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(Press Release) On his upcoming full-length The Greatest Fire (Jan. 19th, Jungle Strut Music), Brooklyn-based songwriter Jeremy Bass is accompanied by equally accomplished players in the form of Nick Luca who has toured and recorded with Iron and Wine, Jon Rauhouse who tours and records with Neko Case, Tom Hagerman of DeVotchKa, Jacob Valenzuela of Calexico, and Joel Graves of Everest, among others.
The pedigree of the players on The Greatest Fire backs up the songwriting quality that saw Bass win two prestigious songwriting awards – the John Lennon Songwriting Competition and the UK Songwriting Contest – for tracks from his previous pair of 2015 EPs. It is interesting to note that while Bass’ world-class turns of phrase are impressive, especially for an emerging songwriter, he actually makes his bones as a classical guitarist. Bass has logged countless hours mastering the instrument that he was originally trained on in Italy and Spain, and his ascension as a composer ultimately led to The Secret City, the arts organization for which Bass serves as musical director, receiving an Obie Award – off-Broadway theater’s highest honor. “I wanted this album to be an expression of everything I was capable of, to feature the best songwriting I’ve done to date and to let rock n’ roll shine through the more diverse influences of my previous records,” Bass says. And while his sound bears little resemblance to one of his heroes, Bass relates wholeheartedly to this Tom Waits quote: “I like beautiful melodies telling me terrible things.” The songs on The Greatest Fire take this idea as gospel, both in ideology and practice. “I thrive on the interplay between what people think they’re hearing, and the actual content beneath,” Bassexplains. “I think that’s where the best songwriting happens.” Bass mentions Hank Williams and Merle Haggard’s outlaw output as examples of this juxtaposition.
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 Celebrated songwriters Mary Gauthier, David Olney, Tim Easton, several others salute Greg Trooper at Knuckleheads on February 15
KANSAS CITY, MO (Press Release) – Jenni Finlay Promotions and Eight 30 Records are pleased to announce the third annual Rebels and Renegades showcase from 4:30-10 p.m. on February 15 at Knuckleheads (2715 Rochester Ave.). This year's event features an all-star salute to the late, great songwriter Greg Trooper and will include performances by Mary Gauthier, David Olney, Tim Easton, Chris Fullerton, local favorite Bob Walkenhorst and more. Rebels and Renegades will mark the annual return of the maverick festival and again will offer FREE shuttles for anyone staying at the Crown Center Westin Hotel (1 E. Pershing Rd.).
(Press Release) Austin’s Wild Child are excited to share two new singles from their their forthcoming record, Expectations, out February 9th on Dualtone Records. “Sinking Ship” and “Back & Forth” were produced by Max Frost and Delta Spirit’s Matthew Logan Vasquez respectively, and make their debut via Consequence of Sound’s Origins feature. Kelsey Wilson describes solace found in a Shel Silverstein book and the use of a recorded heartbeat for “Sinking Ship”, and Alexander Beggins explores the pair’s creative process behind “Back & Forth”, for which they drew inspiration from songs by Nina Simone and Aretha Franklin (read more). This February, Wild Child will play a string of record release shows across Texas before embarking upon a massive North American tour throughout March, April, and early May. All upcoming dates are listed below.
In addition to recording with Vasquez and Frost, the Austin, Texas-based band traveled far and wide in order to work with multiple producers (and accomplished musicians in their own right) on Expectations including; Chris Walla (formerly Death Cab For Cutie), Chris Boosahda (Shakey Graves), Scott McMicken (Dr. Dog), and Adrian Quesada (Grupo Fantasma).
CHICAGO (January 9, 2018 Press Release) - The new Americana single from Jodee Lewis, “Buzzard’s Bluff” is a cathartic release from deep within the Missouri Ozarks. The natural lush landscapes are home to beautiful views, but just like the numerous birds of prey, a dark secret is always circling. The swelling ache of the violin takes center stage as the melodies wander deeper into the mountains. It is the first single and title track off the upcoming album, Buzzard’s Bluff, due out April 6.
Lewis, now living in Chicago, grew up in Missouri where a deep passion for music rang through her home at an early age. The sounds of Merle Haggard, EmmyLou Harris, and Waylon Jennings became a familiar chorus of voices that influenced her own storytelling. “Buzzard’s Bluff” opens with a haunting chill that quickly becomes an anthemic march. With a raw and honest cadence, Lewis sings with a spine tingling melody that commands attention. The steady beat of the drums intertwine with a deep bass, energetic strings, and a harmony filled chorus. The memory of the area still clings to Lewis as she explains, “There were a number of things about my childhood that were tragic and unhappy, yet the Ozarks is deep in my bones and I still carry a great love for the area and it’s beauty, even after fleeing to Chicago almost 20 years ago.”  (Press Release) Sedona, AZ-based Americana duo Surrender Hill (husband and wife team Robin Dean Salmon and Afton Seekins) is set to release its third album, Tore Down Fences, on February 2, 2018. A roots-rock album filled with guitars, harmonized vocals, organ, and the occasional burst of pedal steel, Tore Down Fences pushes Surrender Hill into harder, grittier territory. Together, the songs paint the picture not only of a band that's reached its creative peak, but a relationship that's built on trust, twang, and creative chemistry. All 13 songs on the album were tracked in two days, with Salmon producing the sessions in a Nashville recording studio.
Like the two records that came before it — 2015's self-titled debut and 2017's Right Here Right Now — Tore Down Fences is an album about relationships, delivered from the perspective of two songwriting partners who have weathered their own share of breakups and missteps before crossing paths. Unlike those previous records, though, this album focuses not on the romantic "honeymoon period" of a relationship, but on the challenges they faced before the pair got together. It explores the reality of romance: the good, the bad, the bright, and the dark.  CREDIT: Damien Blue WATCH IT HERE
Orchestral folk/rock group Mike Mangione & The Kin released their new album But I've Seen The Stars last October and today the group has released a new music video for the single "Riding Down." The video premiered with Country Fancast, telling a spellbinding story that looks more like a trailer for a new Netflix series than a music video. “We wanted imagery that played with freedom vs. being bound…so we tied me up and set that kid off on a journey. Truth is, we are always somewhere between those two places and this song/video is meant to add imagery to that reality,” says Mangione.  Photo Credit: Alysse Garkjen Arkansas Native Makes National TV Debut on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers on January 23
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Press Release) – Coming into 2018, one name continues to pop up in cross-genre respected publications from NPR to The New York Times to The Los Angeles Times: Ashley McBryde. One of only two female Country music artists to make The New York Times’ “54 Best Songs of 2017” with critic Jon Caramanica observing her current single, “A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega,” is “a hearty, expertly written country song about hope after hopelessness,” McBryde was the most added new artist and most added female artist with her debut Warner Bros. / Warner Music Nashville single. The track, which hit No. 1 on SirusXM’s The Highway Top 30 earlier this year, describes finding a much-needed musical pick-me-up in an unexpected place. Named one of Variety’s Ones to Watch in 2018, McBryde is set to make her national TV debut on NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers” on January 23. Tune in at 12:35 p.m. ET/ 11:35 p.m. CT to see her perform her widely lauded single “A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega.”  Courtesy: 1888 Media
Austin, TX (Press Release): Bluesy singer-songwriter Johnny “Chops’ Richardson has issued “Taking A Chance On Me," the second single from his forthcoming sophomore album, Johnny Chops & The Razors. With a special guest appearance by acclaimed singers, The Gospel Starz, the Otis Redding-influenced ballad premiered via music discovery site, GLIDE Magazine, who noted, "As a whole, the tune has a bluesy southern boogie sound with an infectious uplifting chorus.” Watch HERE.
Born into a musical family in Lubbock, Texas, Richardson lives and breathes music, in particular, the craft of writing songs, which he’s successfully been doing for the past two decades. Influenced by Tom Petty, Muddy Waters, Johnny Cash, and Social Distortion, he’s landed several songs on albums by the Randy Rogers Band, whom he’s played bass with since 2002. His contributions include “Ten Miles Deep,” a staple of RRB's live show, “Last Last Chance,” which garnered a Texas Music Chart #1, “Shotgun” a cinematic, hard driving country rocker from the acclaimed Trouble album and “Wicked Ways,” which was chosen for the band’s appearance on Late Night with David Letterman. Superstar Songwriters Pay Tribute to Hank Cochran & Red Lane Wed, Jan 17 At PEN FUND Benefit1/8/2018  "Hank is why we did it; Red is how we did it."
- Booth Calder Cochran, Co-founder, THCPF Nashville, TN (January 8, 2018 Press Release) - Superstar songwriters Rafe Van Hoy, Marla Cannon-Goodman, Dale Dodson, Waylon Payne, Don Sampson and Ronnie Bowman will pay tribute to Hank Cochran and Red Lane at 3rd & Lindsley (816 3rd Ave. South) on Wednesday, January 17 to benefit The Hank Cochran Pen Fund. Tickets are $10; doors open at 6 p.m. and the show begins at 7:30. The 501(c)(3) charity focuses its efforts on financially assisting songwriters with cancer. ABOUT THCPF The Hank Cochran Pen Fund offers financial support to songwriters and their families as they deal with cancer. "Hank understood songwriters better than anyone," Booth recalls. "Not every writer is on the charts every week; some never make it there at all, but they are all songwriters." The Fund shares that philosophy, and is dedicated to helping writers - of all career stages - in whatever way possible. To date, the Fund has paid mortgage and utility bills, paid for medical supplies, meals, Uber rides and dog sitter fees. "Everyone's life is different and so everyone has unique needs," notes Cochran. "Our goal is to help meet the financial needs of the individual so that they can focus on healing."  MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Press Release) – The Blues Foundation is thrilled that, for the first time ever, the announcement of the nominees for its annual Blues Music Awards will be broadcast around the world. The Blues Foundation has teamed up with the Ditty TV Network and William Bearden Productions for this special presentation that will take place on January 9th at 10 a.m. CT. Blues and roots music fans everywhere will be able to discover who are the contenders for the 2018 Blues Music Awards as they are publically revealed.
The broadcast can be watched on Ditty TV from any connected device at https://dittytv.com/watch/ or by going to AppleTV (https://apple.co/2lYhCxq), Roku (http://bit.ly/2Cxgjwh) and FireTV (http://amzn.to/2AxBGfi). It can be viewed too on the Blues Foundation’s own Facebook page, http://bit.ly/2EbCGbf. Serving as hosts for the nomination announcements will be legendary bluesmen Bobby Rush, John Nemeth, and Kenny Neal. Besides being winners of numerous BMA Awards, the three musicians also are colorful entertainers who will certainly make for a memorable broadcast. This year, the prestigious Blue Music Awards will give out honors in 26 categories, including two new ones: Blues Rock Artist of the Year and Instrumentalist: Vocals. A complete list of the nominees will be made available on the Blues Foundation’s website, www.blues.org following the broadcast. |
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