After 40-plus years in music, Heeren produces solo CD


Dale Heeren is seen here standing in front of Kitty Creek in Monticello. This photo is the cover of his first-ever solo CD, which comes out March 13. Heeren has been in the music business since 1971, and was a founding member of the Kitty Creek Quartet. (Photo submitted)
By: 
Kim Brooks
Express Editor

     Almost 50 years (47 to be exact) in the music business and Dale Heeren of Monticello is quite proud to release his very own CD of songs he wrote himself.

     “They Call Me a Weekend Cowboy” will be available for purchase March 13 with seven of Heeren’s original songs he’s written throughout his years in music.

     Heeren’s music career starts in 1971 with a local dance band by the name of “Country Aires.”

     “I had guitar experience and was looking for some part-time extra income,” Heeren said.

     He contacted several local musicians about being a part of Country Aires. His most notable band mate was Jim Seeley of Monticello, who could play a pretty mean harmonica.

     Over the years, the band played at local taverns throughout Jones County, splitting their $20 fee four ways. Heeren’s wife, Jeanne, joined the band along the way, playing bass guitar.

     “She had no music training,” Heeren said other than singing in church choirs. “She just practiced and practiced.”

     Later on, the Country Aires became a five-piece band, bigger than they could manage with everyone’s schedules and time constraints.

     In the mid- to late-‘80s, Heeren started singing with the Monticello Men’s Chorus. Wanting to branch off from that large group, in 1991, Heeren and three others formed the infamous Kitty Creek Quartet. Those founding members included: Arlon Duit, Duane Mesch, Dan Vorhies. Later, Vorhies left to be replaced by Jim Holmes.

     In the mid-2000s, the Quartet worked to put together CDs, which they sold at various concerts. Heeren produced those CDs at his very own recording studio inside his home.

     “I’ve never produced a CD of my own,” he said. “It was always CDs for other people.”

     Heeren admitted this project was something he’d been thinking of doing over the last five or six years.

     The first song on the CD, “I Want to Write a Love Song for You,” was a song he wrote in the ‘80s while he and his wife spent their winter in Arizona.

     “No one knew I was thinking of doing this,” Heeren admitted of his hidden music project. Once he received word that his CD would be available in March, he sent out a mass e-mail to inform his friends and family. Heeren said the feedback has been nothing but positive, and people can’t wait to hear his work.

     Heeren worked with a music producer who lives in Arlington, Va., a man by the name of Mike Johnson. The two met while attending the 2016 National Old Time Music festival in LeMars, Iowa. Johnson owns Roughshod Records in Virginia.

     Heeren recorded the songs in his studio here in Monticello, using Kitty Creek Records as his label.

     “It’s been a strange set of events that led to this,” he said, recalling his experience and music history.

     While still performing, Heeren worked for Kromminga Motors for 33 years. Upon his retirement in 2004, he knew he couldn’t just sit back and relax, so he enrolled in Kirkwood Community College’s lyric writing and studio engineering classes. The two years Heeren spent at Kirkwood helped him to write the songs that are featured on his CD.

     “I learned a lot about running music equipment and software on a computer,” he said while demonstrating his handy abilities. “It’s allowed me to create music.” He said he learned about telling a story through his music, and to share that story in three minutes or less.

     Heeren and the younger college students all worked together on writing songs and collaborating together, each brining their own unique touch to their music.

     “It was pretty neat,” said Heeren. “I was the elder of the group, yet we all learned from one another.”

     Heeren said some of the youth in the class had dreams of stardom, of going to Los Angeles or New York and becoming world-famous musicians.

     “They were super enthusiastic,” he said.

     Heeren’s advise to those students was to get their college degree, complete their education before anything else.

     “I just hope I made an impact,” he said.

     After the demise of the Quartet, Heeren has performed at various community functions. With a great sound system, he and his wife have volunteered to provide PA systems not only locally, but also at music festivals in places like LeMars.

     After communicating with Johnson about a possible CD, Heeren sent him his first song to see what the reaction would be.

     “In no time at all, he e-mailed me back and said it was a good song and I ought to record it,” said Heeren.

     Johnson helped Heeren work through the copyright process for his original songs. He said the process of recording and signing copyright contracts was more than he anticipanted.

     “But Mike said to me, ‘If I can, you can.’” And he did!

     Heeren’s first solo album is something he quite proud of, and rightly so.

     He has about 100 songs in his repertoire, so perhaps a second CD might be in Heeren’s future.

     “We’ll see,” he said with a grin. “I have song ideas written down, some are not yet complete.”

     Heeren said he greatly appreciates all of the help he’s had throughout his years in music from so many talented musicians.

     His goal now, aside from releasing the CD, is to get his music on the radio.

     “Mike feels my songs are strong enough to go some place,” he said.

 

Category:

Subscriber Login