Ep 190: Jim Lien - from One Night to 39 Years

What started as a one-night gig in 1986 turned into a nearly 40-year tradition of good music, good people, and very good times. Back then, the school district needed a band for a levy victory party — and teacher/musician Jim Lien basically said, “Yeah, I know some folks.” He rounded up a crew of fellow educators who could sing or play (or, in some cases, were just brave), and they hit the stage as Heavy Levy and the Rhythm Dawgs — playing classic hits from the ‘50s and ‘60s. The levy passed. The crowd went wild. People danced like nobody was grading them. And somewhere in the middle of all that fun, something stuck. The band dropped the “Heavy Levy” part and officially became The Rhythm Dawgs. Fast-forward 39 years: the Dawgs are still out there. Sure, life changed — band members rotated, music styles shifted, and the world sped up — but one thing stayed steady: Jim Lien, bass in hand, heart in the community, keeping the groove alive. He’s the backbone, the memory-keeper, the storyteller, and the guy who reminds everyone why this all started in the first place: because music has a way of bringing people together — especially when there’s something to celebrate. You can find him on Facebook @TheRhythmDawgsCDA