The Tour Guides

Michela

Michela Macfarlane stepped out of her world as an international baroque soprano into the land of jazz and folk in 2004 with guitarist Marc Bernasconi and the release of their CD You call it madness. She joined forces with renowned jazz pianist Bob Schlesinger and released a second CD of eclectic standards entitled here and there in 2007. Since joining the Tour Guides in 2008, Michela has exponentially increased her exploration of musical genres by singing current pop, rock, early jazz, and bossa nova. She particularly delights in spinning out phrases in Portuguese and Spanish and is eager to bring Italian and French into the mix. When outside of Calaveras County, Michela spends her some of her time collaborating with guitarist Dennis Jaramillo and more of it chasing her toddler around the streets of San Francisco.

Ron

Ron has been on the local Calaveras music scene since the late 70's. Currently he resides in Arnold, California with his wife Tami. Ron plays rhythm guitar with The Tour Guides Band & Bass for Cantamos. Cantamos is an unplugged version of the Tour Guides. Ron also does sound for other live shows in the area.

Born in Long Beach, California in 1953, he came to the area in 1974 on a camping trip and has never left. Back in 80's Ron played Bass in the local, long standing Rock band called Synergy with Jim Becker, Mike Jones, Marty DeAnda & Warren Wilkes. They played locally until 1991.

In 1995 Ron formed the Victims Of Variety, an eclectic folk group. In 2002, he was part of the local favorites, The Space Heaters. In 2007, The Tour Guides emerged with a few members of the Space Heaters, plus some new members. Besides music, Ron is a community outreach organizer and on the board of directors for the Ebbetts Pass Scenic Byway Association.

Fred

Fred Treece has been active in the Country, Blues, and Rock music scene for the past 30 years as both a performer and a teacher. He began his professional career in the Bay Area as lead guitarist with country music favorites Katie Webb and McCarty & Company.

For the past 12 years he as toured regularly with Joni Morris and The After Midnight Band, which features a tribute to Patsy Cline. He recently joined The Tour Guides, an Arnold, California Pop music band.

Born in Lorain Ohio in 1956, Fred began playing guitar at age 13 and is almost entirely self-taught. In addition to performing, he teaches acoustic, electric and bass guitar to students of all ages at Mercer’s Acoustic Attic in Arnold.

Fred has played at numerous clubs, theaters and festivals including:

* Harrah’s in Lake Tahoe, NV
* The Peppermill and John Ascagua’s Nugget, Reno, NV
* The Luther Burbank Center for the Performing Arts in Santa Rosa CA
* Garbeau’s Dinner Theater, Folsom CA
* Gilroy Garlic Festival, Gilroy CA
* The Saddle Rack, San Jose CA
* Derby Dinner Playhouse Louisville, KY
* Black Bart Playhouse, Stevenot Winery, and Ironstone Vineyard, Murphys CA
* Bret Hart Theater, Angels Camp CA
* Murray’s Dinner Playhouse, Little Rock AR
* Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Springs CO

Jay

This is Jay's 40th year of working as a professional musician. He started out backing up go-go girls (remember them?) in 1969 in Phoenix, then moved to Los Angeles in 1970. He has worked doing recording sessions for TV, Movies, and worked the S. California amusement parks circuit; Magic Mountain, Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm. Jay is at home on any bandstand, be it a Beverly Hills society band or the local Country Saloon down the street. He studied Film Scoring, composition, orchestration and conducting at UCLA and continues writing and recording his pop, country, and jazz tunes.

Sam

For over 35 years, Sam Nilsen, has loved being loud. Sam picked up "the sticks" in Jr. High and hasn't put them down. He has been seen and heard playing with local musicians since 1992. From Irish rock in Germany to Electric Zowie in Bear Valley, playing original music or cover tunes, Sam's musical path been long and winding. In 2007, he landed on his "throne" with the Tour Guides. When Sam isn't playing drums, he can be seen and heard as the owner of a local building company Nilscraft Construction.


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Michela Michela Macfarlane stepped out of her world as an international baroque soprano into the land of jazz and folk in 2004 with guitarist Marc Bernasconi and the release of their CD You call it madness. She joined forces with renowned jazz pianist Bob Schlesinger and released a second CD of eclectic standards entitled here and there in 2007. Since joining the Tour Guides in 2008, Michela has exponentially increased her exploration of musical genres by singing current pop, rock, early jazz, and bossa nova. She particularly delights in spinning out phrases in Portuguese and Spanish and is eager to bring Italian and French into the mix. When outside of Calaveras County, Michela spends her some of her time collaborating with guitarist Dennis Jaramillo and more of it chasing her toddler around the streets of San Francisco.
Ron Ron has been on the local Calaveras music scene since the late 70's. Currently he resides in Arnold, California with his wife Tami. Ron plays rhythm guitar with The Tour Guides Band & Bass for Cantamos. Cantamos is an unplugged version of the Tour Guides. Ron also does sound for other live shows in the area. Born in Long Beach, California in 1953, he came to the area in 1974 on a camping trip and has never left. Back in 80's Ron played Bass in the local, long standing Rock band called Synergy with Jim Becker, Mike Jones, Marty DeAnda & Warren Wilkes. They played locally until 1991. In 1995 Ron formed the Victims Of Variety, an eclectic folk group. In 2002, he was part of the local favorites, The Space Heaters. In 2007, The Tour Guides emerged with a few members of the Space Heaters, plus some new members. Besides music, Ron is a community outreach organizer and on the board of directors for the Ebbetts Pass Scenic Byway Association.
Fred Fred Treece has been active in the Country, Blues, and Rock music scene for the past 30 years as both a performer and a teacher. He began his professional career in the Bay Area as lead guitarist with country music favorites Katie Webb and McCarty & Company. For the past 12 years he as toured regularly with Joni Morris and The After Midnight Band, which features a tribute to Patsy Cline. He recently joined The Tour Guides, an Arnold, California Pop music band. Born in Lorain Ohio in 1956, Fred began playing guitar at age 13 and is almost entirely self-taught. In addition to performing, he teaches acoustic, electric and bass guitar to students of all ages at Mercer’s Acoustic Attic in Arnold. Fred has played at numerous clubs, theaters and festivals including: * Harrah’s in Lake Tahoe, NV * The Peppermill and John Ascagua’s Nugget, Reno, NV * The Luther Burbank Center for the Performing Arts in Santa Rosa CA * Garbeau’s Dinner Theater, Folsom CA * Gilroy Garlic Festival, Gilroy CA * The Saddle Rack, San Jose CA * Derby Dinner Playhouse Louisville, KY * Black Bart Playhouse, Stevenot Winery, and Ironstone Vineyard, Murphys CA * Bret Hart Theater, Angels Camp CA * Murray’s Dinner Playhouse, Little Rock AR * Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Springs CO
Jay This is Jay's 40th year of working as a professional musician. He started out backing up go-go girls (remember them?) in 1969 in Phoenix, then moved to Los Angeles in 1970. He has worked doing recording sessions for TV, Movies, and worked the S. California amusement parks circuit; Magic Mountain, Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm. Jay is at home on any bandstand, be it a Beverly Hills society band or the local Country Saloon down the street. He studied Film Scoring, composition, orchestration and conducting at UCLA and continues writing and recording his pop, country, and jazz tunes.
Sam For over 35 years, Sam Nilsen, has loved being loud. Sam picked up "the sticks" in Jr. High and hasn't put them down. He has been seen and heard playing with local musicians since 1992. From Irish rock in Germany to Electric Zowie in Bear Valley, playing original music or cover tunes, Sam's musical path been long and winding. In 2007, he landed on his "throne" with the Tour Guides. When Sam isn't playing drums, he can be seen and heard as the owner of a local building company Nilscraft Construction.