, Brian said.
“I tend to show up with the rough skeleton of a song, and then everybody else kind of throws in all their contributions to really shape it and make it into a finished product,” he said.
Musician highlights
Brian John McCarty, acoustic guitar and vocalist, graduated from Cedar Falls High School in 2002, and studied music at UNI.
Brian’s garage, known as the studio, is the spot where the magic happens, both in rehearsals and in composing. A self-described stay-at-home dad to a beautiful boy called Beacon, Brian is really excited that his son, just 22 months old, loves listening to him play music and the two often sing together.
“I tend to find some time and a space that I can have to myself and I just sort of wander around the room playing guitar singing nonsense until something comes out alive like one specific line comes out that I like either the melody or the rhythm,” he said. “I’m big on alliteration in my lyrics so as soon as I hit something I really like, then I will base the entire rest of the song off of that one line.”
Jeff Kessler, the drummer, played the trumpet in a jazz band but found his passion for percussion at the age of 15. An accident in his childhood impaired his right hand, so in order to play drums, he drills a hole into a drumstick and uses shoelaces to hold it on to his arm.
“My desire to play the instrument outweighed any obstacles I faced, so I got creative and found a way to do it,” he said.
A 2012 biology graduate from UNI, the father of two daughters works at VGM Group as a partner account manager.
He explained that a drummer does more than just keep time for the rest of the band. “They bring energy and lead the band through the emotion of the song. It’s as fun as it looks,” he said. “I love that I get to give my gift back to serve the God that loves me.”
As a young performer, Jeff added, he used to love the spotlight and that was his main motivation to be on stage.
But with time and life experiences that has changed.
“Now, it’s about creating a memorable experience for myself and my fellow musicians,” he said. “If we can create something special in a moment, whether it’s on stage, in the studio or at a rehearsal, people will be drawn to it. All that engagement and energy comes through in a performance. Over the years, it has become less about me and more about others.”
Bryan Hendrickson, the guitar player, credits The Beatles for his love for music. But between liking music and making music stands a big mountain of persistence and drive, and Bryan was committed to conquer it and enjoy it. He learned to play a variety of instruments over the years, starting with saxophone as early as elementary school and sticking with it through high school. He also picked up banjo, which he calls a “wonderful instrument and a lot of fun.” Then he turned to bass, and then classical guitar, which he considers his “main instrument.” Once he started playing rock ‘n’ roll, he “never wanted to put the guitar down.”
A 2012 UNI grad, Bryan feels lucky to be a part of the group, and, after 10 years, he knows what it means.
“The feeling you get when playing music with friends is still there,” he said. “The blur of time that seems to both be so in-the-moment slow but you have no idea how it goes by so fast. There is a rush you get after playing a show, and you can’t wait to play the next one.”
What has changed, Bryan added, is his understanding and approach to performing.
“I used to desire all the attention and wanted to show off every chance on stage that I had,” he said. “However, I realize now it is about serving the song, serving the performance. Doing that is much better and fulfilling than stroking your own ego.”
Jesse Luke plays bass and sings. He was 3 years old when he started playing cello and studied at the Preucil School of Music Suzuki strings program in Iowa City, where the motto is, “Music training is life training.”
And for Jesse, that holds true.
While living at an overseas military base with his family as a teen, he fell in love with rock ‘n’ roll, hip hop, heavy metal and country music. A UNI cello grad, he played bass in another band but also put in the effort to learn acoustic bass.
“Playing and singing at the same time was always a fear of mine, however, I enjoy it very much,” he said.
Jesse, who works as a bartender, also plays with the Waterloo Cedar Falls Symphony and with Cedar Valley Strings, a local collective of violinists, cellists and pianists founded in 2002, which provides live music for special occasions, like weddings and banquets.
Cara Lockard plays fiddle and sings in the group. She is the owner and main coordinator of Cedar Valley Strings. But before you read on, know this character-revealing fact about her: As a junior at Cedar Falls High School in the fall of 2002, Cara organized, on short notice, friends from the Suzuki program to play as a string quartet at a wedding, impressing her high school orchestra director, Scott Hall, who had received the request. In retrospect, that also laid the groundwork for Cedar Valley Strings, even though it wasn’t until college that Cara realized the business opportunities for the niche she had discovered. Today, Cedar Valley Strings plays at over 30 events a year, and so for half of her life, literally, she has owned a music business in town.
Growing up, Cara listened to many of the songs that she now plays with the group.
“So there’s a lot of nostalgia there,” she said. “It makes me feel really proud to perform music that my dad enjoys so much.”
She graduated from UNI in 2008 with a degree in music with an emphasis in violin. Today, she counts herself blessed to be a proud mom and stepmom of five “amazing kids,” ranging in age from kindergarten to a senior in high school. And if these responsibilities do not sound all-consuming, she also teaches private lessons and plays on her church’s worship team.
Like Jesse, Cara started performing at the age of 3, and 30 years later, continues to experience the thrill of playing and teaching music.
“It makes it feel like it is something I was always meant to do,” she said.
What’s next for Dry Run Creek
The group has for sure been tested by time and circumstances, but today, the same four people who started the band are all here, with Cara as the newest addition.
What the future holds is unknown, they agree, but gigs like opening for country star Clay Walker, as they did last summer, are a good indicator that they are on the right track.
Exactly what that track looks like is yet to be lived. It may take another turn with the release of their first album.
But for now, the band is happy to be where they are.
“Most aspiring musicians have that dream of being discovered and signed to a big label and all that stuff would be great but we’re all older and have families, so we’re a little more realistic these days,” Brian said. “But we just like to play as much as we can and make a little money on the side if we can, too, that’s great and we’re just hoping to do more and more of that as much as we can.”