Bemidji's Doyle Turner to perform album release concert Sept. 17

Sep. 10—BEMIDJI — Doyle Turner can thank his older sister for helping him learn to play guitar.

He can thank his father for lighting a musical fire in the family.

And he can thank an online songwriting group for inspiring his music career, as he recently released his third solo album, "Sweet, Difficult Songs."

Turner, a Bemidji teacher for the past 28 years, is looking forward to giving thanks for all of that when he takes the Chief Theater stage for an album release concert at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17.

He'll be joined on stage by family members, and local and regional musician friends to showcase the eight original songs from the album and more from his prolific writing trove.

"If you ask me what the best song I ever wrote was, it would be the last one I just finished," Turner said. "At least for me, I always fall in love with the one I just finished. It's my brand new baby."

It all started when Turner's father, the late Doyle Turner Sr., would sing his three children to sleep in their Naytahwaush, Minn., home.

"The very first music I remember was my dad playing guitar for us," Turner said. "Or he would play music after dinner."

When Turner was in second grade, he and his older sister, Mandy, attended a summer music program. At the end of the summer, the kids had a chance to take a test, identifying guitar chords. If they passed, they got to take a guitar home with them.

"My sister and I took that test," Turner said "I failed and she passed, and we got a nice classical guitar. That's when my guitar playing really took off. I might never have learned to play guitar if it hadn't been for her."

Turns out that free guitar was a godsend for young Turner. He learned to play it well, and eventually combined it with his gift of writing to create songs that uplift, inspire and entertain audiences.

"My music comes from emotion or feeling," Turner said. "So if I can get that out in notes first, that's great. If I can get that out in words first, that's fine as well. But it always comes from what's happening inside for me."

An example is the first song on the new album, titled "Best if I Forget." It's about a relationship that doesn't work out, and what the person would do with the letter that lets him know that it's come to an end.

While Turner said it is not about anything that happened to him personally, it's something most people can relate to.

"We've all experienced loss and rejection," he said.

Turner left Mahnomen High School after his junior year to study at what is now Minnesota State University in Moorhead through a post-secondary option program. He graduated from Moorhead with an English degree and minors in writing and music.

He returned to Mahnomen for three years, working in curriculum development. Then in 1994, he and his wife, Molly, whom he met at an Episcopalian youth rally, moved to Bemidji to begin their teaching careers.

Turner taught Language Arts at Bemidji Middle School for 11 years, and for the last 17 years, he has taught at the Northwest Minnesota Juvenile Center, which is staffed by Bemidji School District personnel. Molly teaches elementary education in Cass Lake.

Turner's passion for the written word also was inspired by his father. As a teenager, he found a short story that his dad had written about duck hunting.

"I read that story and wanted to write like that," Turner said.

He started writing poems, and many were deemed good enough to be published. Some were published in Red Weather, the MSUM literary magazine. He became an editor for that magazine during his last two years at Moorhead.

One of the poems, "Crossing Over" was selected for publication in the 25th-anniversary anthology of Red Weather.

While studying for his master's degree at Bemidji State University, he was awarded the William Elliot Writing Scholarship to recognize excellence in creative writing. This year the Region 2 Arts Council named Turner as their American Indian Artist Fellow.

All the while, Turner continued to write and perform music in the area.

"Songwriting feels like the perfect melding of two of my greatest passions: writing and music," he said.

Turner's new album was recorded at Bemidji's Supple Studios. Although locally produced, internationally-recognized artists Mary Cutrufello, Steve Peffer (keyboardist for the band Alabama), and Sarah Morris contributed to the album.

Local musicians Gary Broste, Eliza Michaelson, Lance Heddan, and Kristi Tell Miller also added their magic to this recording. The album was produced by Twin Cities-based singer-songwriter Ted Hajnasiewicz, who played bass on many of the tracks.

His brother, Nashville country artist Steve Turner, will open the show on Sept. 17, followed by long-time Bemidji favorite Lance Benson. Also performing in support of the new album will be drummer Doug Quance, guitarist Chris Price and Hajnasiewicz on bass guitar.

Benson plans to feature his new single, "Forever Home," which was released in May. He produced the first of Turner's three solo albums.

"My favorite thing about Doyle's songwriting is his commitment," Benson said. "He's disciplined, and it's inspiring to be around him. It makes you want to work harder in your songwriting."

Tickets for the concert are $8 in advance and $10 at the door., and are available at

paulbunyanplayhouse.thundertix.com.