Program a partnership between Pendleton Public Library and James Dean Kindle
The flow of the Umatilla River and the pace of the River Parkway now have a soundtrack of their own.
Local musician James Dean Kindle has composed and recorded a series of custom musical pieces for the Umatilla River Parkway, and he and the Pendleton Public Library are excited to launch The River Walk Soundtrack next month.
Presented along the signage of the Library’s Story Walk, the River Walk Soundtrack is a series of nine original compositions meant to accompany a walk along the Umatilla River Parkway, a paved path that follows the river levy and runs through the heart of Pendleton. Free for the public to enjoy, the River Walk Soundtrack encompasses a variety of styles of music - mostly instrumental - that range from western, folk, tribal, minimalist and krautrock, all with ambient overtones.
To enjoy the music, listeners/walkers can scan a QR code printed on each of the signs. That QR code links to an audio recording of the composition corresponding to that stretch of the river so those traveling can listen to the music as they enjoy the walk way. Each sign also includes a brief description of the piece of music and credits the musicians involved in the recordings.
The River Walk Soundtrack recording and mixing process was engineered by Addison Schulberg, a Pendleton-based audio engineer and rock musician who currently serves as the director for the Pendleton Center for the Arts’ annual Rock and Roll Camp. Featured musicians on the River Walk Soundtrack include members of Kindle’s backing band “The Country Combo” - pedal steel guitarist Roger Conley, upright bassist Aaron Engum, and percussionist Tim Mustoe - Oregon East Symphony bassist Alan Feves and vibrophonist May Benson, and Umatilla/Cree singer and drummer Charles Wood III. Pendleton High School student Tiffany Wiseman was commissioned to design the logo for the project.
The River Walk Soundtrack will debut at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 4, 2025 with a public unveiling hosted by Kindle. Interested attendees will congregate at the first Story Walk sign board Trailhead Park, 2101 Westgate Place, Pendleton.
The River Walk Soundtrack is made possible in part by a grant from the Umatilla County Cultural Coalition. The Umatilla County Cultural Coalition (UCCC) is an affiliate of the Oregon Cultural Trust (OCT) serving Umatilla County. Its purpose is to enhance arts, culture, and heritage activities throughout the county. It fulfills this purpose primarily by awarding grants for projects in these areas to cultural non-profits or individuals sponsored by them.
The logo for the River Walk Soundtrack was created by Pendleton High School student Tiffany Wiseman.
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About the Pendleton Public Library
The Pendleton Public Library has served the city of Pendleton since 1987, prior to this time the Pendleton branch of the Umatilla County Library was housed in the Carnegie Library building, on North Main Street (Now Pendleton Center for the Arts). We are pleased to offer a variety of services both in person and online. The library is a place to gather as a community, study independently, develop personal interests and engage with books and technology.
About James Dean Kindle
James Dean Kindle is a singer, songwriter, and performer born and residing in Pendleton, OR – a town most often associated with wool blankets and one of the world’s top rodeos. His eclectic approach to music performance and composition blurs the boundaries between country, folk, jazz, latin genres, and experimental music, and occupies the liminal space between high art and popular music. As both a solo artist and with his backing rock band The Eastern Oregon Playboys and as a member of the Baker City noise-collective Swäwm Pass James has released several full length albums and singles and performed in venues and festivals across the Pacific Northwest (Treefort, Jackalope Jamboree, Electric Fences) and internationally (Japan and Germany).
In 2022 James performed as one of many Johnny Cashs in the Elgin Opera House's production of “Ring of Fire” and performed minimalist composer Steve Reich's "Electric Counterpoint" with the Oregon East Symphony. In January 2023, his original instrumental compositions were featured in the KUOW / NWPB / NPR podcast series “Ghost Herd” by public broadcast journalist Anna King.
In April 2024, James released “Trail Mix,” his first full-length album in six years. Recorded and mixed by Mike Vasquez (formerly of Sweatbox Studios, Austin, TX) at the historic Peter Cherry House in Astoria, OR.
In August 2025, James premiered at the We Like Em Short Film Festival in Baker City, OR two short films incorporating music from "Trail Mix": "Mountain Home," created by Baltimore by way of Hermiston animator Bobby Bellinger and "Death and The Cowboy," a black-and-white gothic-western directed by Pendleton filmmaker Tim Mustoe.
When James is not performing, writing, recording or teaching private music lessons he serves as Executive Director of the Oregon East Symphony.
About the City of Pendleton
The City of Pendleton is a vibrant and active community with a rich heritage and a lively history. Located at the base of the Blue Mountains in Eastern Oregon, Pendleton is well known for its world-class Pendleton Round-Up rodeo, a thriving arts culture and many historic attractions. To learn more, visit www.pendleton.or.us .