Mark Pucci Media

JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR SPRINKLES WHITE SUGAR ON HER BLUES-DRENCHED DEBUT CD FOR RUF RECORDS, OUT MAY 12

2009-04-23T14:54:00.001-05:00

JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR SPRINKLES WHITE SUGAR ON HER BLUES-DRENCHED DEBUT CD FOR RUF RECORDS, OUT MAY 12

EXCITING YOUNG BRITISH DISCOVERY COMBINES INCENDIARY GUITAR PLAYING AND SOULFUL VOICE IN BLUES POWER TRIO SOUND

ATLANTA, GA – Ruf Records announces the signing of one of the most exciting blues discoveries in many years, British-based singer/guitarist Joanne Shaw Taylor, and the May 12 release of her debut CD for the label, White Sugar. The new CD was produced and mixed by acclaimed producer Jim Gaines (Stevie Ray Vaughan, Santana, Luther Allison, Jonny Lang) and recorded at Bessie Blue Studios in the Western Tennessee town of Counce, near the Tennessee River. Backing Joanne Shaw Taylor on White Sugar are experienced Memphis session players Steve Potts on drums and Dave Smith on bass.

Birmingham, UK-based Joanne Shaw Taylor was discovered at the age 16 by Dave Stewart of The Eurythmics, who remarked on hearing her for the first time: “I have played with all sorts of blues musicians all over the world and last year I heard something I thought I would never hear – a British white girl playing blues guitar so deep and passionately it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end!” Stewart was so impressed he asked Taylor to join his supergroup, D.U.P., to tour Europe in 2002.

Now 23 years old, Taylor has continued to refine her skills as both a singer and guitar player, and the proof of the pudding is in her dynamic new CD, which combines the power of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix with the down-home blues of the Mississippi Delta. The 10 tracks on White Sugar clearly show an artist in total command of her instrument as a force to color both the bold and quiet moments of the songs.

“Working with these guys was totally easy,” says Taylor about the sessions. “I knew of them because of their work on the Luther Allison and Jonny Lang albums. They didn’t even know the songs until shortly before we started tracking and it was fantastic. They are amazing guys to work with.”

Already a rising star in Great Britain, Joanne Shaw Taylor has been singled out for massive praise from the media. “Joanne IS the new face of the blues,” proclaimed respected UK magazine Blues Matters. “She plays with more attitude and flare than most; massive potential here – inspiring,” said Guitarist magazine. And Blue Print Magazine summed it up by stating, “Catch her live if you can; then you can say: ‘I was there at the beginning’!”

While still a young schoolgirl, Taylor was captivated by the rough side of the blues as evidenced from artists such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert Collins and Jimi Hendrix. “As soon as I heard SRV and Albert Collins, I knew pretty much that I wanted to do that full stop,” Taylor says. “That was the lifestyle route that I was going to go down. It was never a hobby. I was always very serious and dedicated to it.”

Listeners can hear for themselves on Joanne Shaw Taylor’s stunning debut album,
White Sugar, which she’ll support with considerable U.S. tour dates, including many with Candye Kane.

For more information on the artist, visit www.joanneshawtaylor.com or www.myspace.com/joanneshowtaylor .

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APPLESEED RECORDINGS SIGNS JESSE WINCHESTER

2009-02-26T16:27:00.001-05:00

APPLESEED RECORDINGS SIGNS JESSE WINCHESTER & WILL RELEASE HIS FIRST STUDIO CD IN 10 YEARS, LOVE FILLING STATION, ON APRIL 21

WEST CHESTER, PA – Appleseed Recordings has announced the signing of acclaimed singer-songwriter Jesse Winchester, and an April 21 release date for his label debut CD, Love Filling Station, his first studio album in 10 years.

A prolific composer, Winchester is noted for his songs about love lost and found, small town life and vivid characterizations told with the literary perspective of a native southerner. His tunes have been embraced by a wide variety of artists who have recorded his works for almost four decades, including Jimmy Buffet and Tom Rush (“Biloxi”), The Everly Brothers and Patti Page (“Brand New Tennessee Waltz”), Tim Hardin (“Yankee Lady”), Elvis Costello and Alex Taylor (“Payday”), Nicolette Larson (“Rhumba Girl”) and The Weather Girls (“Well-a-Wiggy”), as well as Reba McIntyre and Wynonna Judd.

On Love Filling Station, Jesse Winchester wraps his warm high-lonesome tenor around nine original songs and three covers, including the plaintive Ben E. King classic, “Stand By Me,” the testifying gospel of “Far Side Bank of Jordan” and the old-school country of “Loose Talk,” which features a sterling duet with Jesse and singer Claire Lynch, whose voice recalls a cross between Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn.

As always, Winchester’s original tunes focus on relationships and the very personal, yet universal themes of loving and longing bathed in down-home perspectives and attitudes, whether it’s the lovestruck wonderment of “O What a Thrill” (already covered by The Mavericks), the wry wit of “It’s a Shame About Him,” or the funky, rocky, gospel-tinged humor/desire of “Wear Me Out,” which features bluegrass great Jerry Douglas on lap steel guitar.

Produced by Bil VornDick and Jesse Winchester and recorded at Ocean Way Studio in Nashville, Love Filling Station also features a core band of Russ Barenberg on guitar and mandolin, Mark Fain on bass, Andy Leftwich on fiddle and Bob Mater on drums. The recording itself has such a warm, organic sound that hearing it brings the listener inside the studio surrounded by the musicians and Jesse Winchester, as if they were playing a house concert just for you.

A recipient of the 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Composers, Artists and Publishers (ASCAP), Jesse Winchester and his music have always been informed by his upbringing in Memphis, whose sights, sounds and characters have flavored his songs from the very beginning. A self-imposed exile to Canada in 1967 during the Vietnam War years eventually brought him in touch with The Band’s Robbie Robertson, who produced his self-titled debut album, which included Levon Helm on drums and mandolin and was engineered by Todd Rundgren. After releasing seven albums between 1970 and 1981, Jesse took a long break and returned to record in 1988 with Humour Me, followed by another long break until the appropriately titled Gentleman of Leisure was released in 1999. In 2002, Jesse and his new wife relocated back the States and settled in Virginia. Even during his breaks from recording, he continued an active touring schedule, as he has throughout most of his career.

APPLESEED RECORDINGS SIGNS JESSE WINCHESTER

2009-02-26T16:27:00.000-05:00

TOO SLIM AND THE TAILDRAGGERS ARE OUT TO FREE YOUR MIND ON NEW CD, DUE MARCH 17 FROM UNDERWORLD RECORDS

2009-01-13T15:19:00.000-05:00

SEATTLE, WA – Underworld Records announces a March 17 release date for Free Your Mind, the new CD from Seattle-based Too Slim and the Taildraggers, with national distribution by Burnside Distribution. Free Your Mind was produced by Todd Smallwood and Timothy Langford and – as its title implies – showcases an impressive musical expansion from the band, which consists of Tim Langford (AKA Too Slim) on guitar and vocals, Dave Nordstrom on bass and Rudy Simone on drums.

The new CD takes the group’s blues-based music to new heights, adding rock and Americana influences that make the disc a joyous listen. All of its 11 songs were written by Tim Langford and demonstrate his growth as a songwriter and observer of the human condition. The CD’s opening track, “When You Love Somebody,” marries the heartland rock of John Cougar Mellencamp with the southern rock influences of Lynyrd Skynyrd for a rousing breath of fresh air; while the second track, “Last Train,” is a slice-of-life song inspired by its author reading the crazy stories in the daily paper.

ON the rest of Free Your Mind, the band stretches its musical muscles, with tough, sinewy blasts of Langford’s crunchy guitar work and soulful vocals layered over a rhythmic framework of Dave Nordstrom powerful bass and Rudy Simone’s kicking drums. With songs such as “Devil in a Doublewide,” “Been through Hell,” “Testament” and the anthemic title track, Too Slim and the Taildraggers take many twists and turns, but ultimately arrive at a journey well-worth taking. Langford’s insightful songwriting owes a debt to Tom Petty on many of the songs, especially on “Bottle It Up” and “Throw Me a Rope,” but remains true to his own muse. The album closes with the powerful gospel-influenced ballad, “The Light,” which also features a strong guest vocal appearance by Lauren Evans and some beautifully evocative guitar work by Tim Langford, whose tones on both electric guitar and slide throughout the CD stake his claim as a major guitarist on the rise.

The band’s last CD, The Fortune Teller, reached #9 on the Billboard magazine Top Blues Albums sales chart in 2007 and 2008 and was also nominated for “Best Contemporary Blues Album” at last year’s Blues Blast Music Awards in Chicago. The band’s also been voted “Best Regional Act” 11 times by the Cascade Blues Association, the largest organization of its kind in the US, and has won many group and solo awards from a number of other organizations and magazine readers’ polls.

Too Slim and the Taildraggers have headlined theaters, festivals and showcase clubs around the country and have shared the stage with such diverse talents as Bo Diddley, Johnny Lang, Robert Cray, .38 Special, Jeff Healey, Los Lobos, Delbert McClinton, Blues Traveler and Junior Brown, among others.

Too Slim and the Taildraggers will tour extensively in support of Free Your Mind, with booking and management by Nancy Langford of The 313 Agency (206-340-2622 / info@the313agency.com). For more information on the band, visit www.tooslim.org or www.underworldindierecords.com.

To access a hi-res color jpg of Too Slim and the Taildraggers (photo credit: Lisa Martin), please click on this link: Too Slim Photo

In addition to his work in the band, Tim Langford and his wife Nancy are also the owners of “Essie’s South American Style Sauce,” a marinade described as part barbecue, part teriyaki and part Cajun that was initially developed by Nancy’s mother in the mid-1960s at a restaurant/club the family owned in North Dakota. Essie’s Sauce can be used on poultry, seafood, beef and pork and has been described by one magazine food editor as “the best sauce I’ve ever tasted.” The sauce is distributed regionally around the US and is also available by mail order. For more information, visit www.essiessauce.com.

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

2008-12-19T17:14:00.001-05:00

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

2008-11-18T15:18:00.000-05:00

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

2008-11-18T15:14:00.002-05:00

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

2008-08-01T11:51:00.000-05:00

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

2008-07-24T10:35:00.000-05:00

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

2008-07-24T10:32:00.000-05:00

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

2008-05-21T12:33:00.001-05:00

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

2008-05-05T10:19:00.000-05:00

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

2008-05-05T10:18:00.000-05:00

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

2008-05-05T10:16:00.000-05:00

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

2008-05-05T10:13:00.000-05:00

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

2008-02-12T10:39:00.000-05:00

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

2008-02-05T11:16:00.000-05:00

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

2008-02-05T11:13:00.000-05:00

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

2008-02-05T11:11:00.000-05:00

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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THE KENNEDYS ARE DREAMING BETTER DREAMS ON NEW CD

2007-12-18T11:32:00.001-05:00

THE KENNEDYS ARE DREAMING BETTER DREAMS ON NEW CD
DUE JANUARY 22, 2008, ON APPLESEED RECORDINGS

WEST CHESTER, PA – Appleseed Recordings announces a January 22, 2008, release date for Better Dreams, the new CD from husband-and-wife duo Pete and Maura Kennedy, their first album of all-original songs in seven years.

Better Dreams follows The Kennedys’ last Appleseed recording, Songs of the Open Road, released in October 2006, which saluted some of their favorite “road music” by other songwriters. The music for the new CD was inspired by a pair of seminars Pete and Maura conducted on “using dreams to unlock your creativity.” “We found that we were writing really interesting songs in and around the workshop sessions,” they explain. “All of these songs have something to do with the dreamtime,” where “we have a different kind of freedom there.”

Time and space become fluid in the dreams The Kennedys have translated into the songs on Better Dreams. The cleansing “eternal now” flows through the CD-opening “Breathe,” which counsels, “Breathe into a new life, breathe out all the old times.” The tricky path to love is illuminated on “I Found a Road” and “Light My Way.” Real life nightmares rush into folk history (“Sago Mine,” about the January 2006 mining disaster in West Virginia) or flood the modern day (both “Give Me Back My Country” and “American Wish” lament the draining of civil liberties in post-9/11 America). The dream state itself can be a lifeboat (as on the Eastern-tinged title song and “In My Dreams”), an exhausting anchor (“No Mornings”), or, to mix metaphors, an exhilarating rocket ride to a metaphysical sock-hop (“Speed of Soul”). Appropriately, the CD concludes with an ethereal, near wordless hymn to the ultimate dream – peace (“Pacé”)

As with any CD by The Kennedys, Better Dreams is a showcase for their vocal and musical prowess, powered by Maura’s lead vocals and Pete’s multi-instrumental work. In particular on this CD, Maura uses the full range and nuance of her expressive voice, alternately soaring and plaintive, melding perfectly with the intuitive harmony vocals of Pete and the special guests on the album. In turn, Pete weaves an aural tapestry of musical tones from various guitars, mandolin, keyboards, bass and drums.

Influences from The Kennedy’s two side projects also make musical contributions to the album, heard in the use of electric sitar and ukulele from their “British folk/psychedelic” quintet, The Strangelings, as well as the sounds of The Stringbusters, Pete and Maura’s ukulele duo devoted to jazz, classical and pop.

As Folk and Acoustic Musical Exchange said in an earlier review, The Kennedys are “unafraid to mix philosophy, spirituality, love and artistry with a folk-rock back beat,” and that “is what makes this duo a positive force on all things human.”

For more information on The Kennedys, visit www.kennedysmusic.com or www.appleseedrec.com.
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BOB BROZMAN DELIVERS SOME POST INDUSTRIAL BLUES

2007-11-29T13:33:00.000-05:00

BOB BROZMAN DELIVERS SOME
POST INDUSTRIAL BLUES ON HIS NEW
RUF RECORDS CD, DUE JANUARY 15, 2008

ATLANTA, GA - Ruf Records announces a January 15, 2008 release date for world-class multi-instrumentalist Bob Brozman’s latest CD, Post Industrial Blues. The new album features a passionate Brozman playing and singing at his improvisational best. He plays a variety of National guitars, as well as Hawaiian guitar and ukulele, banjo, dobro, and an assortment of stringed instruments from all over the world, ranging from the Okinawan sanshin and Greek baglama to the 22-string chaturangui and 14-string gandharvi from India.

A master of many world music styles, Brozman brings a multitude of influences to Post Industrial Blues from India, Africa, the South Pacific, and the Caribbean, but anchors it all with the rootsy sound of blues and Americana. His choice of additional percussion – including an array of non-traditional instruments such as a knife blade, grass clippers, disassembled marimba pipes and a broken toy piano – give the music an almost otherworldly feel at times, but Brozman brings it all back home in his own inimitable style. The new album also reunites him with bassist Stan Poplin and drummer Jim Norris, both mainstays of his earliest albums from the 1980s.

Throughout Post Industrial Blues, Bob Brozman enhances the stunning instrumental performances with many original and contemporary lyrics, including songs about American geo-politics (“Follow the Money” and “Crooked Blues”), Hurricane Katrina (“Look at New Orleans”), modern travel (“Airport Blues”), immigration and war (“Three Families Blues”), and the world’s orphans (“Lonely Children”). All demonstrate the universality of the blues as interpreted by Brozman. He also delivers his own unique take of The Doors classic, “People Are Strange,” creating a renewed spirit of the song that pays homage to its roots while redefining it through experimental instrumentation and intonation.

Bob Brozman was born in New York and has been playing guitar since age 6. Profoundly struck by Delta blues as a child, his burning curiosity led him to a lifelong study of ethnomusicology and guitar music from the world’s frontiers of colonialism. He recorded his first albums in the 1980s, including several American releases of vintage blues and jazz music. Throughout the 1990s and the current decade, Brozman has been intensely prolific, releasing several internationally acclaimed CDs with artists from many other cultures around the world. During a period of just four years ending in 2004, five of these collaborations placed in the Top Ten of the European World Music Charts – an unprecedented feat for any international artist.

Brozman is a passionate and tireless performer, with an almost super-human tour schedule that takes him to every corner of the globe. A respected educator and author, he has directed music for film, radio, television, and the stage; and he has produced albums for a number of artists including the Asylum Street Spankers and Ledward Kaapana. Brozman rediscovered the legendary 1920s Hawaiian artists the Tau Moe Family, recording a landmark album with them which won the Library of Congress Select List Award. In addition to his own recording and touring, Brozman co-founded International Guitar Seminars, bringing students together to study with some of the top guitarists in the world. He is also an adjunct Professor at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, where he lectures on ethnomusicology and is continuing research on the music of the South Pacific islands.

For more information, visit www.bobbrozman.com

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RONNIE EARL AND THE BROADCASTERS RELEASE NEW LIVE IN THE STUDIO CD,

2007-10-22T15:15:00.000-05:00

RONNIE EARL AND THE BROADCASTERS RELEASE NEW LIVE IN THE STUDIO CD,
HOPE RADIO,
NOVEMBER 6TH
ON STONY PLAIN RECORDS

EDMONTON, AB – Stony Plain Records announces a November 6th release date for Hope Radio, the new CD from the celebrated guitarist Ronnie Earl and The Broadcasters. Recorded and filmed live (with a separate DVD forthcoming) in the studio before an audience at Wellspring Sound in Acton, Mass in April of this year, Hope Radio features 11 songs that showcase Ronnie Earl at his amazing best, backed by long-time members of The Broadcasters: Dave Limina – keyboards, Jim Mouradian – bass, and Lorne
Entress - drums. Guests include Michael “Mudcat” Ward on bass and piano and Nick Adams on second guitar.

A two-time W.C. Handy Blues Award winner as “Guitar Player of the Year,” Ronnie Earl has been hailed by musicians and critics alike as one of the premier blues guitarists of his generation and played alongside side such greats as Carlos Santana, Muddy Waters, Big Joe Turner, Otis Rush, Earl King and Duke Robillard (who he replaced as guitarist in the legendary Roomful of Blues after Robillard left that band).

Hope Radio is Ronnie’s fourth CD for Stony Plain, following his two solo albums: I Feel Like Goin’ On (2003) and Now My Soul (2004); and his acclaimed 2005 teaming with Duke Robillard, The Duke Meets The Earl.

The all-instrumental Hope Radio drips with soul, spirituality and what Earl calls “the healing approach” to guitar playing on its many highlights. The opening track, “Eddie’s Gospel Groove,” with his blistering guitar tone and accompanying Hammond B3 organ, recalls the intensity of Santana. The jamming “Bobby’s Bop” delivers jazz grooves that bring to mind his early collaboration with organ legend Jimmy McGriff. On the slow, after-hours feel of “Blues for the West Side,” Earl salutes many of Chicago’s “West Side” school of guitarists, such as Buddy Guy and Luther “Guitar Junior” Johnson. A new song, “Katrina Blues,” which features a rare solo acoustic guitar performance by Ronnie, drips with emotion and thoughts of those who suffered (and continue to suffer) in New Orleans, one of his favorite cities to play. “Wolf Dance” is a beautiful, staccato-noted nod to one of his mentors, the great Hubert Sumlin of Howlin’ Wolf’s band. On “Blues for the Homeless” Earl sends out his love and spiritual healing thoughts to those less fortunate, and dedicates “Beautiful Child” to “all the sick and suffering alcoholics and addicts in the world today.” And on “Blues for Otis Rush,” he pays tribute to another dear friend and major influence.

Born in Queen’s, New York, Ronnie Earl began playing guitar after entering college and landed his first gig in the house band of a Cambridge, Massachusetts club. In 1979, he replaced Duke Robillard in Roomful of Blues, spending the next eight years touring and recording with them. In addition to his Stony Plain recordings, he’s released many acclaimed albums for Black Top Records, Bullseye Blues, Verve and Telarc. In 2008, Ronnie Earl and The Broadcasters will celebrate 20 years as a band.

For more information, visit www.stonyplainrecords.com

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OCTOBER 2 RELEASE DATE FOR TONI PRICE’S NEW CD, TALK MEMPHIS

2007-08-29T10:02:00.001-05:00

ANTONE’S RECORDS SETS OCTOBER 2 RELEASE DATE FOR TONI PRICE’S NEW CD, TALK MEMPHIS

SOULFUL SINGER CHANNELS THE SOUL OF STAX/VOLT AND HI RECORDS ON NEW CD

AUSTIN, TX – Antone’s Records has announced an October 2 release date for Talk Memphis, the new CD from singer Toni Price that salutes the classic Memphis soul sound of such legendary labels as Stax/Volt and Hi Records. The new album will be distributed nationally by RED Distribution.

Toni Price recently ended her 14-year run of incredible Tuesday night shows (dubbed the “Hippie Hour”) at Austin’s Continental Club – which had become a weekly institution for the always-packed audiences – when the singer relocated to San Diego. On Talk Memphis, she squeezes every ounce of soul in her body into the songs, channeling the sounds and grooves that made those records so amazing, even to this day.

Produced by Derek O’Brien and Toni Price, Talk Memphis features songs by such Memphis writers as Jesse Winchester (the title track), Isaac Hayes/David Porter (“Leftover Love”) Booker T. Jones/Eddie Floyd (“Sorry About That”) and Don Bryant (“Ninety-Nine Pounds”), along with other tunes written during the classic R&B/soul years (Allen Toussaint’s “Mean Man,” Jeff Barry and Bert Russell’s “Am I Groovin’ U”), Ashford-Simpson’s “Runnin’ Out” and Oliver Sain’s “Poor Little Fool”). In addition, Price taps into four songs from her longtime friend and Academy Award-nominated songwriter Gwil Owen, as well a new tune from Austin’s Wendy Colonna, which meld perfectly with the older material to create a vibrant album that flows sweetly and soulfully.

Toni Price receives solid backing on Talk Memphis from some of Austin’s finest musicians, who obviously know their way around the blues and soul songs selected for the album, including “Frosty” and George Rains on drums, Larry Fulcher and Scott Nelson on bass, Anthony Ferrell on keyboards, Johnny Moeller on guitar and The Texas Horns (John Mills, Kaz Kazanoff and Al Gomez). Playing guitar on most of the tracks is special guest David Grissom (Joe Ely, John Mellencamp, Storyville), and Marcia Ball makes a guest appearance on piano for “Poor Little Fool.” Co-producer Derek O’Brien, one of Austin’s most in-demand guitarists, also adds his tasty, soulful guitar work on electric lead and rhythm throughout.

For more information on Toni Price, visit www.txmusicgroup.com

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PATTERSON BARRETT RELEASES I MUST BE DREAMING ON OCTOBER 9

2007-08-29T09:59:00.000-05:00

PATTERSON BARRETT RELEASES I MUST BE DREAMING ON OCTOBER 9

DEBUT CD INCLUDES SPECIAL GUESTS BUDDY AND JULIE MILLER

AUSTIN, TX – So’ Fish Records announces an October 9 release date for the debut CD from singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Patterson Barrett, I Must Be Dreaming, distributed nationally by Burnside Distribution. The album includes special guest appearances by Buddy and Julie Miller.

Raised in the Washington, DC area, Patterson Barrett moved to Austin shortly after appearing on Jerry Jeff Walker’s classic first album on MCA Records, playing pedal steel, dobro and guitar (including the song, “L.A. Freeway”). He soon formed the band Partners In Crime, which included Buddy and Julie Miller, and released one album under that name. During his earlier years in Austin, he produced some of Hal Ketchum’s first demos, played in Al Kooper’s back-up band, accompanied Nancy Griffith on “Austin City Limits,” toured as a member of Lou Ann Barton’s road band and played on Buddy Miller’s debut album, Your Love And Other Lies.

After years of collaborating with so many artists, Barrett has found his own unique voice both as a songwriter and performer on his new release, I Must Be Dreaming. On the new album, he explores some of the aspects of dreams and alternate realities of life and death that touch us all.

Influenced by Neil Young, Poco and the Flying Burrito Brothers as well as Sam and Dave, The Temptations, and Marvin Gaye, Patterson Barrett’s music on his new CD blends elements of country, rock, R&B and roots music for an all-Americana sound that’s been compared to John Hiatt, The Band (whose song “Sleeping” he lovingly covers), and Ryan Adams.

I Must Be Dreaming has a cohesive, unified feel, perhaps owing to the fact that Barrett plays the majority of the instruments on most of the tracks himself, including not only various guitars & keyboards, but also more exotic colors such as pedal steel guitar, mandolin, and accordion. This single-minded approach only helps the guest star appearances shine more brightly against Barrett’s seamless production.

The lead-off track, “Take The Stage,” reunites onetime bandmates Barrett and Buddy Miller in a rockin’ dialogue of duet vocals punctuated by some nice interplay between Miller’s signature guitar playing and Barrett’s slippery lap steel. On “Concrete & Steel,” Julie Miller’s guest vocals join Barrett and Miller in a bittersweet recollection of a love that can only be relived in a dream.
“It was a special thing for Julie and me to sing with Patterson on ‘Concrete & Steel,’ says Buddy Miller about the track. “We love the song. and hearing our voices together only makes us want to do some more. Singing with a good friend makes for a natural blend.”

Other guests on the new CD include drummer Tommy Taylor (Eric Johnson) and singer Deborah Holland, whose harmony singing with Barrett recalls Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris.

While sharing a thematic connection, the songs cover a wide range of subjects, from the teen suicide that prompted the crisis of faith expressed in “Back In My Heart” to the insomnia documented in “She Won’t Be Getting Any Sleep Tonight.” Included in the collection is “Leap Of Faith,” a Cajun romp written by longtime musical friend, Gurf Morlix (and Rod Picott).

There are also several family connections on the new CD. The song “I’ve Been Loving You For Such A Long Time,” written for Barrett’s daughter, gives voice to some deeply held emotions of a father toward his children. And son Emerson joins his dad for a track, playing upright bass on the song, “Concrete & Steel”.

Patterson Barrett will tour in support of I Must Be Dreaming, with plans for an Austin show to celebrate the national release to be announced shortly.

For more information, visit www.pattersonbarrett.com

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TOM GILLAM’S NEW CD, NEVER LOOK BACK, DUE SEPTEMBER 12

2007-08-29T09:58:00.000-05:00

TOM GILLAM’S NEW CD,

NEVER LOOK BACK, DUE SEPTEMBER 12

LATEST RELEASE ON TREEHOUSE PRODUCTIONS, DISTRIBUTED NATIONALLY BY BURNSIDE DISTRIBUTION

PHILADELPHIA, PA – TreeHouse Productions announces a September 12 release date for Never Look Back, the new CD from singer/songwriter/guitarist Tom Gillam, with national distribution by Burnside Distribution Corporation. Gillam will get the celebration of the new album going early, with a CD release concert set for The Troc in Philadelphia on August 17 at 8:00 PM.

Never Look Back is Gillam’s strongest album yet, amply displaying his whiskey-soaked vocals, incendiary guitar work and striking lyrics in a musical trifecta blending the edgier side of alternative country and Americana with guitar rock for a real barn-burner sound. On the new CD, Gillam is backed by his long-time road band, Tractor Pull, creating a seamless, visceral music that’s the perfect follow-up to his last release, 2005’s Shake My Hand, which spent 14 weeks on the Americana Radio top ten, peaking at #4. That album also won him a “Best Emerging Artist” nomination from the Americana Music Association.

The 11 all-original songs on Never Look Back, most of which were written or co-written by Gillam, were recorded at TreeHouse Studios and produced by long-time friend Joe Carroll, who also is a multi-instrumentalist in Tractor Pull. They showcase a creative, insightful songwriter whose songs are both topical and personal, with a universal appeal that echoes the past but sounds fresh and exciting.

The recording of the new album was interrupted in March of 2006, when after several appearances at the SXSW Music Festival, Tom Gillam suffered three heart attacks in between flights from Austin to France. Two months later, he made an amazing comeback performance and finished the new album late last summer.

Born and raised in southern New Jersey, Tom spent his formative years playing in and around the New Jersey / Philadelphia area with a variety of mildly successful bands. In 1997, he teamed up with producer Joe Carroll to embark on his solo career. The result was Tom's 1998 release, First of All (Brickhouse Records). That was followed in 2001 by the critically acclaimed album, Dallas (Gotham Records). Tom then recruited the members of his touring band, Tractor Pull, and hit the road. He took time out from touring to record what would eventually become the Shake My Hand album, released in November 2004 on 95 North/Haydens Ferry Records.

Tom Gillam and Tractor Pull will support the release of Never Look Back with a national tour, including in-store appearances at retail outlets around the country. Radio promotion for the new CD is being handled by Al Moss Promotions.

For more information, visit http://www.tomgillam.com/ or his other site at www.myspace.com/tomgillamstractorpull

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STONY PLAIN RECORDS PRESENTS THE GIFT: A TRIBUTE TO IAN TYSON

2007-08-29T09:57:00.000-05:00

STONY PLAIN RECORDS PRESENTS THE GIFT: A TRIBUTE TO IAN TYSON

ALL-STAR CAST SALUTES CANADIAN MUSICAL ICON WITH PERFORMANCES FROM JENNIFER WARNES, CHRIS HILLMAN, GORDON LIGHTFOOT, RAMBLIN’ JACK ELLIOTT, TOM RUSSELL, AMOS GARRETT AND MANY OTHERS ON OCTOBER 9 U.S. RELEASE

EDMONTON, AB – Stony Plain Records announces an October 9 U.S. release date for The Gift: A Tribute To Ian Tyson, an all-star tribute featuring performances of the Canadian musical icon’s songs by such performers as Jennifer Warnes, Chris Hillman, Gordon Lightfoot, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Tom Russell and Amos Garrett, among others.

The album’s striking artwork features rarely-seen sketches from legendary western artist Charles M. Russell, a former cowboy and wrangler who documented the Old West during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, capturing the spirit and the character of that time. The sketches were obtained with permission from the C.M. Russell Museum in Great Falls, Montana.

The Gift: A Tribute To Ian Tyson has been in the works for more than a year. Stony Plain Records’ president Holger Petersen and award-winning music journalist Peter North asked Tyson's friends, associates, admirers and one-time sidemen to contribute, and shepherded their songs through production. All of the songs were recorded expressly for this album, with the exception of Gordon Lightfoot’s track, “Red Velvet,” released on an earlier album of his, and Tom Russell’s cover of “Old Cheyenne,” recorded several years ago as a “promotion only” track. Just released in Canada, the album has already garnered rave reviews and strong sales in that country.
In addition to guitarist Amos Garrett, other former musicians who have worked with Tyson over the years, such as David Rea, Stewart MacDougall, Cindy Church, Buddy Cage and Jeff Bradshaw, all contributed tracks to the new album. Other participants include Blue Rodeo, Corb Lund, The Good Brothers and The McDades.
In a world-wide career that spans almost half a century, Ian Tyson was a pioneering folk singer whose initial impact came as one-half of the duo Ian and Sylvia, one of the most popular acts of the early ‘60s folk music movement, who recorded a number of albums (most notably with Vanguard Records). At the end of that decade, he helped launch the country-rock explosion with the landmark band Great Speckled Bird and its self-titled album, released in 1970. Tyson followed that by being at the vanguard of the “cowboy music” revival on the strength of his seminal 1986 album, Cowboyography. His achievements thus far have earned him a place in the Juno Hall of Fame (the Canadian equivalent of the GRAMMY), and he has been a recipient of the Order of Canada.Dotted with classic pieces and sprinkled with timeless hits, Tyson’s brilliantly crafted catalogue contains the finest examples of songs that have stitched stunning melodies and gripping grooves with deep emotions and finely etched imagery. Not only has he been on the receiving end of considerable acclaim and commercial success during his long run, other artists have consistently gone to and drawn from Tyson’s deep well. Neil Young, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Nanci Griffith, Suzy Bogguss, Bobby Bare, Tony Rice, Judy Collins, David Bromberg, and Jerry Jeff Walker are just a few of the artists who have covered his songs. Neil Young continues to express his belief that “Four Strong Winds” is one of the greatest contemporary folk songs ever written. Tyson, who marks his 75th birthday next year, continues to run the Tyson Ranch in the foothills of the Rockies south of Calgary, and tours in Canada and the U.S., playing some 75 concerts a year.

“A tribute to Ian, who is certainly not ready to call it a day on the ranch, has definitely been in order for some time now,” says co-executive producer Peter North, who is also the music director for the CKUA Radio Network in Edmonton, Alberta. “Tyson’s songs cross a musical landscape that includes the folk revival of the ‘60s, the birth of country rock, hardcore honky-tonk music and his own chosen place as a spokesperson for cowboy culture.”
Stony Plain is distributed by Koch Entertainment. For more, visit http://www.iantyson.com/
The Gift: A Tribute To Ian Tyson Track Listing:
1. Four Strong Winds Blue Rodeo
2. MC Horses Corb Lund
3. Blue Mountains of Mexico Jennifer Warnes
4. What Does She See Chris Hillman
5. Red Velvet Gordon Lightfoot
6. The Gift David Rea
7. Range Delivery Cindy Church
8. Smuggler’s Cove The McDades
9. Some Kind Of Fool Amos Garrett
10. Old Cheyenne Tom Russell
11. Someday Soon The Circus In Flames with Buddy Cage
12. Will James Ramblin’ Jack Elliott
13. You’re Not Alone Anymore Stewart MacDougall
14. Summer Wages The Good Brothers
15. Moondancer Jeff Bradshaw
16. Bonus Track: Interview with Ramblin’ Jack Elliott & Buddy Cage

BLUE BELLA RECORDS SETS FOUR NEW CDS FOR RELEASE OCT. 9

2007-08-29T09:56:00.000-05:00

BLUE BELLA RECORDS SETS FOUR NEW CDS FOR RELEASE OCT. 9

DOUBLE NICK MOSS CD AND SINGLE ALBUMS FROM GERRY HUNDT, BULL LUPKIN AND KILBORN ALLEY BLUES BAND COMPLETE PACKAGE

CHICAGO, IL – Blue Bella Records, “Delivering Classic Chicago Blues in a Whole New Package,” announces the release of four new albums on October 9: a special double-CD from multi-Blues Award nominees Nick Moss & the Flip Tops – Play It ‘Til Tomorrow; the solo debut CD from Flip Tops band member Gerry Hundt – Since Way Back; and new CDs from singer/harmonica player Bill Lupkin – Hard Pill To Swallow, and The Kilborn Alley Blues Band – Tear Chicago Down. All CDs will be distributed nationally by Burnside Distribution.

Fresh from receiving four Blues Music Award nominations and an electrifying live performance at the Blues Foundation’s premiere event in Memphis this past May, Nick Moss & the Flip Tops follow up their 2006 CD, Live at Chan’s, with an amazing two-CD set of Chicago blues showcasing not only the band’s incredible talents as performers and songwriters, but also their tremendous versatility. In addition to Nick Moss on guitar, harmonica and vocals, the group includes Willie Oshawny on keyboards (who also switches over to bass on four tracks and second guitar on another), Gerry Hundt on harp and vocals (who also plays bass, rhythm guitar and mandolin on the album) and Bob Carter on drums.

While staying true to the classic Chicago post-war blues sound, Nick and the band also create new grooves that advance the style to new heights with their creativity and energy.
“That’s how I’ve always been,” says Nick Moss in the album’s liner notes. “All along, I’ve been trying to do my records that way. I live in Chicago and I was taught by the guys that played Chicago blues,” he adds, referring to the time he spent wood-shedding with the likes of Jimmy Rogers, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Jimmy Dawkins and others.

Adding to that authenticity on Play It ‘Til Tomorrow is the addition of special guest Eddie Taylor, Jr., son of the legendary Eddie Taylor, whose guitar work was a major component of all the great recordings from the incomparable Jimmy Reed. Eddie Taylor, Jr. plays second guitar on five cuts of the new album, and also inadvertently gave the CD its title when he continued playing after “Late Night Saint” had ended and voiced the opinion that he could “play that mother f*#ker ’til tomorrow!” (As captured on the “hidden track” at the end of Program One.)

The first disc of the double CD set features the band at their most rollicking Chicago blues sound, with some killer originals wrapped around three cover songs: Floyd Jones’ “Rising Wind,” Luther “Snake” Johnson’s “Woman Don’t Lie” and Lefty Dizz’s “Bad Avenue.” The revelation for many people in this package will be the second disc, which mostly unveils an “unplugged” side of the band that creates a completely different level of blues previously unheard from this band. On that CD, Barrelhouse Chuck guests on piano for one song, and Gerry Hundt demonstrates the prowess on mandolin he further explores on his own album.

Since Way Back is Gerry Hundt’s exploration and salute to the blues mandolin, as exemplified by his three main influences on the instrument: Johnny Young, Yank Rachell and Carl Martin. Even though he only took up the mandolin a few years since his debut CD, Hundt demonstrates an innate feel for the instrument and how it’s best used in the blues idiom. “I feel that there’s a lot of room for expansion of its Chicago blues vocabulary,” says Hundt. “When I play, I really feel like I’m reaching into an untapped vein, and it really grabs me - and the audience too, I think.”

Since Way Back features 11 originals that sit nicely alongside his covers of songs by Otis Spann (“Burning Fire”) and Jimmy Rogers (“You’re the One”).Besides Hundt on electric and acoustic mandolin and vocals, the players are Kilborn Alley’s Josh Stimmel on electric guitar, Bill Lupkin on harmonica and band mates Nick Moss on bass and acoustic guitar, Willie Oshawny on piano and Bob Carter on drums. Barrelhouse Chuck guests on piano on the CD bonus track.

Harp master Bill Lupkin returns for his second Blue Bella album after getting rave reviews for his first label release, Where I Come From (2006). “This guy is one savvy harp player, and you better know that he's got the chops that only experience and faith can give you,” said BluesSource.com in its review. “What a CD! This is true talent. If you love harp players, you're gonna get off on this CD. Raw, energetic and faithful to the max, Lupkin pulls it all off with the strength of a winner.”

On Hard Pill To Swallow, Lupkin continues on the blues path set by his last album with another dose of tasty blues harp, soulful singing and 14 original songs that display his blues pedigree like a badge of courage. And Bill is a true blues veteran, slugging it out in the bars and clubs on Chicago’s west, north and south sides back in the day with true geniuses such as Howlin’ Wolf, The Aces (Little Walter’s band) with Johnny Young, Jimmy Rogers, Willie Dixon, Sunnyland Slim and Eddie Taylor. A later trip to California saw him in a band backing the likes of T-Bone Walker, Pee Wee Crayton, Lowell Fulson and Roy Milton.

Backing Lupkin’s harmonica and vocals on Hard Pill To Swallow are Nick Moss on guitar, Gerry Hundt on guitar and mandolin, Tim Wire on keyboards, brother Steve Lupkin on bass and Mark Fornek on drums.

Following in the footsteps of such trailblazers as The Muddy Waters Band and The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, The Kilborn Alley Blues Band continues the tradition with another searing set of music on their new CD, the aptly titled Tear Chicago Down.
A true ensemble blues band consisting of Andrew Duncanson on vocals and guitar, Josh Stimmel on guitar, Joe Asselin on harmonica, Chris Breen on bass and Ed O’Hara on drums. While each of these musicians is strong in their own right, it is when they play together as a band that Kilborn Alley creates a sound greater than the sum of its parts, largely because of the feel they bring to this music.

The band’s first Blue Bella release, last year’s Put It In The Alley, garnered them a Blues Music Award nomination for Best New Artist Debut, marking them as a group to watch. On Tear Chicago Down, The Kilborn Alley Blues Band smokes through a dozen original songs joined by a few guests, including Nick Moss on guitar, Gerry Hundt on organ, and Champaign, Illinois’ notable R&B singer Abraham Johnson (who’s often part of the live Kilborn Alley lineup) on the title track’s vocals.

With these four new October 9 releases on Blue Bella Records, the future of the blues is in great hands.

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NEW LIVE CHIP TAYLOR/CARRIE RODRIGUEZ CD SET FOR OCTOBER 2

2007-08-29T09:55:00.000-05:00

NEW LIVE CHIP TAYLOR/CARRIE RODRIGUEZ CD SET FOR OCTOBER 2

RECORDED IN GERMANY IN 2005, CD FEATURES BILL FRISELL AND GREG LEISZ, WITH SPECIAL GUEST BUDDY MILLER

NEW YORK, NY – Train Wreck Records announces an October 2nd release date for Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez Live from the Ruhr Triennale – October 2005, a very special live recording of the Americana music duo the Austin Chronicle called “the queen of hearts with a Texas accent and the jack of diamonds with the King Midas touch.” On the new live album, Taylor and Rodriguez, whose music Rolling Stone dubbed “by turns cosmic, whimsical and tender,” are backed by a band that includes guitar genius Bill Frisell, master instrumentalist Greg Leisz and special guest Buddy Miller. Train Wreck Records is distributed in the U.S. by RED Distribution.

The special circumstances that came about to create this magical recording occurred in October 2005 when Ruhr Triennale Festival curator Bill Frisell invited Chip Taylor and Carrie Rodriguez to perform on their “Century of Song Series,” which celebrates the history of popular song as it came into prominence in the 20th century. In addition to their own songs, participating artists were asked to also feature their favorite songs from other songwriters of the past century.

The result is an album that includes not only a batch of songs Chip and Carrie recorded together, such as “Let’s Leave this Town,” “Laredo” and “Red Dog Tracks” (off their three studio albums), but also a number of Chip Taylor-penned classics regularly performed at their live shows (“Wild Thing,” “Angel of the Morning,” “The Real Thing”), and energized performances of such classics as “Today I Started Loving You Again,” “Long Black Veil,” “Big River” and “Maybellene.”

“My entire music career has been guided by physical sensations,” says Chip Taylor in the album’s liner notes. “That ‘chill factor’ was never more in evidence than at the Ruhr Triennale, in the Ruhr District part of Germany, on the evenings of October 11th and 13th of October, 2005. Surrounded by the magnetic sounds of Bill Frisell and the boys, Carrie and I rocked and floated in musical places we had never been.”

Accompanied Bill Frisell on electric guitar and loops, Greg Leisz on steel guitar and mandolin, David Piltch on bass and Kenny Wollesen on drums and percussion, Chip Taylor and Carrie Rodriguez reached creative musical heights those nights that permeate every track on the new live CD, imbuing new sparks not only into Taylor’s seminal compositions, but staples such as “Maybellene,” where the ensemble of guitars, fiddle, pedal steel and mandolin turn the Chuck Berry classic into a Western Swing hoedown. For the album’s closer, they’re joined by another superstar guitarist, Buddy Miller, for a rowdy rendition of Taylor’s seminal crowd-pleaser, “Wild Thing,” which the band proceeds to turn inside out, upside down and every which way but loose.

Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez Live from the Ruhr Triennale – October 2005 was produced by Lee Townsend and Chip Taylor and recorded with an ambience that brings the listening audience right into the mix of the songs with the performers on stage.

For more information on this CD and the other Train Wreck releases, please visit www.trainwreckrecords.com

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LUCKY TOMBLIN BAND IS “RED HOT FROM BLUE ROCK”

2007-07-10T11:18:00.000-05:00

LUCKY TOMBLIN BAND IS “RED HOT FROM BLUE ROCK”

NEW CD DUE SEPTEMBER 12 INCLUDES SPECIAL BONUS DVD

CD RELEASE SHOW AT THE BROKEN SPOKE IN AUSTIN

AUSTIN, TX – Texas World Records announces a September 12 release for Red Hot From Blue Rock, the latest album from the Lucky Tomblin Band, which is distributed nationally by Burnside Distribution. In addition to the 13-song disc, the package includes a special bonus 35-minute DVD of the making of the album, which includes interviews with the band, as well as performances in the studio of seven songs from the CD.

The Lucky Tomblin Band will celebrate Red Hot From Blue Rock with a special CD release party show on September 12 at Austin’s legendary dancehall, The Broken Spoke.

The Lucky Tomblin band is a true all-star group consisting of some of the best players in roots music today: Lucky Tomblin (lead vocals), Redd Volkaert (lead guitar and lead vocals), Earl Poole Ball (piano and lead vocals), John X. Reed (lead guitar and lead vocals), Sarah Brown (bass and lead vocals), Bobby Arnold (rhythm guitar and lead vocals) and Jon Hahn on drums.

Produced by Casper Rawls (who also contributes some guitar work), Red Hot from Blue Rock is an apt description for this sizzling collection of songs delivered by Austin’s purveyors of homegrown Texas honky-tonk music. With two previous albums of critically-acclaimed roadhouse music under its collective belt, The Lucky Tomblin Band returns with yet another dance floor mix of both originals and well-chosen covers by such classic writers as Hank Williams (“Howlin’ at the Moon”), Jerry Lee Lewis (“End of the Road”), Moon Mullican (“Sundown Blues”), Mel Tillis (“Honky Tonk Song”), Buddy Knox (“Party Doll”), Tommy Duncan (“Time Changes Everything”) and Billy “The Kid” Emerson (“Red Hot”), among others. Of the originals, two were written by Sarah Brown (one co-written with Rosie Flores), and one was co-written by Earl Poole Ball and country Cajun Jo-el Sonnier.

The new album takes its title from the studio in the Wimberley, Texas, “hill country” just outside Austin where the tracks were recorded, Blue Rock Artist Ranch and Studios, whose ambience and beautiful natural surroundings are perfectly captured in the accompanying DVD. The album was recorded and engineered by Keith Gary.

Bandleader Lucky Tomblin takes the lead vocals for four songs on Red Hot from Blue Rock, and also showcases the lead singing strengths of the rest of the group’s members throughout the rest of the tracks, with Redd Volkaert, Earl Poole Ball, John X. Reed and Sarah Brown each singing on two songs and Bobby Arnold making his singing debut on the Floyd Tillman classic, “I’ll Keep On Loving You.”

The Lucky Tomblin Band’s two previous CDs, the self-tiled debut in 2003 and In A Honky-Tonk Mood (2006), showcased a killer band in its true element: Texas roadhouse honky-tonk music perfect for listening and dancing. “If the Lucky Tomblin Band doesn't put you in a honky-tonk mood, there's either something wrong with you, or you're not really listening,” said one reviewer about the band’s sound. “This is classic honky-tonk as it was meant to be played,” said another. Perhaps yet a third reviewer may have had the best description yet of this music when he wrote: “Tomblin and crew deliver what a good time Luckenbach honky-tonk Saturday night must have felt like back when the earth was cooling. A real party on a platter for anyone with homegrown tastes.”
For more information, visit www.luckytomblinband.com or the band’s other site at www.myspace.com/luckytomblinband

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DELBERT MCCLINTON AND FRIENDS ARE “ROCKING THE BOAT”

2007-07-10T11:16:00.000-05:00

DELBERT MCCLINTON AND FRIENDS ARE “ROCKING THE BOAT”

NEW FILM DOCUMENTARY CAPTURES ESSENCE OF GRAMMY-AWARD WINNING PERFORMER ON HIS “SANDY BEACHES” CRUISE

AUGUST 1ST SCREENING SET AT WOODS HOLE FILM FESTIVAL

KEAAU, HI – Every year since 1995, three-time Grammy-winner Delbert McClinton, known for his special brand of Texas roadhouse roots-rock, gathers together a bunch of his favorite musical friends and - along with 1,200 fans - boards a ship for a week-long voyage of non-stop music and fun in the Caribbean dubbed the “Sandy Beaches Cruise.” Now, filmmaker Jay Curlee has captured the essence of a showman’s life, what makes McClinton’s music so special, and why this cruise has been a perennial sellout in his new concert film and music documentary, Rocking the Boat: A Musical Conversation and Journey.

Rocking the Boat: a Musical Conversation and Journey has been selected by the 16th Annual Woods Hole Film Festival on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. It will screen at 7 p.m., August 1st at the Redfield Auditorium of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

The festival is an eight-day showcase of independent film, featuring daily screenings, workshops, panel discussions and special events. For more information on the festival, visit www.woodsholefilmfestival.com. Jay Curlee will attend the screening, which will be the east coast premiere of the film. Curlee will also be on-hand for a Q&A session and panels at the festival. Rocking the Boat was the opening night feature of the 37th Annual USA Film Festival, and was also shown at the 27th Breckenridge Festival of Film.

Music performances were culled from over 150 hours of footage shot in high-definition aboard the 2006 Sand Beaches Cruise. In addition to a number of high-energy performances by McClinton, the film also includes (mostly original) standout songs from Rodney Crowell, Marcia Ball, Stephen Bruton, Wayne Toups, Jimmy Hall, Al Anderson, Tommy Castro, Paul Thorn, and Teresa James. The result is a shipboard musical gumbo of rock, blues, country, funk, zydeco and rhythm & blues. The film’s excellent sound was recorded and mixed by Chet Himes, a Grammy-nominated Austin engineer, who is currently re-mastering the library of the critically acclaimed music series “Austin City Limits” for release on DVD.

In addition to the music, the film includes interviews with McClinton and friends with stories about the joys – and rigors – of the road. Also included are vintage photos and video of McClinton during his over 40 years in music. Another Texas music icon, Kinky Friedman, makes a special appearance, giving his unique spin on Texas musicians and the culture itself.

Though long admired for his exceptional body of recorded work as well as his legendary live shows, Delbert McClinton really started appearing on the American mainstream radar in the late 1970s. He was one of the inspirations for the Blues Brothers, who covered his “B-Movie Boxcar Blues” on their first album. In 1980, he had a Top 40 hit with “Givin’ It Up for Your Love,” and later that decade wrote and sang “Weatherman,” the opening theme for the hit movie, “Groundhog Day.”

McClinton received his first Grammy in 1991 for a duet he sang with Bonnie Raitt, “Good Man, Good Woman,” which won the award as Best Rock Vocal. He has since won Grammy Awards for two of his own albums, Nothing Personal, released in 2001, and Cost of Living, released in 2005.

Rocking the Boat: a Musical Conversation and Journey is a production of JC Communications and is director Jay Curlee’s first feature. He has made more than 2,000 commercials and 200 programs while living his entire professional life in Hawaii. Executive producers of the film are Susan James and Arthur James. Rocking the Boat was produced by Yuri Biersach, Wendy Goldstein, Page Hite, Jim Friscia, W.T. Little, Lewis Stephens, and Gary Turlington. Director of photography is Ken Libby and film editor is Keoni Alvarez.

For more information or to purchase a pre-release limited edition DVD of the film, visit www.rockingtheboatmovie.com

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2007-07-02T14:05:00.000-05:00

OMAR KENT DYKES AND JIMMIE VAUGHAN ARE RIDING ON THE JIMMY REED HIGHWAY

NEW RUF RECORDS CD DUE AUGUST 21

SPECIAL GUESTS ALONG FOR THE RIDE INCLUDE KIM WILSON, LOU ANN BARTON, DELBERT MCCLINTON AND JAMES COTTON

AUSTIN, TX – Ruf Records announces the August 21 release of one of the most exciting and anticipated musical collaborations of the year, On the Jimmy Reed Highway, an all-star, Texas-sized salute to the blues master from two of the Lone Star State’s most prized musicians, singer/guitarist Omar Kent Dykes and guitarist Jimmie Vaughan. Joining Dykes and Vaughan for the ride is a celebrated list of musical guests, including Kim Wilson, Lou Ann Barton, Delbert McClinton and James Cotton.

In addition to a number of festival and special performances throughout the summer to promote the new CD, the core band – Dykes, Vaughan, Wilson and Barton – along with some special guests, will tape a segment of the critically-acclaimed television series, “Austin City Limits,” on August 22. Other shows already booked include the Notodden Blues Festival in Norway on August 4; Blues on the Green in Austin on August 8; Antone’s in Austin on August 24; House of Blues in Dallas on August 26; and the Long Beach Blues Festival in Long Beach, California on September 2.

Known for such classic blues staples as “Big Boss Man,” “Baby What You Want Me to Do” and “Bright Lights, Big City,” among many others, Jimmy Reed continues to be a huge influence on blues and roots music fans over 30 years since his death. He certainly was to a young Omar Kent Dykes growing up in McComb, Mississippi and Jimmie Vaughan in Dallas, Texas.

“‘Baby What You Want Me to Do’ and ‘Big Boss Man’ were allover Top 40 radio,” remembers Dykes. And when Omar played his first guitar, the initial chords he played came from a Reed song. “Jimmy Reed was huge in Dallas,” adds Jimmie Vaughan. “I learned how to play him by listening to the radio.”

Mississippi born and raised Omar Kent Dykes grew up on Jimmy Reed’s music and has honed that influence and others into a three-decade-long career as leader of one of the hottest blues bands anywhere, Omar and the Howlers.

Jimmie Vaughan is a Texas icon, a world-renown guitarist and founder of the Fabulous Thunderbirds, the great roots band that led the vanguard of the blues explosion in the 1980s and helped put Austin on the musical map.

On the Jimmy Reed Highway began as an Omar Kent Dykes album, but once Jimmie Vaughan came into the studio “the songs took on their own life,” remembers Omar. “I figured Jimmie would come in and play a couple of solos, but he got so excited about it he stayed for the rest.”

That fever spread to anyone within earshot of the project, drawing a star-studded list of guests, eager to join in on the fun. They included another Austin legend, singer Lou Ann Barton, whose soulful vocals are featured throughout the new album, and who often tours with Vaughan. Not far behind was another original member of the T-Birds, harmonica master Kim Wilson, who reunites with his former band mate Vaughan on three songs. This marks the first time since Vaughan left the Fabulous Thunderbirds in 1990 that he and Wilson have recorded together on disc. Three-time GRAMMY winner Delbert McClinton also guests on harp and joins Dykes on lead vocals for another Reed chestnut, “Hush Hush.” And another blues great, James Cotton, lends his distinctive harp sound to the sexy, pleading lyrics of “Caress Me Baby.”

Backing these stars On the Jimmy Reed Highway is an all-star crew, including guitarists Derek O’Brien and Gary Clark, Jr., harmonica player Gary Primich, bassists Ronnie James and Barry Bihm, and drummers Wes Starr, George Rains, Jay Moeller and Omar’s son, Jake Dykes.

Ten great Jimmy Reed songs are book-ended by two original songs that fit like a glove with the others: the opening track, “Jimmy Reed Highway,” and the closing, “You Made Me Laugh,” both written by Dykes and Steve Callif.

“Jimmy Reed’s music is sexy and smooth, and no one’s in a hurry. It’s flat-out cool,” says Jimmie Vaughan. Or as Omar Kent Dykes proudly states in his trademark growl on the first song: “The big boss man is still the man today!”

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On the Jimmy Reed Highway Song List

1. Jimmy Reed Highway 2. Baby What You Want Me To Do/ Bright Lights Big City
3. Big Boss Man
4. Good Lover 5. Caress Me Baby
6. Aw Shucks, Hush Your Mouth
7. You Upset My Mind
8. I'll Change My Style
9. Bad Boy
10. Baby, What's Wrong11. Hush Hush
12. You Made Me Laugh

TOM RUSH’S “THE REMEMBER SONG” VIDEO CLIP GOES 2.2 plus HITS!

2007-06-18T11:38:00.000-05:00

TOM RUSH’S “THE REMEMBER SONG” VIDEO CLIP HITS OVER
2.2 MILLION VIEWS ON YOUTUBE!

ATLANTA, GA - Legendary singer/songwriter Tom Rush’s video clip for “The Remember Song” has become a true internet phenomenon, having amassed over 2.2 million plays and counting on YouTube.com in just three months. The live performance video clip of “The Remember Song” was filmed in San Diego at Humphrey’s By the Sea during one of the shows Tom was doing with Judy Collins. Rush sings about the most feared aging symptom that all Baby Boomers dread: forgetting. He sings about missing keys, glasses, phones, and well - worse - names. So please take a look at this fabulous video: a vignette into the genius mind of Tom Rush. Follow the YouTube road to this link and see for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yN-6PbqAPM

The song was written by Steven Walters and Tom has been playing it live for several years because it always connects with his audiences of all ages. The video also shows the reactions of the audience, as well as the comedic timing that Tom Rush has while delivering the song. It’s a flawless performance. This clip is taken from the Judy Collins Wildflower Festival DVD with Tom, Judy, Arlo Guthrie and Eric Anderson, which is available for sale on Tom’s web site.

Tom Rush first came into prominence in the 1960s as a singer/songwriter at a time when music began to really shape American culture. He is a gifted musician and performer, whose shows offer a musical celebration - a journey into the tradition and spectrum of what music has been, can be, and will become. His distinctive guitar style, wry humor and warm, expressive voice have made him both a legend and a lure to audiences around the world. His shows are filled with the laughter of terrific story-telling, the sweet melancholy of ballads and the passion of gritty blues.
Over the years, he has toured throughout the world, and his songs have been re-interrupted by several new generations. He was one of the first artists to record a then-unknown Joni Mitchell’s songs, and was an inspiration to a young James Taylor, who has been quoted as saying, “Tom was not only one of my early heroes, but one of my main influences.” Tom Rush signed with Elektra Records in 1965 and his early work exposed listeners to Mitchell (The Circle Game album), Jackson Browne (“Jamaica Say You Will”) and Leonard Cohen. Tom’s craving for good songs and attracting great musicians gave way to his legendary Club 47 shows in Boston, which brought in young talent like Nanci Griffith, Shawn Colvin, Bonnie Raitt, and Allison Krauss. The Club 47 shows were the pre-cursor to the coffee house circuit as a way to champion new emerging artists. A few years ago, U2 inserted a lyric from Tom’s song, “No Regrets” into the live performance of their hit, “Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own,” with the words, “I don't want you back/We'd only cry again/Say goodbye again.”

As an artist, Tom Rush feels his approach is to be the servant of the song, saying, in an interview several years ago when Columbia/Legacy released his retrospective CD, No Regrets, The Very Best of Tom Rush, “You just want to be the window people see the song through.”

This honest approach is what draws people to Tom; he’s very personable, witty and thoughtful. His uncanny knack for finding songs that suit him is incredible, which makes him one of the chief architects of the singer/songwriter genre.

Tom is still an active performer doing about 60 shows a year and currently resides in the Santa Barbara area his wife, Renee Askins, who is the founder of the Wolf Fund.

For more information on Tom and his music, a complete listing of his tour itinerary and to purchase CDs and other merchandise, visit www.tomrush.com

To schedule an interview, or to get more information on this YouTube.com story and Tom, please contact Jill Kettles at the office: email: jill@markpuccimedia.com

Upcoming Tom Rush Performance ItineraryJuly12 - Manchester, NH - Thu. Night Live Concert Series - Veterans Park - 7:30 PM 13 - Sanbornville, NH - Wolfeboro Folk Concert Series - 7 PM 14 - Patchogue, NY - Great South Bay Music Festival 16 - Larchmont, NY - Watercolor Café - 7 PM 23 - Jackson, WY - Jackson Hole Center for the Arts - 8 PM - 30 –

JOE RATHBONE IS UNDER THE SCORPIO MOON!

2007-06-12T12:20:00.000-05:00

SINGER/SONGWRITER JOE RATHBONE IS UNDER THE SCORPIO MOON
NEW CD COMING JULY 24, DISTRIBUTED NATIONALLY BY SELECT-O-HITS

NASHVILLE, TN – Zakz Records announces a July 24 release date for Under the Scorpio Moon, the new CD from singer/songwriter Joe Rathbone, nationally distributed by Select-O-Hits. Produced by David Henry and Joe Rathbone and recorded at Henry’s studio in Nashville, Under the Scorpio Moon also features Brad Jones on bass, Craig Wright (Steve Earle) on drums, Tony Miracle (Venus Hum) on keyboards and guitars, Jimmy Bowland (Delbert McClinton) on sax, clarinet and flute and Rich Malloy and Marco Giovino on drums. David Henry, a sought-after cellist whose playing has appeared on CDs by the Indigo Girls, Cowboy Junkies and Guster, also adds cello, guitar, keyboard and backing vocals on the new album.

Joe Rathbone has fashioned a new sonic landscape for himself on Under the Scorpio Moon, turning in a poetic study in the art of simplicity. Vintage-raw guitar and keys combine with techno grooves and stellar choruses to paint a picture of a world shifting beneath our feet. The songs deal with elation, depression, dreamlike acceptance of fate and hitting back against the emotional flatliners who try to control even our illusions. Joe Rathbone has drawn comparisons to Elvis Costello, Tom Petty, World Party, Paul Westerberg, Matthew Sweet and many more, but with this CD’s release, he’s found his own, real voice.

Under the Scorpio Moon follows 2004’s I Can Hear the Windows of Your Heart Breaking and his 2002 debut, Welcome to Your New Life, both of which received very favorable reviews in national media, extensive airplay on AAA radio stations and were lauded as an impressive showcase for his songwriting skills.

“He’s fashioned a thoroughly winning pop album filled with strong melodies and well-turned lyrics,” said Paste Magazine. “Joe Rathbone throws himself into the arena of Tom Petty (nee Dylan),” commented the Village Voice. “Joe’s music unites top-shelf hook-a-minute pop songwriting and a pleasing soulful voice,” added No Depression. “The trick to creating a perfect pop confection revolves around getting the mix between sweet and sour just right. Joe Rathbone’s songs prove that he has the recipe down pat. Every song on his second solo release, I Can Hear the Windows of Your Heart Breaking, displays a level of songwriting savvy usually associated with contemporary masters like Elvis Costello or Nick Lowe,” summed up Vintage Guitar.

Rathbone followed up his last release with lengthy tours in the US and UK, as well as opening shows for Shawn Colvin, Chuck Prophet, Peter Mulvey, Robbie Fulks, and Jim Lauderdale, among others, and also appeared on the nationally syndicated radio show, Mountain Stage. Several of his songs were licensed for use on the MTV show, Sorority Life, and a DVD season release of the television series, Party of Five.

Originally from Philadelphia, Rathbone’s music has taken him to New York City, Atlanta and now Nashville, where he currently resides. To support the release on Under the Scorpio Moon, Joe Rathbone will tour extensively in the U.S. and Europe.

For additional information, please visit www.joerathbone.com.

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SICK? LAURIE MORVAN GOT THE CURE FOR WHAT AILS YA!

2007-05-01T12:58:00.000-05:00

LAURIE MORVAN CURES WHAT AILS YA ON NEW CD COMING JUNE 12 FROM SCREAMING LIZARD RECORDS, DISTRIBUTED BY BURNSIDE

LONG BEACH, CA – "Smokin', sexy, screamin' rock & roll blues like you've never heard a woman - or a man - play." "Few blues guitarists pour as much energy into their performance... she brought the house down with one fiery burst of rock-solid blues fireworks after another."

These are some of the quotes about Southern California-based guitarist/singer Laurie Morvan, whose new CD, Cures What Ails Ya, will be released June 12 on Screaming Lizard Records, distributed nationally by Burnside Distribution.

The Illinois-born and raised Morvan discovered modern blues through artists such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Allman Brothers Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, .38 Special and The Marshall Tucker Band. In her early 20s, she was already playing lead guitar and singing in a power trio, and by going back to the sources of her guitar heroes, she discovered the roots of the blues from artists such as Robert Johnson, Luther Allison, Etta James and Big Mama Thornton.

To support her music "habit," Laurie graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign, received a Master's Degree in Applied Mathematics from California State University in Long Beach and taught math classes to raise funds to record her first album, Out Of the Woods, released in 1997 under the band name Backroad Shack. In 2004, she released Find My Way Home, and by then the group had changed its name to the Laurie Morvan Band.

Cures What Ails Ya was produced by Laurie Morvan and Lisa Grubbs, who also sings background vocals on the new CD. It features 12 original Laurie Morvan songs, all powered by her incendiary guitar work and soulful vocals, which recall Heart's Ann Wilson.

In addition to Laurie's regular touring band, the new CD features special guest performances from drummer Tony Braunagel (B.B. King, Taj Mahal), long-time Bonnie Raitt bassist James "Hutch" Hutchinson, Grammy-winning keyboard master George Duke, B3 organist Sammy Avila (Walter Trout) and keyboardist Doña Oxford (Shemekia Copeland). With its blend of energized blues/ rock, Cures What Ails Ya captures the raw power, dynamics, versatility and passion of a Laurie Morvan Band live performance.

The Laurie Morvan Band will celebrate the release of Cures What Ails Ya with a number of shows in Southern California before heading out to the rest of the country in support of the new CD. For more information, video clips, or to hear sample tracks from the new CD, visit these two sites: http://www.lauriemorvan.com/ or www.MySpace.com/lauriemorvanband.

Maria Muldaur is Naughty, Bawdy and Blue!

2007-03-28T12:48:00.000-05:00

MARIA MULDAUR IS NAUGHTY, BAWDY & BLUE ON NEW CD OUT MAY 15
COMPLETES CLASSIC BLUES WOMEN TRILOGY ON STONY PLAIN
INCLUDES SPECIAL DUET WITH MARIA AND BONNIE RAITT

EDMONTON, AB – Stony Plain Records has announced a May 15 release date for Maria Muldaur’s new CD, Naughty, Bawdy & Blue, which completes 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 this series for Canadian label Stony Plain, which is distributed in the U.S. by Navarre Corporation, were nominated for Grammy Awards: Richland Woman Blues (2001) and Sweet Lovin’ Ol’ Soul (2005).

Bonnie Raitt makes a special guest appearance on Naughty, Bawdy & Blue singing a duet with Maria on “Separation Blues,” a song written by Sippie Wallace, with whom Bonnie toured in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Both Maria and Bonnie sang the song with Sippie prior to her death in 1986.

“How great to hear these classic blues again, done up right by one of my favorite singers and the incredible James Dapogny’s Chicago Jazz Band,” says Bonnie Raitt about the new album. “I loved joining in on Sippie Wallace’s ‘Separation Blues’!”

Backing Maria Muldaur on most of the album is James Dapogny’s Chicago Jazz Band (who often performed with Sippie Wallace), which provides the perfect accompaniment of instruments (clarinet, sax, trumpet, trombone, tuba, banjo, guitar, piano, bass and drums) to these songs, a sassy mix of blues and jazz. Other guests on the CD include Dave Mathews on piano and Kevin Porter on trombone. Naughty, Bawdy & Blue was produced by Maria Muldaur and Ron Harwood and recorded at Solid Sound in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

In addition to Sippie Wallace, the other blues queens saluted on the album include Bessie Smith (“Empty Bed Blues,” “A Good Man Is Hard To Find”), Victoria Spivey (“TB Blues,” “One Hour Mama”), Alberta Hunter (“Early Every Morn”), Ma Rainey (“Yonder Come The Blues”) and Mamie Smith (“Down Home Blues”), as well as songs made famous by Ethel Waters and Sara Martin, plus another Sippie Wallace classic, “Up the Country Blues.”

As a young girl growing up in New York City’s Greenwich Village, these are the songs – and the women – who helped inspire Maria to sing and perform, eventually joining the burgeoning folk scene as a member of the Even Dozen Jug Band and later the Jim Kweskin Jug Band. It was also around that time that Maria met Victoria Spivey, who took her under her wing and taught her the finer points of blues singing and performing.

“These singers presented a more sophisticated, polished and urban blues style compared to the more primitive sound of the Delta blues artists,” says Muldaur in the album’s liner notes. “Appearing in large theaters, decked out in lavish finery and accompanied by the most accomplished jazz musicians of the day, their music resonated at the crossroads where jazz and blues meet. These women were ‘liberated’ way before the term was coined; liberated socially, financially and - most of all – sexually from the prevailing confines and mores of the time.”

Naughty, Bawdy & Blue includes extensive recollections from Maria Muldaur on these women singers and their impact on music, as well as individual bios of the women saluted and beautiful watercolor paintings by Rowland Salley of Chris Isaak’s band, who also contributed his work to both previous Muldaur albums on Stony Plain.

Maria Muldaur will tour extensively in support of Naughty, Bawdy & Blue, and is booked by Charlie Ellicott of Ellicott Talent Group (http://www.ellicotttalentgroup.com/)

For more information, visit http://www.mariamuldaur.com/ or http://www.stonyplainrecords.com/

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It's a TRAIN WRECK-Record label that is...

2007-03-28T12:42:00.000-05:00

CHIP TAYLOR LAUNCHES TRAIN WRECK RECORDS IN THE U.S. ON APRIL 3RD WITH NATIONAL DISTRIBUTION BY RED

LABEL TO KICK OFF WITH NEW CDS BY GUITARIST JOHN PLATANIA AND SINGER/FIDDLER KENDEL CARSON

NEW YORK – Legendary singer/songwriter Chip Taylor has announced the launch of his indie label, Train Wreck Records, with national distribution by RED Distribution. On April 3rd, the imprint will release its first CDs by guitarist John Platania, Blues, Waltzes and Badland Borders, and Canadian singer/fiddler Kendel Carson’s debut, Rearview Mirror Tears. Train Wreck is already distributing the past Chip Taylor/Carrie Rodriguez catalogue, with additional plans including a possible new live Taylor/Rodriguez duet CD.

“I am extremely enthusiastic about having Train Wreck Records – which has been active in Europe for several years – distributed by RED in the U.S.,” said Chip Taylor in making the announcement. “In the last few years, hands-on support from indie labels has helped break the Chip Taylor and Carrie Rodriguez albums, as well as our solo projects. Guided by Heinz Geissler, Chuck and David Knoblock, the plan for Train Wreck is to continue that hands-on approach with new releases of the first instrumental/concept album by my favorite guitarist in the universe, John Platania, as well as great new artist, Kendel Carson, a young fiddling singer/songwriter,” he added.

John Platania is a well-known guitarist who has played on a number of Van Morrison albums, including the classic hits “Moondance” and “Domino,” and is currently a member of Morrison’s touring band. He’s also recorded and performed with Bonnie Raitt, Randy Newman and Judy Collins, and has been a regular member of Chip Taylor’s band for many years, both on record and on the road.

“It amazes me that John Platania has never recorded his own instrumental album,” Taylor remarked. “Of course, his unique sound is heard throughout some of the all-time great recordings, including many by Van Morrison; and I’ve been fortunate to have him weave his magic on my albums all the way back to Last Chance in 1973. But this album features John in the spotlight and it’s about time.”

Blues, Waltzes and Badland Borders showcases John Platania’s amazing skills on both electric and acoustic guitars and features special guest vocal appearances by Lucinda Williams and Alejandro Escovedo, plus narrative contributions from Academy Award-winning actor Jon Voigt and Ruben Ramos (Los Super Seven), among others. The main studio band for the sessions includes Tony Mercadante on bass, Anton Fig (David Letterman Band) on drums and Chip Taylor on acoustic guitar, with a special guest appearance on fiddle by Carrie Rodriguez. As the CD’s title implies, the new album touches on several sounds associated with Tex-Mex music, as well as blues, rockabilly and some beautiful John Platania guitar instrumental portraits colored with emotion and tenderness. All 11 songs on the CD were written individually or co-written by Platania and Taylor.

22-year-old Kendel Carson has been a professional musician for over a decade, beginning as a trained classical violinist at the age of three in her hometown of Victoria, BC. She has been a featured guest soloist with the Victoria Symphony and a member of the acclaimed National Youth Orchestra of Canada. Kendel has already toured all over the world as a member of several bands, most-recently The Paperboys, with whom she currently tours and is prominently featured on their latest CD, The Road to Ellenside.

“Carrie Rodriguez and I met Kendel Carson a few years ago at a festival in Canmore, Canada,” said Taylor. “Later, at some extremely inspiring sessions in New York, we recorded her first solo album, Rear View Mirror Tears. Kendel is a one of a kind, in talent and personality. She’s an amazing fiddle player, has her own sweet/edgy vocal sound and has a down-home honesty about her on stage that will certainly win folks over.”

On Rear View Mirror Tears, Carson is backed by an all-star band that includes Chip Taylor and John Platania, as well as Tony Mercadante on bass, Dan Rieser on drums and Seth Farber on accordion and keyboards, with special guests Carrie Rodriguez and Kendel’s brother Tyler on background vocals. Chip Taylor wrote the majority of the songs on the new CD, with two co-written by Taylor and Kendel Carson. Rear View Mirror Tears was recorded live in the studio and has the spontaneous, energized feel of a live show, with sounds ranging from Texas fiddle tunes, to tender ballads and several country roadhouse rockers that will get audiences singing along with the lyrics.

Chip Taylor, John Platania and Kendel Carson will support the release of the new CDs with an extensive touring schedule, including appearances at the upcoming South By Southwest Music Conference in Austin, as well as the first Train Wreck Records ensemble tour of the country that will see all three artists performing solo and together.

For more information, visit www.trainwreckrecords.com

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AMERICAN CATAPULT AT MOLLY MALONE'S ON 3/2

2007-03-01T14:50:00.000-05:00

Don't forget that American Catapult will be at Molly Malone's on 3/2 in LA. I am hoping that you will be interested in going to see them play. They are truly a band with the grassroots roots…they even have stains on their cars to prove it. (If you wanna try on their sound, go to www.myspace.com/americancatapult just make sure you give it back to the dressing room person in charge so they can hang it back up).

Their CD, Trees of Mystery is going to be released May 22 on Cooking Vinyl if you don't get the title, just look at the CD art and then drive down your streets and roads to see if you can find something that would match it...then you will get it.

BUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT if you aren't able to get out tomorrow…try Austin:

They will be in Austin for SXSW 3/14 at Sam's Town Point at 8PM (no badge or wristband to get in) and at Cheapo's on 3/15 on S. Lamar at 1PM.

So try it you'll like it!

A NEWS FLASH FOR FOLK ALLIANCE RE: MICK OVERMAN

2007-02-15T13:20:00.000-05:00

“I don't know who he is or from where he hails, but when a CD is this good, I don’t much care about the small print. Overman comes with a Springsteen work ethic and a singer-songwriter folk-rock sound not so far off the beaten path as to call it anything but commonplace – but commonplace in the way of those Diane Arbus black and white photos from the '60's that look quite ordinary until you really look at them and see that there’s something else going on beneath the surface. Likewise, there's something worth encountering just under the surface of Overman’s wonderful road-wizened voice.
Rating - 4 ½ stars – NBCSan Diego.com review of Mick Overman’s new CD,
Good Thing Happen

Come hear Mick Overman for yourself at Folk Alliance, the man whose music has been described as “bluesy folk & roll with jazz attitude.” Mick is considered a SF Bay Area legend, having been long regarded as one of the West Coast’s hardest-working and most-prolific artists (He’s played as many as 379 shows in one year.). He’s also a poet and a master musician, with a rootsy/gutsy style of singing and guitar playing that’s been dubbed “Berklee College of Caveman.”

MICK OVERMAN 2007 FOLK ALLIANCE PERFORMANCES

Wednesday February 21st
12:00am Natchez Room
Official Folk Alliance "Performance Alley" Showcase

Thursday February 23rd
4:00pm Room #1710
Houston Jones "Best Of The West" Showcase

4:45pm Room 204
Spoken Word Showcase entitled "Storytelling With Rosalie Sorrells"

12:00am Room #1708
"Aurora Gorilla" Showcase

1:50am Room #1903
Folk Alliance Troubadour Room

Friday February 23rd
5:00pm Room #1809
"Ronda Barton Presents SOS Annex"

12:00am Room #1710
Houston Jones "Best Of The West" Showcase

1:30am Room #1708
"Aurora Gorilla" Showcase

Saturday February 24th
4:30pm Martin Guitar Day Stage Official Folk Alliance "Performance Alley" Showcase
12:30am #1708
"Aurora Gorilla" Showcase

Mick Overman's Valentine's Week Tour 2007

2007-01-30T11:36:00.000-05:00

If you see Mick Overman carting his guitar and amp up and down the streets of San Diego, follow him!
He will doing a slew of shows in the next few weeks celebrating the week of love for Valentine's Day.
2/12 at the Calypso Cafe in the Leucadia area at 7PM
2/14 at The Tiki in the SD area by Pacific Beach (he will start when the mood hits him)
2/15 at The Beach House in the Cardiff by the Sea at 6PM
2/16 at the Old Cali Coffee House in San Marcos (No. SD County area) at 7PM
So if you are in these areas, or too cool to go all of them, then pick the one you want and hear some great new tunes off his Good Thing Happen CD.
Oh if he's sweating while pushing his gear, help him out...

Spencer Durham is Going Nationwide!

2007-01-29T12:09:00.000-05:00

Congrats to Spencer Durham for going nationwide with Burnside Distribution for his new CD "Much More Than Words" !!! Now everyone can get it! Due out March 13!

Also, if you are an Atlantan and you took your time going into work/school this morning or didn't go in at all....(tsk tsk) you might have seen Spencer's bright face on Good Day Atlanta!

Now if you didn't see it, you may have a second chance tonight on Ch. 11 here in Atlanta at the 6PM hour. During the Wes Side Story profile with anchorman Wes Sarginson.

So, if you EVER get a chance to hear him play make sure you do...his songs are extremely good and his choice of covers are very cool. Dad must have a great LP collection...I mean, Van Morrison, Into the Mystic...?

Hope to see all Atlantans at Club 29 on 2/25 in Decatur GA for a great CD release party...it all starts at 6PM!
Congrats!

Mick Overman show on 2/2

2007-01-22T10:42:00.000-05:00

Okay folks, local Monterey area fave singer songwriter Mick Overman will be playing Don Quixotes 2/2 and I am hoping everyone will come out to hear songs from his new CD, GOOD THING HAPPEN.
He will go on 8PM and Tickets are 10/12!
Don Quixotes is located on 6275 Highway 9 in downtown Felton. Tel 831.603.2294
Enjoy the show!
Jill

LAST NOVEMBER SHOW 1-20 IN ATLANTA!

2007-01-17T17:19:00.000-05:00

SPENCER DURHAM CD OUT ON 2/13

2007-01-17T15:25:00.000-05:00

CAVENDER CASTLE ENTERTAINMENT SET TO RELEASE NEW CD,
MUCH MORE THAN WORDS, FROM SINGER/SONGWRITER
SPENCER DURHAM, ON FEBRUARY 13, 2007

PRODUCED BY GERRY HANSEN, ALBUM FEATURES SPECIAL GUESTS RANDALL BRAMBLETT AND THE MEMBERS OF HIS BAND

DAHLONEGA, GA – Cavender Castle Entertainment has announced a February 13, 2007 release date for Much More Than Words, the new CD from 18-year-old singer/songwriter Spencer Durham, produced by Gerry Hansen and featuring special guests Randall Bramblett and the members of his band.

An exciting new talent who is still in high school, Spencer Durham also plays a variety of instruments. His aggressive picking style has been called “rhythm-lead,” which makes one acoustic guitar sound like two or three. He possesses a voice that has been compared to Gregg Allman, Chris Robinson and Ryan Adams, with influences including The Allman Brothers, The Black Crowes, Bob Dylan, John Prine, Van Morrison, The Grateful Dead, Keller Williams, Neil Young, Bob Marley, The Band, and The Beatles.

Much More Than Words was produced by noted session drummer Gerry Hansen, who has toured with several national acts including Shawn Mullins and Randall Bramblett, and also produced Bramblett’s most recent CD, Rich Someday. “Gerry played drums on my first album, I Wonder Why, and I always loved watching him play live,” says Spencer Durham about how the two first hooked-up. “We talked about what I wanted to do on the second album and it was scary how Gerry took off with some of my ideas. Gerry has really helped take my material to the next level. The new album is more raw and edgy than my last, and it gives me a chance to show what I can do with my vocals.”

Hansen brought in the members of Randall Bramblett’s band, including his long-time guitarist, Davis Causey, as well as bassist Michael C. Steele, Mike Hines (guitar, harmony vocals) and Bramblett, himself, to play on the project. Randall plays keyboards and organ on six of the tracks.

“Spencer is a very talented singer/songwriter, “says producer Hansen. “He knows what he wants but is still very open to new ideas. I was given a great deal of trust and creative freedom to do what I do. Spencer knows that you get the players that you want and let them be who they are. He would come in with these great songs and, when we started adding all of the colors to them, his eyes would light up and his energy went through the roof. It was quality entertainment. Watch out... he's got it going on.”

Adds Randall Bramblett: “There’s an old soul inside that young man. Spencer’s got a great future ahead of him!”

“I’m especially proud of my vocals on this album,” adds Durham. Gerry refused to use auto-tune on his pro-tools rig during our sessions. I guess he knew that if he pushed me hard enough we wouldn’t need it. I’m glad we didn’t take the easy way out and cover my mistakes with technical voodoo. It feels pretty good to know that the vocals are all me.

“10 of the 12 cuts on the album are full band productions, but I wanted to do a couple of scaled-back songs that were just me and my guitar. I’ve made a lot of fans doing the acoustic singer-songwriter thing, so those two songs are for them.”

Part of Durham’s maturing process in the last few years has been attributed to opening for acts such as The Zac Brown Band. Brown is also a North Georgia native who has a strong fan base throughout the Southeast and is now being noticed on a national basis. It was touring with Brown that Spencer was introduced to the college circuit, whose audiences really connect with Spencer’s music and style.

Spencer’s promotional efforts for Much More Than Words will target College, Americana and AAA radio. He will also tour college towns throughout the Southeast the spring of 2007. A national tour is being scheduled for the summer of 2007.

Last November at the Loft in ATL 1/20

2007-01-11T15:22:00.000-05:00

Folks this is your chance to get out and see Last November in January 20 at the Loft in Atlanta. Come bring your friends, your parents, and yes dogs and cats are allowed as long as they bring their own litterboxes!
The band starts at 10PM and a good time will be had by all!
Jill

Chris Berardo has a new CD out

2007-01-08T11:20:00.000-05:00

CHRIS BERARDO & THE DESBERARDOS ARE
IGNORING ALL THE WARNING SIGNS…
NEW CD ON LAMON RECORDS SET FOR RELEASE FEBRUARY 27

CHARLOTTE, NC – Lamon Records has announced a February 27 national release date for Chris Berardo & The DesBerardos’ new CD, Ignoring All The Warning Signs…, which showcases the band’s Americana/roots rock/pop sound, led by the soulful vocals of singer Chris Berardo. In addition to Berardo on lead vocals and harmonica, the band includes Marc Douglas Berardo on acoustic guitar and vocals, Professor Dick Neal on electric guitar and numerous other stringed instruments, Paul Triff on drums, Art Baguer on bass and Bill Bell on mandolin, piano and organ.

Ignoring All The Warning Signs… was co-produced by two-time Grammy-nominated country/bluegrass artist Dave Moody (who has worked as a musician, engineer or producer with the likes of Doc Watson, The Dixie Chicks, Marty Stuart, Radney Foster, Chet Atkins, Hank Williams Jr. and Steve Earle) and the DesBerardos' own multi-instrumental string wiz Dick Neal, (who also produced both the band’s debut album, American Dust, as well as their last effort, Pure Faith).

Recorded at dLab Studios in Charlotte, North Carolina, and featuring 10 new Chris Berardo-penned originals (along with a version of one of the band’s live staples, the Wilco chestnut “Passenger Side”), Ignoring All The Warning Signs… is a perfect representation of the band’s fiery live performances, renowned among their fans for beautiful acoustic moments alongside the wild rockers and whiskey-laced jams, all held together by the jangly guitars, chiming mandolin and Chris Berardo’s vocals.
Some of the highlights on Ignoring All The Warning Signs… include the catchy opening track, “The One,” the country-stomper “So Good, So Far,” the rocking “Everybody Swings Around Here,” the dark, bluesy lament of “Barstool,” and the gentle,
acoustic, “September Prayer” that closes the CD.
“We like to shake the songs all around,” says Chris Berardo. “It’s not by design, really, just what happens when we play. We like to take as many left turns down as many dark alleys as we want - as long as it all starts from a place of a cool song.”
The band’s 2003 CD on Lamon Records, Pure Faith, generated considerable Americana, College and Triple A airplay, receiving steady rotation play at over 60 American stations (as well as many in Europe), reaching # 1 in several markets, and appearing at # 22 on the Freeform American Roots Chart for January 2004.

Chris Berardo & The DesBerardos will tour the country extensively in support of Ignoring All The Warning Signs…, which is nothing new for this band, which has played shows with such artists as The Marshall Tucker Band, NRBQ, The South Austin Jug Band, Dickey Betts, Little Feat, Jon Dee Graham, The Silos and Reckless Kelly, as well as countless headliner gigs at top-notch listening rooms to beer-soaked bars from Austin to Boston, Key West to Nashville.

For more information, visit http://www.desberardo.com/.

Man do I feel old!

2007-01-03T10:22:00.000-05:00

I am very new to all of this, funny I am old enough to remember too many things that will give away my age. Alas I am trying to reach out to those that might be interested in the artists that we work with here, at Mark Pucci Media. So if you would like please go to www.markpuccimedia.com and find us out!

Here are some things I have been thinking about after diving into the blog world yesterday.

Sign in
Then: was something you did at the doctor's office-just needed to remember your name and if your insurance had changed.
Now: is something you do to go anywhere online-just need to remember all the user names and passwords.

Free
Then: no strings attached
Now: spam attached

Ping
Then: the other word in a table tennis game
Now: still no clue what it means

Claim
Then: getting your piece of the pie-claim your stake!
Now: basically the same thing-but I think it should be called Tag.

Now that I have open that can of worms! It's your turn to speak, I mean talk, I mean blog...where are my two dixie cups and string....

Last November CD is Out

2007-01-02T12:42:00.000-05:00

There is a really cool band from No. Georgia who has been the Myspace.com darlings and I wanted to post something on them. The band is Last November and they are in the same vein as The Killers and Panic...They have had so much myspace.com succes!
Thus far, they’ve totaled over 265,000 plays, with over 130,000 plays on “Sniper” (their new single and video) alone. This is all before any radio or video promotion has kicked in.
The band has sold over 2,400 CD at recent shows and on its web site.
The band released a CD All the Gory Details back in the fall, had a video done and at their NYC show-THE KILLERS showed up and LOVED THEM! They are really cool and a hard working band that you need to look out for in 2007!
So, go to their websites:
www.lastnovember.com
www.myspace.com/lastnovember
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5l0DsVLpFJ8
to watch their video there too!
www.southerntracks.com

Mark Pucci Media