Eric Pokoyway

Music Eric Pokoyway In a half finished basement a few miles southeast of the Interlochen Center for the Arts, a persistent metal band searches for the correct recipe for success.
So Many Years Trying, better known as SMYT, has been together for six years, releasing two albums with a three-song demo in the works. In that time, they’ve played everywhere in Traverse City from the Loading Dock to Streeters, attracting a strong local following.
“We just like to push ourselves musically; whether the music is heavy or light we like to mix it up and not get stuck with the same old riffs that have been done before,” says guitarist Larry Abeyta.
In Abeyta’s semi-dark basement SMYT tries to add a new dimension to metal. They practice in a cramped little room that includes a water heater and furnace.
“There’s no limitations for us. We try anything just to say we’ve tried,” lead singer Dane Deroisha said.

Features Eric Pokoyway Kurston Crawford, a reservation agent at Crystal Mountain Resort and Spa has a lot on her mind these days. Married with three sons, she is the primary provider for her family, because, right now, her husband is too sick to work.

Dining Eric Pokoyway Food, wine, and poodle skirts are the scene at The Williamsburg Theater in Acme every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night.
Impresario Dominic Fortuna spans decades of music as he writes, directs, produces and performs several different music reviews at the former movie theater. Fortuna features a cast of multi-talented performers from all over the United States.
“This music, no matter what generation you’re from, reminds you why you love music,” Fortuna said. “It’s all fun music.”
Fortuna draws from musical influences in the early 1940s with bands like The Mills Brothers, to the 1970s with Sonny and Cher. The classic hits that Fortuna uses in his revues have been influenced by many musical genres. This is why his shows are events that everyone can enjoy, Fortuna says.
“It’s how I’ve found my roots. I have a way of taking that kind of music and reminding people why they love listening to it,” Fortuna said. “There is so much you can do with it. You might have something from the same decade, but you can still move a storyline and entertain.”

Music Eric Pokoyway Golf champion Walter Hagen was a frequent visitor of Lil Bo’s tavern on Front Street in the early 1960s. Today, this “little bohemian” bar has become a place for many musicians looking for a start or just a place to play.
“Walter Hagen, when he retired, spent
a lot of time in here… He called Lil Bo’s his ‘second home’,” co-owner Nancy Freund said.
Blues, rock, folk, and country musicians have found the same comfort within the bar’s lacquered wood walls. With the support of Darla Rowland and Dan Babiarz, Traverse City musicians can test their talent in front of a live audience at open-mic night on Fridays.