Showing posts with label Country. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Country. Show all posts

3/06/2023

Drum Legend Neal Smith To Release the Fourth in His KillSmith Solo Series “KillSmith Goes West”

Founding member of the original Alice Cooper Group and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee

Neal Smith’s newest album, ”KillSmith Goes West,” the fourth in his KillSmith solo series, is heading in a whole new direction partner. Neal’s percussive, musical and songwriting contributions and influence to the world of rock are undisputed. From the ground breaking shock rock direction of the multi gold, multi-platinum legendary band “Alice Cooper,” until the present, Neal has always taken on the challenge of exploring new musical directions.

Neal’s early music influences were not only rock, big band swing, theater and movie music, but also country western. Growing up in Ohio, his mother, who loved live music, would often take Neal and his sister Cindy to Fixler’s Ballroom in nearby Sharon Township. Neal would often dance the “Mash Potatoes” solo with a clapping crown encircled around him, to the live band’s rousing version of “The Orange Blossom Special.” That band consisted of a drummer, guitarist, fiddle player, upright bassist and a blind piano player named Clarence. Now any band with a blind piano player named Clarence has to be a great band and this was a great country band.

In the story-telling spirit and tradition of great singer songwriter legends like Franke Lane, Johnny Horton, Jimmy Dean, Tennesee Ernie Ford, Johnny Cash and Hank Williams, Neal continues in that Western spirit with “KillSmith Goes West” and his ten new Outlaw Country Rock songs!!!

Track List
01) Shaughnessy Highway
02) Tequila, Tamales & A Woman
03) Big Wheels Rollin’ West
04) Coffee, Beer & Borrowed Time
05) Pull It Out Smokin’
06) Sunsets Of Gold
07) If Jesus Was A Gunfighter
08) Jukebox Rose
09) Evil Wind
10) Tattooed Cowgirl

Featuring:
Neal Smith (rhythm guitar, keys, drums, percussion & lead vocals)
Rick Tedesco (lead, slide, rhythm, bass guitar, keys & backing vocals)
Peter Catucci (bass guitar & backing vocals)
Pete Hickey (keyboards)
Stu Daye (slide guitar, rhythm guitar & backing vocals, on Tattooed Cowgirl)
Arlen Roth (lead guitar)
Gary Oleyar (fiddle)

To purchase: http://nealsmithrocks.com/store

For more information:
www.nealsmithrocks.com
https://www.facebook.com/NealSmithRocks

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

3/21/2022

Legendary Country Rockers The North Star Band, The Band That Time Forgot, Reunite For New Album “THEN & NOW”!

Welcome back to KICK-ASS COUNTRY!

1976-1982: Return with us now to those thrilling days of yester-year, when the horrors of late 70s disco, and the ravages of early punk rock, had left hard-core music fans stranded. When long-haired freaky people still roamed the earth, an endangered species. At a time when country music’s traditional forms had grown stale, and rock had lost its roll, country rockers stepped into the void. Some were outlaws, some were hippies, but all were keepers of the flame of authenticity, and when they came together, the heavens opened up! Look, up in the sky, it’s not Elton, it’s not Travolta…It’s The North Star Band!

2022: Fast forward; bringing blazing guitars, searing pedal steel, a pounding beat of thunder, and three-part soulful southern harmonies to drive hearts into a 200bpm ecstasy of fun, these guys have kept the fire burning.

Five - count ‘em, FIVE - accomplished songwriters in one band. Led by rhythm guitarist Al Johnson, a wayward vagabond of Georgetown Law, and two-time Grammy Award winner (nine nominations), bassist Jim Robeson, along with east coast guitar phenom Gantt Mann Kushner, the wizardry of Jay Jessup’s sweet pedal steel (plus mandolin, electric guitar, and banjo), Lou Hager’s soulful honky tonk piano, and David Watt Besley’s thumping bass riffs, their music is driven home by the insane poundings of Paul Goldstein’s flawless beat. The North Star Band returns our hearts and souls to the epicenter of a place that was once known as Kick-Ass Country!

THEN: Four decades ago, NSB fans piled into dance halls and honky-tonks across the country to hear them play their original music. In venues long faded to dust - Desperados, The Lone Star CafĂ©, The Carolina Opry House, County Line, Exit Inn, 117 South Main, to name a few, they played more than 300 nights a year. Lou with his soulful ballads of love and loss, Jimmy with his velvety voice, Dave with his rich vocals and incredible story-songs, Al with his offbeat look at rednecks, hippies and Wild Turkey, and Paul with his soul-searching laments, the boys offered fans a band of many colors. Records were vinyl and spun at 45 and 33 rpm.  Back in the days of analog, the NSB recorded their 3rd album in the summer of 1982, but it was never released. A recession, hard times, and life’s imperatives intervened. “THEN” is here, remastered and ready to be heard for the first time.

NOW: Fast-forward 40 years. A reunion show to a packed house at the Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia, gave birth to “NOW,” a collection of newly recorded material. Surprising even themselves, the band came together in the studio to record 10 new songs that not only capture the sound & soul they delivered back in the day, but offer a fresh bold look at the country rock genre they left behind. The playing is sharp and crisp, and the vocals retain that ‘round the campfire’ feel. Their music is timeless, and the quality of the songwriting and performance seems effortless. These guys are the real deal.

A tip of the hat is due to other players who passed through this band, legends in and of themselves: Danny Gatton, Steuart Smith, Bruce Bouton, Mike Melchione, Dave Elliot, Bobby Spates, Jim (Ratso) Silman, Chad Bruce, Johnny Castle, and more.

Yes, the earth has turned since those days, and yes, times have changed, but with the release of ‘THEN & NOW,’ you’ll hear a rebirth of the roadhouse groove. These recordings, old and new, capture the excitement of years spent on the road, telling stories about life and love with a troubadour’s voice and an authentic sound. ‘THEN & NOW,’ the feeling is the same, and perhaps that alone can help restore our faith in the way things ought to be. I know, I was there. And we’re still here. - Jimmy Patterson, President, Baker Street, LTD

The North Star Band CD Release Show will be held at The Birchmere in Alexandria, VA on Friday May 6th. For more information: www.birchmere.com
The Birchmere
703-549-7500  
3701 Mount Vernon Avenue,
Alexandria VA 2230

To purchase The North Star Band “THEN & NOW”:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/thenorthstarband?utm_medium=copy_link
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/the-north-star-band/1612277410
iTunes: https://music.apple.com/us/album/tonight-the-north-star-band/1612801379
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2zISl5BWLpe9q4MrpPso4J?si=jZ86cGQvTlybkl9MgkMBUw
Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/artists/B09TW9JYP4?ref=dm_sh_dpUghc80sFxCDqtoFbhYfjqKl

For more information:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/originalnorthstarband
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thenorthstarband/
Website - https://www.thenorthstarband.com/

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, Billy James, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

1/06/2022

Brand New Vinyl Reissue of “One Night In Nashville” From Country Rock Icons POCO!

Los Angeles, CA - Long before Wilco or The Jayhawks or Ryan Adams, there was one country rock band that towered over all others. Founded by former members of the brilliant Buffalo Springfield, Richie Furay and Jim Messina, along with multi-instrumentalist Rusty Young and drummer George Grantham, Poco pioneered a blend of sounds that would come to dominate singles charts and radio for years to come. Indeed, some of Poco’s most beloved tracks are still treasured by fans today including “Crazy Love,” “Heart Of The Night,” “Call It Love” and “Rose Of Cimarron.” These songs as well as the nearly 20 studio albums the band released over the years have ensured that the Poco legend endures.

While Poco’s recording output is well-known and widely celebrated, the band’s live performances are the true treasures for longtime fans. One very special concert occurred one night in Nashville, TN in 2004. Original members Furay, Young and Grantham all participated as well as longtime member Paul Cotton. Together, the group offers up fantastic renditions of their biggest hits and most beloved songs. Now this special live performance is being released on glorious vinyl in a limited-edition TRANSLUCENT BLUE as well as on digipak CD. It’s a superb package that fans old and young will not want to miss!

Order the CD & Vinyl: https://cleorecs.com/store/?s=poco+one+night&post_type=product

Digital Version: https://orcd.co/poco_one_night_in_nashville

TRACK LIST:
CD
1. Where Did The Time Go
2. Keep On Tryin'
3. Crazy Love
4. Pickin' Up The Pieces
5. Bad Weather
6. Call It Love
7. Let's Dance Tonight
8. Magnolia
9. You Better Think Twice
10. Spellbound
11. Indian Summer
12. Kind Woman
13. Rose Of Cimarron
14. Ride The Country
15. Good Feelin' To Know
16. Heart Of The Night

VINYL
SIDE A
1. Keep On Tryin'
2. Crazy Love
3. Bad Weather
4. Call It Love
5. Magnolia
6. You Better Think Twice

SIDE B
1. Indian Summer
2. Kind Woman
3. Rose Of Cimarron
4. Ride The Country
5. Good Feelin' To Know
6. Heart Of The Night

Press inquiries:
Glass Onyon PR
Billy James
PH: 828-350-8158
glassonyonpr@gmail.com


CLEOPATRA RECORDS, Inc.
11041 Santa Monica Blvd #703
Los Angeles CA 90025
www.CleopatraRecords.com
Facebook @Cleopatrarecords
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https://www.linkedin.com/company/cleopatra-records

12/06/2021

Noelle Toland is back with the collaboration of the year with Grammy-nominated songwriter Steve Cropper

 

Nashville based singer-songwriter Noelle Toland has star-quality written all over her. Teaming up with legendary guitarist, songwriter & Blues Brother Steve Cropper (who plays guitar on the new single) for the delicate yet powerful single ‘I Want To See You Again’, you may recognise Steve’s fascinating songwriting and guitar playing from tracks such as ‘(Sittin) On the Dock of the Bay’, ‘In The Midnight Hour’, ‘Knock on Wood’ and many others.


A collaboration fans didn’t know they needed until now, the track was produced and co-written with Chris Condon (Billy Ray Cyrus’ musical director and guitarist) and recorded at the famed RCA Studios on Music Row in Nashville. Taken from a four-track EP titled ‘The Sun Will Rise’, Noelle mentions, “Hopefully this record, which I’ve long envisioned, inspires people to take chances, be bold and place bets on themselves, because that is the only thing that has gotten me through the ups and downs.”
Working alongside vocal producer Eddie Gore, who has worked with Steve Cropper, Aaron Goodvin, Joanne Janzen, Keb Mo, Jonathan Singleton and Sara Petite, the star-studded line up is best described as legendary. Featuring Maureen Murphy as the backing vocalist, Maureen has worked with Zac Brown Band, Phish, Drake White, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Nettles, Jake Wesley Rogers, Allison Russell, Gregg Allman, Dave Cobb, Brandi Carlisle, Ruby Amanfu, Keb Mo, Mickey Guyton, Breland, Beth Neilsen Champman and Jason Isbell.

Blending 90s country sensibilities with a seductive soul-pop persona, ‘I Want To See You Again” is performed effortlessly. Not only a force to be reckoned with in the music industry, Noelle also volunteers at JHPIEGO, a Johns Hopkins non-profit affiliate that focuses on maternal health in developing countries. Currently the Auction Chair for their annual gala and member of their Changemakers committee, a program aims to empower young students, Noelle is an artist you’d be proud to support.

6/10/2021

Singer/Songwriter Tamara L. Wilson To Release New EP “Let It Go” on June 18, 2021

Featuring Blind Guitar Legend Joey Stuckey

Spreading love and positive vibes is Tamara L. Wilson's mission for her music; and it's a breath of fresh air. Her party started when she was only a girl, singing along with her 'Papa' and her Dad, in their down-home sing-alongs playing their guitars and singing gospel and country music. Tamara's journey has always led her back to the melodies of her heart and soul.

Growing up in South Carolina, she started out singing locally and then worked the Marriott circuit for a while as a performing artist.  Her songwriting really began to unfold while attending a community college in Mesa, AZ where she studied recording and piano. As soon as her hands hit the keys, she was awakened to her natural and God given talent of crafting a soulful song using her heartfelt vocals. Tamara's true heart's desire is to make others feel better and have a little fun while discovering her music.

Tamara’s recent single “Freedom Flame” and the track “Your Own Kind Of Beautiful” became critically acclaimed favorites and her most popular cuts to date. Tamara’s new EP “Let it Go” is due out June 18, 2021!

Says Tamara, “‘Let It Go’ is the overall theme of the EP. So MUCH has been going on for all of us; between the pandemic and the racial disharmony upfront and center, it feels like we all need to ‘let go’ of some stress! There’s never been a better time to find more peace and harmony than right now! After about 3 months home alone, just working on music most every day, I took off for a healthcare appointment, but instead of going back home, I just kept driving! I drove all the way down to the gulf coast! Wow! Beautiful! Clear as a drink of water with white sand and blue green ocean! ‘Let It Go’ is a theme for my life! LOL!”

Track List

It’s Your Life (Believe)
Little More Love Remix
Let It Go
Have It All

Says Tamara, “Let me give a big shout out and thanks to Joey Stuckey! I like to call him and his friends that he also got to play on ‘It’s Your Life (Believe)’ and ‘Little More Love Remix’ the ‘cosmic musicians’! Joey has over 35 awards...plays several instruments...writes, sings...and wait for it, he’s blind! Wow! His friend Tom Rule gifted me with the piano track for ‘It’s Your Life’...just gave it to me!  And listen to that man play! He’s been in music 30+ years, done many albums himself, and teaches University level music and computers! Another friend of Joey’s, Miguel Castro played drums...he’s a recording artist of many years and has been the Director of Percussion at the University level for 20+ years! Outstanding!”

The musicians on the tracks “Let It Go” and “Have It All” are Freddy Tripp who plays keys, trumpet, trombone, and programming and is in the Country Music Hall of Fame, and also has a Best Album. Coleman Murphy, the guitarist that so skillfully weaves in and out the lyrics, has years of being a studio musician, and recorded the karaoke versions of over 4000 songs. Tim Loftin joined in for the bass on “Let It Go” all the way from Canada, also a seasoned professional musician.

Says Tamara, “I feel so blessed to be working with musicians of this caliber. I can’t even read music! It was a little daunting, and humbling. But I knew, I was working with them because I was supposed to be! Yeah... ‘Tamara and the Cosmic Musicians’...I AM Blessed!”

Some people are born talented, blessed with vocals that are beautiful and melodious. It does not take them time to realize their true talent and thus, in the yesteryear, such a gem was born” - MySoundMusic

In closing Tamara has this to impart, “If you listen to the lyrics of my songs, you will hear my message loud and clear! My goal is for my music to uplift, encourage, bring confidence and harmony to the listener. I hope my songs help someone, somewhere feel a little bit better! Peace!”

To purchase Tamara L. Wilson’s “Let It Go” EP: https://ditto.fm/let-it-go-tamara-l-wilson

Check out her music: http://www.tamaralwilson.com
Become a fan: https://www.jango.com/music/Tamara+L+Wilson
Subscribe to Tamara's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBEroAYgA6IybS4PHWhUlNw

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

11/18/2020

BEN LANG Releases His Debut Solo Release MODERN MAN EP with a Livestreamed VIRTUAL RELEASE SHOW

San Francisco, CABEN LANG is a singer-songwriter from San Rafael, CA. His debut solo release MODERN MAN EP offers six finely crafted alternative-acoustic tracks written and performed entirely by BEN LANG, with expressive lyrics and a slight country feel akin to artists as varied as Violent Femmes, Paul Simon, or Willie Nelson. MODERN MAN EP is made available online everywhere music is streamed and sold on November 27, Black Friday 2020. There will also be a MODERN MAN EP VIRTUAL RELEASE SHOW broadcast online to coincide with the release the same day, giving fans the chance to see a live performance of each song.

After playing in bands for several years and putting out a few different albums, BEN LANG branched out on his own as a solo performer in 2017 and began playing an assortment of mellow covers and originals at local restaurants, weddings, parties, and open mics. As he crafted more original material, he began to make plans for MODERN MAN EP, his first solo release. MODERN MAN EP was then recorded, mixed, and mastered by his good friend Matt Cope in his home studio between 2018 and 2020.

To coincide with the release, BEN LANG partnered with Gabriel Lamb and Digital Lamb Productions to produce a MODERN MAN EP VIRTUAL RELEASE SHOW. The concert will broadcast online on Black Friday 2020, giving fans the chance to kick back and relax that evening with some Thanksgiving leftovers while enjoying a live BEN LANG performance of each new MODERN MAN EP song.

Originally from the southeast Texas town of Port Arthur, BEN LANG was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he still hangs his hat with his big dog Boone by his side. Like many, he fell in love with music as a teenager, and began learning everything he could about bass and guitar with dreams of rock stardom in his head every night. Together with Paggi (aka Dan Paggi), also a notable Pacific Northwest artist, BEN LANG was a founding member of the San Francisco cult classic band Biv and the Mnemonics (aka Roy G Biv & The Mnemonic Devices), whose albums The Blue Orange (2009) and The Pace (2013) were released to critical acclaim and still resonate today. Together they also founded the independent label Moo Moo Records, and continue to release and market new projects partnered with Independent Distribution Collective (IDC).

As a solo artist, BEN LANG performs every Friday at the Le Chalet Basque restaurant in San Rafael, or at the occasional show, party, wedding, or open mic around town. He also plays bass with the Bay Area’s best rockers Secret Lives (aka The Gene Immens Project), whose solid mix of hard-rocking originals and crowd-pleasing covers brings an electric charge to every show. Throughout the years BEN LANG has performed in other bands including Azalea Drive, Moblad, and The Devil’s Chord.

MODERN MAN EP is available online on November 27, Black Friday 2020, everywhere music is streamed and sold.

To purchase or stream MODERN MAN EP please visit: https://smarturl.it/BenLangModernManEP or benlangmusic.bandcamp.com

To watch the MODERN MAN EP VIRTUAL RELEASE SHOW please visit: https://bit.ly/2HaaSep

For more information about BEN LANG please visit: www.moomoorecordsmusic.com/benlang

For Press, Radio, and Interview inquiries please contact Moo Moo Records: ben@independentdistro.com

For Digital Marketing please contact Jerome Forney at Independent Distribution Collective: jerome@independentdistro.com

9/03/2020

PeacockSunrise Records Announces the Fall Release of 'Delta Tales', an Album by Sun King Rising


Sun King Rising's debut album, Delta Tales, will be released this Fall on CD, vinyl, and leading download and streaming sites. Sun King Rising is the professional moniker of singer/songwriter/piano player John Blangero who hails from Port Isabel, Texas. PeacockSunrise Records is the Americana/Rock label spinoff of Nick Katona’s successful Progressive Rock label, Melodic Revolution. The album is produced by New York-based producer, Steven “Ace” Acker.

“Blangero is steeped in the traditions of southern rock and country soul,” said Katona. “His primary influences on this record are the arrangements, vocal stylings, and big band vibe of Leon Russell and Joe Cocker. We are excited to have him as an artist.”

Blangero’s songs are filled with memorable hooks, rocking piano, driving rhythms, a powerful horn section, and soulful female background singers a la’ Ray Charles’ Raelettes.

“I’ve been wanting to do a solo Americana/southern soul/classic rock type of album for many years,” Blangero said. “I love the music of Joe Cocker, Leon Russell, Dan Penn, and others and I wanted to capture some of that vibe in my own writing. So, I started writing and recording solo demos of songs like Let There Be LightDown the Delta RoadDrive Me to NashvilleIn A State of Grace, and Love Turns Grey.

“After hearing these demos on my ReverbNation channel, Nick contacted me,” Blangero recalled. “He told me ‘OMG, you have got to release these songs on my label.

“Melodic Revolution is a successful Prog Rock label, but to accommodate my style of music he launched a new imprint, which he called PeacockSunrise. I felt that Nick had the experience and knowledge to take Delta Tales to market successfully, so I signed with the label.”

Acker was the co-founder and guitarist of 1970’s MCA recording artists, LAW. He has since served as producer for various artists and projects in New York, Pittsburgh, Ohio, Nashville, and Jackson, MS and has been affiliated with SST Studios in Weehawken, NJ since 2007. “I’ve been a fan of Ace’s work since his early days with LAW,” Blangero said. “I felt he was a perfect choice for this project.”

The recording of Delta Tales was a fascinating task, spanning four months, from January 2020 to mid-May. The Coronavirus shutdown in April forced Blangero and Acker to complete the production remotely with players and singers recording in several different studios across the country rather than recording additional live, full-band studio sessions.

Said Blangero, “It was a logistical challenge, but Ace did a great job organizing the players and the sessions. I am proud of this record. We captured the magic that I’ve always heard in my head with great background singers, classic horn parts, tight rhythm sections, killer guitar, funky keys, and my own acoustic piano parts. It sounds like it could have been recorded in the early 70s, which is the vibe I was going for.”

In addition to his work as recording artist, Blangero is also an internationally renowned genetic scientist at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine, for whom he continued to work while recording Delta Tales. You might aptly call his music, then, “The Genetics of Soul.”

Watch Sun King Rising's new video for “The Snake”:


Blangero’s prodigious gifts revealed themselves when he started taking piano lessons at the age five in his hometown of New Castle, Pennsylvania. Five years later, he had absorbed not only the fundamentals of classical music, but also gospel and rock music. He joined his first rock band at 14 and was soon composing and singing his own music.

Apprenticeships in a series of area bands culminated in the formation of his own original band, called Harlequin. By then his music had evolved into a combination of prog rock and glam, presented with all the theatrics such music generally entails. Harlequin retained regional popularity throughout the fertile Pennsylvania/Ohio/West Virginia market.

At the height of the band’s popularity, though, he gave up music to obtain his Ph.D. in biomedical research. During his twenty-year hiatus from music, he ascended to rock star stature in the international scientific community. But the musical beast within him could not be stilled forever. Playing casually with blues bands in San Antonio revived that beast and rekindled Blangero’s creative spark.

In closing, Blangero said, “I tried to capture my southern soul on this album. I hope that the overall message it conveys is one of positivity, especially in these dark times.  I think we have put together strong songs that will make people tap their feet and sing along, too! For me, the song is everything.”



To pre-order Sun King Rising's Delta Tales: https://sunkingrising.bandcamp.com

For more information:
Website: www.sunkingrising.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/SunKingRising/

PeacockSunrise Records 
Website: https://peacocksunriserecords.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/PeacockSunriseRecords/

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

PeacockSunrise Records Announces the Fall Release of 'Delta Tales', an Album by Sun King Rising


Sun King Rising's debut album, Delta Tales, will be released this Fall on CD, vinyl, and leading download and streaming sites. Sun King Rising is the professional moniker of singer/songwriter/piano player John Blangero who hails from Port Isabel, Texas. PeacockSunrise Records is the Americana/Rock label spinoff of Nick Katona’s successful Progressive Rock label, Melodic Revolution. The album is produced by New York-based producer, Steven “Ace” Acker.

“Blangero is steeped in the traditions of southern rock and country soul,” said Katona. “His primary influences on this record are the arrangements, vocal stylings, and big band vibe of Leon Russell and Joe Cocker. We are excited to have him as an artist.”

Blangero’s songs are filled with memorable hooks, rocking piano, driving rhythms, a powerful horn section, and soulful female background singers a la’ Ray Charles’ Raelettes.

“I’ve been wanting to do a solo Americana/southern soul/classic rock type of album for many years,” Blangero said. “I love the music of Joe Cocker, Leon Russell, Dan Penn, and others and I wanted to capture some of that vibe in my own writing. So, I started writing and recording solo demos of songs like Let There Be LightDown the Delta RoadDrive Me to NashvilleIn A State of Grace, and Love Turns Grey.

“After hearing these demos on my ReverbNation channel, Nick contacted me,” Blangero recalled. “He told me ‘OMG, you have got to release these songs on my label.

“Melodic Revolution is a successful Prog Rock label, but to accommodate my style of music he launched a new imprint, which he called PeacockSunrise. I felt that Nick had the experience and knowledge to take Delta Tales to market successfully, so I signed with the label.”

Acker was the co-founder and guitarist of 1970’s MCA recording artists, LAW. He has since served as producer for various artists and projects in New York, Pittsburgh, Ohio, Nashville, and Jackson, MS and has been affiliated with SST Studios in Weehawken, NJ since 2007. “I’ve been a fan of Ace’s work since his early days with LAW,” Blangero said. “I felt he was a perfect choice for this project.”

The recording of Delta Tales was a fascinating task, spanning four months, from January 2020 to mid-May. The Coronavirus shutdown in April forced Blangero and Acker to complete the production remotely with players and singers recording in several different studios across the country rather than recording additional live, full-band studio sessions.

Said Blangero, “It was a logistical challenge, but Ace did a great job organizing the players and the sessions. I am proud of this record. We captured the magic that I’ve always heard in my head with great background singers, classic horn parts, tight rhythm sections, killer guitar, funky keys, and my own acoustic piano parts. It sounds like it could have been recorded in the early 70s, which is the vibe I was going for.”

In addition to his work as recording artist, Blangero is also an internationally renowned genetic scientist at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine, for whom he continued to work while recording Delta Tales. You might aptly call his music, then, “The Genetics of Soul.”

Watch Sun King Rising's new video for “The Snake”:


Blangero’s prodigious gifts revealed themselves when he started taking piano lessons at the age five in his hometown of New Castle, Pennsylvania. Five years later, he had absorbed not only the fundamentals of classical music, but also gospel and rock music. He joined his first rock band at 14 and was soon composing and singing his own music.

Apprenticeships in a series of area bands culminated in the formation of his own original band, called Harlequin. By then his music had evolved into a combination of prog rock and glam, presented with all the theatrics such music generally entails. Harlequin retained regional popularity throughout the fertile Pennsylvania/Ohio/West Virginia market.

At the height of the band’s popularity, though, he gave up music to obtain his Ph.D. in biomedical research. During his twenty-year hiatus from music, he ascended to rock star stature in the international scientific community. But the musical beast within him could not be stilled forever. Playing casually with blues bands in San Antonio revived that beast and rekindled Blangero’s creative spark.

In closing, Blangero said, “I tried to capture my southern soul on this album. I hope that the overall message it conveys is one of positivity, especially in these dark times.  I think we have put together strong songs that will make people tap their feet and sing along, too! For me, the song is everything.”



To pre-order Sun King Rising's Delta Tales: https://sunkingrising.bandcamp.com

For more information:
Website: www.sunkingrising.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/SunKingRising/

PeacockSunrise Records 
Website: https://peacocksunriserecords.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/PeacockSunriseRecords/

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

7/28/2020

Featured Track: Grant Maloy Smith-I See You

Grant Maloy Smith has a beautiful track titled "I See You."  Grant is the performing artist and it was co-written by Mike Greenly.
 
This is one of the most moving and powerful tracks I have heard in quite some time. The video is what really gets you. It will touch your heart and soul.

The acoustic guitar and vocals are a perfect match and I felt chills and wanted to cry watching the video. It reminded me of those that have passed and the direction we are all headed one day.

It was released with the support of Masterpiece Living, an organization dedicated to creating better lives for our elders.
They adopted the track due to their work.

This is country, folk, and Americana at its very best and if this track does not touch you in some way you had better check for a pulse!

Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck 



Grant Maloy Smith is a Billboard Top 10 recording artist and Music Row Country Breakout charting songwriter of AMERICAN ROOTS music. His latest album, Dust Bowl - American Stories spent 17 weeks on the Billboard charts, including eleven weeks in the Top 10.
 

 https://www.grant-maloy-smith.com/epk

Featured Track: Grant Maloy Smith-I See You

Grant Maloy Smith has a beautiful track titled "I See You."  Grant is the performing artist and it was co-written by Mike Greenly.
 
This is one of the most moving and powerful tracks I have heard in quite some time. The video is what really gets you. It will touch your heart and soul.

The acoustic guitar and vocals are a perfect match and I felt chills and wanted to cry watching the video. It reminded me of those that have passed and the direction we are all headed one day.

It was released with the support of Masterpiece Living, an organization dedicated to creating better lives for our elders. They adopted the track due to their work.

This is country, folk, and Americana at its very best and if this track does not touch you in some way you had better check for a pulse!

Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck 



Grant Maloy Smith is a Billboard Top 10 recording artist and Music Row Country Breakout charting songwriter of AMERICAN ROOTS music. His latest album, Dust Bowl - American Stories spent 17 weeks on the Billboard charts, including eleven weeks in the Top 10.
 

 https://www.grant-maloy-smith.com/epk

6/25/2020

New Track By Rockabilly Legend ROBERT GORDON Features Revered Country Guitarist STEVE WARINER


Los Angeles, CA - Grammy and Country Music Association award winning songwriter/guitarist/artist Steve Wariner has teamed up with a true living musical legend, rockabilly crooner Robert Gordon, for a unique collaboration that will have music fans up on their feet! The track, a cover of the rollicking 1956 single penned and performed by icon Jerry Reed, “I’ve Had Enough,” finds Wariner ripping it up on guitar as Gordon belts out the lyrics with a fiery passion and precision that can only come after decades of experience as a musical performer. Gordon is no stranger to heavy hitting guitar sidekicks with years of fruitful collaborations with six-string slingers Link Wray, Chris Spedding and Danny Gatton. “I’ve Had Enough” was produced by fellow rockabilly icon, and a celebrated guitarist in his own right, Danny B. Harvey, as part of a full-length Robert Gordon album, Rockabilly For Life, featuring a host of friends such as Spedding, The Stooges’ James Williamson, David Letterman’s Paul Shaffer, Blondie’s Clem Burke and a whole lot more!

Harvey shares this about Wariner’s contribution, “When suggesting guests to appear on the new Robert Gordon album I was producing, I suggested Steve Wariner knowing it was more a wishful long shot than an actual possibility. But then his management got back to us right away that Steve was very interested and I couldn’t contain my excitement! Steve Wariner is to ‘80s/’90s country guitar picking what Jeff Beck was to ‘60s rock and Eddie Van Halen is to ‘70s rock. Plus, he had 10 #1 country singles as a solo artist! Damn, I’m a lucky man and so is anyone who hears this track - Steve’s the best!

Stream the single: https://orcd.co/robert_gordon_steve_wariner

Press inquiries: 
Glass Onyon PR
Billy James
PH: 828-350-8158
glassonyonpr@gmail.com


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5/12/2018

Instrumental Rock-Blues-Country Review: Eric Tingstad-Electric Spirit

Release Date: May 18, 2018
Label: Independent

If you are an instrumental music fan, I have just the right thing for you to check out. Eric Tingstad will be releasing Electric Spirit on May 18th, 2018. 

I have become accustomed to the acoustic recordings of Eric and have always enjoyed them. The arrival of an all-electric album came as a surprise. I know the man is a very talented purveyor of the six-string so I looked forward to hearing this offering called Electric Spirit.

With his deep commitment to the music and his surroundings that mother earth provides, Eric derives great inspiration. His playing is heartfelt and meaningful to those who believe in cherishing and protecting our environment. After all, what do we have without our precious earth were humans and all living things can thrive? I am with him in his beliefs and the importance of sending the message continually. This what he does as an artisan and advocate of the environment.

Electric Spirit is only different in musical approach, not subject matter. I think I was more than ready to hear Eric play some electric guitar. His tone is as sweet as honey and his picking as sharp as a razor blade ready for its first shave. Picture that analogy and then listen to the music, you will understand. 

What you will hear on Electric Spirit is an eclectic mixture of genres all fusing together to make for a multicultural musical experience. There are blues, country, and rock or more appropriately for some ears, Americana. Whatever you want to call it, it’s all of those performed with a touch of glass and high-end production that any guitar aficionado could produce.

This music runs deep like “Big River,” “Oh’ Shenandoah” and “The Train of Thought” (interesting play on words). The tracks he composed and performed are just sparkling with spirit and good energy. I really appreciated the way Eric took all of his influences and some classic tunes and made them his own, like “Amazing Grace” and “Over The Rainbow.”

Those graceful and well-placed guitars lined just set me at ease and all my worry and stress just melted away. It was like the sweet surrender of my soul to the music and the reward was a deep satisfaction and abiding respect for the artist and his music. It was like every note rang true and resonated with me. That is my personal journey and everyone will have their own story to tell, once they hear this great music.

Eric Tingstad is a great musician and I love the fact that he decided to stretch out and give his listeners another side of his artistry to enjoy on Electric Spirit.

5/5 Stars

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck
April 25, 2018

Founder of:

Review Provided By MuzikMan Reviews & News

Tracks:
01. Electric City
02. French Quarter
03. Oh’ Shenandoah
04. Bessie
05. Amazing Grace
06. There’s More
07. South To Carolina
08. Big River
09. Key West
10. Flamingo Club
11. The Train of Thought
12. Over The Rainbow

 

4/09/2018

Rock-Pop-Blues-Gospel-Country-R&B Review:Elvis Presley-The Searcher - The Original Soundtrack (Deluxe 3 CD Set)

Release Date: April 4, 2018
Label: Sony Legacy/RCA

As time passes and I learn more about Elvis Presley, the more I appreciate his legacy. Through several of the deluxe sets, I have gained a good education and heard some amazing music.

Elvis Presley: The Searcher The Original Soundtrack is a 3CD deluxe box set that features 37 additional Elvis cuts plus a special disc featuring selections from Mike McCready's (Pearl Jam) original score for Elvis Presley: The Searcher; Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers performing "Wooden Heart," and the music that inspired Elvis that includes R&B and country classics and "Home Sweet Home" sung by his mother, Gladys Presley. The set also includes a 40-page book featuring rare photographs, liner notes by Warren Zanes, and a director's note by Thom Zimny. Those are some of the highlights of this comprehensive set.

The Searcher - The Original Soundtrack is more of a deeper look into the persona of the legendary performer we knew as The King. Not only are there three CDs with this set, an informative booklet is included and a soon to follow two-part HBO special that kicks off on April 14th. So, all of us Elvis fans get the full multimedia treatment this time around.

I think when you strip away the Elvis we knew on stage you find a very dedicated, serious and committed performer. And I think, more importantly, he is a man that never forget from whence he came. He was legendary for his generosity, and perhaps because he was brought up in poverty, he sincerely appreciated his stardom and all the things he could enjoy because of it.

The thing I always find so striking about Elvis was his ability to cover every genre with equal energy and class. There has been and never will be another more eclectic performer than Elvis. Being multi-dimensional was his calling, and did he ever fill those shoes with excellence. Having top-notch musicians to back him never hurt either. Like a quarterback with great receivers, he covered every nuance in each genre including Country, Blues, Pops, Gospel, R&B, and Rock. At times there were tracks that took a little of each influence to create a song, only Elvis could deliver.

Some of the tracks like “Blue Moon” showed how Elvis could get his voice to hit the higher register. The track will send a chill up your spine in a heartbeat. Its simplicity and atmosphere are exceptional and a complete step away from the previous track. That is one example of the many facets of Elvis. His emotion and soul were weaved into everything he sang. There are some tracks like “Blue Moon” that really make you realize what a powerful presence he had and unique delivery that made each song come alive.

I have been looking forward to this set for a long time and the HBO special as well. I think my education of Elvis; his music and life will be a continuing process for many of us. And I am loving every minute of it. I know without any doubt that everyone that came after him is indebted for his influence, and one that he is still having on anyone recording music.


5/5 Stars
Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck
April 9, 2018

Founder of:

Review Provided By MuzikMan Reviews and News


Elvis Presley: The Searcher (The Original Soundtrack) [Deluxe] – 3CD Deluxe Box Set

Disc 1
1. Trouble / Guitar Man
2. My Baby Left Me
3. Baby, What You Want Me To Do
4. Old Shep
5. That's When Your Heartaches Begin
6. That's All Right
7. Blue Moon Of Kentucky
8. Fool, Fool, Fool
9. Tweedlee Dee
10. Baby Let's Play House
11. Good Rockin' Tonight
12. Trying To Get To You
13. Blue Moon
14. When It Rains It Pours
15. Blue Christmas
16. Heartbreak Hotel
17. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy
18. Money Honey
19. Hound Dog
20. (There'll Be) Peace In The Valley (For Me)
21. Crawfish
22. Trouble
23. Farther Along
24. Mona Lisa
25. Hide Thou Me
26. Loving You (end title take 16)
27. Lonely Man (solo version)
28. Power Of My Love


Disc 2
1. Milky White Way
2. A Mess Of Blues
3. Fame And Fortune
4. Love Me Tender / Witchcraft (duet with Frank Sinatra)
5. Like A Baby
6. Are You Lonesome Tonight?
7. It's Now Or Never
8. Wooden Heart
9. Swing Down Sweet Chariot
10. Reconsider Baby
11. Bossa Nova Baby
12. C'mon Everybody
13. Tomorrow Is A Long Time
14. Take My Hand, Precious Lord
15. Run On
16. Baby What You Want Me To Do
17. Suspicious Minds (take 6)
18. Baby Let's Play House (rehearsal)
19. Words (rehearsal)
20. That's All Right
21. Never Been To Spain
22. An American Trilogy
23. You Gave Me A Mountain
24. Burning Love (rehearsal version)
25. Separate Ways (rehearsal version)
26. Hurt (take 5)
27. If I Can Dream


Disc 3
1. Dissolution 2 - Mike McCready
2. Satisfied - The Blackwood Brothers
3. That's All Right - Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup
4. She May Be Yours But She Comes To See Me Sometimes - Joe Hill Louis
5. Mystery Train - Little Junior's Blue Flames
6. Smokestack Lightning - Howlin' Wolf
7. Rock-A-My Soul - The Blackwood Brothers
8. Just Walkin' In The Rain - The Prisonaires
9. Rocket 88 - Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats
10. Write Me A Letter - The Ravens
11. Blue Moon Of Kentucky - Bill Monroe
12. Ain't That Right - Eddie Snow
13. Just Walkin' In The Rain - Johnnie Ray
14. Lawdy Miss Clawdy – Lloyd Price
15. Home Sweet Home - Gladys Presley
16. Blowin' In The Wind - Odetta
17. Tomorrow Is A Long Time - Odetta
18. The Weight - The Staple Singers
19. Heartbreak Hotel - The Orlons
20. Wooden Heart - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
21. Rebound - Mike McCready

 

2/09/2018

George St. Clair Voices Heartfelt Narratives About Life in the American West on His New Album Ballads of Captivity and Freedom


London, UK – Part western balladeer, part borderland chronicler, songwriter GEORGE ST. CLAIR is a master of conjuring feelings and images of lives past and present. Growing up on the high plains of Texas put George in touch with the vastness of the American West, and his songs evoke the dry deserts, rolling grasslands, and high mountains of his West Texas homeland. Living for the past several years in the UK has given him a renewed perspective on the land where he grew up, and these reflections take shape on his new album BALLADS OF CAPTIVITY AND FREEDOM. Although George is based in Europe, the album was recorded at Bird and Egg Studios in Richmond, CA, mixed by Ben Bernstein at Petting Zoo Studios in Oakland, and will release in stores and online worldwide March 2, 2018.

GEORGE ST. CLAIR has known Ben Bernstein for many years as a friend, collaborator, and producer, and has long trusted his taste, musicianship, and technical expertise. To break the ice on their first recording session at Bernstein's Petting Zoo Studio, they laid down a quick demo of George’s song “The Places Where They Prayed,” with George playing Ben's vintage Gibson acoustic and singing into a single mic. It seemed to George that they were just getting started, but the initial bounce of the song didn't sound bad at all. George went back to his home in the UK and was floored when he later heard Ben's version complete with drums, bass, and pedal steel. The song came bursting through, sounding authentic and natural. After that George knew he wanted Ben to produce the whole record.

Demos were sent, charts were made, and schedules were coordinated, and they got to work immediately upon George’s arrival back from London. Ben had since put together a great core team of musicians – Dan Lebowitz on guitar and pedal steel, Mike Stevens on drums and congas, and Ben himself on bass. He organized the main sessions in the grand live room at Bird and Egg Studios in Richmond, providing the space and equipment to set up as a live quartet. Steve Sarmiento, Ben's assistant, kept everything ticking and brought a relaxed air along with his technical knowledge. On the final day, Kirby Hammel came in to add great feel and fluidity on organ and piano, which turned out to be a key part of the sound on the forthcoming album.

Experienced and prepared, the musicians got it right away, rehearsing and talking through minor adjustments. As with Ben in the studio, George felt he could trust this team implicitly. With only a few minor additions and adjustments in post-production back at Petting Zoo Studio, these live sessions comprise the new album BALLADS OF CAPTIVITY AND FREEDOM.

GEORGE ST. CLAIR draws on influences from the western Country tradition, Mexican Folk, 1970s Rock, and Texas balladries to narrate hidden stories examining the struggles between Native Americans and white colonizers, and the various plights of migrants to the US. He grew up in and around places where vicious battles were fought over the possession of land, and where large numbers of indigenous people were corralled into encampments. His family background of ranching and wildcat oil prospecting spurred him to probe the more controversial history of that part of the world in his songwriting. With his own sound and point of view, GEORGE ST. CLAIR is a formidable writer who takes the listener to places and times where untold possibilities once existed, and still do.

GEORGE ST. CLAIR cut his musical teeth in Austin, TX, playing Country, Flamenco, and Salsa, and co-founding the band Soniquete, a stalwart of Austin’s Alternative Latin music wave. However, it was while immersed in Latin American music that George’s ideas for melodies and verse still came almost always in the form of country ballads – a type of sound and feeling that was simply in his blood. GEORGE ST. CLAIR found his voice in heartfelt narratives about life in the American West.

For over 20 years George has pursued a career as a professional archeologist and anthropologist, which involved living for extended periods of time in remote places in the American Southwest, Mexico, Peru, and Brazil. While in Mexico, his travels crossing and re-crossing the border further ignited his historical imagination and sharpened his awareness of life in the region. This path eventually brought George to London, where he got his PhD in Anthropology, followed by a few years of lecturing and research at the London School of Economics.

All the while his reading, writing, and further reflection kept fueling a vision that would emerge in his songwriting – a nuanced, poetic voice full of wit and rigor, ever-grounded in his connection to home. While music was never far out of the picture, over the last few years the time came to put all his energies toward it. Bringing all his experiences together, songwriting emerged as the way for George to find his true voice.

For more information or to Pre-order BALLADS OF CAPTIVITY AND FREEDOM please visit www.georgestclairmusic.com or http://smarturl.it/GeorgeStClairBCF

To Pre-order BALLADS OF CAPTIVITY AND FREEDOM from Bandcamp please visit georgestclair.bandcamp.com

For Press and Interview inquiries, please contact Billy James of Glass Onyon PR at (828) 350-8158 or glassonyonpr@gmail.com

For Radio please contact Peter Hay of Twin Vision Radio Promotion at twinvision@aol.com

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