After graduating from Washington State University in 2008, he moved to Seattle to start in the music industry, foregoing a career in civil engineering to chase his music dreams. In 2010, he formed an Americana/Rock band, Cody Beebe & The Crooks. Since then, he has toured to more than 30 US states, released two full-length studio albums and is currently gearing up for the biggest push in his career.
Every bit a musician, his talent as a photographer was completely unknown, until now. Beebe an unintended photographer, is a fervent Instagram user and, like many people, he documents his travels on the popular social media tool. As he travels, he snaps images of the countryside, the quirky landmarks and various stages on which he has performed. Over time, his artistic eye sharpened. His talent for design began to pour into the shots, and the images became an art form of their own.
The images in this exhibit were chosen from more than 20,000 images captured in his travels. The exhibition marries music and photography, giving the viewer a bird’s-eye view of life as a traveling musician—the barns, the landscape, the road, the hardships, the truck full of luggage, the equipment and, of course, the stage.
Few musicians have such a stage presence. Known for his striking red hair and beard, Beebe sings with a grit and honesty that has captured critics’ attention worldwide.
He has the look of a mountain man with the long hair and beard, but, beyond the rugged exterior, the man has a tender, intellectual side, a smile that puts one at ease and eyes that have a gaze of sudden knowing.
He is everything a superstar, a classic star, while also so unassuming and kind. In a crowd of fans, he is accessible—he seems to know everyone. He does not appear to know he is a “thing,” a talent or a phenomenon. On stage, his red hair is an extension of his music, as it illustrates the powerful chords of his voice, flowing through the air as he rocks.
Among his list of accomplishments, he and the Crooks have traveled extensively and touched the hearts of adoring fans in the far reaches of the US Last fall, the band was asked to perform as the Seahawks tailgate party band, playing for thousands of fans before each home game. Upon receiving a call from Austin Jenckes, a contestant from NBC’s The Voice, the Crooks toured with him throughout most of 2014, opening the shows and playing behind Jenckes as his band. In 2011, they reached No. 64 on the Triple A Radio charts with their song “Waiting On You” as the the only independent band in the list.
He has played with such notable acts as Stevie Nicks, Buddy Guy, Josh Turner, Jimmy Vaughan, Austin Jenckes, Allen Stone, Sturgill Simpson, Augustana and many others. The Crooks are also heading to Europe in February of 2015 on their first international tour, where they will play 25 shows in five countries—all in a month. Beebe and the Crooks partner with Naches Heights Winery each year to produce a vintage of red wine called Crooked Red, which is for sale at various locations around the state.
In 2012, he and the Crooks founded the annual Chinook Music Festival, which brings nearly 30 bands and 1,500 people each year to a festival site on Chinook Pass. In 2015, the Chinook brand will expand, taking on a few more festivals and a number of one-off concert events.
Beebe is also a film producer. His company, Digital Vendetta Productions, creates corporate brand videos, music videos, documentary-style works and commercials. Along with Australian guitarist Blake Noble, violinist Tim Snider, bass player Eric Miller and famed Candlebox drummer Scott Mercado, Beebe is now also fronting a new band called Rust On the Rails that has big plans for 2015.
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