From the cubicle of Steve Lehto & John Wright::

April 2008

Hello good Celtic/American folk/progressive rockers! A lot is happening as of late. We have a new all-instrumental CD called “Between the Jigs and the Reels,” officially to be released in July. We will have it at gigs by June. This recording will have five new pieces and seven previously released tracks cherry picked from our other recordings... an “All-Instrumental Best Of.” Steve, Matt and I managed to bang those tracks out in the midst of furiously working on our next full-length studio release. We are shooting for a late-winter/early-spring release for that one. It will be our most ambitious work to-date, with five pieces of music, one of which clocks in at over thirty minutes. Meanwhile, we are traveling farther and farther a field, wherever the gigs lead us. We are excited about being mentioned on the front cover of the June/July edition of Dirty Linen. Our good friend, Bill Chaisson, wrote a nice piece in the “Linen Lite” section. So, we will continue with our Celtic/folk/progressive rock explorations on the gig and in the studio. Please come and see us whenever you can, and thanks for visiting. –John Wright

February 2007

Hello from all of us to all of you! We hope your holidays were merry and that the new year finds you prosperous and well. Things are just starting to heat up for the band as we put the finishing touches on the live record which is a confirmed two-disc set, recorded in its entirety at a Focal Point full band show in late 2005. We're wading deeper into the "big muddy" of the next studio creation, too, which promises some significant twists and turns. Highlights are currently scheduled to include a mighty tune set with doses of Schumann and Zeppelin, as well as some well chosen Irish and American chestnuts. Also in the works are covers of a Weavers classic and another from the Nick Drake canon. Check the schedule and stop by at any convenient show. Bring a friend! -Steve Lehto

December 2005

Happy Holidays! We're playing decidedly fewer outdoor gigs at the moment, but that lends itself to more intimate environs and concert settings. The new record is finally out and available at all gigs (we've noticed that these discs make excellent stocking stuffers!). We have already begun work on the next studio disc--choosing material and creating broad-brush arrangements--as well as taking a few tentative steps towards recording a live record. We're contemplating a two-disc release, with one disc focusing on our trio repetoire, and the other culling more sparse arrangements from our duo shows. Please stop by a show--you never know when we might be recording! Be happy. Be safe. -Steve Lehto

July 2005

A good summer to you all! We're in the midst of the summer concert season, and busy looking for ways to keep suntan lotion off the strings. After what seems an age, the new record is nearly done. Those of you who have followed us from the beginning will notice a departure or two, including the addition of a real live string quartet on a couple of tracks. Hopefully, you'll approve. The disc should be available within a month or so, so please visit us at a gig. Until then.... -Steve Lehto

February 2005

Hello good folk rock fans. A new year is upon us and with it a new CD due out some time this summer (we hope..). Steve has just about healed from his injuries of last year and is back at his long stage leaps and back flips. (In his mind)We are looking forward to some good out door shows this year so please come out and visit us. Also, check out some of the new photos and press on this site. (See what we look like and what the press thinks of us-two things we don't have a lot of control over..)Hope to see you all soon!—John Wright

September 2004

Hi folks. There has been a bit of a bump in the Lehto and Wright camp this last few weeks. Steve decided to take 10 days off and vacation in the hospital. He did this by tearing the 2 main arteries which bring blood to his head. Despite his best efforts he will fully recover (thankfully) and we will be back at work soon. We did have to cancel three shows including the Irish Fest in Syracuse, but I am told we will try again next year. Please wish him a speedy recovery! In other news we are going to start work on our fourth CD in October and are looking forward to a spring release. That's it for now. Please come out and visit us!—John Wright

April 2004

Hello and happy warm weather to all. We are out and about this year so please come and visit. Lets hope for good weather on the out door shows!—John Wright

January 2004

Hello and happy winter to all. We are done with our third recording called "A Game of Chess". It will be availiable for general consumption at gig's and every where else by late Feb. We are looking forward to a good summer so please come and visit us when ever you can. Thanks to all of you who have supported us so far and to all you who we haven't met yet!—John Wright

August 2003

Hello good listeners. The out door giging season is again drawing to a close. Just a couple left for us. Our long standing gig at O'Garas has also found it's end. We enjoyed it very much and are ready for new adventures to come. Speaking of which, we are going to be starting a bi-weekly gig at Blacks Ford in Wayzata. It's a great little place with wonderful food. This will be on Wednesdays starting in September some time. (Check the gig page for detais as they show up). Steve (and Matt) and I are also nearly done with our 3rd recording called "A Game of Chess" (I think) and hope to have it out and about by October. We are wondering farther a field as time go's on so please come and see us when you can. That is all for now. Have a good Fall. See you at the gigs!
—John Wright

May 2003

Hello and happy warmer weather to all. Steve and I are 3/4 done with our third release tentatively titled "A Game of Chess". We are looking forward to some out door shows and concert series this year, a few with Matt Jacobs on drums. (We get to play louder...). Please come and visit us!
—John Wright

December 2002

Hello and happy holidays to all. Steve and myself along with Matt Jacobs have started on our third recording due out sometime next year. We are looking forward to more out door gigs as the weather gets warmer so keep checking back and come and visit us. Have a good new year!
—John Wright

October 2002

Hello and happy fall to everyone. The out door giging season is drawing to a close. We are moving back into the studio over the cold winter months to record yet another CD for general consumption. We will be doing a few interesting winter concerts so keep checking the gig page for details. Thanks again to all of you who have bought a disk and come to a show. Hope to see you soon!
—John Wright

July 2002

Hello and happy (hot) summer to everyone. We are doing some fun out door shows this year so check the gig page and come out and visit us. If you have'nt picked up a copy of "The Further Adventures of Darling Cory" yet please do so so Steve can keep feeding his cat. We will be seeing some reviews on said release soon and will be posting them on this site. Hopfully they will be good! Hope to see you soon!
—John Wright

March 2002

Hello and Happy March to everyone. "The Further Adventures of Darling Cory" is now availiable at gigs and will be in the stores (if they dont have it they should be able to order it) with in a month or two. You will also be able to get it on line at Amazon.com/CDNow and other such places. Thanks to everyone who has come, or will come, to a show.
—John Wright

Febuary 2002

Hello and happy new year from Steve and myself. We have completed the recording and mixing of our second release: "The Further Adventures of Darling Cory". It will be off to the presses soon and availiable at gigs by St. Pats and in stores and any where on the web by late April. We are happy with what we have done so hopefully you will pick up a copy and agree (or disagree). We are having a CD release show at the Bryant Lake Bowl in Minneapolis on Wednesday March 13th starting at about 8:00 sharp so we hope you can be there. Its a nice little theater with a bowling alley! What a concept. We have also been getting a fair amount of airplay with "Ye Mariners All" all over the world and there is more to come. Also, Steve and I have recently finished work on a new recording by a great Irish singer called Karie Oberg who is amazing! So, look for that one soon as well. There will be links set up on this site by April to find it. Thats all for now. Hope to see you at the gigs.
All the best,
—John Wright

August 2001

Hello folks and welcome to our new web site. Thanks to allof you who have shown up at the gigs (or who will show up). Steve and I are slaving away(quite happily) on our second release, tentatively titled The Further Adventuresof Darling Cory. It will be out before March of next year. Meanwhile, for thoseof you who haven't picked up Ye Mariners All yet, you canlisten to sound clips and make that step via this site.(What great technology!) We are shipping to radio now, but if any of you have afavorite local radio program that you think would be receptive to our sort oframbling, drop us a note with the station info and I'll make sure they get one.That's all for now. We hope to see you at the shows.
All the best.
—John Wright

February 2001

The debut CD from Lehto and Wright, called "Ye Mariners All," isdone and available at gigs now. It will be available at all on-line retailersand most retail stores (by special order) by the end of March.

Check the gigs page for Lehto and Wright dates.

That's all for now. Hope to see you at the shows.
—John Wright

November 2000

Lehto and Wright's debut CD "Ye Mariners All" is in the artwork phaseand will be available by Christmas. The gigs are going well. Thanks to all of you whohave shown up.

That's all for now...lots to do...come to a gig and say hi!
—John Wright

July 2000

Thanks to all of you who have bought a CD or come to a show. Steve Lehtoand I, along with Matt Jacobs, are chipping away at our debut CD. It is turning out quitegood, as are the shows. Check the sound clips for a taste.

Thanks again,
—John Wright

December 1999

An ongoing recording in the works is a project which started as a3rd John Wright solo record but has evolved into a true band effortbetween me and longtime compatriots Steve Lehto (plays anythingwith strings, electrified or not), and Matt Jacobs (hits things). This littleditty will have quite a heaping of traditional material, including a fewtune sets along with stuff like Ye Mariners All; Darling Cory andFollow The Drinking Gourd. Also included are a couple of great NickDrake covers: Pink Moon and Black Eyed Dog, both of these beingSteve's ideas. This work should also be available by late spring/summerwith the help of the powers that be and Steve's cat.

That's all for now! Hope to see you at the gigs!
—John Wright