Guitarist's 'Trouble Water' explores difficult past, bright future

Echo Elysium, a nuanced and dynamic electric and acoustic guitarist, has been "transporting audiences to alternate dimensions” for more than 11 years in the Pacific Northwest.

He produced his second album, "Trouble Water," in 2012 but never released or promoted it — until now.

He describes the record as an unapologetic journey through his life via the diverse sounds of soul, blues, hip-hop and rock.

Elysium had not been ready to face the demons the project had tranquilized. The music explores the difficult saga of a childhood shaped by a sadistic, self-professed “man of God” and speaks to the challenges of substance abuse that ensued after leaving his Louisiana home at 17 after his father savagely beat him.

"Music has the power to break down the walls that separate us as human beings," Elysium said. "In the spirit of love, my main goal as a performer is to inspire and bring people together. I feel very strongly about making the world a better place by sharing the healing power of music with others."

Elysium, of Coeur d'Alene, said he had been through a spiritual enlightenment during the past decade and is now revitalized, renewed and refocused on his life plan — he uses the word “dharma” — to heal the world one musical note at a time.

After maintaining sobriety for more than a year, Elysium said he has found the strength to speak his truth and, he hopes, lift humanity.

Elysium is passionate about protecting victims of child abuse and empowering people who are struggling with drug and alcohol addiction to seek the support they need to work through the underlying issues that brought them down this path of dysfunction. Elysium is a survivor and the time to take back his personal power and lead his peers to a joyful reality is now.

Catch Echo Elysium at one of his many local shows listed on www.echoelysium.com and Aug. 31 from noon to 1:45 p.m. on the Bridge Stage at Pig Out In The Park in Riverfront Park in Spokane. He plans to formally release "Trouble Water" at one of Spokane’s larger venues on his 56th birthday, Feb. 29, 2020. Being born on Leap Day in a leap year, he is excited to actually “have” a birth “day” this year!