Portland, Oregon is due to receive one of Durango's most valuable exports: the music of Joy Wilson. But not before she serves up a couple of thank you shows for the locals who have supported her for so long.

Wilson is a well-loved Four Corners musician with three albums under her belt, and whose sound is often compared to Natalie Merchant and Sarah McLachlan.

Hailing from Ohio and first coming to Colorado to attend college, Joy got her musical start in 1993, performing in Durango at Wednesday open mic nights at Romero's, where she was spotted by Brian Carter, an established local musician. Carter took Wilson under his wing and they began to perform together.

What was a hobby for Wilson soon turned into paid gigs at Fort Lewis Colege. Over Christmas break in 1993, she went home and made her first album in a low-budget studio in Cleveland, One hundred copies of Vegetarians Shouldn't Work in a Deli went on sale when Joy returned to Durango.

For the next three years, Wilson and Carter performed together until she began to perform solo openings for Carter's shows at the Pelican's Nest.

During a 1995 show at Fort Lewis College, Wilson and Carter were approached by Dave Sachs, the drummer for the local band Toast, who expressed his interest in performing with the duo. Almost a year later, Wilson gave Dave an audition in which he floored her with his interpretation of the drum line for her song "So Much for Dinner." Soon after, Sachs played drums on Wilson's second album, You Had to Be There. Sachs and Wilson have been performing together ever since.

Halfway through production of You Had to Be There, Wilson and Sachs hooked up with some other local musicians to form Earthtone. That began a busy year: In May of 1997, You Had to Be There was released, in March of 1998, Earthtone released their self-titled first -and only- album. Immediately following the release of the album, members of Earthtone parted ways.

Seeing opportunity despite Earthtone's demise, Wilson asked bassist Jim Belcher to join her and Sachs to form the Joy Wilson Band. (The remaining members of Earthtone reformed into the band Secret World.)

With the addition of Debby Bridges as manager, the Joy Wilson Band played all over the region while beginning work on Wilson's latest album, Reber's Lesson, which was released in May of 1999.

"I joke that Reber's Lesson is my baby because it took exactly nine months to make from conception," laughs Wilson. For the last few years, Wilson has been working on getting recognition for the band, which has played locally, regionally, and at festivals all over. Now, she says, it's time to go to where the attention lies.

"I have four years of comfort here in Durango," says Wilson, "it's time to take the foundation that Durango has given me and launch into my musical career."

Wilson and Sachs hope Portland will be that launching pad. They plan on making the move in January of 2000.

"We're not city folk, yet we need to move to a less isolated area and have access to a larger music scene in order to get our name out there. We all took a trip up to Portland and we love it. It's a happy medium between Durango and a big city."

It's not too late, though, to say goodbye to Wilson and her band- or to see them for the first time. The Joy Wilson Band will offer their last hometown performance at 9:30pm, Jan. 7th at the Summit, in Durango. For information call 970-247-2324.