In the summer of 2001 while on a month long motorcycle trip to Alaska and Canada's Northwest Territories, Colin Lake quietly began to craft a style and sound that would not come to fruition for many years.

At the time, Colin was a novice guitar player and songwriter who had yet to even really sing, and the ‘band’ that he was forming in his head was little more than a fantasy.

Over the next several years, however, Colin put more and more weight into his craft, becoming a proficient songwriter as well as a remarkably soulful vocalist and lap-slide guitar player.

In early 2007, Colin released his debut album, Wax Wane, a blues-infused romp through love, death, and politico that included a slough of well-crafted original tunes alongside covers of Bukka White and Chris Whitley, one of Colin’s strongest modern influences.

Later that year, Lake won the 2007 Telluride Acoustic Blues Competition and would prove himself as a stellar solo blues performer to his largest audience yet. Meanwhile, back in Portland, OR, the sound that Lake had been dreaming of years earlier had taken shape and was now hitting its stride in the form of “Welbottom”, the band that Colin formed in 2006. In Spring of ’08, Colin and the band released Bullet, a high energy album that showcases Lake’s mature approach to songwriting, as well as the band’s tremendous chemistry and knowledge of blues, funk and rock.

Wellbottom’s current lineup features Lake on lap steel and vocals, Bryan Appel on electric guitar, Kevin Marcotte on bass, Paul Ansotegui on drums, and DJ Redi Jedi on turntables and trombone.

In early 2009, Lake embarked on a solo tour that ended in New Orleans, LA. Having visited the city briefly a year earlier, Colin arrived in the dead of night with no place to live and only a few prospects. It wasn't long, however, before his music could be heard at a variety of clubs around town and on WWOZ fm, the world's greatest radio station.

Now living part-time in New Orleans, Lake and his music have gained exposure and acceptance in the city with remarkable swiftness and he is poised to cultivate and expand his knowledge of local music and traditions.

Colin's latest effort, titled In On Time, has just been released to the world for download. A six song EP comprised entirely of original songs, In On Time is Lake's first solo-only recording. Working again with engineer/producer (and Wellbottom bandmate) Bryan Appel, Colin has delivered another honest, natural performance marked by pleading vocals and familiar yet innovative guitar playing.

Over the past two years Lake has shared the stage with JJ Grey and Mofro, The Subdudes, Eric Lindell, The Iguanas, Average White Band and Kelly Joe Phelps. His reputation for originality and downhome presentation is growing in the Pacific Northwest, Louisiana, the Rocky Mountains, Texas and beyond and has landed him on stages he could only dream of as he rode north almost nine years ago.