Friday, April 26, 2024

Ottawa, ON’s Soulful, Bluesy Rock Star SHERRI HARDING Knows Who’s The Boss In “Lady Of The House”




Sherri Harding, the soulful, bluesy rock star from Ottawa, Ontario, is thrilled to announce the release of her new single, “Lady Of The House” from her highly anticipated debut album, "A Million Pieces.”
 
A Million Pieces showcases Sherri's extraordinary range of musical styles, featuring memorable and attention-grabbing rock tracks and soulful ballads, and the heartfelt song "Lady of the House" recently hit the airwaves and streaming platforms, beautifully captures Sherri's deep emotional connection to her family and pays tribute to her strong female role models.
 
When discussing the creative process behind the album, Sherri reveals, "During the early days of the 'A Million Pieces' project, I had the pleasure of collaborating with Dick Cooper, renowned songwriter for The Cooper Brothers. We discussed various themes, and I shared stories about my sweet mother and paternal grandmother. Dick returned with the magnificent song 'Lady of the House,' and the moment I heard it, I was moved to tears. That's when I knew we had something truly special."
 
Cooper's significant contribution to the album extends beyond his songwriting prowess. Recognizing Sherri's immense talent, Cooper played a pivotal role in her musical journey by encouraging her to step into the spotlight. In 2016, Sherri had a breakthrough moment when she joined forces with her hometown heroes, The Cooper Brothers, to perform "The Dream Never Dies" alongside them on stage. This experience solidified her potential as a solo artist and laid the foundation for the creation of her debut album, "A Million Pieces." Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Cooper crafted a collection of songs specifically tailored to Sherri's unique style and heartfelt expression.
 
Sherri’s path to success has been paved with dedication and perseverance. Having paid her dues in the music industry, she spent years performing with various bands across numerous bars and clubs. From entertaining audiences at the Juke Joints in the Northwest Territories to captivating the Canadian Armed Forces in Bosnia, Dubai, and Italy, her unwavering commitment to her craft has earned her a well-travelled reputation. Even while juggling late-night gigs with her early-morning government job, Sherri's passion for music has remained strong, propelling her toward this remarkable milestone in her career.

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Rusty Creek Puts a Bluesy Spin on Elton John's Classic with 'Honky Cat'



Rusty Creek’s new single “Honky Cat” is a cover of the iconic, timeless Elton John classic. The band, whose influences also include an eclectic mix of Bessie Smith, Little Feat, and John Prine, say that they decided to record the single because it’s one of their most-requested live tunes.
 
Rusty Creek is a collection of lifelong musicians Alex DeethPeter CallawayLee Stephens, and Leonard Saidman who have all enjoyed a variety of success in the music industry since the 1960s. Their experience makes for a well-polished collection of roots music that you could hear at any pub from coast-to-coast. Their most recent album, The Road of Life is full of songs that range from moods as varied as a stomping party to reflective storytelling. Their previous singles include “Bombs Away,” “White Sails,” “Hello, Old Friend,” and “Kitchen Party.”
 
Initially, when Alex suggested “Honky Cat,” the band thought, “How could this work? No piano, no horns… what was he thinking?” But as soon as he set up the funky acoustic rhythm guitar, it just came together naturally. Having no piano at the time, it was left to the banjo to fill in some of the signature sounds and the lap steel to give it a little body and take it somewhere else. “Once Lee and Leonard added the bass and drums, we knew we had something a little different and a fun new take in this great old tune,” said the band. “The video is a slide show of some interesting images we found here and there. They may or may not help the narrative but they’re certainly fun to look at while you're tapping your feet.”

Sunday, April 21, 2024

Natali Lyon




Natali Lyon was born in Germany, Potsdam, she is a singer-songwriter, since her childhood she has always been interested in music, at the age of 10 she started playing the piano, she was listening to different music and now she can work and create songs in different musical styles, blues, rock, funk and others. 

Besides music she is also fond of fitness and foreign languages that's why she entered the faculty of foreign languages, she always continues creating new songs and tries to improve her skills.


Saturday, April 20, 2024

Fog Blues & Brass Band Delivers A Melodic Dose With '12 Bar Prescription’




Fog Blues & Brass Band, the dynamic 7-piece ensemble from Kitchener, Ontario, known for their electrifying live performances, is thrilled to announce the release of their latest single, "12 Bar Prescription”, featured on the bluesy rock band’s latest EP. It captures the essence of their journey during the unprecedented challenges of the COVID pandemic and showcases their unyielding spirit and musical prowess.
 
“Ironically, the only tune we had pre-pandemic was this song we co-wrote with Grant Heywood (Major Hoople’s Boarding House). However, we were locked down before we could record it. “12 Bar Prescription” was one we solidified in Memphis, TN during the International Blues Challenge and playing that song live at The Rum Boogie Cafe and Alfred’s was surreal! It’s become our opening song on every show we play, so it only seemed fitting it be the title track.”
 
The other songs featured on Fog’s latest EP are a testament to their ability to create and collaborate through adversity due to the pandemic’s restrictions and limitations. The band members had to resort to utilizing email and file transfer services to share and exchange musical concepts, crafting demos and recording tracks individually. Some band members taught themselves recording software to keep the creative process alive as this remote collaboration continued for several months until they finally gathered again.
 
For this EP, the multi-talented and versatile 7-piece band from western Ontario sought to capture the raw energy and immersive experience of their live performances. To achieve this vision, they enlisted the expertise of renowned engineer Robi Banergi, whose distinguished portfolio includes working with legendary artists such as The Rolling Stones, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and Etta James.
 
“Robi is amazing to work with!  It’s a very chill environment filled with good vibes, creative ideas, and a few studio stories from the past, very interesting to say the least! We also hired Steve Skingley (Rick Emmett, Molly Johnson) to do the mastering and he’s a great guy to work with!”
 
FOG Blues & Brass Band burst onto the music scene with their debut album, "Into The Fog!" in 2018, which garnered much fanfare as each track from the album enjoyed extensive airplay on live radio locally and abroad. Comprised of a group of seasoned musicians, FOG's live performances are nothing short of spectacular as their signature blend of Classic Blues, R&B, and Rock creates a captivating and invigorating experience for all audiences.

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Award-Winning Roots Singer/Guitarist JW-Jones Has Everything Now on His New Album On Solid Blues Records, Distributed by Stony Plain




Award-winning roots singer/guitarist JW-Jones new solo album, Everything Now, is out now on Solid Blues Records, distributed by Stony Plain. Joining him on the new disc are special guests Jimmie Vaughan, The Texas Horns, Rob McNelley, Stanton Moore and Gordie Johnson of Canadian roots monsters, Big Sugar, among others. JW penned the entire album with fellow Canadian legends Dick Cooper and Johnson (who also produced).
 
“I am incredibly proud of these songs, and this music,” says Jones. “It is 100% original roots and blues with a variety of grooves, feels, and personal lyrics. This is a snapshot of who I am as a person, and where I am as an artist today.”

Everything Now features some heavyweight instrumental support: the legendary Jimmie Vaughan, The Texas Horns, Rob McNelley, Stanton Moore, Aaron Sterling, and includes unchartered sonic territory for Jones with real strings on the exceptional ‘To Tell You the Truth (I Lied).”
 
The recordings were produced in Austin, Texas, with multi-platinum-selling artist Gordie Johnson, as well as in Ottawa, Canada, with long-time collaborator Eric Eggleston.
“Gordie and I met the old fashioned way, on Instagram during the pandemic,” relates Jones. “After meeting for lunch many months later in Austin and visiting his studio, I was enamored by his passion and process of creating new music, which led to working together. He’s a total freak talent as a producer, guitarist, singer, bassist, drummer, keyboards – you name it – everyone knows that… but more than that, he’s an incredible guy. He’s got such a chill and wise vibe, and I learned more about how to be a more emotionally- balanced human than I have from just about anyone else. I look up to him in so many ways.”

For JW-Jones, the Everything Now recording sessions highlights are many, starting with Jimmie Vaughan. “Recording with Jimmie Vaughan, my biggest living influence, is a childhood dream come true, and his king-of-cool vibe leaps out of the speakers on the track, ‘Take Your Time.’ “Since I was 15 years old, I’ve dreamed about trading riffs with Jimmie Vaughan, and some 25 years later, that dream came true when Jimmie came over to Gordie’s studio. Talk about a ‘bucket list’? Unbelievable! I am so grateful for his support and generosity.
 
“Songs – It’s all about the songs!” adds Jones, whose searing axemanship has been praised in recent years by legendary blues artists Buddy Guy and Chuck Leavell (The Rolling Stones). “While there are plenty of burning lead guitar solos on the new album, I wanted to open up and get more personal than ever with the lyrics. From the true story, ‘Papa’s in the Pen,’ to ‘When You Left,’ that I sang with tears rolling down my cheeks about my mother’s passing, these are stories that I feel like I can finally share through my music.”
The Texas Horns are long-time friends and frequent touring buddies. “Texas Horns leader Kaz Kazanoff has been a friend for a couple of decades, since we first played together at the Ottawa Blues Festival in 2002. When we’re in Austin, he opens his home to my entire band, and I’ve always wanted to get The Texas Horns on a record. Since I was already in Austin working with Gordie Johnson, it was easy for Kaz, Al Gomez, and John Mills to visit the studio to record. They brought the perfect feel to the most heartfelt song on the record, ‘When you Left.’ It means so much to me to have The Texas Horns be part of such a special song.
“And what can I say about Rob McNelley? He’s a multi-ACM winner of the guitarist of the year, toured with Bob Seger, first-call studio guitarist for Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Buddy Guy, Kingfish, Joe Bonamassa, and many more, and he appeared on my JUNO-nominated Belmont Boulevard record in 2014. During the pandemic, we had a wonderful Zoom video-call to discuss how to create unique rhythm guitar parts for various styles of roots music, and it led to Rob cutting a track for ‘My Luck,’ which I was working on at the time. His tone and feel throughout gave the song a bounce that took it to a totally new level!
 
“Three of the best drummers in the world are also on this album; Aaron Sterling – session drummer to the stars (John Mayer, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles. Lady A, and many more), Stanton Moore (New Orleans drumming master, and the best drummer I’ve ever seen live, period.), and shuffle king Jason Corbiere (tours with Jimmie Vaughan). I even played drums on a track (‘Keeping Me Up’)!”

JW-Jones has racked up an impressive number of awards and accolades in recent years, both as a solo performer and as a member of Canadian roots group, HOROJO Trio, including the 2020 International Blues Challenge winner as “Best Guitarist,” a JUNO Award nomination, and Billboard Top 10 Blues Artist, during a career that has thus far taken him to 23 countries on four continents. The HOROJO Trio also won the 2020 International Blues Challenge as “Best Band.”
 
The frequent resident of Billboard magazine’s Top 10 Blues charts and roots radio favorite continues to accelerate his career momentum to new heights, whether as a personally-requested sit-in with the likes of 8-time Grammy winner Buddy Guy, opening for blues-rock icon George Thorogood, or entertaining thrilled audiences in 23 countries and four continents.