From time to time during his decade-plus career, Trapper Schoepp has found himself struck by inspiration, filled with songs that need to be written. But never as intensely as last year.

“The songs came like falling rain,” says Schoepp, who has garnered fans locally and abroad, opened for the likes of The Wallflowers, and gained a co-writing credit with Bob Dylan on his song “On, Wisconsin.” “It comes more naturally when you have something that you’ve needed to say for so long. You’re liberating yourself.”

That deluge of songs led to his album, Osborne , which was released last month. When he recorded it, the 35-year-old singer-songwriter was months removed from receiving treatment at the Hazelden Betty Ford Hospital in Minnesota for his substance use. Those issues had plagued him

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