Back in 2017 FauxyFurr was a mobile pop up shop based out of Arlington, Washington. Our homebase was a warehouse near the Arlington Airport. We had a great on-line presence, selling our vintage to all parts of the world.
We were in our second year of traveling like gypsys from music event to rodeos to county fairs. It was hard work but we were free birds. We had no boss to report to, no fear, no clue how difficult towing could be. (It was fucking hard and dangerous and I would do it all again.)
The summer of 2017 we were invited to participate in a new music event called Spur Fest, in Darrington Wasington. The location was gorgeous, situated at the base of White Horse mountain. Blues skies, green grass, swimming river near by, big beautiful mountain range. We hauled our pop up shop into the event and got settled, settled for 3 days of music & sales.
It was here we met Ryan Klein & John Cannon of the Low Down Drifters. At this time the band was based in Stanwood, Washington. The boys were writing original songs and dreaming big. They loved hats, western shirts and whiskey. I was an instant fan.
In 2020 covid forced the pop up shop to close but we were 1 years into our first brick n mortar location. We had a very small, 500sq foot retail space. Big John was one of my first hat clients, commissioning work as soon as he heard I had expanded into hat making. I can still remember Big John coming into our shop during the “Covid”, telling me he was moving the band to Fort Worth, Texas.
Wow, you are quitting your day job, divorcing your wife, dividing your stuff, and moving to Fort Worth Texas. I let it sink in. I saw a man choosing hard over easy and heading into the unknown. I knew right there and then John Cannon was going to make it, playing music full-time.
Since that day Big John, Ryan Klein, Dylan Welsch, Josh Willaert, Raina Wallace, Doug Rehfeldt & Carli Cripliver come through FauxyFurr and shop. They bring family and friends in, they support us. One of these days we are going to throw a party here at the shop with the band, one of these days.
I see the American spirit embodied in every member of this band. They all know what it means to live out their dreams, sacrifice “safe” and find their artistic footing on shifting sands. They are growing up on the road. The stories and pictures they will all have decades down the road . . . because they tried. American Rock Stars - all of them.
So many Americans live a life of quiet desperation, unable to cut the ties that bind us to “safe”. We have been programmed to believe we could fail, so we don’t try.
Where is your grit I ask you? American was built on grit, dreams, the possibility.
It’s time to de-program yourself, Grab hold of those reigns and ride out your dreams. Dammit, your very existence depends on it!
