Lou Vargo American Disaster American Disaster is a masterpiece of great determined and gritty songs that make a raw, personal statement, and an excellent performance by former Northern Michigan University student, Lou Vargo.

While Lou attended NMU majoring in business, he worked on several projects with Hal Dorf.

Lou's passion for music has always played its call loudly in his mind and his heart. Growing up in old Detroit, raised by a union father and a tough but tender stay-at-home mom, Lou's music echoes the bold and determined grit of America's working class. Influenced by the great's, Steve Earle, Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt, Lou ran from Detroit city to the vast ranges of Texas where he formed Four Mile Mule. The band became quickly known for its off-stage antics and on-stage prowess, opening for top-billing acts such as Billy Joe Shaver, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Todd Snider and Pat Green during their heyday's. After five years and more than 200 gigs, Lou moved on to the next chapter in his life....

In 2003, Lou found his new home in Nashville where he honed his craft to bring out the raw, thought-provoking singing and song writing he masters today. The producer of Vargo's upcoming release "American Disaster" Jack Hale puts it this way, "It is Lou Vargo...the look, the person, the song, the voice, the guitar, it is his persona. He wakes up and goes to sleep being this person...it is something you have or don't have...very hard to fake it in this day and age especially in this style of music. Think of Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Neil Young, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson...when you hear them, see them, read about them - everything lines up ...I call it the believability factor." Hale ought to know the real deal, he had a 20 year career as Johnny Cash's musical director, engineer and producer.

Finally combining Texas twang with the brutal honesty of his Midwestern roots, Lou Vargo creates a fusion of sound his listeners find ruggedly ear-pleasing. Melodies reminiscent of Hank Williams country, Paul Simon folk, and 90s bred alt-rock are seamlessly intertwined with Lou's raw, soulful vocals. It's the kind of music that you want to hear when you walk into a roadside bar, a place where illusion, fake friends, and Music Row hierarchy don't matter.

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To order American Disaster, please click on the button below. You will be able to chose the quantity of CD's in the shopping cart. To pay by check, please refer to Send Payment. Half of the CD sales go to the Tribute to Hal Dorf.

performance by lou vargo

Lou Vargo will donate his time and talents to the Tribute to Hal Dorf. He promises his rendition of "My Way," a song that Hal has taken to heart to reflect the way he has masterfully orchestrated his life and the tremendous number of opportunities he has facilitated and created for thousands of students across the globe.

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dinner tickets include social

Please order dinner tickets for the Tribute to Hal Dorf by September 15, 2009. If you miss the date, please contact Jodi or Ed.

free admission to evening events

Admission to the after-dinner events (the Ceremony, Roast and Social) are at no charge, but please register.

students - request a sponsorship

If you are a current NMU student, please consider requesting a sponsorship for dinner. You will have the option of being paired-up with one of the attending international or national business persons attending the event. There are a limited number of dinner sponsorships available, so please apply soon.

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If you aren't sure who to contact, please call Jodi at 920.722.2727.

The sun shines not upon us, but from within us.