STONY PLAIN RECORDS ARTISTS GARNER SIX BLUES MUSIC AWARD NOMINATIONS; WINNERS TO BE ANNOUNCED MAY 7, 2009

STONY PLAIN RECORDS ARTISTS GARNER SIX BLUES MUSIC AWARD NOMINATIONS; WINNERS TO BE ANNOUNCED MAY 7, 2009

RORY BLOCK AND RONNIE EARL RECEIVE TWO NOMINATIONS EACH;
MARIA MULDAUR & JEFF HEALEY ALSO NOMINATED

EDMONTON, AB – Stony Plain Records artists received six nominations as the 30th Annual Blues Music Award nominees were announced by The Blues Foundation. Winners in all categories will be presented at the Blues Music Awards Show on May 7, 2009, at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tennessee. Both Rory Block and Ronnie Earl received two nominations each. Five-time Blues Music Award- winner Block was nominated for “Acoustic Album of the Year” for her new Blues Walkin’ Like a Man CD, a tribute to the legendary Delta bluesman, Son House; and as “Acoustic Artist of the Year.” Ronnie Earl was nominated for “Best Guitarist,” an award he’s won twice before; and his new Hope Radio Sessions DVD was nominated for “DVD of the Year.” Other Stony Plain artists nominated are singer Maria Muldaur for “Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year;” and the late Jeff Healey, whose posthumous release, Mess of Blues, was nominated as “Rock Blues Album of the Year,” a new category added this year to the awards program. Mess of Blues was a co-operative album released by Stony Plain in Canada and by German label Ruf Records internationally.

Rory Block, who’s been proclaimed: “one of the world's most important preservers of the roots of American music … a national treasure in the form of an uncompromising mature blues artist,” has received universal acclaim for her Stony Plain label debut release, Blues Walkin’ Like a Man. Buzz McClain, writing in No Depression, called it “… a collection of interpretations that highlight the brilliance of both the teacher and the student ... channeling Bessie Smith at midnight, Block doesn't so much as sing as impart eerie invocation...” Blues Revue writer Michael Verity wrote: “… With this tribute, Block has unlocked the very essence of the blues.” Blues Walkin’ Like a Man is currently #4 on the Living Blues chart.

Celebrated guitarist Ronnie Earl has been hailed by musicians and critics alike as one of the premier blues guitarists of his generation .His intense spirituality and approach to music as a healing force is beautifully displayed on the Hope Radio Sessions DVD, a companion piece to his CD released last year on Stony Plain. Premier Guitar magazine said in its review: “... a blues guitarist and his band at the top of their game. In this DVD, Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters adeptly weave between jazz and blues with their cohesive, soulful jams. This all-instrumental performance stretched across two nights captures what has drawn blues enthusiasts to Earl for over 25 years ... Deep, mesmerizing and spiritual are adjectives that could describe both Earl's playing and the man behind the Fender. While each song is its own adventure, as a whole they create a rollercoaster journey of emotions that few instrumental guitarists can achieve.”

Blues and jazz chanteuse Maria Muldaur has been a seminal figure in the folk/blues/roots world ever since she emerged in the 1960s from New York City’s Greenwich Village with the Even Dozen and Jim Kweskin jug bands. Her most-recent album for Stony Plain Records, Naughty, Bawdy & Blue, completed the trilogy of albums the acclaimed singer has released as a tribute to classic women blues singers from the 1920s through the 1940s. Both of Maria’s previous albums in the series for Stony Plain were nominated for Grammy Awards: Richland Woman Blues (2001) and Sweet Lovin’ Ol’ Soul (2005).

“Muldaur turns in absolutely wonderful renditions of sassy, double-entendre-rich songs like Victoria Spivey’s ‘One Hour Mama’ and Albert Hunter’s “Early Every Morn,’ said the Montreal Gazette in its review of Naughty, Bawdy & Blue.

Mess of Blues was singer/guitarist Jeff Healey’s last recorded album, released just shortly after he passed away from cancer at age 41. One of the most distinctive guitar players of our time, Healey viewed the album as his gift to fans of his incendiary blues guitar playing and soulful vocals, which made him an international star. Mess of Blues was his first blues/rock album in eight years, and featured Healey backed by the band from his Roadhouse club in Toronto. The CD saluted roots, blues and rock styles with covers of old R&B and rock ‘n’ roll fan favorites, as well as salutes to modern influences such as The Band and Neil Young.

Billboard magazine said of the CD: “… it’s an outstanding farewell … It’s a genuine pleasure to hear Healey’s fluid, incisive lead guitar again, and his bandmates are rock solid.”

Voting for the 30th Annual Blues Music Awards is now open at The Blues Foundation for current members at http://www.blues.org/bluesmusicawards/vote.php4 and will continue until March 2. For more information about The Blues Foundation and a complete list of nominations, visit www.blues.org.

To find out more about these Stony Plain Records artists and the rest of the label’s roster, go to www.stonyplainrecords.com.

JIM SUHLER & MONKEY BEAT SAY “AMEN” ON NEW TIJUANA BIBLE CD

JIM SUHLER & MONKEY BEAT SAY “AMEN” ON NEW TIJUANA BIBLE CD
OUT FEBRUARY 17 ON UNDERWORLD RECORDS

Lead Guitarist for George Thorogood and The Destroyers and His Band Blast Off with More Psalms to Blues/Roots-Rock and All Things Texas on New CD


DALLAS, TX – Blasting out Texas blues/rock for over 17 years, Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat announce the February 17, 2009, release of the band’s new CD, Tijuana Bible, which will be released in the U.S. on Underworld Records, distributed nationally by Burnside Distribution. Produced by Jim Suhler and Tom Hambridge, Tijuana Bible is powered by 13 original songs, plus unique takes on Elvin Bishop’s “Drunken Hearted Boy” (with Bishop as special guest on slide guitar), Rory Gallagher’s “I Could’ve Had Religion” and AC/DC’s “Up to My Neck in You.” Additional special guests include Joe Bonamassa on lead guitar (“Deep Water Lullaby”) and Jimmy Hall (Wet Willie) on backing vocals (“Po’ Lightnin’).

Tijuana Bible was recorded at Ocean Way Studios and 1808 Studios in Nashville, as well as Audio Dallas in Garland, Texas. The album takes its title from the notorious “Tijuana Bible,” an old-time pornographic comic book, typically “starring” famous politicians, film stars and sports heroes of the day. “No one is really sure where they originated, but Tijuana, with its creative approach to all things entertaining, is certainly a good place to guess,” says Jim Suhler.

Along with Suhler on guitar and lead vocals, the band includes bassist Carlton Powell, keyboardist Shawn Phares and drummer Jimmy Morgan. Together, they’ve been terrorizing clubs and festivals alike with their flamethrower brand of blues/rock, with a major side order of the Texas border mythology added to make it extra spicy.

That same take-no-prisoners attitude has prevailed in Jim Suhler’s playing as a guitarist with George Thorogood and the Destroyers, with whom he’s recorded, toured and written songs for over nine years. Suhler has often been included in many of the “Top 10 Guitarists” lists featured in several music publications.

Several of the songs on Tijuana Bible are also featured on the 2008-release DVD, Real Time: Live in Texas, recorded at the Granada Theatre in Dallas, which also includes bonus tracks filmed at the Kwadendamme Blues Festival in The Netherlands and in the Dallas historic district of Deep Ellum.

Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat will tour extensively in support of the new album, with booking done by Jay Reil & Associates (847-272-0202 / jay@jayreil.com). For more information, visit www.jimsuhler.com.
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HIGHLY KIND SAYS DON’T WAKE ALBERT ON LABEL DEBUT CD FOR

HIGHLY KIND SAYS DON’T WAKE ALBERT ON LABEL DEBUT CD FOR
ROCKIN’ CAMEL MUSIC, DUE JANUARY 20, 2009

ALBUM PRODUCED BY THE LEGENDARY JOHNNY SANDLIN



GADSDEN, AL – Rockin’ Camel Music announces the signing of southern rock band Highly Kind and the January 20, 2009 release of the group’s label debut CD, Don’t Wake Albert, which was produced by the legendary Johnny Sandlin (Allman Brothers Band, Gregg Allman, Widespread Panic, Bonnie Bramlett) and recorded at his Duck Tape Studios in Decatur, Alabama.

Highly Kind consists of Albert Simpson on lead vocals/guitar, Trey Evans on keyboards, Kevin Scott on bass and Duane Trucks (younger brother of Derek Trucks) on drums. For the Don’t Wake Albert recording sessions, Johnny Sandlin also brought in his new “discovery,” 17-year-old Josh Gooch, whose phenomenal guitar and slide work can be heard on six of the album’s 12 tracks. Other special guests on the new album include Randall Bramblett on keyboards and background vocals and James Pennebaker on steel guitar and mandolin. Besides the band’s originals, additional songs were written by Randall Bramblett, Walt Aldridge, Steve Conn and Jim Bickerstaff. The CD’s title is a play on the opening track, written by Randall Bramblett and Davis Causey: the rollicking “Don’t Wake Elvis.”

Based in Gadsden, Alabama, Highly Kind had its origins in 1998 when lead singer and guitarist Albert Simpson, who’d been playing the college and regional circuit in the southeast, hooked up with keyboardist Trey Evans from Montgomery and later bass player/ex-semi pro wrestler Kevin Scott from Dothan, Alabama. The final piece of the puzzle came together recently when drummer Duane Trucks, younger sibling of acclaimed guitarist Derek Trucks, signed on for the ride.

Highly Kind’s music is rooted in the traditional southern rock style, seasoned with plenty of jam band improvisational playing, and separated from the rest of the pack by Albert Simpson’s strong original songs. The band keeps up a rigorous touring schedule throughout the south, playing clubs, college dates and festivals.

Don’t Wake Albert will be available starting January 20, 2009 as both a digital download and by mail order on CD at the label’s web site, www.rockincamel.com. It will also be available for purchase at CD Baby, iTunes and other such sites. For more information, visit www.rockincamel.com or www.myspace.com/highlykind.

SINGER/SONGWRITER WILL CALLERY SET TO RELEASE NEW CD, RIDER COMIN’ IN, ON SEPTEMBER 16

LEITCHFIELD, KY – Feats Records announces a September 16 release date for singer/songwriter Will Callery’s new CD, Rider Comin’ In, with national distribution by Burnside Distribution.

Born in Terra Haute, Indiana, and raised in Owensboro, Kentucky, Will Callery is a veteran performer and songwriter who in his early career toured with everyone from Ramblin’ Jack Elliott and Arlo Guthrie to David Lindley and Taj Mahal. His music has been recorded and performed by such artists as Willie Nelson, Jerry Jeff Walker and Norah Jones.

Callery’s biggest break as a songwriter came in 1975 when Willie Nelson recorded one of Will’s songs, “Hands on the Wheel” on his ground-breaking, multi-platinum-selling album, The Red-Headed Stranger, which also went on to earn a Grammy® nomination. “Hands on the Wheel” was also chosen as the title song for the film, The Electric Horseman, which starred Robert Redford and Jane Fonda.

Will Callery was later signed to Lone Star Records, Nelson’s Texas imprint for the Columbia label and made frequent appearances at Willie’s annual Fourth of July picnics. He can also be seen in the film, Heartworn Highways, with Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Steve Earle and Rodney Crowell. In addition to his film work, Will has written songs for such television shows as “St. Elsewhere” and “Northern Exposure.”

Will Callery’s many days on the road took their toll, however, and substance abuse problems led him to withdraw from performing and writing in an effort to heal his heart and soul. After working as a lumberjack in the northwest for several years, he began to regain his desire to record and perform again, settling back home in Kentucky.

Rider Comin’ In reunites Will Callery with many of the musicians he’s worked with in the studio and on tour, including guitarist Joe Forlini, who has worked with Willie Nelson, Jerry Jeff Walker and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Other players featured on the new CD include T. Gosney Thornton on harmony vocals and harp, Greg Lowry on a multiple of stringed instruments, Ted Sweeney on bass and Eddy Cantu on drums. Long-time friend Jerry Jeff Walker makes a special guest appearance performing a duet with Callery on a reprise of “Hands on the Wheel,” the song that started it all for Will.

Will Callery will tour in support Rider Comin’ In, with booking by Richard Sutton of The Sutton Agency (936-875-5696 – office; 936-414-4380 - cell / rwsutton35@aol.com). Radio promotion is being handled by Bill Wence Promotions (615-776-2060 / billwencepro@earthlink.net). Will Callery is managed by Brian Gavron (615-587-3323 / bgavron@comcast.net).

For more information, visit www.willcallery.com.

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THE REDDHEAD IS BACK! REDD VOLKAERT RELEASES NEW CD SEPTEMBER 16 ON TELEHOG RECORDS

AUSTIN, TX – Guitarist extraordinaire Redd Volkaert announces a September 16 release date for Reddhead, the latest CD from the Telecaster master on his own Telehog Records label, distributed nationally by Burnside Distribution.

A local Austin legend and revered by guitarists all over the world, Redd Volkaert is one of the hardest working axe men on the planet. Not only has he released several solo albums over the years, but Volkaert has also been a current member of two other Austin-based based groups, Heybale! and The Lucky Tomblin Band, as well as a valued hired-gun for sessions and touring work with such artists as Brad Paisley, whose work with the country star garnered Redd a GRAMMY© nomination for Best Country Instrumental Performance in 2004. Redd’s guitar will soon be heard again on an upcoming Brad Paisley album.

“When Leo Fender dreamed up the Telecaster electric guitar back in ’49 or so, it’s doubtful he knew what uses it would be put to, especially in the hands of someone like Redd Volkaert. The local Telecaster master is all over the guitar like grease on a pork chop, quoting jazz, country, blues and western swing as effortlessly as turning on the lights in the living room,” said Jerry Renshaw in the Austin Chronicle.

In a recent review of the new Heybale! CD, The Last Country Album, No Depression magazine said: “Redd Volkaert is one of the Telecaster visionaries of his generation.”

The Canadian native honed his chops up in the north country for many years before relocating to the US and playing with a number of artists, including the legendary Merle Haggard. During the ‘90s, Volkaert was “Hag’s” lead guitarist, a supreme place of honor formerly occupied by the great Roy Nichols. Since moving to Austin in 2000, Volkaert has also won two Best Guitarist awards from the Austin Chronicle in its annual poll.

On Reddhead, Volkaert is joined by Chris Gilson on drums, Nate Rowe on bass, Rich Harney on keyboards and Buzz Evans on steel guitar. Heybale! band mate Gary Claxton is a special guest on harmony vocals. The new album was recorded at Top Hat Recording Studios in Austin and was produced by Alan Durham and Redd Volkaert, with John Harvey handling the engineering and mixing.

Reddhead is a showcase for Volkaert’s guitar virtuosity in country, blues, jazz and western swing, as he glides effortlessly between genres without missing a lick. The 14 songs on the album include a number of originals, plus Redd’s unique take on The Box Tops classic, “The Letter,” as well as such other chestnuts as “End of the Line,” “Only Daddy That’ll Walk the Line,” and the sizzling Buddy Emmons instrumental, “Raisin’ the Dickens.”

For more information, visit www.reddvolkaert.com.

SINGER/SONGWRITER NICK PAGLIARI SAYS PLEASE AND THANK YOU ON NEW CD, DUE SEPTEMBER 16

COLUMBIA, SC – Singer/songwriter Nick Pagliari announces a September 16 release date for his new CD, Please and Thank You, issued on his own Palagreeno Records, distributed nationally by Burnside Distribution.

Born and raised in Memphis and now based in Columbia, South Carolina, Nick Pagliari also lived in Nashville for five years honing his songwriting craft, where in 2003 he was voted Best Unsigned Songwriter in the reader’s poll sponsored by the Nashville Scene weekly. Later as a member and primary songwriter for the band Fairfax, he landed one of his songs on the This is Americana: Volume One compilation CD that included Willie Nelson, Alison Krauss & Union Station and Lucinda Williams, among others. During his stay in Nashville, he signed with Highland Music Publishing (SESAC). Pagliari also had one of his songs, “Safe and Sound,” the title track from his 2007 EP, placed in the major motion picture, P.S. I Love You, which starred Hillary Swank. In addition, 2007 saw the release of Nick’s first full-length album, The Sail.

Nick Pagliari’s sound is a wonderful mix of his Memphis and Nashville influences, and is a perfect showcase for his powers as a storyteller. “This is a people album,” Nick explains. “It’s about my life, the lives of my friends and the characters I’ve developed to tell different stories about struggle and romance, desire and change.”

Please and Thank You rocks and alternately rolls with the Americana sounds recalling such groups as Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, Son Volt and the Old 97’s. The album was produced by Scott Hardin, Nick Pagliari and Jamie Dick and recorded/mixed at 747 Studios in Memphis with the exception of three tracks, which were mixed at the legendary Ardent Studios in Memphis.

Please and Thank You will be supported by a Triple A and Americana radio campaign spearheaded by Reid Promotions, along with national touring in such markets as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City, Atlanta and Nashville.
For more information, visit www.nickpagliari.com and www.myspace.com/nickpagliari

NEW GUITAR SUMMIT GIVES YOU SHIVERS ON NEW CD OUT JULY 8

NEW GUITAR SUMMIT GIVES YOU SHIVERS ON NEW CD OUT JULY 8

GUITARISTS JAY GEILS, DUKE ROBILLARD & GERRY BEAUDOIN COME TOGETHER AGAIN FOR SECOND ALBUM, FEATURING SPECIAL GUEST, RANDY BACHMAN, ON STONY PLAIN RECORDS

EDMONTON, AB – Stony Plain Records announces a July 8 release date in the U.S. for Shivers, the second album from New Guitar Summit, comprised of Jay Geils, Duke Robillard and Gerry Beaudoin. Joining this trio of stellar guitarists as special guest on Shivers is legendary Canadian rocker Randy Bachman (Guess Who, Bachman Turner Overdrive), who adds his sparking guitar work and laid-back vocals on two Mose Allison classic songs, “Your Mind Is On Vacation” and “Everybody’s Crying Mercy.”


The critically-acclaimed New Guitar Summit’s self-titled first CD and DVD, Live from Stoneham Theatre were both released by Stony Plain in 2004. The three New England-based guitarists first began performing together in 1997, with one of their highlights coming that year when they joined the Woody Herman Orchestra as special guests in front of 5,000 fans at City Hall Plaza in Boston..

On Shivers, the three guitarists come together again to play a rousing set of vintage jazz and blues music, the kind that inspired each player to become the masters of their instruments. In addition to the two Mose Allison tunes, the band covers such classics as “Flying Home,” “Honey Suckle Rose,” “Broadway” and the title track, written by Charlie Christian and Lionel Hampton. The band also adds a jumping arrangement on the early rock ‘n’ roll/R&B chestnut, “Little Bitty Pretty One,” plus three original songs.

“It’s about amazing communication, the three of us really like and respect each other,” says Gerry Beaudoin in the album’s liner notes. “Jay and I play together every month and come up with different sets of material, and when Duke, who is so busy, gets together with us, it really is like falling off a log.”

Randy Bachman became involved in the project after he and Gerry Beaudoin met. “Randy and I crossed paths when I was selling some vintage guitars and we hit it off,” remembers Beaudoin. “When we were on our tour of Canada, we were able to record with him. Holger (Petersen) from Stony Plain Records and I both thought the two Mose tunes would be a good fit,” he adds.

Shivers was produced by Jay Geils and recorded primarily at WellSpring Sound in Acton, Massachusetts with Timm Kelleher engineering

For more information, visit www.stonyplainrecords.com.

JEZEBEL RECORDS SETS MAY 6 RELEASE DATE FOR SOMEDAY, THE NEW CD FROM FRANK CARILLO AND THE BANDOLEROS

NEW YORK, NY – Jezebel Records announces a May 6 release date for Someday, the new album from singer/songwriter/guitarist Frank Carillo and the Bandoleros.

Someday features 14 original songs, all written or co-written by Carillo, and showcases Frank’s talent for writing solid blue-collar roots rock, with touches of blues and roadhouse country laced throughout. The CD is fueled by the double-barrel attack of Carillo’s soulful vocals (which at times recall both Thin Lizzy’s Phil Lynott and Bruce Springsteen), and the meaty tone of his rock-sold guitar playing. The album was produced engineered and mixed by Paul Orofino, who also produced the band’s last CD (Bad Out There), and recorded at Millbrook Studios in upstate New York. Legendary Texas keyboard player Augie Meyers (Sir Douglas Quintet, Texas Tornados, Bob Dylan), who Carillo met when the two were in John Hammond’s band, adds his distinctive keyboard work to four songs on the new CD.

Frank Carillo and the Bandoleros formed in 2004, and in addition to Frank on lead guitar and vocals the band includes Norman DelTufo on percussion/backing vocals, Eddie Seville on drums/backing vocals, Karl Allweier on upright bass/backing vocals and Frank’s brother Andrew Carillo on guitar.

The band’s debut CD, Bad Out There, was released in 2005 and resulted in rave critical reviews, extensive airplay on Triple A, Americana and Roots radio stations (including top 10 on XM Satellite Radio) and exposure throughout a number of retail outlets across the country such as Starbucks, TGI Friday’s, Hooters and Eddie Bauer. The album was also featured on several major airlines. “Red Queen,” a single off the album, was also warmly received at country radio.

A veteran triple threat as a singer, songwriter and guitar player, Frank Carillo’s distinctive guitar sound has been heard on record going back to impressive performances on Peter Frampton’s seminal albums, Wind of Change (`1972) and Frampton’s Camel (1973). Among his many other guitar credits are work on Carly Simon’s acclaimed Spy album (Carillo also co-wrote the song, “Pure Sin” with Simon on that record), plus tours of North America and Europe as a member of John Hammond’s band and on the bluesman’s album, Ready for Love.

Frank Carillo’s songwriting skills have also been employed on numerous albums in a wide assortment of music genres from rock and blues, to pop and country. He co-wrote “Play That Song Again” for Joan Jett’s multi-platinum album, Up Your Alley; as a duo with singer Annie Golden he recorded two albums in the early 1990s including the song, “Waiting for Someone,” which they performed on-screen in the film Prelude to a Kiss, as well as on the movie’s soundtrack; and he co-wrote seven songs on Golden Earring’s 2003 release, Millbrook, USA.

Carillo’s prior own projects included the band Doc Holliday, whose first album was produced by Chris Kimsey (The Rolling Stones), and two solo albums for Atlantic Records: Rings Around the Moon (1978) and Street of Dreams (1979). Rings Around the Moon featured backing vocals by Yvonne Elliman, who sang on Eric Clapton’s hit single, “I Shot the Sheriff,” and on the Jesus Chris Superstar soundtrack; while Street of Dreams included a then-unknown singer named Michael Bolton on backing vocals.

During this time, Frank Carillo and his band toured extensively all over the world, opening for such artists as the J. Geils Band, Cheap Trick, Van Halen, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Bad Company. The Bad Company tour was particularly amazing, with 64 shows played before packed houses throughout the U.S., which generated many encores and standing ovations for Carillo and his band.

Over the years, Frank Carillo has developed an especially strong following in Europe dating back to his early tours, both in his own band and as a member of other groups. Frank Carillo and the Bandoleros embarked on their first headline tour of Holland and Germany in 2006, resulting in sold-out shows and several encores each night. With the release of Someday both in the U.S. and Europe, that fan base is expected to increase significantly, and the band expects to tour overseas as well as in the U.S. in support of the new CD.

For more information, visit www.frankcarillo.com.

HEYBALE! SET TO RELEASE THE LAST COUNTRY ALBUM ON JUNE 17

HEYBALE! SET TO RELEASE THE LAST COUNTRY ALBUM ON JUNE 17

ALL-STAR AUSTIN BAND’S NEW CD ON SHUFFLE 5 RECORDS

AUSTIN, TX – Shuffle 5 Records proudly announces a June 17 release date for The Last Country Album, the debut studio CD from Heybale!, distributed nationally by Burnside Distribution.

Heybale! has been performing its brand of honky-tonkin’ country music to packed houses and dance floors every Sunday night for the past seven years at Austin’s Continental Club - and with good reason. Legendary piano player Earl Poole Ball recorded and toured with Johnny Cash for 25 years, played with Merle Haggard, Buck Owens and Gram Parsons and recorded with The Byrds on their seminal country-rock album Sweetheart of the Rodeo. Guitarist extraordinaire Redd Volkaert was a member of Merle Haggard’s band for over six years, also played with Dale Watson and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance with Brad Paisley in 2004. They are joined by the rhythm section of Kevin Smith on stand-up bass and Tom Lewis on drums. Smith, an original member of the renowned rockabilly band High Noon, currently tours with Dwight Yoakam. Lewis was an original member of the Wagoneers, and toured and recorded with Junior Brown and Hank Thompson. He also currently plays with Raul Malo. Singer/rhythm guitarist Gary Claxton hails from Oklahoma and has been singing in clubs around California, Nashville, and Texas for the past 20 years. Blessed with a pure country voice, Claxton’s has been called by many since he arrived in Austin as the best country singer-songwriter in a town full of great ones.

Heybale! released two prior albums: ContinentaLive was recorded at the Continental Club during the band’s Sunday night residency, with Erik Hokkanen as guest; and Live From 1-A was recorded live in the KUT studios in Austin with the late, great Jim Murphy on steel.

The Last Country Album was self-produced and recorded at Bruce Robison’s Premium Studios and mixed by Raul Malo and Evan York at Chicken Hill Studios in Nashville. Claxton, Ball and Volkeart share lead vocals throughout the album. Joining in on the fun is an all-star cast of Austin’s finest, including Cindy Cashdollar, Erik Hokannen, Elana James and Casper Rawls. The CD’s organic, spontaneous sound is due in part to the fact that many of the songs were recorded live in one room with a cast of nine musicians all performing together. Hokannen’s instrumental, “Heybalin’,” is a honky-tonk, western swing thrill ride with everyone kickin’ things up several notches in the pickin’ department. On the rowdy “Everything … About Drinking,” written and sung by Earl Poole Ball, ex-Maverick Raul Malo and rock and roll drumming legend Hunt Sales contribute to the backing vocal cadre.

Heybale! will help celebrate the release of The Last Country Album with a number of Texas shows, as well as special performances at New York City’s Hill Country Barbecue on May 31st and June 1st.

For more information, visit www.heybale.com and www.myspace.com/heybaletheband.

KELLY RICHEY IS READY TO CARRY THE LIGHT

KELLY RICHEY IS READY TO CARRY THE LIGHT

NEW CD DUE JUNE 3 ON SWEET LUCY RECORDS


CINCINNATI, OH - Sweet Lucy Records announces a June 3rd release date for Carry the Light, the new studio CD from guitarist/singer Kelly Richey, with national distribution by Select-O-Hits.

Carry the Light is an album of all-original songs co-produced by Ms. Richey and Rick Brantley that expertly demonstrates all the tools she brings to the table as a songwriter, singer and a powerful, provocative guitar player. Her music is a thrilling mix of blues-powered rock that has made Kelly Richey one of the most exciting live acts on tour.

Carry the Light reflects every bit of Richey’s stellar guitar tone and style, while propelling her into a new light as a thoughtful and insightful singer/songwriter. The 11 tracks range from personal reflection and contemplation to illuminating thoughts on our world situation.

“This CD was written with my guitar mentor, John Redell, and songwriter Steve Carroll,” says Richey about the new album. “Each week for four months, John and I got together and hammered out song ideas. Many songs were passed on to Steve to add either a chorus, bridge or to strengthen the melody line. Steve also sent songs he wrote based on ideas/concepts we discussed and John and I constructed guitar parts to help make the songs come to life. I was constantly challenged by John to grow as a guitarist, and challenged by Steve to construct songs that stood alone with or without guitar wizardry.”

“Rick Brantley was a guitarist and has a guitar player’s dream studio,” Richey says. “I asked Rick to co-produce the project because I knew I had taken the songs as far as I could and needed an outside perspective to insure that the CD sounded like the best commercial release possible, while maintaining the character that it had when written. We decided that I needed to move away from such a ‘live’ mentality and into a more studio frame of mind, so we chose to bring in session players who could capture the foundational tracks with perfection and speed; then, we could place the majority of our time capturing the best guitar and vocal performances that I could produce.”

With her current touring band, Kelly Richey has all the ingredients to transfer the songs on Carry the Light to the stage. “I feel that this CD says something that needs to be said in this day and age when commercialism often supersedes the realities that we as individuals face,” says Kelly. “I feel that this is an important role that music provides in society, especially during times when we face such conflict and division. Music has always been the medicine as well as the vehicle to carry light and hope from each generation to the next.”

Guitarist/singer Kelly Richey has been described by one music critic as: “Stevie Ray Vaughan trapped in a woman’s body with Janis Joplin screaming to get out.” The Lexington, Kentucky native, who’s been based in Cincinnati for many years, has often been compared to Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix because of her ability to capture and entertain an audience with ripping guitar leads that both sing and astonish.

Richey began her professional career as a member of the Arista Records group, Stealin' Horses. In 1990, she formed The Kelly Richey Band and has gone on to become both a nationally and internationally touring artist. Since establishing her own label, Sweet Lucy Records, Ms.Richey has released a number of CDs as both a solo artist and as The Kelly Richey Band. In Cincinnati, Kelly and her band have won multiple awards, including Best Blues/RB Band, Best Rock Band, Best Musician, and Best Band.

Her last CD, Speechless, was an all-original instrumental album that generated praise from fans and critics alike, with Blues Revue calling it “an inspiring and extraordinarily controlled display of six-string talent.” Goldmine magazine perhaps summed it up best by declaring the CD, “an incendiary blast through her influences, an all-instrumental set that picks up where the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Roy Buchanan, Jeff Beck, Pat Metheny, and Al DiMeola left off (or were once spotted) and tears hell for leather through a series of stylings and storms that render you slack-jawed in amazement.”

Kelly Richey will tour extensively in support of Carry the Light. For more information, visit her web site at www.kellyrichey.com.

DUKE ROBILLARD IS “SWINGIN’” AND AMOS GARRETT GETS “WAY BACK” ON NEW MAY 13 RELEASES FROM STONY PLAIN RECORDS

EDMONTON, AB – Stony Plain Records announces May 13 release dates for two new CDs: A Swingin’ Session with Duke Robillard, from the multi-Grammy-nominated guitarist; and Get Way Back: A Tribute to Percy Mayfield, from acclaimed guitarist Amos Garrett.

A four-time Blues Award winner as “Best Guitarist,” Duke Robillard once again rises to the occasion with another album exploring the roots and connections between blues and jazz with the appropriately titled A Swingin’ Session.

“For me, there is a very thin line between what was originally called jazz and the blues,” says Robillard in the album liner notes. “All the early jazz and big band players were adept and often great at playing the blues … guys like Ben Webster, Lester Young, Louis Armstrong, Jack Teagarden, Johnny Hodges and Count Basie … Charlie Parker was a great blues player.”

A Swingin’ Session with Duke Robillard explores the great American songbook of jazz classics like “Deed I Do,” “The Song is Ended,” “Them That Got” and “When Your Lover Has Gone,” but leaves plenty of room Duke to stretch out with the band on such movers as “Meet Me at No Special Place,” “They Raided the Joint” and “Swingin’ with Lucy Mae.”

Once again, Duke is backed by the impeccable group of musicians who’ve recorded with him many times before: drummer Mark Teixeira, bassist Marty Ballou, keyboardist Bruce Katz and sax player Gordon Beadle. With the addition of several former mates from Roomful of Blues, such as Al Basile on cornet, Doug James on baritone sax and Carl Querfurth on trombone, plus special guest Scott Hamilton on tenor sax, the recipe for A Swingin’ Session is complete.

Robillard and Hamilton have been playing music together for many years and the latter’s presence on the new CD was an easy choice for Duke. “Scott adds an element of swinging elegance that balances everything out perfectly for me,” says Duke.

For legendary guitarist Amos Garrett, the decision to record Get Way Back: A Tribute to Percy Mayfield was also an easy one. “I’ve wanted to make this album for some time,” says Garrett. “And make it as a tribute to a man who became my primary influence as a singer, even though his legacy is as a songwriter. And possibly as the greatest R&B songwriter from 1947 to well into the ‘60s,” he adds.


Percy Mayfield, whose songs have been recorded by such R&B, blues and jazz giants as Ray Charles, B.B. King, Etta James, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Junior Parker, Amos Milburn, Mose Allison and Jimmy Witherspoon, was called “The Poet Laureate of the Blues” for his imaginative and poignant, yet accessible compositions.

Get Way Back: A Tribute to Percy Mayfield was produced by Amos Garrett and features a number of musicians who’ve played with him over the years, including keyboardist Ron Casat, sax player Dave Babcock, trumpet player Alistair Elliott, drummer Bucky Berger and bassist Victor Bateman.

Garrett’s vocal style and phrasing are a perfect match for such well-known Mayfield tunes as “My Jug and I,” “Stranger in My Own Hometown,” “Never Say Naw,” “The River’s Invitation” and the title track, among others. He did not include two of Mayfield’s most-covered songs, “Hit the Road, Jack,” and “Please Send Me Someone to Love,” noting with his typically laid back, dry sense of humor, “Well, those songs have been sung before.”

Born in Detroit but raised in Canada, Amos Garrett first came to prominence in the 1970s as an in-demand session guitarist, recording with Stevie Wonder, Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris, Elvin Bishop, Anne Murray and Jesse Winchester, among others. He will forever be remembered for his signature guitar work on Maria Muldaur’s “Midnight At the Oasis.”

Garrett also worked as a band member in Ian & Sylvia’s Great Speckled Bird and Paul Butterfield’s Better Days and toured with Maria Muldaur as her band leader.

From the first notes of Get Way Back: A Tribute to Percy Mayfield, with his distinctive guitar tone and laconic vocal style, Amos Garrett stamps this new CD as something extraordinary. As he says in the liner notes, “Percy’s songs, when I discovered them in the early ‘70s, really set my direction. Sharing these songs is very special to me.”

For more information, visit www.dukerobillard.com, www.melmusic.com/amos_garrett
or www.stonyplainrecords.com.

ALBERT CASTIGLIA’S NEW CD ANNOUNCES: THESE ARE THE DAYS

ALBERT CASTIGLIA’S NEW CD ANNOUNCES:
THESE ARE THE DAYS

MIAMI, FL – Blues Leaf Records announces an April 1st release date for guitarist/singer Albert Castiglia’s new CD, These are the Days, distributed nationally by Allegro.

Born in New York and raised in Miami, Albert Castiglia (pronounced “ka-STEEL-ya”), began playing guitar at 12. In 1990, he became a member of The Miami Blues Authority and was later voted “Best Blues Guitarist” by New Times magazine in 1997. Shortly thereafter, he was spotted by legendary blues singer/harmonica player Junior Wells, who asked Castiglia to join his band as a guitarist and singer. With Wells as his mentor, Albert performed at clubs and festivals across America, as well as in Canada and Europe. During that time, he also got the opportunity to play and jam with many other blues stars, including Pinetop Perkins, Ronnie Earl, Billy Boy Arnold, Lurrie Bell, Jerry Portnoy, Eddy Clearwater and Otis Clay. After Junior Wells passed away, Castiglia toured with Atlanta blues singer Sandra Hall.

In 2002, Albert launched his solo career with the debut CD, Burn, collaborating with his longtime friend, Graham Wood Drout of south Florida band Iko-Iko. Drout’s visceral, yet literary songs became the perfect vehicle for Castiglia’s soulful vocals, which recall Van Morrison, and stinging guitar playing. In 2006, he released his second album (and first for Blues Leaf Records), A Stone’s Throw, which included two more Drout compositions, “Big Toe,” and the amazing “Ghosts of Mississippi,” which has all the earmarks of becoming a blues classic. Castiglia and Drout also released a live CD together, titled The Bittersweet Sessions, in 2005.

These are the Days, contains five original Albert Castiglia songs, including the opening track, “Bad Year Blues,” which jumps out of the box with both killer guitar hooks and memorable lyrics, and “Godfather of the Blues,” his tribute to Junior Wells. Once again, Graham Wood Drout contributes another song for Albert, “Celebration.” The cover songs on These are the Days salute a wide range of styles and artists ranging from Bob Dylan (“Catfish”) and Nappy Brown (“Night Time is the Right Time”), to Fenton Robinson (“Somebody Loan me a Dime”) and Little Willie John (“Need Your Love So Bad”).

With the release of These are the Days, Albert Castiglia makes a statement as a major force in the blues.

For more information, visit www.albertcastiglia.com.

THE TOM PRINCIPATO BAND IS RAISING THE ROOF ON NEW CD

THE TOM PRINCIPATO BAND IS RAISING THE ROOF ON NEW CD,
DUE MARCH 4, 2008, ON POWERHOUSE RECORDS

WASHINGTON, DC – Powerhouse Records announces a February 19, 2008, release date for Raising the Roof, the new album from guitarist extraordinaire Tom Principato and his band, distributed nationally by Redeye Distribution.

Long-acknowledged as one of the premier guitarists in the world, Tom Principato’s latest CD builds on the universal acclaim for his 2005 release, Guitar Gumbo, which won awards from the Washington Area Music Association (WAMA) for “Best Blues Recording” and “Best Blues Vocalist.” With these new honors, Tom has now won a total of 22 “Wammies.” In addition, a song from that album, “If Love Is Blind,” written by Dave Kitchen, was named “Song of the Year.”

The Tom Principato Band has made a name for itself around the world with extensive touring throughout North America, as well as regular appearances in Norway, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Austria, France, Italy, Spain, Finland, Greece and Turkey, among others. In addition to Principato on guitar and vocals, the band features John Perry on bass and backup vocals, Joe Wells on drums and Josh Howell on congas and percussion.

On Raising the Roof, the Tom Principato Band is joined by long-time DC-area favorite Tommy Lepson, who contributes his soulful Hammond B3 organ playing and vocals, as well as several other special guests. The new album showcases nine songs (including 6 originals) that demonstrate the breadth of Tom’s musical influences ranging from blues, jazz and rock, to funk, reggae and New Orleans sounds.

The three covers include a jazzy workout of Jimmy Smith’s “8 Counts for Rita,” a cooking take on J.J. Cale’s “Lies,” and a new version of Louis Jordan’s “Fish Fry” that brings on the funk and Jamaican flavors to this R&B classic, a long-time staple of the band’s live shows.

The Tom Principato Band will begin a world-wide tour in support of Raising the Roof shortly after its release, including showcase club dates and festival shows.

In a career that spans over 40 years, Tom Principato has established himself as a world-class guitarist, and with the formation of his Powerhouse Records, he has released critically-acclaimed music and video from such additional stellar talent as guitarists Roy Buchanan and Danny Gatton as well as The Nighthawks.

For more information on The Tom Principato Band or Powerhouse Records, visit www.tomprincipato.com or www.powerhouserecords.com.

BLUES/ROCK GUITARIST-SINGER RICK FOWLER IS BACK ON MY GOOD FOOT FOR NEW CD, OUT MARCH 25

BLUES/ROCK GUITARIST-SINGER RICK FOWLER IS
BACK ON MY GOOD FOOT FOR NEW CD, OUT MARCH 25

JAMMATES RECORDS DEBUT INCLUDES GUESTS R.E.M.’S BILL BERRY & RANDALL BRAMBLETT

SPECIAL ADVANCE CD RELEASE SHOW SET FEBRUARY 23 AT THE MELTING POINT IN ATHENS, GA

LaGrange, GA – Jammates Records announces a March 25 release date for Back on My Good Foot, the label debut CD from Athens, Georgia-based blues/rock singer and guitarist Rick Fowler. Among those joining him on the album are Randall Bramblett (Hammond organ), Gerry Hansen (drums) and Michael C. Steele (bass and backing vocals) – all members of the Randall Bramblett Band – as well as original R.E.M. drummer Bill Berry, who guests on the song, “Road to Nowhere.”

Rick Fowler will perform a special show in advance of the CDs release on Saturday, February 23, at The Melting Point in Athens, backed by a band including many of those musicians from the new album.

Back on My Good Foot showcases Rick Fowler’s main influences of classic raw blues and British blues/rock, which make for an exciting and powerful mix. The new CD features nine original songs either written or co-written by Rick Fowler, as well as a 10-minute rail-shaking version of the Savoy Brown classic, “Hellbound Train.” It was recorded at several studios in Atlanta and Athens, produced by Pat Patten and mastered by the legendary Rodney Mills (Atlanta Rhythm Section, Gregg Allman).

Originally from Bowdon, Georgia, Rick Fowler has been playing guitar and singing in bands since the age of 12. He has performed with some of the world's top musicians and toured much of Europe and The Mediterranean. Although he has played a number of musical styles with various artists, his deep blues roots can always be clearly heard.

Fowler's earlier bands included Ziggurat, Deacon Little, and Fortnox. Fowler also recorded with pop singer Bertie Higgins, whose hit single, “Key Largo,” reached platinum sales in several countries. In 1982, the Fortnox song, “Storm Inside My Head,” went to #44 in US airplay and the band’s video reached the top 20 on MTV. The band toured non-stop for a year in support of the record, headlining medium venues and performing in stadiums as support for such top rock acts as Aerosmith, Cheap Trick, George Thorogood, Joan Jett, The Ramones and The Outlaws. In 1984, Rick’s band Bombay recorded an album with legendary British producer Eddie Offord (John Lennon, Yes, and Emerson, Lake and Palmer), supported by the MTV video, “Rumble Tonight”.

Rick moved to Athens in 1991 and began performing with a number of Athens-based artists, including Ralph Roddenberry, Redneck Greece and The Lonely White Boys (a band he formed with Drivin' N' Cryin’ guitarist Buren Fowler, Dreams So Real drummer Drew Worsham, and Normaltown Flyers bassist Greg Veale). He also regularly played guitar in side band projects with Bill Berry (R.E.M.), Dave Schools (Widespread Panic), Randall Bramblett (Sea Level, Traffic), and many other top musicians from the area.

In 1997, Rick put together a band of well-known musicians to perform the first rock concert benefit for Tourette Syndrome awareness. Bill Berry, who was at the time retiring from the mega-star band R.E.M., made the show his farewell performance, allowing his drums to be auctioned off for charity at the end of the night. The event received international coverage including MTV, CNN, VH-1, AOL, Rolling Stone, Spin and a number of other music news outlets. Welcome Companions, a CD recorded by the benefit concert band, was released by Polyglot Records as Rick Fowler and Friends.

Prior to signing with Jammates Records in 2007, Rick played guitar on dozens of CDs, performed hundreds of shows spanning three countries, and produced and performed the music track for the Sundance Film Festival award-winning movie, Dirty Work. Rick Fowler will tour nationally in support of the release of On the Good Foot. For more information on Rick Fowler, visit http://www.rickfowler.com/ or http://www.jammates.com/.

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LAST NOVEMBER IS OVER THE TOP OR UNDER THE WEATHER NEW CD RELEASE DUE MARCH 11 ON SOUTHERN TRACKS RECORDS

LAST NOVEMBER IS OVER THE TOP OR UNDER THE WEATHER

NEW CD RELEASE DUE MARCH 11 ON SOUTHERN TRACKS RECORDS

ATLANTA, GA – Southern Tracks Records announces a March 11 release date for Over the Top or Under the Weather, the new CD from Atlanta band Last November, distributed nationally by Select-O-Hits and AEC.

With the guidance of platinum-selling producer Steven Haigler (Brand New, Fuel, Oleander, Pixies, As Tall as Lions), Over the Top or Under the Weather delivers on the promise of the group’s impressive 2006 debut CD, All the Gory Details, which was featured on “The Real World” and other MTV shows, as well as garnering multi-formatted airplay on over 200 radio stations.

Luke Pilgrim, Last November’s vocalist and principal songwriter who began performing when he was 11, wrote most of the songs for the first album when he was still 15, and produced that disc himself. Now, on Over the Top or Under the Weather, Steven Haigler’s sparkling production concentrates Pilgrim’s highly melodic vocals within edgy guitar inventions like “The Bumper Sticker Song,” the album’s first single and video (which already has received over 100,00 internet views). Rockers like the wry “Jesus Had Breakfast in Bed” and “Butter Me Up”, with its Leslie-fied touches, demonstrate an astounding growth for Last November, while the superb “Sunday Afternoon” reveals the band’s special take on the indie pop rock sound. Besides Luke Pilgrim on lead vocals and guitar, the band includes Tyler Ayers on bass; Chris Jones on guitar, keyboards and vocals; and Taylor Woodruff on drums and vocals.

Over the Top or Under the Weather is Last November's second release on Southern Tracks Records, the independent label founded by legendary music publisher Bill Lowery. It was recorded and mixed at the renowned Southern Tracks Studio in Atlanta, home to such artists as Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Train, The Bravery, and Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band (who recorded their 2007 milestone CD, Magic, at the studio) and mastered by Rodney Mills.

Booking is in progress for a spring tour in support of Over the Top or Under the Weather
(booking@lastnovember.com), and Southern Tracks will also back the release with a national radio promotion campaign.

Last November continues to expand its soaring international fan base, playing major venue shows, colleges and clubs, while the band’s web presence has been growing by leaps and bounds, as evidenced by the popularity of its MySpace web site: www.myspace.com/lastnovember. Songs from the new CD can also be previewed at that site.

Last November's new video, “The Bumper Sticker Song,” can also be viewed athttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7iTK4MzMtg.
For more information, visit www.lastnovember.com.

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