Tag: press releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 22, 2017

 

Swearingen and Kelli to release album in July

 

Music offers an intimate look at many of life’s layers via

folk-story lyrics filtered through a sonic veil of

stunning harmonies and alt-country instrumentation

 

Americana husband-and-wife duo Swearingen and Kelli are set to release their sophomore album, The Marrying Kind, on July 21, 2017.  Unafraid of spilling their guts in their music, the Florida-based twosome of AJ Swearingen and Jayne Kelli presents 12 songs that challenge the listener to explore life’s hard questions while embracing what you have in the moment.

 

The Marrying Kind is an album steeped in the sounds of Americana and country-folk with rich harmonies and character voices that are a modern echo of the singer-songwriters of the ’60s and ’70s. Organic, honest, and real, their music springs from a connected, closely shared life. “The creative process is very vulnerable and we trust each other completely,” says Swearingen.

 

Drawing from influences and inspiration unique and shared, they trade off lead vocals, showcasing the strengths of both members.  Says Swearingen: “We really dialed in our Americana country sound on this album. I used lap-steel on many of the songs. I was very inspired by the sounds of David Lindley (Jackson Browne) and Jerry Douglas (Alison Krauss). I even used a 1936 Rickenbacker to replicate some of those early sounds from the ’70s.” Kelli gave up a pull towards perfection for the sake of genuine, emotional performances.

 

The lead-off, title track highlights the power of Kelli’s vocal, while telling the story of someone accustomed to her freedom and life on her own terms who second-guesses her aversion to settling down.  “Annalise” uses a haunting, Appalachian feel to bring to life a tale of a man holding onto a memory of his true love that will never die.  Tracks such as “Trying to Try,” “Survival,” and “Why Wait” are both contemplative and encouraging and promote taking risks, while not discounting the uncertainties that face us all.  Kelli’s vocals perhaps do not shine brighter than on “Leaving Yourself,” a song that is part Norah Jones, part Paul Simon and offers an interesting perspective on the story of love.  All the way to the final notes of the closing track, “Satellite Friends,” a song that confronts the struggle of truly connecting with others, the artistic benchmark has been set high with The Marrying Kind.

 

AJ Swearingen, born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, grew up in a house where the classic country records of Kris Kristofferson, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, and Willie Nelson were always spinning. “I love that music, but the folk records of the early ’70s like Gordon Lightfoot and Simon & Garfunkel are what really fueled my desire to pursue a life in music.” He began playing at 13 and started performing professionally in his late teens. His acoustic guitar finger style echoes his influences – James Taylor, Paul Simon and Lindsey Buckingham – but his silky, soulful baritone voice is definitely his own.

 

Jayne Kelli’s voice is both husky and sweet, tender and bluesy. Kelli was born in the small country town of Lapeer, Michigan. She grew up listening to her parents perform songs by John Denver, Jim Croce, and Glen Campbell around the campfire. Jayne began writing and recording her own songs at the age of 15. Her first release garnered praise from critics, calling her “a formidable talent with elegantly poetic and emotionally charged songs.” Jayne’s song “Sweetness” was chosen as an anthem song for the domestic violence foundations Victim Services International and Angel Wings International in 2015.

 

This partnership has led to some extraordinary things over the past few years; including writing and producing their own symphonic pop shows of music from the writers that inspired them from the ’70s – Cat Stevens, Gordon Lightfoot, Carole King, James Taylor, the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, and more – with performances alongside orchestras in Edmonton, Dayton, and Cleveland.  Their song “You’re Not Here With Me” (from their debut album) was recorded by folk icon, Tom Rush and is available on his album What I Know. “Give Everything Up,” also on their debut album, was licensed by DMX for restaurant airplay.

 

Swearingen and Kelli, together and separately, have shared the stage supporting Kenny Rogers, Crystal Gayle, Livingston Taylor, John McCutcheon, and Dave Mason, among others. They plan to continue a heavy touring schedule in support of the new album. The pair plans to celebrate the release of The Marrying Kind with a special orchestral show with the Cleveland Orchestra on July 23rd. Confirmed tour dates are listed below. More tour dates will be announced soon.

 

Swearingen and Kelli Tour Schedule:

7/23 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center with the Cleveland Orchestra

7/28 – St. Petersburg, FL – The Hideaway Café

8/5 – Bethlehem, PA – Musikfest

8/6 – Jim Thorpe, PA – 40 Story Radio Tower Live at the Mauch Chunk Opera House

8/10 – Bethlehem, PA – Musikfest, Liederplatz Stage

8/14 – Morro Bay, CA – Morro Bay Winery, Songwriters at Play

8/15 – San Luis Obispo, CA – Bang the Drum Brewery, Songwriters at Play

8/26 – Sarasota, FL – Common Grounds Hall

9/3 – Lynn Haven, FL – Roberts Hall, Americana Café Sundays

9/15 – St. Petersburg, FL – Sacred Lands

9/23 – LaGrange, GA – Pure Life Studios

10/19 – Jim Thorpe, PA – The Mauch Chunk Opera House

11/18 – Las Cruces, NM – Toad Hall House Concerts

 

www.swearingenandkelli.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 22, 2017

 

Americana singer-songwriter Shelly Waters

to release new album in July

 

“…twangy, soulful… fabulous…” – Guitar World

“…a stunning talent not far from household name status” – AntiMusic

“…sublime… one of those voices that lures you right in and proceeds to envelop you in sonic warmth.” – Pittsburgh In Tune

 

Americana singer-songwriter Shelly Waters is set to release her new, self-titled album on July 28, 2017.  Evidence of Waters’ jambalaya-like recipe of sonic spices – and then some – are found within each of the dozen tasty tracks on Shelly Waters, which was recorded in Nashville with renowned producer and multi-instrumentalist Josh Kaler.  “I feel like this record is the true representation of what I feel when I play the music that I love. This is Shelly. This is me. This is a reflection, and this is a representation of me.”

Waters’ musical roots run as deep and wide as the mighty Mississippi River that snakes through her home state of Louisiana. Her sound is the epitome of the holy tonal trinity of blues, country, and rock. “I want my music to represent all of those genres – because that’s what I love best – and I love blending those sounds together,” Waters affirms. “Growing up in South Louisiana I listened to a lot of swamp pop, old R&B, and rock ’n’ roll.  Those tones and those iconic voices are what I’m drawn to and that’s what I feel the most comfortable singing. My music is Americana through and through.” The uniqueness of Waters’ powerful and haunting voice brings her music to life and her lyrics betray a life filled with twists, turns, and adventure.

From the very first time the pick hits the strings on the album’s opening track “Drink the Water,” resonances of the brilliant Etta James’ masterwork “I’d Rather Go Blind” flood your senses.  “Red Hot Red” burns with a current classic country vibe. With “Jackpot” and “Knew You When,” the listener gets the first hint of what a Louisiana swamp would look, feel, and sound like. “Time for a Change” is a refreshing shift in pace that connects the musical dots back to the Bob Dylan nugget “I Want You.”

Song sequence on an album is so often key. On Shelly Waters, “Lost My Way” and “Blood Sweat and Tears” serve as the perfect opening acts for the oh-so-appropriate closing track, Waters’ terrific take on Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers’ “Louisiana Rain.” The perfect sonic nightcap to an intoxicating collection of top-shelf tracks, the imagery of where the road and rain meet the Gulf Coast waters that haunts Petty’s number fits Waters’ long road to making music to a tee.

From intimate coffee shops to festival crowds of more than 10,000, Waters’ winding musical road has led her to share stages with a wide spectrum of artists as diverse as the legendary Loretta Lynn to the amazing Alynda Lee Segarra (Hurray for the Riff Raff).  Waters has also shared a billing with Randall Bramblett, Curley Taylor and Zydeco Trouble, Kim Simmonds, Savoy Brown, Kitty Wells, Mel Tillis, and a host of other well-known musicians.  While Waters’ unforgettable voice and unique blend of genres have captivated audiences for years, her journey began in a sleepy Louisiana town called Rayne.

Shelly Pellerin Waters was born to a Cajun-French family and was raised on a farm in Rayne.  When she was 10 years old, she began taking guitar lessons, and, being a quick study, at the tender age of 11, Waters joined J.B. David and the Mule Skinners, a local French Cajun band.  The band played in Cajun dance halls, private events, and music festivals as far away as Nova Scotia. Touring with a band and signing autographs was quite an adventure for an 11-year-old.  After a year with the Mule Skinners, Waters started her own country band, Shelly and Southern Spice.  The band played locally and regionally for many years.  Along the way, Waters’ heartfelt rendition of Percy Sledge’s “When A Man Loves A Woman” – performed in a college beauty pageant – helped land her a chance to compete for the title of Miss Louisiana America.

As she entered her twenties, Waters had the stage chops of a showbiz lifer and she began getting inquiries from labels and others interested in helping her move to the next level.  But this is where Waters’ story runs off the smooth, flat concrete of I-10 and into the murky bayou waters. “Life happened,” Waters demurs.  Amazingly, she says this without a trace of regret.

Waters’ path has led her from Louisiana to Texas to South Carolina to Maine.  Along the road she experienced the ups, downs, and thrills of life.  Her ventures and adventures included earning a US Coast Guard Captain’s License, living for eight years on a sailboat in the South Carolina Lowcountry and sailing over 20,000 nautical miles.  While Waters continued to dabble in music, it wasn’t until 2013 that she found her way into songwriting.  Her debut album of original music, Drive, was produced by Grammy-nominated guitar phenomena Joe Taylor and released to critical acclaim in 2014.  In 2016, Charleston City Paper selected her as a “Best of Charleston” Female Vocalist Nominee.

Waters plans to tour in support of her forthcoming album; tour dates will be announced soon.

 

www.shellywaters.net

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 15, 2017

 

 

The Eagle Rock Gospel Singers set to release new album in July

 

A rousing celebration of traditional Americana-soul music

 

Americana band The Eagle Rock Gospel Singers is set to release a new album, No Glory, on July 14, 2017.  A follow-up to the group’s 2015 debut, Heavenly Fire, No Glory was produced by Matt Wignall (Cold War Kids, J Roddy Walston and the Business, Sam Outlaw), who also produced the Singers’ last album.

Says vocalist Kim Garcia: “We slowly started working on this album at the beginning of 2016 with our longtime producer, Matt Wignall.  We’d just come back from a national tour of the US and Canada and had such a great experience seeing so many other bands at the festivals where we performed.  We came back and really dug into working on a whole new set of songs.  We had so much to draw from, so much to write about.  These songs represent every bit of our collaborative efforts as a band, and even more so as a family.  They represent our victories, as well as our struggles.”

No Glory was recorded in Wignall’s Tackyland Studio in Long Beach, CA.  The band tracked “Lay Down Low” and “Church Fire” as live recordings with him in a historic church in Lincoln Heights, CA. A few guest performers lent their skills on the album: Jeremy Long on pedal steel, Theodore Smith on trumpet, Nathan Jensen on sax, David Maust on organ, and Kelsey Lee on vocals.  No Glory features remarkably focused vocal arrangements, poignant lyrics, and smooth rhythmic grooves that will set it apart from the band’s previous work.

The Eagle Rock Gospel Singers began as a collective of friends gathering together in the summer of 2010. A choir of up to 15 revived the old gospel spirit with songs like “I Shall Not Be Moved,” “12 Gates,” and “In My Time of Dying.” Slowly, they evolved into a band of six, and later five, committed to embracing the richness found in early 20th century recordings. Influenced by past gospel musicians such as The Dixie Hummingbirds, Washington Phillips, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe, as well as current bands like The Black Keys, Wilco, and Calexico, the band creates a unique style drawing from rhythm and blues, alt-country, indie rock, and folk.

A rousing celebration of traditional Americana music has always been the hallmark of The Eagle Rock Gospel Singers.  Elmore Magazine praised their “bold and barn-burning old-school meets new-school blend of gospel, Americana and rock ’n’ roll.”  Heavenly Fire, brimming with fiery melodies and country moods, laid the foundation for two successful North American tours, including appearances at prestigious festivals such as Winnipeg Folk Fest, Montreal Jazz Fest, Austin City Limits, and Voodoo Fest of New Orleans.  The album also garnered high-profile song placements (MTV, Showtime, Amazon, Discovery Channel), as well as popular playlist spots.  LA Weekly called their debut album “a rip-roaring, soaring batch of rootsy-flavored originals written by the band’s individual members, who took their songwriting cues from the greatest and most venerable of American trad musical genres.”  SpiritYouAllMusic wrote: “Heavenly Fire is suffused with that almost dangerous spiritual catharsis, and the result is intoxicating. Gospel was birthed from anguish, desperation, and ecstatic joy, and The Eagle Rock Gospel Singers prove that as there’s no shortage of them in the world today, the music remains as riveting and vital as ever.”

The band is excited to hit the road with their eclectic mix of alt-country gospel. The Eagle Rock Gospel Singers has confirmed an album release show at The Hi Hat in Los Angeles on July 7th before heading out further afield to share its music with audiences in a live setting.  Confirmed tour dates are listed below with more to be announced soon.

The Eagle Rock Gospel Singers is Will Wadsworth (drums, vocals), Jeremy Horton (guitar, vocals), Kevin Collins (bass), Kim Garcia (vocals), and Andrea Chita (vocals).

 

The Eagle Rock Gospel Singers Tour Schedule:

7/7 – The Hi Hat – Los Angeles, CA (record release show)

7/8 – Winston’s – San Diego, CA

7/9 – Flagstaff Brewing – Flagstaff, AZ

7/10 – Music Instrument Museum – Phoenix, AZ

7/11 – The Elks Theater – Prescott, AZ

7/13 – Sunflower Theatre – Cortez, CO

7/14 – Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox – Denver, CO

7/18 – Volcanic Theatre Pub – Bend, OR

7/19 – The Bartlett – Spokane, WA

7/20 – Brewminatti – Prosser, WA

7/22 – Emerald of Siam – Richland, WA

7/23 – Wildwood Music Fest – Sheridan, OR

7/24 – Harbor Grange Hall – Harbor, OR

7/29 – Cafe du Nord – San Francisco, CA

7/30 – Don Quixote’s International Music Hall – Felton, CA

 

ergospelsingers.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 15, 2017

 

 

Eclectic Nashville singer-songwriter Matt Siffert

to release new EP in July

     

Traces of alternative rock, folk, hip-hop, jazz, and

experimental music filter through Siffert’s unique,

approachable songwriting lens

 

Nashville-based singer-songwriter Matt Siffert is set to release his new, self-produced EP, Gallatin, on July 21, 2017.  Named after the street that runs through much of East Nashville, the EP features music that is challenging but accessible, with traces of alternative rock, folk, hip-hop, jazz, and experimental music, all filtered through Siffert’s unique, approachable songwriting lens. Gallatin was recorded at Nashville’s Brown Owl studio with local musicians, and John Helfrich, a Nashville-based engineer, was responsible for recording, mixing, and mastering the album.

 

“Story and melody are at the heart of what I do,” says Siffert. “I love sharing my experiences and responses to living in the modern world, and doing so in a way that both is relatable and musically stimulating.”

 

On “January 25,” Siffert boasts about being “better matched” for someone’s girlfriend. “That’s my angry Leonard Cohen song,” he says with a smile. But the musical backdrop is different from Cohen’s — the drums have a complex cymbal pattern and a pedal steel guitar wails in the background of the ethereal soundscape. “A lot of this EP was trying to build off my songwriter influences and push my music into new, undiscovered sonic landscapes,” he says.

 

“Evening in the Midwest,” one of his favorite songs he’s ever written, is reminiscent of the dreamier parts of Radiohead’s output and deals with a narrator who tries to get to know someone but doesn’t receive interest in return. “My psychology background helped me connect the minutiae of everyday life to songwriting,” Siffert says. “In the overly-distracted, technologically-driven world I inhabit, I am constantly trying to understand what it means to be human. In ‘Midwest,’ I addressed my frustrations with modern interpersonal communication.”

 

While some songs on the EP come from a place of conflict, others come from a place of happiness. “Morning” is a gentle folk ballad that recalls James Taylor and Townes Van Zandt and is delivered in a smooth, gentle way. “Nashville’s current music scene is heavily influenced by folk and rock music from the late ’60s to late ’70s,” says Siffert. “In many ways, it’s the opposite of what is cool now in New York. Coming from a period of writing and consuming more experimental music, I had to recalibrate and reconnect with my love for this era of music. ‘Morning’ very much feels like an embrace of this musical lineage,” he says.

Siffert was born in New York City to a psychologist mother. “I grew up around a fascination with people,” Siffert says. After taking up bass as a kid, Siffert studied psychology and music at Carnegie Mellon. He worked in neuropsychology labs and wrote research reports on mental illness. While studying abroad in Havana, he bought a Cuban guitar and started playing and writing songs. “Cuban music changed my life,” he admits. “It’s the perfect combination of powerful songwriting and deep, sophisticated music. It was many of the influences of my childhood wrapped into one musical language.” While there, Siffert realized that if singing and songwriting could “unite my diverse musical background and also talk about the psychological issues I was passionate about,” he says.”

 

He moved back to New York City, and while maintaining an active music career, he studied at Juilliard and Manhattan School of Music. “I knew I wanted to be both singer-songwriter and producer-arranger,” he says. “Formal music training allowed me to arrange for many kinds of instruments and deepen my musical vocabulary.” He performed regularly throughout his studies, touring throughout the Northeast, and graced the stages of some of New York’s most well-respected music venues, including Le Poisson Rouge, Highline Ballroom, and Rockwood Music Hall.

 

Needing a change of scenery and wanting a more focused community of singer-songwriters, Siffert moved to East Nashville in early 2016, and in his new hometown, his music began changing rapidly. Merging his experimental and accessible tendencies together was no small task, and the stellar musicians on his album made the challenge much more manageable. His collaborators on Gallatin include some of Nashville’s fast-rising session players, featuring Zac Cambria (acoustic bass), Luke Enyeart (electric guitar), Will Honaker (keys), John McNally (pedal steel), and John Ogelby (drums). Kyle Breese (harmonica) and Zoe Nutt (background vocals) make guest appearances on “Morning.”

 

“While there is definitely musical diversity on this EP, I’d like to think that my world perspective and unique musical journey thread the material together in a cohesive way,” says Siffert.  He is planning album release shows in New York City, Nashville, and Los Angeles; details will be forthcoming soon.  He also plans to tour more widely in support of Gallatin once the EP is released.

 

www.mattsiffert.com

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 12, 2017

 

Eliot Bronson signs management deal with Rock Ridge Music and Hubbub! Music

New album produced by Grammy Award winner Dave Cobb due out in August

 

Atlanta-based award-winning Americana singer-songwriter Eliot Bronson has signed a joint management deal with Nashville-based Rock Ridge Music and Atlanta-based Hubbub! Music.  In tandem, the two companies will oversee all artist management needs for Bronson.  Additionally, he will release his next album, James, on August 25, 2017 via the label arm of Rock Ridge Music.  James was produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb (Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton), who also produced Bronson’s most recent, self-titled album. “It was a pleasure working with Eliot,” says Cobb. “He is a brilliant lyricist and poet.”

“This a great team to be part of – Dave Cobb, Rock Ridge, Hubbub,” says Bronson.  “All of these folks ‘get it.’ I’m immensely proud of this record. It’s the best thing I’ve done. I can’t wait to share it with everyone.”

Says Rock Ridge Music CEO Tom Derr about the partnership: “Rock Ridge Music looks forward to a great collaboration with Eliot and Hubbub! Music. This music business is a team sport.”

Embraced for his 2014 self-titled album by the likes of CMT Edge, Country Weekly, Guitar World, Sirius XM’s Outlaw Country, Acoustic Guitar Magazine and more, Paste Magazine called Bronson and his music “an Americana gem” and “a poetic blend of urban coffee house and outskirts-of-town saloon.”  Glide Magazine named the album “one of the best releases” of 2014 and called Bronson “a rock and roll, folk, country mash-up … [with] strong songwriting and lush vocals. …Eliot Bronson is like a gorgeous, magnificent hybrid of [Ryan] Adams, Jason Isbell, and Jim James. …his songs are so purely authentic and well crafted…”  Saving Country Music praised Bronson for “capturing moments of spectacular insight and feeling, and giving words to what previously were thought to be unmentionable, and undefinable feelings, and doing it all with a deep sense of mood and melody that make the emotions drip from the edges of the notes like tears.”

Bronson has released three critically acclaimed solo albums and, prior to his solo career, was a member of The Brilliant Inventions. He has won such esteemed songwriting awards as first place at Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at MerleFest and Eddie Owen Presents “Songwriter Shootout,” and he’s been a finalist at Kerrville Folk Festival, Rocky Mountain Folks Fest Songwriting Contest, and New Song Contest Lincoln Center NYC.

Bronson plans to tour in support of his new album.  Confirmed tour dates are listed below.  More tour dates will be announced soon.

 

Eliot Bronson Tour Dates:

Sat 6/24 – Eddie’s Attic – Decatur GA (two shows opening for The Roosevelts)

Sat 7/01 – The Bluebird Café – Nashville TN (in-the-round w/Michael Logen + others)

Thur 7/06 – Camp House – Chattanooga TN (w/Michael Logen [not in-the-round])

Fri 7/07 – Open Chord – Knoxville TN (w/Michael Logen [not in-the-round])

 

www.eliotbronson.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 2, 2017

Tony Lucca plans Nashville residency through summer to work on new material

 

 

Nashville-based singer-songwriter Tony Lucca has confirmed a residency in Nashville this summer with a series of four free shows at The Country (110 28th Avenue North, Nashville) on June 28th (8 p.m.), July 27th (6 p.m.), August 23rd (8 p.m.), and September 6th (8 p.m.).  Billed as “Tony Lucca and Friends,” the residency is an opportunity for Lucca to work on some new material for a forthcoming album in a live setting.  “I plan on getting into the studio at some point this year for a new record, so I will be utilizing the shows to work out some new material and putting songs up on their feet for the first time in front of an audience,” says Lucca.  “That environment can be extremely helpful and constructive. And hopefully entertaining.”

 

Lucca will be extending an invite to several of his Nashville co-writers to join him on stage at The Country for each show of the residency. While a complete list of confirmed “friends” for all of shows is still TBA, Dustin Christensen will be part of the June 28th show, Ernie Halter is confirmed for July 27th, and Paul Pfau is joining Lucca for the August 23rd show. “In the 4 years I’ve been in Nashville, I’ve had the pleasure of co-writing with a bunch of amazing writers,” says Lucca.  “I’ve learned so much from all of them but as an artist/writer myself, I have a deep-seated appreciation for those who continuously make the rounds co-writing while maintaining their voice as an artist. Not all writers are necessarily keen on getting up and performing the songs they write. I thought it would be a cool idea to shine some additional light on those who do enjoy performing and who do so at an extremely brilliant level – artists like Gabe Dixon, Barrett Baber, Mando Saenz, Brian Wright, and Dustin Christensen – who all bring so much to the songs they co-write. These residency shows are an opportunity for me and the likes of them to get together to play through some of the songs we’ve co-written as well as anything else we may feel inspired to perform.”

 

In 2016, Lucca focused on his catalog, and hit the road for an extensive cross-country run with Alex Dezen (of The Damnwells) and Christian Lopez, as well as an outing to the West Coast and Texas with Tyrone Wells.  Lucca also celebrated the 10th anniversary of his album, Canyon Songs, with a very special show at 3rd & Lindsley in Nashville. At the show, he performed the album in its entirety track-for-track, as well as a second set of Lucca classics from over the years.  Joining him onstage at this very special event were “American Idol” winner and recent tour mate David Cook, Lady Antebellum guitarist Jason “Slim” Gambill, Nick Bearden of Jamestown Revival, Tim Jones of Truth and Salvage Co., and tour mate Christian Lopez.  Also in 2016, Lucca released two EPs of material from a previously recorded session at the legendary Sun Studio (in Memphis) and another session he’d done in Muscle Shoals, AL in 2006.

 

www.tonylucca.com | www.facebook.com/TonyLucca  | @luccadoes  | www.instagram.com/Luccadoes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 2, 2017

Americana artist Mary Bragg wins MerleFest

Chris Austin Songwriting Contest in country category

 

New album, Lucky Strike, out on May 5th

 

Nashville-based Americana singer-songwriter Mary Bragg has won the MerleFest Chris Austin Songwriter Contest in the country category for her song “Lucky Strike” (co-written with Liz Poston). As winner in her category, she performed her song at MerleFest in Wilkesboro, NC on the Cabin Stage on Friday night. Other artists who performed at this year’s MerleFest included Zac Brown Band, The Avett Brothers, Béla Fleck, Steep Canyon Rangers, Sarah Jarosz, Jim Lauderdale, and many others.

“Lucky Strike” is rooted in the big dose of humility Bragg got when she moved from her hometown of Swainsboro, GA to New York City to pursue music. “There’s this feeling—no matter the dream—this desire to be seen, acknowledged; like you’re just waiting on that one thing that will get you to where you want to be,” Bragg explains. “The song ‘Lucky Strike’ is bit of a sarcastic poke at hopefulness, because it might feel like there’s just one thing holding you back. But it’s never that simple is it? And—it might even be your own subconscious hang-ups standing in the way.”

The song is the title track from Bragg’s forthcoming album, Lucky Strike, which will be released on May 5, 2017. Bragg and co-producer Jim Reilley (of indie stalwarts The New Dylans) recorded the album “in a backyard barn studio,” says Bragg, “where the microphones are old, not expensive-vintage-old, just old. Where the pop filters have holes in them. Where the vocal booth is unfinished because real walls never got built. It’s where ‘recorded live’ is for real recorded live, and everything is exposed.”

The result is a stunning collection of songs that speak to our common humanity with uncommon honesty. With candor and subtlety, Bragg’s songs probe this common journey to discover our truest selves, outside of our families and communities in which we are raised. That’s how she approaches the craft of songwriting as well. “I truly believe that a good song will make people feel something—even prompt people to ask themselves questions that I ask myself when writing the song. I can tell stories most effectively when I shake off that resistance to honesty, because that’s when the songs best resonate with my audience.”

She has been honored in the past in such prestigious songwriting contests as Kerrville New Folk, Telluride Troubadour, Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, Wildflower! Festival, and the International Songwriting Competition. She has been named a finalist in the 2017 Kerrville New Folk Contest with a track from Lucky Strike called “Comet,” as well as another song not on Lucky Strike called “The Highest Tower.” Lauded by press from USA Today to Nashville Scene, CBS New York praised Bragg for “winning over audiences for years,” while Blurt Magazine called her music “assured yet vulnerable.”

Bragg is touring in support of the new album—confirmed dates are listed below with more dates to be confirmed very soon.

 

Mary Bragg Tour Schedule:

4/30/2017        Nashville, TN – The Bluebird Cafe

5/5/2017          Nashville, TN – The Family Wash

5/8/2017          Knoxville, TN – Blue Plate Special

5/9/2017          Nashville, TN – The Bluebird Cafe

5/12/2017        New York, NY – Rockwood Music Hall Stage 3

5/13/2017        Newtown Square, PA – Burlap & Bean

5/18/2017        Nashville, TN – The Family Wash

5/23/2017        Harlingen, TX – The Prelude Songwriters Club

5/28/2017        Kerrville, TX – Kerrville Folk Festival – New Folk Competition

6/1/2017          Elgin, TX – The Liberty Tree

6/13/2017        Cambridge, MA – Club Passim

6/14/2017        Westerly, RI – Perks & Corks

6/16/2017        Middletown, CT – The Buttonwood Tree

7/21/2017        Minneapolis, MN – The Warming House

7/23/2017        Seward, NE – Red Path Gallery

7/28/2017        Swainsboro, GA – The Wrens Nest

7/30/2017        Decatur, GA – Eddie’s Attic

 

www.marybragg.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 26, 2017

 

ROGER STREET FRIEDMAN’S SHOOT THE MOON

TO BE RELEASED ON VINYL IN MAY

 

“‘Puffs of Smoke’…sets the stage for the eclectic effort that meshes

Americana, folk, blues, soul and more.” – Matt Inman/Relix

“He writes with the wisdom of someone who’s seen his share of living,

and actually was savvy enough to take notes along the way… So here it is:

what will surely be one of the best albums of this still brand new year–delivered right on time.”

– Bill Bentley/Bentley’s Bandstand/The Morton Report

“Although Roger Street Friedman resides well below the radar, the music he makes

offers all the ingredients necessary for mainstream success. While it’s hard to apply

an exact comparison to his easily accessible sound, suffice it to say that James Taylor,

Randy Newman and Jackson Browne all come to mind.”  –  Lee Zimmerman/Elmore Magazine

“If ‘Shoot The Moon’ doesn’t quite deserve masterpiece status, it’s at least close.

His words are autobiographical, cinematic, blunt and honest. His music is folk-rock,

raucous horn-rock, dreamy pop-rock, Progressive Americana and sweet soulful R&B.

Think Jackson Brown without all the earnestness.” – Mike Greenblatt/The Aquarian

 

Shoot The Moon, Roger Street Friedman’s album (which was originally released by The Playroom Records in CD and digital formats in January 2017), will see a vinyl format release on May 5, 2017. Shoot The Moon, co-produced by the artist and Felix McTeigue (co-writer of Florida Georgia Line’s #1 hit “Anything Goes” and Americana chart topper and Grammy-nominated “Wreck You” by Lori McKenna), is the result of a concerted woodshedding effort following Friedman’s debut album, 2014’s critically lauded The Waiting Sky.  Shoot The Moon is currently at #8 on the Roots Music Report Americana Country Album Chart.

 

Friedman, now 54, lives in a small Long Island town and re-started his career in music in 2010 following the loss of his parents and the birth of his daughter. He told USA Today, “It’s never too late to make a change, to take your life in a direction that brings you joy and closer to realizing your dreams.” With Shoot The Moon, he’s making up for lost time in a very palpable way. “It was scary,” he says of his decision to make music his full-time pursuit, adding, “I had gotten to a point where, to be myself, I had to give music everything I had.”

 

No Depression likened Friedman’s sound and approach to that of Bruce Cockburn, Gordon Lightfoot and Fred Neil. The roots music website’s John Apice called his a “faithfully driven melodic voice,” suggesting, “this artist is someone you can explore without growing weary.”

 

All but one of the album’s 13 tracks were written or co-written by the artist who was joined by collaborators including Al Anderson, the veteran of NRBQ who has penned hit songs for Carlene Carter, Vince Gill, Trisha Yearwood and Tim McGraw, among others.  Also contributing to the songwriting process were co-producer McTeigue and Francis Galluccio who has written for Celine Dion, Danielle Bollinger, Destiny’s Child, Marc Anthony, Mandy Moore and others.  The album’s sole cover is a version of “Paradise,” written by John Prine, an artist for whom Friedman has great abiding admiration.  Of his songs, Friedman comments, “I strive to tell stories, to make them as real and truthful as I can by finding the poetry in ordinary moments.” Shoot The Moon exudes an album-oriented cohesion which is to say there is a broad spectrum of feelings and genres threaded together by Friedman’s well-developed aesthetic sense. His stylistic calling card is both earthy and urbane, spanning pastoral folk, euphoric New Orleans-style horn driven pop-rock, alt-country, blues, and R&B.

 

Musicians on Shoot The Moon include Friedman’s live band members: Frank Ferrara (guitar), Jim Toscano (drums), Matt Schneider (bass) and Concetta Abatte (fiddle/vocals).  Also playing on the album were Amy Helm, Levon Helm’s brilliantly gifted daughter, Jason Crosby who has worked with the Grateful Dead’s Phil Lesh as well as Susan Tedeschi, Olabelle’s Fiona McBain, Ari Hest, Antigone Rising’s Nini Camps, Rich Hinman who work with Sara Bareilles, and The Mastersons.  Horn players include Jay Collins (Gregg Allman, David Bowie), Mac Gollehon (Rolling Stones) and Baron Raymonde (Bruce Springsteen, Rod Stewart). Paul Kolderie (Radiohead, Pixies, Warren Zevon, Uncle Tupelo, Throwing Muses, Dinosaur Jr., Morphine, Juliana Hatfield) mixed the album at his Camp Street Studios, formerly Fort Apache, in Boston.

 

Friedman is touring in support of Shoot The Moon (see tour schedule below).

 

Roger Street Friedman Tour Schedule:

4/28/2017          New York, NY – Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2

4/30/2017          Cambridge, MA – Atwood’s Tavern

5/12/2017          Sea Cliff, NY – Oak Room Tavern

6/8/2017            Port Chester, NY – Garcia’s

6/22/2017          Nashville, TN – Bluebird Cafe

6/27/2017          Nashville, TN – Neighbor’s

7/7/2017            Sea Cliff, NY – Sea Cliff Beach Summer Series

7/26/2017          Westbury, NY – The Space (performing with the Sea Cliff Summer Strings)

8/9/2017            Middlesex, VT – Middlesex Bandstand Summer Concert Series

8/11/2017          Shebourne Falls, MA – Mocha Maya’s

8/13/2017          Philadelphia, PA – World Cafe Live Upstairs

8/20/2017          Glen Cove, NY – Morgan Park Summer Music Festival’s Third Annual Folk Festival

…more tour dates to be announced soon!

http://rogerstreetfriedman.com/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 18, 2017

 

Hugh Masterson to release Lost + Found in June

Tour dates planned in May with

Brian Elmquist of The Lone Bellow

 

Nashville-based Americana singer-songwriter Hugh Masterson is set to release a new album, Lost + Found, his first solo effort, on June 2, 2017 via Rock Ridge Music.  The six songs cover a heartfelt journey through surviving loss and life changes while gaining self-awareness through experience. His self-deprecating way of viewing himself is endearing, and his songs are deeply personal. “I use songwriting as therapy,” he says. “I think other people will relate to these songs. Finding happiness daily is not an easy thing.”

Recorded at Key Club Recording Co. in Benton Harbor, Michigan, the album was co-produced by Masterson and Bill Skibbe, best known as engineer for The Black Keys, Dead Weather, The Kills and many others. The duo succeeded in bringing Masterson’s own unique perspective to the Americana music he makes, his sound boasting a Midwestern bounce and jangle coupled with Nashville wail and grit. It’s easy, it’s familiar, it’s twangy-goodness, pedal-steel Southern rock; it’s a dusty ride down a road winding through rural Wisconsin (he grew up in the small town of Butternut, Wisconsin) or backwoods Tennessee.

The first single, the title track “Lost + Found,” tells the story of Masterson getting mugged one night in Milwaukee. He was hit in the head with a tire iron and his jaw was broken in two places. I got beat up just walking around town/Hold my head up high still on the ground/Don’t know why I came here/Don’t know what I’m fighting for. Masterson explains: “It’s about when you feel like you’re not sure why things happen to you. You’re not sure how to navigate life the best way that you possibly can, because you’re not seeing the signs that you need yet.”

Several years after the mugging, and following the death of his mother, Masterson made the move from Milwaukee to Nashville. Unbeknownst to him, this move would end up being the catalyst for the breakup of his band, Hugh Bob and the Hustle, who were starting to enjoy both industry and fan attention. Masterson was set on leaving Wisconsin while the rest of his band decided to stay put. He quickly took to the East Nashville music community, befriending a number of artists with whom he’s toured recently, such as The Lone Bellow, Margo Price, Nikki Lane, Anderson East and several others. Additionally, he’s drawn attention from the Americana Music Association, CMT, KCRW’s “Morning Becomes Eclectic,” Rolling Stone, World Café, and South by Southwest.

Masterson plans to hit the road prior to the album’s release; he’s got a handful of co-headlining dates planned with Brian Elmquist of The Lone Bellow. The tour schedule is below.

 

Hugh Masterson Tour dates:

5/13/2017  – Milwaukee, WI / Pabst Street Fair

5/15/2017 – Madison, WI / The Frequency *

5/16/2017 – Appleton, WI /Mill Creek Blues *

5/17/2017 – St. Louis, MO / Blueberry Hill Duck Room *

5/18/2017 – Louisville, KY / Zanzabar *

5/19/2017 – Nashville, TN / High Watt *

* denotes date with Brian Elmquist (of The Lone Bellow)

 

www.hughmastersonmusic.com

 

www.facebook.com/HughMastersonMusic

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 17, 2017

 

 

Country artist Buckstein to release EP, Country Side, in June

 

 

Colorado-based country singer Buckstein is embarking on his next chapter with his forthcoming EP, Country Side, which is scheduled for release on June 2, 2017 on Angry Duck Records. The 5-song recording—which includes four original tracks and one cover—was produced by Andy Rok (one of the founding members of The Flobots) and engineered at The Blasting Room in Ft. Collins, Colorado. With a “no-fear-of-the-edge” mentality that hooks the non-country-lovin’ folk, coupled with traditional vibes that will bring to mind a modern-day John Wayne, Buckstein fights to create something electric that grabs you and makes you look up. He’s a 6’4” bass-baritone powerhouse who once hit 200 million television sets worldwide as a contestant on “American Idol.”

 

“There’s a lot of heart in these five tunes,” Buckstein says. “Making them has been a very valuable experience. It has shown me not only where I am but where I want to go from here.” Buckstein’s goal is to bring soul to everything he does. “What people seem to respond most to in my live performances is my passion, so I worked hard to bring that to the record.” His sound commonly gets compared a lot to the great bass-baritones of his time: Trace Adkins, Toby Keith, Josh Turner, and Chris Young.

 

From the title track, which documents Buckstein’s own experiences growing up, to the wink-wink, nudge-nudge humor of “10 at 2:00,” he travels down familiar country music roads, but with his own unique stamp and his own personal twist on the journey. “I’ll Make a Country Girl Outta You Yet” was born of a concept that Buckstein has become aware of since he started in the music business and really ties into the theme of the EP—that everyone has a country side. One track on the EP is a bold re-imagining of a song originally recorded by pop duo MKTO called “Bad Girls.” Buckstein felt the original had very universal lyrics and he wanted to explore them in a country framework. “For me, a good song is a good song,” he explains. “This song had a great groove. I respond well to groove. So I worked to bring new life to it.”

 

He started singing at the age of 13 at summer camp, and his love of country music is thanks to his father, who played it all the time when he was young. However, the rest of his musical tastes fall outside of the expected box, running a gamut that includes blues, rock, rap, classics from the ’50s, and whatever was on Top 40 radio at any given time.

 

Buckstein studied theater in college, earning his BA from California State University, Fullerton. Prior to “American Idol” he had moved to LA to pursue a career as an actor. “Big surprise, it wasn’t going anywhere,” he confides. “One day a few friends of mine went to the ‘American Idol’ auditions, which was the hottest show on TV at the time. They wanted some company so I went along. I got through and they didn’t. It was ‘Idol’ that set me on a different path.” After appearing on the finale of “American Idol” in Season 5, he returned to Denver with music on the brain.

 

He started singing with whomever would back him up, growing along the way, learning his craft, year after year, little by little, making friends, music, mistakes, and big moves, all leading him to today. Over the past few years Buckstein has traveled all over Colorado and the Midwest region performing for soon-to-be-lifelong fans. He has rocked crowds opening for Charlie Daniels, Dustin Lynch, Old Dominion, Eli Young, John Michael Montgomery, Mark Chesnutt, Vanilla Ice, and many, many others. He’s gained local fame as a regular guest star on Denver’s hottest country station 98.5 KYGO and also as the writer and performer of “The Grizzly Rose,” a popular song about the famous Denver nightclub. Buckstein wrote the song about his personal experiences after his first week playing at the legendary venue. He also shot a video for the track.

 

Buckstein plans to tour in support of his new EP. Confirmed tour dates are listed below.

 

BUCKSTEIN TOUR SCHEDULE:

May 20 – Pueblo, CO / Boats, Bands and BBQ

May 25 – Denver, CO / Chicken Fight Festival

June 3 – Denver, CO / The Oriental Theater (album release show)

June 8 – Ft. Morgan, CO / Ft. Morgan Concert Series

June 10 – Parker, CO / Parker Days Festival

June 14 – Englewood, CO / Live at the Lake

June 15 – Highlands Ranch, CO / Highlands Ranch Summer Concert Series

June 16 – Craig, CO / Whittle The Wood

June 17 – Castle Pines, CO / Castle Pines Concert Series

June 23 – Littleton, CO / Arrowhead Shores

June 27 – Denver, CO / The Grizzly Rose

June 28 – Denver, CO / The Grizzly Rose

June 29 – Denver, CO / The Grizzly Rose

Jun 30 – Denver, CO / The Grizzly Rose

July 1 – Denver, CO / The Grizzly

July 2 – Denver, CO / The Grizzly Rose

July 4 – Winter Park, CO / Winter Park 4th of July

July 15 – Denver, CO / Stapleton Beer Festival

July 27 – Commerce City, CO / Commerce City Concert Series

July 28 – Burlington, CO / Kit Carson County Fair

July 29 – Denver, CO / Blake Street Tavern

July 29 – Aurora, CO / Arapahoe County Fair

August 12 – Denver, CO / Blake Street Tavern

August 12 – Golden, CO / Jefferson County Fair

August 26 – Castle Rock, CO / Food Truck Frenzy

September 9 – Evergreen, CO / Big Chili Cook-Off

…more dates to be announced soon!

 

www.bucksteinmusic.com