Jalan Crossland is an American bluegrass, Americana, and alternative country singer-songwriter and musician.

Jalan Crossland
Crossland performing at Avogadro's Number in Fort Collins in May 2019.
Crossland performing at Avogadro's Number in Fort Collins in May 2019.
Background information
BornTen Sleep, Wyoming
United States
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Musician
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • bandleader
Instrument(s)
Websitejalancrossland.com

Early life edit

Jalan Crossland was born and raised in Ten Sleep, Wyoming.[1][2] He attended Ten Sleep High School before his family moved to Pittsburgh where he attended David B. Oliver High School.

Crossland became interested in music as a child, after hearing his uncle play the banjo. In 1997 he placed second in the Winfield National Guitar Fingerpicking Competition.[3] In 1999 he won the first place title at the Wyoming Flatpick Championship.[4]

As a teenager he played electric guitar in a series of heavy metal bands in Pittsburgh.[5] Jalan’s son, Dylan Crossland, was born in 1990 and passed away in 2015.[1] Jalan worked with country bands as a free-lance guitarist and held a day job in a mobile home factory in Casper. He quit the factory job and began pursuing music full-time.[6]

Career edit

Crossland is a banjoist, guitarist, and vocalist.[7][8] He created and recorded on his own label, Boom Chicken Rekkerds. He released his first album, Poor Boy Shanty in 2000.[9] In 2004 he released his second record, Moonshiner. In 2005 he formed the Jalan Crossland Band with bassist Shaun Kelley and drummer Pat Madsen.[9] They released the albums Trailer Park Fire & Other Tragedies in 2006 and Driftwood Souls in 2010.[3] The band took a hiatus in 2011 and Crossland released a solo album titled Portrait of a Fish.[7] The band later reconvened and in 2014, released the album No Cause For Despair.[10][11] In 2017 the Jalan Crossland Band released the album Singalongs for the Apocalypse.[12] Crossland was awarded Wyoming Public Radio's people's choice award for best Wyoming release of 2017.[13][14]

In 2013 Crossland was bestowed with the Governor's Arts Award by Matt Mead for his contributions to the arts in Wyoming.[4][15] He is the second musician to ever receive the award.[16] He was also named a "Wyoming Treasure" by the Wyoming Arts Council.[17]

The Jalan Crossland Band disbanded later in 2017 after Kelley was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and Madsen moved to the East Coast.[9] The band's final performance was September 22, 2017 at the Wyoming Outdoor Council’s 50th Anniversary and Community Fair in Lander.[18][19] In March 2019 he released the album Greatest Efforts, a compilation of 19 songs throughout his career which are considered to be fan-favorites.[20] Shaun Kelley died in September 2020.

Discography edit

Solo albums edit

  • Poor Boy Shanty (2000)
  • Moonshiner (2004)
  • Portrait of a Fish (2011)
  • Greatest Efforts (2019)

Jalan Crossland Band edit

  • Trailer Park Fire & Other Tragedies (2006)
  • Driftwood Souls (2010)
  • No Cause For Despair (2014)
  • Singalongs for the Apocalypse (2017)

References edit

  1. ^ a b Segell, Michael (June 21, 2013). "Touring, the 'Wyoming Way'". The New York Times.
  2. ^ "Jalan Crossland and Sean Devine at The Roman". The Billings Gazette.
  3. ^ a b "John Hartford Memorial Festival – Jalan Crossland Band". johnhartfordmemfest.com.
  4. ^ a b "Jalan Crossland in Concert". Brinton Museum.
  5. ^ Writer, BENJAMIN STORROW Star-Tribune Feature (January 11, 2013). "Jalan Crossland: Still at it after all these years". Casper Star-Tribune Online.
  6. ^ News, Northern Wyoming. "The last ride of the Jalan Crossland Band". Northern Wyoming News. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  7. ^ a b Short, Dale. "'Troubadour of Trailer Parks' Celebrates 20 Years on the Musical Highway". Beartrap Summer Festival | Casper, Wyoming.
  8. ^ "Jalan Crossland – Under the Summer Stars | JUNIPER".
  9. ^ a b c Eagle, Ellen Fike, Wyoming Tribune. "Jalan Crossland, Wyoming's favorite storyteller, looks to the future". Wyoming Tribune Eagle.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ Kirkpatrick, Grady. "Jalan Crossland And Shaun Kelly On Morning Music". wyomingpublicmedia.org.
  11. ^ Zwemke, Steve (January 15, 2015). "Jalan Crossland Band". listen.sdpb.org.
  12. ^ Eagle, Josh Rhoten, Wyoming Tribune. "Review: Crossland explores dark territory on new album with wit and humor". Wyoming Tribune Eagle.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ Siebert, Corby Skinner, Anna Paige, Ken. "Resounds: Jalan Crossland, Daniel Kosel". ypradio.org.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ "Attic houses shows by local favorites, Jalan Crossland & Sean Devine in late february 2018". February 6, 2018.
  15. ^ "Spend the Cheyenne weekend with Jalan Crossland and his band". Wyoming Arts Council. January 30, 2013.
  16. ^ Roy, Tee. "Jalan Crossland Receives Wyoming Governor's Arts Award". K2 Radio.
  17. ^ "Jalan Crossland: the Man, the Myth, the Legend". Sheridan, Wyoming Travel and Tourism. August 25, 2017.
  18. ^ https://county10.com/jalan-crossland-band-to-disband-following-final-performance-in-lander/
  19. ^ Rathke, Amy (September 20, 2017). "Jalan Crossland Band's "last big hurrah" this Friday in Lander".
  20. ^ staff, Becky Kindvall Journal (April 16, 2019). "Jalan Crossland set for two nights at Miner Brewing Company in Hill City". Rapid City Journal Media Group.