Among other awards that night, he received Most Promising Artist and Solo Artist of the Year. As a result of his success at the competition, Dodge and his colleagues will be performing at the Barbara Mandrell Theater in Nashville, Tennessee, in March as part of the North American Country Music Association Showcase.
Everard Dodge comes from an island family thoroughly steeped in the love of country western music. While growing up on Islesboro he played in different bands until he graduated from high school in 1965. After a military stint he settled in Massachusetts where he was a member of a highly regarded local band, “Up Your Country.” He returned to the island in 1979, and settled in for another 20 years playing music with a variety of islanders who included Dave Lewis, Peter Davis, and John Oldham (Dodge says this was so long ago that both of them had hair). In 1986 he owned and operated a restaurant/tavern called “The Poorhouse” that featured the best clam chowder on the island and five nights of live entertainment.
Dodge is now a resident of Rockland and owner of the company Water Street Management that operated the Rockland Fish Pier from 1998 until recently. In May he started singing with Roseanna Rogers, herself a recent Rockland resident, who has had good success as a songwriter and singer in Nashville. Dodge and Rogers’ voices blend well, both having that traditional country western flair and easy listening cadence. At the DECMA awards ceremony Dodge and Rogers took first place in the Traditional Vocal Duet category for their song “After the Fire is Gone.”
Dodge was also named Best Dressed Male Artist. His wife, Sandy, joked that she got a kick out of him receiving this award because she couldn’t picture him in any outfit that wasn’t covered in fish bait. But Dodge had had a special suit custom made for him especially for the competition while he and his wife were vacationing in Las Vegas this year, and it must have impressed the judges.
Dodge decided to participate in the DECMA competition because he recently put together a tribute to the late, great Maine country singer Dick Curless and wanted some exposure for the CD. The tribute was a labor of love that took time and money to produce, but Dodge wanted “in a very small way to repay Dick Curless for the hundreds of hours of pleasure he has given me. There are many excellent performers, but none better now or ever.”
The CD is titled “Blue is A Beautiful Color” and was produced at the Root Cellar in Hallowell by Brian Gelina. It won the Country Album of the Year award at the DECMA award ceremony. Of all the awards he received that night, he says, he’s most proud of this one.
Dodge has an easygoing stage presence that reflects his philosophy about life. He is basically an extrovert and believes that if a person is timid, it doesn’t
get one places one wants to go. Working with really good musicians causes him to dig deeper and try harder to give his audience a true country experience.
Dodge is now in the process of forming “Ev & Roseanne & the Country Grass Band,” that will be playing at local venues such as Belfast’s Chowder House this winter and Rockland’s Lobster Festival this summer. Bob Coombs, a nationally known steel, lead, & dobra player is a member of the band, along with Auto Junior on bass. Roseanna will sing and Dodge will sing and play rhythm guitar.
Dodge will be heard over the radio waves as he will be hosting a Sunday night show, Country Nights, from 6 to 10 p.m. on Rockland’s newest radio station, WRFR 93.3, set to be up and operating on Feb. 14. The non-commercial community station is licensed to Rockland’s Penobscot School. Dodge’s show will feature Maine country artists, with an emphasis on live radio performances. He is looking to give any new, aspiring artists air-time if they have a CD quality sound and send him a demo.
Dodge especially wants to thank his family and friends for all their support over the years, and in particular he is thankful for his wife, Sandy, who is his inspiration. So much success has been a little overwhelming, but he is having a great time working with such talented and accomplished musicians.