Woodbury musician Joel Kachel has big dreams

Aspiring musicians have to start somewhere, and for singer/songwriter/acoustic guitarist Joel Kachel, that was in the dining room-turned-music room of his parents' Woodbury home.

He strummed his first notes as a high school student on an old Nashville Guitar that he got from his father, Jim. He penned a few tunes, then played primarily for family and friends in private jam sessions and around bonfires. He held his first CD release party in his parent's garage

From those humble beginnings, Kachel has taken his act to open stages at local pubs, community festivals and charitable functions. Now he's setting his sights on higher aspirations.

"I want to get on the Cities 97 sampler," said Kachel, 23, who will perform Monday at the Fine Line Music Cafe in Minneapolis.

He very well could. With his upbeat personality and repertoire of pop tunes drawn largely from real-life experiences, the blossoming musician is starting to gain attention in the local music community. He took second in the 2009 Trocadores song-writing competition.

"Kachel's skills on the acoustic guitar and vocals, plus his enthusiasm, make him an engaging entertainer," Twin Cities Metro magazine said.

Kachel is about to embark on a three-week tour to Alaska, where he will perform as part of the Third Wheel Project, a group that provides guidance for new artists. He also is planning a trip to Nashville in March to make more inroads into the music scene, and he is contemplating heading into the studio this spring to record his second project.

Kachel acknowledges that he would not have gotten to where he is now without the help of his dad, who accompanied him to open mics before he was old enough to enter a bar. And he thanks the countless friends he has made in the music world who have encouraged him and given him pointers, including those he meets on Skype to chat about music and compose compositions.

Kachel, who runs a landscaping business during the summers, spends two to three hours a day during the winter honing his skills and writing songs that are influenced by some of his favorite musicians, including Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz and Dave Matthews. He owns six guitars, including one signed by singer Fran Cosmo of the rock group Boston, but the old Nashville is still his favorite.

"It's got a few cracks now, but it goes wherever I go," Kachel said. "I learned on that. It all started here."