Minkin's Music: Rocky River’s Thor Platter

By Jay Minkin

Sometimes you just need to start over. For Thor Platter, his new record release, Take Time, embraces the trials and tribulations of a songwriter who decided that going acoustic instead of electric would be the correct path.

Transplanted to Rocky River by way of Buffalo nine years ago, Platter has become an ambassador of the Northeast Ohio music scene. He began doing gigs at the renowned local brewery Fatheads, which parlayed into more connections and other lager-infused events. Hard work and perseverance paid off with a very successful Kickstarter campaign for the recording and distribution of Take Time on CD and locally crafted vinyl from Gotta Groove Records.

Previously headlining an electric band with pedal steel, he has surrounded himself with two acclaimed teachers of the Americana roots craft, with Paul Lewis on bass and Paul Kovac on banjo, playing as a trio this past year. This led to a friendship with songwriter/musician/producer David Mayfield, who took time to review Platter’s songbook. There was just something right about the vibe coming from David’s Tiger Spa studio, so the old band tapes were scrapped for new trio recordings.

Take Time captures your attention with the opening number, “Destined,” a song Platter wrote about a young man’s dreams when he first moved to Cleveland. The beautiful “There For You” was written while he was living in Sheffield Lake, after seeing a community hit by hard times and unemployment.

Platter reminisces about the royal blue pouch of pipe tobacco lying on the dashboard of the family vehicle as an ode to his Father on “Captain Black.” Written almost 15 years ago when his childhood girlfriend left for the big city of New York, “Come Home” has a happy ending.

Take time to catch Thor Platter perform at a number of local establishments in the Cleveland and Akron areas.

Contact Jay at Blues4Bird@aol.com or post on his Minkin’s Music Facebook page.