: Kelly Pettit - Every Sunrise 2014

 

How does this west coast Canada born musician wind up in Japan doing national shows, festivals, theme parks and shows for the Canadian Embassy? Kelly Pettit's life as a musician has taken him to over 4 countries. On his 6th and latest album titled “Every Sunrise”, Kelly showcases exactly what makes him so alluring.
Dual citizenship with Australia, Kelly started busking there at age 19 to support him on his backpack travels and quickly learned that entertaining and playing well got him more success. So he practiced hard with everyone he could to learn from.
Later while attending university in Vancouver Canada, his 3 piece band got one of 15 licenses to legally busk at BC transit stations where transients would gather around the trio watching their show, often missing their rides to continue listening. From there, Kelly's trio picked up a heap of gigs from passer-by's including political functions, TV series parties, venues and more. It also led to a free trip to Japan where Kelly fell in love with the laughs and crazy adventures the foreign country provided.
Pettit's newest release “Every Sunrise” was recorded in Nashville Tennessee and produced by Aussie 90's icon Greg Arnold. After recording his 5th solo album "These Days" in Australia Kelly embarked to the States to explore the Nashville scene. The outcome is a jackpot of catchy tunes with a strong nostalgic ache of real life. A couple listens and one finds themselves in an emotional roller-coaster ride of happiness and loss in 11 songs and 38 minutes.
Kelly's past success from his 4th album FUEL launched him a large fan base by winning a $200,000 contest, song of the month awards, radio play and more. Guest appearances from old band member Cory Churko (Shania Twain, Kelly Clarkson musician) added a familiar sound their 3 piece had back in the day. This time, Kelly wanted to challenge himself more and thought Nashville might just be that key ingredient. Competitive in nature, Kelly always feels an urge to do what he can to up-the-game. On Every Sunrise, producer and award winning songwriter Greg Arnold seemed to know exactly how to unleash Kelly's ideas and polish them into well-crafted radio ready songs.
Influenced largely by Australian bands like Crowded House, Things of Stone and Wood, and Paul Kelly, along with North American counterparts The Jayhawks, Barenaked Ladies, and the Counting Crows, Kelly works to define a sound all his own and a dedication to each detail of the songwriting process. “My influences are quite diverse and that seems to show on the album. What’s constant is my attempt to find catchy melodies and happy instruments”, says Kelly.
The CD starts of with the song "Perfectly Beautiful" which is just that. With lines like, "There ain't no formula or sum, no recipe or rule of thumb to explain how I feel" is part of why this song oozes with charm. The following song "Follow Me" is a more pop rock vibe with catchy hooks laced throughout. One of those songs that you find yourself singing later in the day away from the album. Then there is the title track "Every Sunrise" which as one fan put it, "...the perfect song for a Vampire love movie". The chorus is as catchy as they come. "It Could Be Yours" just might be the first single off this album. "Tears Carved in Stone" introduces the Turkish guitar called the "Cumpus" which adds a very cool vibe to an already feel good tune. The last song "Road to London" is a Celtic spice of story telling that has made the hairs stand up on some listeners.
"Every Sunrise" could fit into several genres making it a great album for both Country and rock fans. This is undoubtedly Kelly Pettit's best effort so far. His last album "These Days" was strong and so it's pleasing to say that this album surprising surpasses expectations. It clearly puts Kelly in an elite league of genuine songwriters and it is a must listen - even as early as every sunrise.

Ben & Carmen Steneker - Remember Me

 One of the most captivating acts doing American style country music in Europe, is without a doubt Ben & Carmen Steneker, a father-daughter duo that has captured the hearts and minds of just about everyone that hears them sing. Ben has been a mind-catcher on both sides of the Atlantic for many many years, captivating American fans as well as European. Daughter Carmen grew up listening to her father sing, as well as his many friends that performed with and for him in his own club in Holland. Yes, Holland. That's where Ben and Carmen are from. It's continually amazing to hear this delightful duo sing songs that have an immediate 'connect' to what real traditional and classic country music is all about. You hear it instantly when the accordion breaks out the beautiful song "Come Back To Ireland." The harmony by father-daughter just simply cannot be topped. Dutch country music songwriter Dick van Altena contributes three amazing songs to this CD project. It continually amazes me that this combination of Dutch songwriter and Dutch singers can capture the spirit and soul of what country music is all about. Ben's voice is better than ever, and the incredible 'touch' Carmen adds to it is amazing. Backing music is also incredibly good throughout this entire project. The title song "Remember Me" starts softly with a harp-sounding intro, letting simplicity take the listener to the ultimate of sophistication. My favorite song of all the great songs on this album is "My Dixie Darling," without a doubt. Done to perfection, the harmony is exactly as it should be by Appalachian standards, or Alabama, or Georgia, or Mississippi, or Florida, or wherever you might be in the southern United States. Perfect guitar pickin' and a stunning background Dobro. The whole CD speaks loudly of the professionalism and devotion this pair of country singers has for this genre of music. Holland should be very proud of these excellent vocalists and performers of a musical genre that rings and sings around the world. I also like the closing song "Victorie In View" which was written by Ben and Carmen and has some great honky-tonk piano in it

Mandy Barnett – Sweet Dreams (2011)

 

Born Amanda Carol Barnett, Mandy Barnett began singing as a child, winning the Best Country Act at Dollywood when she was only ten, and her mother started bringing her on trips to Nashville. As a teenager, she was signed by renowned talent scout and producer Jimmy Bowen, and eventually Asylum Records. An uncompromising singer whose style was rooted in the classic country of Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves, Webb Pierce, and Brenda Lee, Barnett's keen interpretive sense enabled her to delve into a song, study the intricacies of its emotional content, and render a powerful performance through her full-bodied voice. Her torchy delivery on her contemporary yet retro-sounding country and pop-tinged material recalled Patsy Cline, so it's no wonder that, while waiting to record her self-titled debut, she paid her bills by playing the legendary singer four nights a week and 26 weeks a year in the musical production Always...Patsy Cline at the Ryman Auditorium. She left Asylum for Sire Records with 1999's I've Got a Right to Cry. Winter Wonderland, a holiday album featuring a vintage Nashville sound, appeared from Rounder Records in 2010, followed by Sweet Dreams on Opry Records in 2011.

Moot Davis - Goin' in Hot (2014)

Moot Davis' fourth album Goin' In Hot finds the singer/songwriter/guitarist hitting a new peak. After three retro country-based albums that drew favorable comparisons to Hank Williams Sr. and Dwight Yoakam, Davis shifts gears from honky tonk towards roadhouse rock. The album's 13 offerings range from songs lamenting loss to wild hip shakers. Goin' In Hot also features a duet with red hot New West Records' artist Nikki Lane.

NPR hails Moot Davis as ''A Rocker With A Honky-Tonk Heart'' and Entertainment Today describes him as ''primed to be the leader in the new insurgent country music scene.''

Carlene Carter - Carter Girl (2014)

Carter Girl, set for release April 8, is the first album of new recordings this decade from Americana legend Carlene Carter. Produced by Don Was, Carter Girl is, in a very literal way, Carlene's personal homage to the Carter Family legacy that both underpins so much of America's music and is part of her own DNA. The album revisits both classic Carter Family repertoire as well as original songs that reflect Carlene's direct connection to her roots. Willie Nelson guests on Troublesome Waters and Kris Kristofferson joins Carlene on Black Jack David while the unmistakable voice of Vince Gill is heard harmonizing on Lonesome Valley 2003. Blackie's Gunman is a duet with Elizabeth Cook, whom Carlene likes to think of as her adopted sister Carter Cousin Lorrie Carter Bennett and Carlene's husband Joe Breen. Musicians on the sessions included Jim Keltner, Rami Jaffee, Greg Leisz, Sam Bush, Mickey Raphael, Blake Mills as well as Don Was on bass. The guitar of the late Cowboy Jack Clement is heard on I Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow and there are vocal contributions from generations past -- Carlene's aunts Helen and Anita Carter as well as her mom, June Carter Cash and Johnny Cash on the chorus of I Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow-- that make Carter Girl an evocative collection, bringing music history to life for contemporary listeners.

Rodney Crowell - Tarpaper Sky (2014)

 

Esteemed musician, songwriter and author Rodney Crowell has teamed up with New West Records to release Tarpaper Sky, his new self-produced album. It comes fast on the heels of Old Yellow Moon, Crowell s critically lauded collaboration with Emmylou Harris, which won a 2013 Grammy® Award and was named 2013 Album of the Year by the Americana Music Association.
Crowell has pushed the boundaries of country, folk and roots music since long before the term Americana was coined as a genre, making a name for himself and gaining respect as both a songwriter and as an artist. Celebrating 40 years of making music, Crowell has created an album that harkens back to some of his most revered and loved works. Tarpaper Sky would sit comfortably on the shelf right between the chart-topping fan favorite Diamonds and Dirt (1988) and Life Is Messy (1992). This album marks a reunion of the creative partnership of Crowell and musical accomplice Steuart Smith, who was an integral part of his overall sound during the late 80s.

Ronnie Dunn "Peace love and country"

Bass player and vocalist Ronnie Dunn (born Ronnie Gene Dunn) joined Louisiana-born Leon Eric "Kix" Brooks to create the most successful country music duo of the 1990s. Their debut album, Brand New Man, released in 1991, sold more than six million copies, while their first two singles — "Brand New Man" and "My Next Broken Heart," their first songwriting collaboration, reached the top position on Billboard's country music charts. In addition to 20 chart-topping tunes, they've placed an additional 21 songs in the Top Ten. The recipients of Entertainer of the Year awards from the Country Music Association in 1996 and the Academy of Country Music in 1995 and 1996, Brooks & Dunn shared Duo of the Year honors from the CMA for eight consecutive years, and from the ACM for seven consecutive years (their non-consecutive wins place the total even higher and they are the most awarded act in The Academy of Country Music's history).
The son of a country music enthusiast, Dunn was born in Coleman, Texas, and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Playing in bands since his teens, he briefly studied psychology and theology at Abilene Christian College. Expelled from the school for "performing in honky tonks," he continued to attract attention with his Tulsa nightclub performances. Although Dunn recorded several tunes for Churchill Records in 1983 and 1984, none provided a breakthrough. He fared much better four years later, when an appearance in the Marlboro National Country Music talent contest led to an opportunity to record in Nashville. Brought together with Brooks, who despite writing songs for Crystal Gayle and the Oak Ridge Boys had found little success with his own recordings (by Tim DuBois), Dunn finally discovered a formula for success.
Brooks & Dunn’s 1991 debut, Brand New Man, was a hit right from its release, launching a career that proved to be one of the most successful in contemporary country music. Ronnie Dunn played with Kix Brooks for nearly two decades, and during that time they were always at the top of the country charts, racking up an astonishing 20 number one singles during that time. The duo announced an amicable split in 2009 followed by a farewell tour in 2010. Dunn was the first of the pair to launch a solo career, releasing a self-produced eponymous solo album in the summer of 2011. Ronnie Dunn debuted at number one on the U.S. country charts and had a Top Ten single in "Bleed Red."

SHANE MORKIN new album"Craz y ‘bout You"

2013 press at the release for the album Crazy ‘bout You
Shane Morkin
is a singer-songwriter from Denmark.
Despite that Shane Morkin has been playing
for many years at gigs and festivals, and has
been writing more than 100 songs the last 10
years, then he didn't start to record his songs
before in 2011, where he was number 4 at
the Hard Rock Rising competition in
Copenhagen at the Hard Rock Cafe.
This was not enough to get a record contract,
but gave Shane the faith to keep on his work,
and he have now made his next step and
created his first CD.
Besides the hits ‘Dusty Road’ and ‘One More Time’ the CD contains 10 more songs
which all are written by Shane Morkin.
In 'The King Minion Music Podcast' they said: “When I first heard the song "Crazy 'bout
You" I played it again, then again then again. I was hearing the tune in my sleep. Audio
infectiousness that’s what I call it. Shane Morkin from Denmark and his song ‘Crazy
‘bout You’ are catchy. He is a pop/rock/country artist yet I get chills and hear shades of
“The Kinks” in this song.”
A recent review of his first album "Crazy 'bout You" described him thus: "it's not
country, it's not rock or pop, it's Shane Morkin who is bringing his own brand of rock
and roll to the public".
When listening to the CD you soon discover that you have come in the company of a
number of well-written ballads and pop tunes which is characterized by a love of both
country music, 60s music and legends like Traveling Wilburys.
Shane Morkin's new album 'Crazy 'bout You' is released the 2.nd of December, 2013
and the album is produced by the well-known Henrik Skriver who has produced music
for several big Danish artists the last 30 years as well as he has been playing in the
former Poul Krebs Band.
To listen to some tracks or to get some more info about Shane Morkin, then visit:


The New CD Can you get here Digital, including via the Itunes and Spotify Or As a Physical CD, AS Can be ordered by Shane one epost In the address  shane.morkin @ gmail.com for 100 DKK +poto

https://www.facebook.com/ShaneMorkinBand?notif_t=fbpage_fan_invite 

 Det nye album ligger på Spotify:

 https://play.spotify.com/album/2SUQtHFtlcPXkmq6MMptOB

http://www.reverbnation.com/ShaneMorkin/song/19162107-the-king-in-town 

http://www.reverbnation.com/ShaneMorkin/song/20540496-teach-me-to-dance 

http://www.reverbnation.com/ShaneMorkin/song/20176499-the-only-one

http://www.reverbnation.com/ShaneMorkin/song/19162117-dusty-road

Theresa Rose Riley - Hold On (2013)

 

Theresa Rose Riley is ready to tell her story…Her Independently produced debut album, "Hold On," will be released March 19th 2013. She considers the body of work, "A woman's life set to music." Her dynamic, powerful, soulful, and distinct vocals deliver her story with a dose of truth and grit that will leave listeners wanting more.
About the album, Riley says, "At different times in my life, I've felt it all. I have loved, left, won, lost, laughed, cried, changed my mind, and made mistakes over and over and over…Just like many women. So the tug-of-war of songs that I sing on this album is something that makes me who I am.”In the title track, penned by Riley and manager/producer Jerry Brightman, she sings about the experience of reaching a crossroads in a marriage. "It's about a tough situation, where you say, 'Hold on a minute, here. It's not time to give up and walk away…It's time to fight and hold on to what's important.' But in the same token,” Riley added, “Sometimes on a bad day we are ready to run away screaming! We're human, so it's hard to combat the urge of 'fight or flight!' I wrote, 'Miss Me' about that very situation when you realize that life keeps going when you cut your losses and move on." The songs are polar opposites, but Riley considers them both relevant to every woman. "At different times in our lives, we may feel both ways.”
Other stand outs on the album are, "I Am Love," a ballad delivered with sweetness and mature honesty, "I'm Only Lonely For You," and "Tell Your Story Walking" written by Toni Jolene Clay. One of Riley's favorites on the album is, "Scarecrow," by Eric Paslay and Nicolle Galyon. "When I initially heard the song, it reminded me of growing up and getting into trouble on the back roads in Medina County. Although I may be a grown up now, it makes me smile to think about those days. I had to record it!"
Writing 2 of the ten songs on her album, Theresa continues to write and is ready to continue that process. "I've finally found the confidence to do what I love and share it with the world. Up until recently, I was absolutely terrified to share anything I had written with a single soul." That fear held Riley back for several years. In fact, in her high school days, Theresa tells us that she was even afraid to sing alone in front of others. After solo performances in choir at Highland High School in rural Medina, Ohio, she would often become physically ill immediately following a performance. "It was awful…I knew I had talent, but I was crippled with fear,” she says about those times. “ I even gave up on going to college to become a music teacher because I ran out of the entrance audition." It wasn't until her early 20's, when she joined her first cover band that Theresa started to become confident enough to come out of her shell.
Fast forward a decade and anyone you ask that has seen her perform would never believe that Theresa Rose Riley ever struggled with a confidence issue. For the last few years, she has fronted Cleveland Ohio favorite country band, The Caliber Band. Her impulsive, fun, sometimes playful, yet stage-commanding performances have been entertaining audiences all over the state of Ohio. "Performing with the wonderful guys in the band has really brought me into my true self. I now feel more normal and more alive on stage than I do off stage. The only other thing that can top the feeling of singing in front of a crowd is the feeling of cuddling with my fabulous 4 year old daughter, Abbey." With an extremely supportive husband, group of family and friends on her side, a new chapter in this woman's life is about to begin. "I've been lucky enough to have doors continue to open for me in my life and I'm at the point now, where I'm finally not afraid to walk in each one as it opens."
So, Theresa Rose Riley is ready to share her story with you… and so it begins

Kevin Fowler - How Country Are Ya?

 

"It's COUNTRY that's rockin'. The kinda music makes you wanna crack a cold one...and put a good dip in." Those words are spoken on the "Intro" for How Country Are Ya?, the sixth album from Kevin Fowler, the Texas singer who made a specialty out of rocking hardcore country hard. His amplifiers are cranked and he drops references to Mötley Crüe, but Fowler is a dyed-in-the-wool Texas honky tonker, cranking out drinking songs and slower ones suited for inevitable hangovers. Fowler has two great gifts: first, he sounds like the guy you'd meet in your local bar, the kind who would coax a round or two out of your wallet; second, he has a gift for turning clichés into full-fledged songs. These two talents are intertwined, helping him feel like your favorite local singer, but Fowler always dodges the pedestrian thanks to his humor, eye for detail, and casual sense of adventure. He pretty much sticks to the straight and narrow here, blasting out an ode to "Guitars and Guns" and pleading that somebody "Beer Me," but he also effectively conjures mariachi on "Borracho Grande" and does a bit of a back-porch blues shuffle on "Chicken Wing," not to mention throwing in a rampaging instrumental worthy of Brad Paisley on "Mousturdonus." Fowler makes it seem easy, which, combined with his decidedly regional appeal, may be why he's underrated: he's not flashy and he stays within his wheelhouse, but he knocks out records as satisfying as How Country Are Ya? on a regular basis, and that's worth something. It could be argued it's worth a lot.