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American Babies -
Since 2007 American Babies has been the mouthpiece for Philadelphia based musician
Tom Hamilton. After spending the early 2000s building a national fan base fronting
the electro-rock band Brothers Past, releasing two critically acclaimed albums and
averaging 150 shows a year, a change was in order. Hamilton looked to shed the electronic
"bleeps-n-boops" production that had become his calling card and make an album that
was loose, rolling and full of vibe. Hamilton hit the road with American Babies
either playing solo shows or with a rotating cast of players that included Russo,
brother Jim Hamilton, Scott Metzger (Gene Ween Band), Dave Driewitz (WEEN), and
Ryan Thornton (Sean Bones) landing showcases on Festivals like Bonnaroo and CMJ,
Langerado, SxSW and Newport Folk as well as supporting slots for the Derek Trucks
Band, Sheryl Crow, The National, and the Wood Brothers. Since the release of "Flawed
Logic", Hamilton has found a more permanent, like minded line up to fill out the
band with Brooklyn-based drummer Dave Butler (Lee Scratch Perry, Dub is a Weapon)
and fellow Philly folks Adam Flicker (The Brakes) on keys and Mark Karwan on Bass.
The band has been turning heads all year and will be living on the road for the
foreseeable future.
Website:
http://www.americanbabies.net
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The Avett Brothers - The
songs of the Avett Brothers are honest: just chords with real voices singing real
melodies. But, the heart and the energy with which they are sung, is really why
people are talking, and why so many sing along. They are a reality in a world of
entertainment built with smoke and mirrors, and when they play, the common man can
break the mirrors and blow the smoke away, so that all that's left behind is the
unwavering beauty of the songs. That's the commotion, that's the celebration, and
wherever The Avett Brothers are, that's what you'll find.
Website:
http://www.theavettbrothers.com
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Rayland Baxter - is
a gentleman, a singer of songs, a teller of tales, a picker of strings, a thinker
of things. Born in the untamed hills of Bon Aqua, Tennessee, he tells a story unlike
any other, a story that is true and full of unraveling emotion. There are no lines
drawn, no box to be found, in the world of rayLand Baxter. He is who he is and he
tells the unmatched story. Whether it be the story of love, the story of struggle,
or the story of joy, the road that he travels on is full of dust and flowers, fire
and ice, comets and dreams, and he walks with stars in his eyes, leaving the scent
of wild magnolias for those on his trail...and for those of us at the end, we are
fortunate to find him smiling. Tradition is a staple in Rayland's music. In any
given song, one can hear the nuances of his favorites from Dylan to Van Zandt, Johnson
to Hopkins, or anyone else on the musical map that has tickled his fancy at one
time or another. His reconstruction of song is mesmerizing in its own right...a
true artist...a humble man...a dreamer.
Website:
http://www.raylandbaxter.com
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Boom Chick - Boom Chick
is a rock n' roll duo consisting of Frank Hoier on guitar & vocals and Moselle Spiller
on drums. Boom Chick's sound is born out of an ecstatic love for early American
rock n' roll. They have released one full album to date. "Show Pony" (released November
2010) is shot through with all the love and bones you can pack onto two-inch tape,
and revels in Frank & Moselle's myriad influences, from their shared love of atomic
50's rock n' roll, spooky Delta blues, reverb-laced surf rock and 60's girl group
melodies, to the bright torches they carry for the classic catalogs of Chess & Sun
Records.
Website:
http://www.boomchickboomchick.com
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Dangermuffin - Sometimes
a band sticks in your mind like good batter sticks to your ribs. A memorable name
helps, and Dangermuffin is no pushover of a moniker. But it's the round-the-fire
looseness, yet still polished groove, that leaves the Charleston-based trio's catchy
hooks lingering in our ears. Together just two years, they've toured their raspy
Southern style as far as Colorado's Jazz Aspen festival and become Carolina public
radio favorites. Dangermuffin is delicious from the first bite, but be certain to
give a closer listen to the depth of songwriter Dan Lotti's lyrics.
Dangermuffin is: DAN LOTTI - Vocals, Guitar / STEVEN SANDIFER - Drums, Percussion,
Vocals / MIKE SIVILLI - Electric Guitar, Vocals
Website:
http://www.dangermuffinmusic.com
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The Desert Rose Band
- was formed in 1985 with primary songwriter Chris Hillman on lead vocals, guitar,
and mandolin. Other members, culled mainly from Southern California session players,
included banjoist/guitarist Herb Pedersen, guitarist John Jorgenson, steel guitarist
Jay Dee Maness, bassist Bill Bryson, and drummer Steve Duncan. Their first single
was a 1986 cover of Johnnie & Jack's "Ashes of Love," which climbed into the country
Top 30. Their self-titled debut album followed in 1987 and spawned a number one
hit in "One Step Forward," plus two more Top Tens in "Love Reunited" and "He's Back
and I'm Blue." 1988's Running produced two number one smash hits, "I Still Believe
in You" and "Summer Wind," as well as the number three hit "She Don't Love Nobody."
1990's Pages of Life brought their final Top Ten hits in "Story of Love" and "Start
All Over Again." Three albums were recorded between 1991-1993, "True Love", Traditional"
and "Life Goes On". The Desert Rose band has won three Academy of Country Music
Awards and has received several nominations from the Country Music Association and
the Grammys. Now back with all original members, the Desert Rose Band is hitting
the stage, having fun, and bringing us the music they were known for.
Website:
http://www.desertroseband.com
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Fishbone - The legendary
band FISHBONE is known for playing it's own fusion of funk, punk-rock and ska. The
7-piece band from Los Angeles has inspired artists like No Doubt and Primus, and
has toured with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beastie Boys, Dead Kennedys and The Roots
to name a few. The band's high energy stage show has solidified their reputation
as one of the best live touring artists today! The band has reached such iconic
stature that their own full length feature documentary "Everyday Sunshine: The Story
of Fishbone" is due out in theatres this summer. The film features celebrity testimonials
from an A-list cast of rock icons that include Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers), who
calls the band "an important musical institution" and Gwen Stefani (No Doubt) who
says "the band that gave US the inspiration to be a band." The band recently completed
a U.S. tour with Slightly Stoopid and Dumpstaphunk, and a sold-out SXSW concert
with Wu-Tang Clan and Mobb Deep. In addition, Fishbone just completed an Australian
tour featuring performances with Trombone Shorty and George Clinton. This summer
the band will return to Europe and Japan.
Website: http://www.fishbone.net
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Steve Forbert - "Meet me in the middle of the night, let me hear you say everything's alright," warbled Mississippi-born Steve Forbert on his era-defining 1980 hit song Romeo's Tune. "Let me smell the moon in your perfume" he sang - and it was that kind of lyrical poetry, along with Steve's roots-rocking musical approach, that struck a chord with millions of people in the transitional period between 70's folk-rock and 80's new wave. Steve's brash-but-still-sensitive take on the songwriter genre propelled his sophomore album, Jackrabbit Slim, up the Billboard charts and led to sold-out shows and a feature in Rolling Stone magazine...all at the tender age of 21. When 80s tastes turned to punk and disco, songcrafters like Forbert (and even Bob Dylan) fell out of favor with the mainstream. But Steve's fantastic live show and his quality songwriting have outlasted the trends, and the profound honesty evident in his body of work has carried his career to a place where he has received a Grammy nomination, been inducted into the Mississippi Music Hall of Fame, and released14 studio albums (including his latest, 2009's critically-acclaimed The Place and The Time). Steve continues to write and tour regularly from his Nashville home base, and is one of the few artists who can mesmerize a crowd with nothing but his distinctive voice, an acoustic guitar, and his harmonica slung around his neck. But the scrappy roots-rocker is also still alive and well, as Steve often tours with his band too. Either way, his legion of dedicated fans around the country will experience a great performer.
Website:
http://www.steveforbert.com
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Frontier Ruckus -
At a young age, the courses of Matthew Milia and David Jones somehow converged within
the large and vaguely defined world of Metropolitan Detroit. And from that point
on, with merely a banjo and a guitar, they moved forward towards one common creation-something
that reflected the very world from which they came with a zeal and vividness afforded
only to the young. The singular vision of Frontier Ruckus that modernly exists,
growing fuller each day, is eternally rattling with a youthfulness impossible to
shed. Unblinking and ferocious in its expression, it spits out with every gasp dusky
images of a landscape to which it is inextricably bound. And now, infinitely bolstered
by the horns and singing-saw of Zachary Nichols, the harmony vocals and bass of
Anna Burch, and the percussion of Ryan Etzcorn, Frontier Ruckus is perched in waiting,
prepared to bring to the greater world a new, hollering, unyielding poetry-the voice
of memory, desperate and beautiful; the very face of a confused and dissolving locality
that one can remember as home. It will see it's proper release via Quite Scientific
Records on November 6th.
Website:
http://www.frontierruckus.com
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The Gibson Brothers
- "Truthfully, I'd be recording records every month if we could, because it's such
a fun part of what we do," says Leigh Gibson, the slightly younger half of the Gibson
Brothers. Sibling Eric shares the enthusiasm: "I like being in the studio just as
much as I like being on stage, and I love being on stage." This passion for getting
music to their fans lies behind the Gibson Brothers' most recent accomplishment:
three exceptional albums in three years. Bona Fide and Long Way Back Home
both earned widespread acclaim and topped the Bluegrass Unlimited album chart. Now
they offer Red Letter Day, perhaps their most eclectic and energetic session
to date. Working with some of bluegrass music's best sidemen during a period of
personnel shifts in their own band, the Gibsons did more in-studio arrangement than
usual, lending extra spirit and spontaneity to their widely acclaimed and widely
known harmony singing.
Website:
http://www.gibsonbrothers.com
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The Grascals - Already
among the most beloved and acclaimed of contemporary bluegrass groups, The Grascals
were the 2007 International Bluegrass Music Association's Entertainers of the Year,
first earning the top honor in 2006, only one year after being named Emerging Artist
of the Year and winning Song of the Year for "Me and John and Paul." Their trademark
blend of traditional bluegrass and classic country with more modern elements, delivered
with vocal and instrumental intensity and virtuosity, earned them Grammy nominations
for their first two critically-acclaimed releases - The Grascals and Long
List of Heartaches. Timely and timeless, The Grascals' music is entirely
relevant to the here and now, yet based on a deeply-seeded knowledge of and admiration
for the music's founding fathers. They have shared the stage with Dolly Parton,
Brooks & Dunn, Dierks Bentley, Patty Loveless, Mac Wiseman, J. D. Crowe, Charlie
Daniels, Kenny Rogers, Steve Wariner, Vince Gill, the Jordanaires and many others.
They are proud to make regular guest appearances on the Grand Ole Opry and have
also appeared on Opry Live, The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson, CBS Early Show
and the TV Guide Channel. All three of their releases have reached the #1 spot on
the Billboard Bluegrass charts. Their latest critically acclaimed CD "Keep On Walkin'"
is in stores now!
Website: http://www.grascals.com
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The Greencards - From
the first notes struck together in 2003 through tours with Bob Dylan and Willie
Nelson and up to and beyond their fourth studio album in 2009, The Greencards have
won steadily escalating acclaim for their multi-dimensional Americana vision. Each
step they've taken has widened their appeal. Their releases have topped the Billboard
Bluegrass charts. Two singles have garnered Grammy nominations. They've earned ovations
from "newgrass" music devotees at MerleFest and rock loyalists at Lollapalooza.
But this four piece band, spearheaded by Australians Carol Young and Kym Warner,
is interested less in past accomplishments than in looking ahead for new goals to
achieve. That's why their latest release is also in many ways their most significant
and impressive to date. Produced and engineered by studio veteran Justin Niebank
(Vince Gill, Marty Stuart, Keith Urban), The Brick Album is the first to successfully
infuse The Greencards' eclectic musical references with the excitement they generate
onstage. "We've been striving for this since our first record," says mandolinist
Warner. "We recorded totally in one room this time, with very little isolation.
It was all about doing the performance now, without going back to add anything later
on." With The Brick Album, the world becomes more than ever their stage. Their music
is rhythmically irresistible, balancing taste and technique, engaging lyrics and
melodies and wildly creative arrangements. There may be a wall on its cover, but
the future suggested on these tracks knows no barrier.
Website:
http://www.thegreencards.com
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Alpin Hong - Pianist -
Whirlwind American tours and performances across the globe have earned, pianist,
Alpin Hong the reputation as a modern day Pied Piper. His combination of stunning
technique, emotional range, and rare humor continues to bring audiences young and
old to their feet. The New York Times lauded his "crystalline energy...clear and
persuasive ideas...and remarkable breadth of coloration" and called him "a pianistic
firebrand" in a review of his standing-room only New York recital debut at Carnegie
Hall's Weill Recital Hall. Rooted in extensive classical training and a background
in skateboarding, snowboarding, martial arts, and videogames, Mr. Hong is a creative
force unmatched in his youthful vivacity and boundless energy. His astonishing ability
to connect to people of all ages, experiences, and backgrounds distinguishes him
and shapes his evolving performance style. The Ocala Star-Banner has called Mr.
Hong "Classical for the iPod generation." Mr. Hong's uniquely humorous and visionary
approach to arts education has resulted in artistic residencies from coast-to-coast.
In recognition of the pianist's gift for communicating his passion for music to
audiences of all ages, The McGraw-Hill Companies honored him with the Robert Sherman
Award for Music Education and Community Outreach. His tireless pursuit to find,
inspire, and collaborate with talents in every community results in unforgettable
presentations that both expand worlds and hit close to home. Alpin Hong is a native
of Michigan and made his orchestral debut with the Kalamazoo Symphony at the age
of ten. He moved to Los Angeles soon after and garnered competition victories at
a young age with wins at the 1989 Stravinsky Piano Competition, the 1993 SYMF Competition
and the 1994 Los Angeles Spotlight Awards Competition. He was the winner of the
Concert Artists Guild Competition in 2001. His teachers include Mark Richman and
Emilio del Rosario. He completed his Master's degree as a student of Jerome Lowenthal
at The Juilliard School.
Website: http://www.alpinhong.com
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Chris Hillman & Herb Pedersen
- Arguably the pioneer of the genre known as "Country Rock", Chris Hillman has carved
a permanent niche in the history of contemporary American music. Through his work
with such notable bands as The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Manassas and
the Desert Rose Band, he has firmly established himself as an innovative songwriter
and performer. Throughout his four-decades in music, Hillman has collaborated with
several artists including Roger McGuinn, David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Gram Parsons,
Vern Gosdin, Connie Smith, Herb Pedersen and John Jorgenson. He is a member of the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and a four time Grammy nominee plus the recipient of
numerous CMA and ACM awards. His songs have been recorded by many notable artists
including Dwight Yoakum, Emmy-Lou Harris, The Oak Ridge Boys, Tom Petty, Dan Fogelberg,
and Beck.
Website:
http://www.chrishillman.com
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The David Mayfield Parade
- Grammy-nominated musician and producer David Mayfield is a force of nature
on stage. His energy and out and out enthusiasm for performing are evident at every
show whether it's with Cadillac Sky, The Avett Brothers, Jessica Lea Mayfield or
his own band, The David Mayfield Parade. Mayfield's songwriting "feels as classic
as {his}...wardrobe" says Paste Magazine and his song "Ballad Of Restored
Confidence" is featured as the cover mounted track on November's issue Uncut
Magazine. His forthcoming album "The David Mayfield Parade" is an extension
of his irrepressible energy and abundant love for the music that has inspired him
over his young lifetime. It listens like an AM radio record with strings and production
born out of such classics as Randy Newman's Sail Away or Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge
Over Troubled Water but without forgetting the fundamentals of rock-n-roll!
Website:
http://www.thedavidmayfieldparade.com
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Michael Kaeshammer
- has been called Canada's triple-threat combo of piano virtuosity, vocal ability
and charisma. This potent combination has earned the Toronto based artist international
critical acclaim and a loyal and growing fan base. Kaeshammer's performances are
pure delight and his energy knows no bounds. He has piano technique to burn and
to his audience's delight has an acrobatic way with a grand piano. When Kaeshammer
performs, it's obvious he's having a ball, playing superlative boogie-woogie, blues,
jazz, and pop cross-over material, drawn mostly from an impressive list of standards
and his catalogue of studio recordings. A reviewer of last year's performance at
the Tanglewood Jazz Festival noted: "drawing on a rock solid knowledge of the
early piano greats, Kaeshammer does more than play the way they did. He entertains
with a capital "E" the way they did... he taps into a part of music that's
almost lost, connecting deeply with the audience on a gut level, so they are no
longer just spectators in the music-making." Nightly, Kaeshammer and his band
have the crowd eating out of the palm of their hands and never do they leave with
anything short of a standing ovation. For Kaeshammer 2010 has been another special
year; some of the highlights include a much acclaimed performance at the opening
ceremony of the Vancouver Paralympic games, performing in front of 60,000 people
and millions on television internationally, successful summer performances at U.S.
and European Jazz festivals and continued touring in Canada, all the while writing
and recording for his next album. Michael's most recent studio recording, Lovelight,
has been critically acclaimed as his best yet. It will be followed by a new recording
in early 2011 and accompanied by an international tour that will go well into 2012.
There's not a brighter star on the jazz horizon!
Website: http://www.kaeshammer.com
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Larkin Poe - For the past
5 years, soul singing, songwriting sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell of Larkin Poe
have been captivating audiences around the world with their insightful lyrics, magnetic
presence, and dazzling instrumental virtuosity. NoDepression.com says: "Larkin Poe
brings together emotional expressiveness, beautiful melodies, technical mastery,
and tasteful restraint in a way that's tremendously compelling." From the stage
of the Grand Ole Opry to the hippy-fest Bonnaroo, these chameleon performers continue
to impress and mature, attracting attention from music lover and celebrity alike.
In the words of Elvis Costello the''re "already gifted as instrumentalists and,
having a head start on the rest of us with the unique power and beauty of sibling
harmony in their vocal blend, their songwriting has leapt forward and now surprises
and delights in equal measure."
Website: http://www.larkinpoe.com
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John McEuen - A broad
spectrum of music Americana, with a bit of "the old country" music thrown in for
good measure, has made John McEuen known as America's instrumental poet. His musical
impressions from over 30 years of worldwide travels are brought to the stage with
performing expertise that sets him apart from others, and focuses on acoustic guitar,
banjo, fiddle, and mandolin. A founding member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in
summer of 1966, after 21 years began to broaden his artistic pursuits. Multi-instrumentalist
McEuen ventured into varied musical genres, taking his music and other talents to
different formats including television specials, film scoring, unusual award winning
CDs and concert production while keeping up an active road schedule both solo and
(as of 2002) again with his lifetime partners in music. ith his band, the Nitty
Gritty Dirt Band, he has made over 30 albums, including the platinum-selling Will
The Circle Be Unbroken, which was instigated by John and and conceived by the band's
manager/producer (John's brother) Bill McEuen in 1971 for United Artists. For a more
in depth history, from background on the first American band to play Russia, to
the story behind the landmark platinum album "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" (instigated
by John), please go to his website.
Website: http://www.johnmceuen.com
/ Video: John McEuen - A Life in Music
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John Oates - For John
Oates, longtime member of music's best-selling duo of all time Daryl Hall & John
Oates, his second solo album, 1000 Miles of Life, scheduled for release on
September 23rd on PS Records in association with U-Watch/DKE Records and distributed
by ICON Music Entertainment Services, was a labor of love and devotion, a summary
of his three decades as a professional musician. Amazon.com will have an exclusive
digital version of 1000 Miles of Life starting on September 9th up until
the September 23rd street date, when it will become available in all digital and
retail outlets. "It was a wake-up call for me," says John about the album, his second
solo effort and first since 2002's Phunk Shui. "After 30-plus years devoting myself
to my art and craft, I needed to make a musical statement that someday I could look
back on and realize, at that moment of time, I did exactly what I wanted to do.
I've never written songs like this. I was on this inspirational roll. There was
an urgency to it. I realized that I had no more time in my life for rehearsals...and
I took that energy into the studio."
Website: http://www.johnoates.com
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Riders In The Sky - With
28-plus years, over 5,000 performances and counting under their collective cowboy
belt, Riders In The Sky, the multi Grammy Award winning Western music group whose
music is firmly grounded in the rich American music traditions of such legendary
cowboys singers as Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, and the Sons of the Pioneers-and whose
fun-filled performances have enchanted audiences of all ages-are themselves the
stuff of legend. Indeed, the Riders-Ranger Doug (Idol of American Youth), Woody
Paul (King of the Cowboy Fiddlers), Too Slim ("a Righteous Tater"), and Joey (the
CowPolka King)-have single-handedly revived and revitalized an entire music genre
since they formed in 1977. With their recent induction into the prestigious Walk
of Western Stars in Newhall, California, they've only added more luster to an extraordinary
career that long ago placed them rightfully alongside the all-time greats as the
world's premiere Western recording and touring band.
Website:
http://www.ridersinthesky.com
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Jeanne Robertson - "Award-winning speaker Jeanne Robertson is an expert in humor, whether regaling audiences with her experiences as a 6'2" Miss Congeniality winner in the Miss America Pageant or outlining the steps to developing a sense of humor. Jeanne is past president of the National Speakers Association and was the first woman to win NSA's top honor, the Cavett Award. A member of the Speakers Hall of Fame, Jeanne was also honored by Toastmasters International when it named her the recipient of its Golden Gavel Award, presented annually to one individual who has demonstrated outstanding skills in communication and leadership.
Author of three books on humor, Jeanne has produced six DVD/CD humor programs in the last eleven years and can be heard daily on Sirius XM Radio's Laugh USA, the Family Comedy Channel. This lets millions nationwide know she speaks two languages fluently: English...and Southern."
Website:
http://www.jeannerobertson.com
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The Roys - Sister/Brother
duo Elaine and Lee Roy carry on the strong New England bluegrass/roots music tradition.
Fresh from their national TV debut on the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon (Las Vegas),
the 2009 and 2010 ICM Duo of the Year has just recorded an album at Skaggs' Place
Studios with members of Kentucky Thunder. They have performed across the U.S. and
Canada sharing the bill with The Oak Ridge Boys, George Jones, Collin Raye and Chris
Young. Just last month they travelled to Bogota, Columbia, South America with Compassion
International and have become spokesmen for the organization.
Website:
http://www.theroysonline.com
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Darrell Scott - Darrell
Scott is a songwriter, an in-demand instrumentalist and an acclaimed performer and
recording artist - all achievements earned while burning his own path instead of
playing by the accepted rules of the music industry. Scott's long since proven that
his songs deserve recognition. As a songwriter, he's contributed a string of hits
that reads like a list of the best modern country music has to offer. There's the
Grammy Award winning "Long Time Gone" and "Heartbreak Town," both top hits for the
Dixie Chicks. "Great Day to be Alive" helped Travis Tritt complete his comeback;
"Born to Fly" was a No. 1 hit for Sara Evans, while "Family Tree" was successful
for Darryl Worley and "When No One's Around" extended Garth Brooks' run. "You'll
Never Leave Harlan Alive" was cut in the same year by both Patty Loveless and Brad
Paisley. In 2004, Scott had songs recorded by Tim McGraw, Keb Mo, Mountain Heart,
Julie Roberts, Kathy Mattea, Andy Griggs, Faith Hill, and others. In all, Scott
has had more than 45 cuts by other artists.
Website:
http://www.darrellscott.com
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Sister Sparrow & The Dirty
Birds - Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds is a nine-piece powerhouse that puts a modern spin on classic soul. The band is led by Arleigh Kincheloe (Sister Sparrow), whose astoundingly powerful voice and sly demeanor make for a spellbinding presence onstage. She is backed by the mighty force of The Dirty Birds, a flock of eight men who masterfully lay down thundering grooves and soaring melodies. While each of the Birds are capable of lighting up the stage with jaw-dropping displays of musicianship, it's clear they're focused on delivering the band's infectious music as a single entity. Simply put, the band's live show is explosive.
Website:
http://www.sistersparrow.com
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Slow Runner - how to
write your band's bio: step 1 - start with information about your early years that
nobody really cares about but that you have to put in there because otherwise the
bio is thin and it's completely obvious how unsuccessful you really are. ex. slow
runner started in 2003 when singer/songwriter michael flynn and multi-instrumentalist
josh kaler began musically fornicating together after college. step 2 - create a
mythos around how your 'sound' was formed. ex. one night while walking through the
woods michael and josh pulled a sword from a stone and the curtains of heaven opened
up and they simultaneously realized their musical destiny involved casio, loud drums,
and short pop songs about girls. step 3 - puff your chest out and list accomplishments
no matter how insignificant they might be. ex. michael flynn almost won the john
lennon songwriting scholarship in 2001. then he did win the flat rock music festival
songwriting contest, then he and kaler made 'no disassemble', formed a full band,
and signed a deal with j records in 2005. step 4 - totally ignore inexplicable gaps
in the narrative of the bio. ex. what happened to our deal with j records? shut
up. what happened to your mom, that's the real question assholes. move along, there's
nothing to see here! step 5 - start name-dropping like you're trying to get into
the v.i.p. room at tonic on a friday night. this step is extremely important.
Website:
http://www.slowrunnermusic.com
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Paul Thorn - The first
thing you notice is The Voice, unique and distinctive, the voice of a man who has
walked a long, hot span over dusty Mississippi country roads. At turns soulful,
raw, melancholy, brazen, funky, circumspect, serene, brooding, and mutinous, the
voice expresses the range of human emotions, from forlorn grimness to incandescent
optimism. And after repeated listens, you realize that his is not merely the voice
of a poet but also of a merciful prophet, a summation not unjustified. Those who
follow the career of Paul Thorn believe he is both.
Website: http://www.paulthorn.com
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Uncle Lucius - Uncle
Lucius takes Rock and Roll from its deep roots and pushes it onward, putting their
own honest interpretation on the essential elements of R & B, Blues, and Country.
They pride their live show as a sacred and energetic experience, with a belief that
this is still the truest form of communication with their fans. All four members
grew up in different parts of Texas, each finding their own way to Austin in an
attempt to pursue music full time. The band includes Kevin Galloway on lead vocals
and rhythm guitar, Hal Vorpahl on bass, Mike Carpenter on lead guitar and vocals,
and Josh Greco on drums and percussion. Uncle Lucius can usually be found on the
highways and back streets of the U.S., playing renowned venues like B.B. King's
in NYC, to the Maple Leaf in New Orleans, to back home in Austin, TX at Threadgill's
World Headquarters, The Continental Club, and Antone's.
Website:
http://www.uncleluciusmusic.com
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Wheeler Brothers
- Formed in Austin, Texas, Wheeler Brothers have quickly emerged as one of Austin's
most exciting up-and-coming bands. The five-piece independent folk-rock act combines
the indie vibe of Austin with the twang of Texas folk. Brothers Nolan, Tyler and
Patrick met Danny Matthews at LSU where they spent much of their time picking guitars
and swapping stories in the bar rooms of Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Once back
in Austin their magnetic sound was completed by the addition of lifelong friend
and singer/songwriter A.J. Molyneaux. Each member brings his own ideas and sounds
to the group, with styles blending indie rock, blues and folk. Wheeler Brothers
have been selling out major venues and climbing the charts of radio stations in
"The Live Music Capital Of The World," Austin, TX. Their first LP is slated for
release prior to their Summer 2011 tour.
Website:
http://wheelerbrothersmusic.com/
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Chelsea Williams
- Seeing Chelsea live, it is obvious she is one of those rare artists with no need for vocal tuning or studio tricks. Chelsea currently makes her living as a street performer in L.A and the Hollywood club scene, playing and selling her self-crafted recordings. She is excited she has passed 52,000 CDs sold last year, one-by-one, simply on her own on the street. If you walk Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade, or Universal City Walk, and hear a voice in the distance that draws you in over all the noise, that's Chelsea... the one with the crowd around her. Chelsea's passionate pursuit of her art and willingness to play anywhere people might get turned on to her music is having the desired effect: she has been guest on several radio shows (WSM, CBS, XM), and featured on XM's The Village (Ch. 15) many times; She has been invited to feature film movie sets by captivated producers, and will be a return guest on the Time-Warner Television show Backstage: Los Angeles.
Website:
http://www.chelseawilliams.com
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Yarn - Brooklyn-based Americana/Alt-Country
band Yarn's sound owes as much to Gram Parsons and Earl Scruggs as to Jerry Garcia
and Exile On Main Street-era Rolling Stones. Following in a fine tradition that
includes forward thinking roots bands like The Flying Burrito Brothers and New Riders
of The Purple Sage, Yarn weaves roots music idioms into a fresh sound that turns
on hipsters and fans of country music alike, with technically impressive song-crafting
and universal tales from the road of life.
Website: http://www.yarnmusic.net
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Yellow Dubmarine
- Forty years after four musicians completed their swan song album which was named
for the studio that they made famous, another group of supremely talented musicians
entered into a studio to re-imagine that same album. For Dub-Reggae rockers, Yellow
Dubmarine, the choice to take on the Beatles Abbey Road was a simple one. "There
was a natural vision for it," they explain, "It is more of a concept album, and
we knew it would be the perfect place to start." The result is a shockingly original
take on the legendary album. Horns where there were once voices, a slinky groove
where there was once none, and a smooth mellow essence that seems to find the long
lost island-roots soul of Abbey Road. It is quite simply a chance to hear the much
loved classic album again...for the first time.
Website:
http://www.yellowdubmarine.com
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