Dog Talk

Dog Talk – Formed on the fly by founder Michael Beck, Dog Talk played its first job for the inaugural Rock the Ripple Festival in 1992. Other than Beck, the only long-time member to play in the original line-up was Cliff White, main vocalist and auxiliary percussionist (namely the washboard). A few years and a few personnel changes later, the band became very popular in the Indy area playing at a variety of venues including the Jazz Kitchen, Mickey’s Pub, the Rathskeller, and outdoor stages at the Canal, Military Park, and the Brickyard. In addition, the band has opened for Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Hornsby, Phish, and Buckwheat Zydeco. Often described as a world-beat band, the five-piece Dog Talk offers a blend of jazz, rock, pop, soul, reggae, Caribbean, African, zydeco, ska, and calypso. Key additions to the group include jazz guitarist Bill Lancton, bassist Jim Litchfield, and keyboardist/saxophonist Kenny Kipp. Although not an original or current member, Cliff Fortney (Beck’s Fort Wayne pal and band mate with Happy the Man) sang and played wind instruments with DT for several years. Not long after recording its fourth CD in 2003, the band was going strong until front man Cliff White fell victim to a stroke in the summer of 2004. Although the band still exists and Cliff occasionally sits in, audience members miss Cliff’s constant energy, expert vocals, and uncanny copies of Louis Armstrong and Cab Calloway.