MCR Board of Directors
President
Brad Yaeger When discussing singer songwriter Brad Yaeger's rustic roots flavored country / folk music, the words "adequate" "decent" and "not bad" surface time and again. In the words of Ballard music aficionado Jimmy Valm, “I caught his set on a Monday night, around midnight, and I found it a pleasant distraction to the conversation I had been forced into with a drunk homeless guy.” He is considered by several to be Seattle’s “16th best male vocalist in the 180 pound, over 40 category.” Brad’s music contains many blatant plagiarisms from his many influences: Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Tom Waits and Judy Garland, to name a few. “I try really hard to rip those guys off, but I’m not that good, so that basically became my sound. Hey, is that thing on!?!?” says Brad. Born in 1906, in rural Ohio, Brad was exposed at an early age to country and bluegrass music. “My neighbors had regular get-togethers where they would play old time music till well into the night, usually until someone got stabbed or something. That had a huge influence on me.” His music is simple, no-nonsense, but catchy. Usually consisting of only three of the five chords in his repertoire, and lyrically he stays close to the holy trinity of country music: love, lust and setting things on fire. Aside from his musical endeavors Brad is a man of a generous philanthropic nature. In the late 90s he founded a surrogate breast feeding program called “Tits for Tots” and volunteers his time for childrens’ non-lethal bow hunting camps. “We use suction cups. It humiliates and angers the animals without actually hurting them.” He is also an avid amateur hostage negotiator. “I’m only averaging about a 50% success rate, but like many things in life, it’s a work in progress.” Brad Yaeger
Vice President
Mike Fleckenstein is Senior Director of Operations for General Growth Properties, has 35 years of design and business management experience. He has been involved in the national folk and country music scene for over thirty years having performed with Tommy Cash, Jack Green, Gordon Lightfoot, and many other notiable folk and country artists. Mike is currently living in Salt Lake City, Utah. Mike Fleckenstein
Secretary-Treasurer
Norm Johnson is a long-time supporter of local music and community events. He worked as a chemist for the Navy for 32 years with 20 years as the supervisor of the scientific services branch at the Bangor Submarine Base. Norm spent 2-1/2 years as president of the Island Music Guild on Bainbridge Island. He also plays alto recorder as a hobby with his favorite pieces being Early Music. Norm is currently the Event Coordinator for the Pegasus Coffee House and produces 4 shows every week on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. Norman Johnson johnson5485@msn.com
Director
Galena Reiter-Thomson is a board-certified Music Therapist and a graduate of Michigan State University. She has worked in community mental health, adult and geriatric mental health and with adolescent offenders. Galena currently works at the University Neuropsychiatric Institute (UNI) at the University of Utah . She performs acoustic music with her partner, as the popular duo, "Blue-ize". Galena is currently living in Salt Lake City, Utah. Galena Reiter-Thomson
- vacant -