Category: Entertainment News

Legendary Nashville guitarist Adam Shoenfeld’s new solo album All the Birds Sing

Adam Shoenfeld’s new solo album All the Birds Sing will be out in January. Photo: LYRIC Magazine

In 1994, at 20 years old, Adam Shoenfeld moved to Nashville and soon integrated himself into the music community. He formed a band with “Big Kenny” Alphin called LuvjOi, which became one of the most popular draws on Nashville’s rock scene in that era. When Big Kenny then formed country duo Big & Rich with John Rich, they enlisted Shoenfeld to play guitar on their 2004 breakout hit, “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy.” Around this same time, Shoenfeld and Rich teamed up to write a hit for Faith Hill, resulting in her 2005 No. 1 single, “Mississippi Girl.” He will release his first solo album, All the Birds Sing, in January 2022. (Adam Shoenfeld, 2021)

From the first notes of Shoenfeld’s new record – out January 28 via Lozen Entertainment Group/Copperline–the musicianship and wealth of drawn influences are readily apparent. Spending the last two decades bringing his rock-leaning sound to Nashville’s premier country music scene and his last nine years in Tim McGraw’s touring band, Shoenfeld has channeled all of these words and melodies of his own for something brand new; something apart from his country “day-job.” “I love getting to play guitar for people and making a living doing that,” he says. “It’s the best job in the world, but I’ve always been an artist at heart.” The Boot premiered the first single from All the Birds Sing, “The Sky is Falling Down” paired with an exclusive interview with Shoenfeld. Although the ELO-string section-influenced song alludes to the chaos in the world, there is a silver lining in its message. Fans can hear “The Sky is Falling Down” now at this link and pre-order or pre-save All the Birds Sing ahead of its January 28 release right here.

Although he opted out of becoming known as a country artist, Shoenfeld’s playing has shaped the genre for decades now. He believes that being around the industry for this long, watching what artists go through, gave him the confidence to step out as a solo performer. “It’s all built up to this point where I’m like, ‘You know what? I need to do this. I need to put it out there to see if I can touch some people with this music,’” he says. From the rock anthem “Getting to Me” to the poetic songwriting of “Say a Word,” Shoenfeld is doing exactly that. The cornerstone of All the Birds Sing is the poignant title track, which he wrote in ten minutes in a hotel room, in tears, for someone close to him who was going through a tough time. However, its tender lyrics resonate in his own life too.

All the Birds Sing Track list:
The Sky is Falling Down
Gettin’ to Me
All the Birds Sing
Eleven
Son
Pave Those Highways
Lose to Win
Her Song
Norwegian Wood
Say a Word

Photo: google
2022-01-28T09:09:00

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Agarita celebrates San Antonio Museum of Art’s anniversary

Agarita celebrates San Antonio Museum of Art’s 40th anniversary with free community concert. Photo: Agarita

An innovative chamber ensemble dedicated to producing bold, collaborative musical events, Agarita offers a new way to experience classical and contemporary music. Rooted in San Antonio and founded by Daniel Anastasio (piano), Marisa Bushman (viola), Ignacio Gallego (cello), and Sarah Silver Manzke (violin), Agarita nourishes the local community through artistic collaborations, community engagement, and free, adventurous programming. (Agarita, 2021)

Agarita was recently named San Antonio Magazine’s Best of the City 2021: Culture winner for its collaboration with area partners. It works intimately with local artists of various genres to weave cross-artistic narratives for each concert. Agarita’s past collaborations have included the McNay Art Museum’s Pop América exhibit, lighting artist Chuck Drew, Cameron Beauchamp from the Grammy Award-winning vocal group Roomful of Teeth, chef Elizabeth Johnson and Pharm Table restaurant, poet Laura Van Prooyen, sculptor Danville Chadbourne, educational arts institution SAY Sí, and the Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival for a concert inside San Antonio’s historic Mission San José.

As a nonprofit organization, Agarita believes that the arts should be accessible to everyone in its community. Agarita presents free public concerts, performs at local schools, and offers opportunities for other artists through its collaborations. The next event will take place on Sunday, December 12 at the San Antonio Museum of Art.

Agarita Celebrates SAMA’s 40th!
Date: Sunday, December 12, 2021
Time: 11a.m. – 12:15p.m.
Location: San Antonio Museum of Art, 200 West Jones Ave, San Antonio, TX 78215
Collaborator: Highlights of SAMA’s permanent collection
Description: Agarita returns to the San Antonio Museum of Art for a concert celebrating the museum’s 40th anniversary. Musical selections will reflect artworks on display in the special exhibit. This concert is FREE and open to the public.

Television adaptation: The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan

The Wheel of Time is a fantasy series by Robert Jordan. The television adaptation is now available on Amazon Prime Video. Photo: amazon

Robert Jordan was an American author of epic fantasy. He is known best for his series the Wheel of Time (finished by Brandon Sanderson after Jordan’s death) which comprises 14 books and a prequel novel. He is one of several writers to have written original Conan the Barbarian novels. The Wheel of Time was adapted into a television series and released through Amazon Prime Video last month. The series follows Moiraine, a member of the Aes Sedai, a powerful organization of women who can use magic. She takes a group of four young people on a journey around the world, believing one of them might be the reincarnation of the Dragon, a powerful individual prophesied to either save the world or destroy it. It stars Rosamund Pike as Moiraine. (amazon, 2021)

The Wheel of Time is a series of high fantasy novels set in an unnamed world that, due to the cyclical nature of time as depicted in the series, is simultaneously the distant past and the distant future Earth. It draws on numerous elements of both European and Asian mythology, most notably the cyclical nature of time found in Buddhism and Hinduism, the metaphysical concepts of balance and duality, and a respect for nature found in Taoism. Its story of creation has similarities to the Abrahamic religions’ “Creator” (Light) and Shai’tan, “The Dark One.” It was also partly inspired by Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace (1869). The Wheel of Time is notable for its length, detailed imaginary world and magic system, and large cast of characters. (Wikipedia, 2021)

Movie adaptation: ‘Munich’ by Robert Harris

The movie adaptation of Robert Harris’ ‘Munich’ will be released on Netflix and movie theaters in January. Photo: amazon

Robert Harris is the author of “Pompeii,” “Enigma,” and “Fatherland.” He has been a television correspondent with the BBC and a newspaper columnist for the London Sunday Times and The Daily Telegraph. His novels have sold more than ten million copies and been translated into thirty languages. His book “Munich,” a World War II-era spy thriller set against the backdrop of the fateful Munich Conference of September 1938, has been adapted into a movie by Netflix and will have a limited theatrical release before its January 21, 2022 on Netflix. It stars film stars Jeremy Irons, George MacKay, Jannis Niewöhner, Sandra Hüller, Liv Lisa Fries, August Diehl, Jessica Brown Findlay, Anjli Mohindra, and Ulrich Matthes. (amazon, 2021)

“Munich” – Hugh Legat is a rising star of the British diplomatic service, serving at 10 Downing Street as a private secretary to the Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain. Paul von Hartmann is on the staff of the German Foreign Office–and secretly a member of the anti-Hitler resistance. The two men were friends at Oxford in the 1920s, but have not been in contact since. Now, when Hugh flies with Chamberlain from London to Munich, and Hartmann travels on Hitler’s train overnight from Berlin, their paths are set on a disastrous collision course. Once again, Robert Harris gives us actual events of historical importance–here are Hitler, Chamberlain, Mussolini, Daladier–at the heart of an electrifying novel.

 

Home for the Holidays special event series at TSC Performing Arts Center

The Home for the Holidays Special Event Series at the TSC Performing Arts Center in Brownsville. Photo: Sandra Cruz

Last Sunday November 28, the UTRGV School of Music and Patron of the Arts returned to the stage at the TSC Performing Arts Center in Brownsville for their Home for the Holidays series. During this free event, the community enjoyed musical performances by the UTRGV Symphony Orchestra, the UTRGV Wind Orchestra, and the UTRGV Master Chorale.

The night of holiday music began with a pre-concert music in the lobby by the UTRGV Trombone Choir to entertain the audience until the auditorium doors opened. The night’s first half of the concert series consisted of the UTRGV Master Chorale singing This Endris Night and What Sweeter Music, the UTRGV Symphony Orchestra performing holiday classics like How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Stille Nacht. The intermission entertainment came courtesy of the UTRGV Horn Choir and for the second half of the evening’s performances, the UTRGV Master Chorale and UTRGV Wind Orchestra performed such classics as Sleigh Ride and The Christmas Song and the UTRGV Wind Orchestra performed The Polar Express and The Bells of Christmas, among other holiday favorites. The audience participation portion was a holiday sing along with the UTRGV Master Chorale and Wind Symphony of Deck the Hall, Jingle Bells, O Christmas Tree and We Wish You A Merry Christmas. The UTRGV Jazz Combo kept the momentum going in the lobby with a post-concert performance.

The UTRGV School of Music successfully kicked off the post-Thanksgiving holiday season with a wonderfully nostalgic night of music. Everyone from the musicians to the singers brought a much needed magical night of music for the community to enjoy. They performed to a nearly packed auditorium and all the night’s performances were delightful and deserve the spotlight just as much as the athletes. Hopefully, there will be more such concerts in the near future.

Patron of the Arts is the performance and membership series of the UTRGV School of Music that has provided Rio Grande Valley residents and visitors with excellent artistic programs for over 35 years. The program was created in 1984 in Brownsville, Texas, to provide the community and students with opportunities for learning and enrichment by attending live events by professional guest musicians as well as visual artists. Patron of the Arts was also intended to provide a venue for faculty and student performances to highlight the considerable talent we have in the Rio Grande Valley. (Patron of the Arts, 2021)

UTRGV Trombone Choir
UTRGV Symphony Orchestra
UTRGV Horn Choir
UTRGV Jazz Combo

Emo-Pop rocker Secondhand Serenade set to release new album next year

Secondhand Serenade is currently on tour in support of the upcoming new album Just Because You Sing Loud. Photo: google

Emo-Pop Rocker Secondhand Serenade (AKA John Vesely) is set to release new album Just Because You Sing Loud in 2022 with his first single ONE setting things off in November. The release of this new album will kick off with a tour of the same name across 32 US cities. He will be releasing singles regularly through the tour building up to the release of the new album, his first full project since 2017. The name of his album/tour stems from a unique confrontation Vesely recently had. He and his wife recently moved into a temporary apartment while awaiting construction to finish on their new Nashville home. Following a few months of a not-so-happy neighbor complaining about his songwriting sessions and banging on walls, Vesely woke up to an aggressive letter on his door complaining about the noise that was summed up with the statement “Just Because You Sing Loud Doesn’t Mean Its Good.” At first, the note was hurtful to Vesely as he had never experienced this kind of pushback from neighbors in the past. However, he quickly turned the letter into a form of inspiration for his forthcoming album. Now, the letter remains framed on a wall in his studio serving as a reminder that any of life’s negativity can be turned into something positive. (Secondhand Serenade, 2021)

Regarding his upcoming tour/album Just Because You Sing Loud, Secondhand Serenade said, “To say that I’m excited to get back on the road again is an understatement. I’ve also been working hard to finish this next album, which is a total throwback to my roots. So it should be really fun to add some of these new songs into the set and see some first listen reactions in real time. We’re definitely ending 2021 on a strong note!”

In the early days of social networking, there were no classes, no courses, no gurus to assist musicians in building a fan base. Yet in the mid-2000s, Secondhand Serenade used his hard work and determination to connect with fans online and build a community of followers which resulted in the then Bay Area resident reaching the number 1 unsigned artist spot on MySpace after the release of his debut album, Awake. He would later re-release the acoustic project as the first ever artist signed to the now famed Glassnote Records. Vesely followed that up with his 2008 Danny Lohner-produced album, A Twist In My Story, which would catapult the emo-pop songwriter to the top of the charts. The lead single, a part piano ballad, part pop-rock tune called “Fall For You” would solidify the first major hit for both the artist and the young label, securing its spot in the top 5 at US radio, eventually going 3-times platinum. International touring, late night shows and award show appearances became the new norm for the singer-songwriter who was quickly becoming the voice of the emo generation. Fast forward to a post pandemic life and Secondhand Serenade is now priming yet another full album along with a nationwide, headlining tour. The timing could not be better with a resurgence in the emo scene and a new project worth of material rolling out over the coming months.

Just Because You Sing Loud Tour Dates:
Wednesday, December 8 – Tempe, AZ – Marquee Theatre
Thursday, December 9 – Anaheim, CA – The Parish At House Of Blues
Friday, December 10 – Fresno, CA – Strummer
Saturday, December 11 – San Diego, CA – House Of Blues
Monday, December 13 – Seattle, WA – El Corazon
Wednesday, December 15 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Grand @ The Complex
Thursday, December 16 – Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater
Friday, December 17 – Omaha, NE – Barnato
Saturday, December 18 – Joliet, IL – The Forge

Loney Hutchins releases new album of gems from Nashville’s lauded past

Loney Hutchins’ new album Buried Loot, Demos from the House of Cash and Outlaw Era, ’73 – ’78 will be out December 10. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

A native of Appalachia, Loney Hutchins grew up across the holler from Clinch Mountain with one foot in Virginia and the other in Tennessee. His songwriting and flat-picked guitar style are indicative of his upbringing, grounded by the hard life of poverty he was born into, while inspired by the region’s natural beauty and the earliest sounds of Country Music. Hutchins left Tennessee for college through the GI Bill but returned for music in 1972 and soon finagled a job at the House of Cash. He inspired the character, “Loney” in Cash’s ’76 bicentennial rumination “Sold Out of Flagpoles.” (Loney Hutchins, 2021)

Around 1972, in a chance encounter with June Carter Cash, now-legendary Nashville song-man Loney Hutchins’ future was forever changed. After hearing his demo reel, June’s husband Johnny signed Hutchins to their House of Cash publishing company and the rest is history. Hutchins’ time at House of Cash coincided with the rise and pinnacle of America’s outlaw country movement, and on December 10, from the archives of Loney Hutchins, fans will be treated to a treasure trove of long-forgotten tunes of the era on a brand new release on Appalachia Record Co. titled Buried Loot, Demos from the House of Cash and Outlaw Era, ‘73- ‘78. Buried Loot is full of never-before-heard recordings, presented for the first time from 80+ hours of tape tucked away through the years by Hutchins. Much of the material is fully produced demos made for Johnny Cash when Hutchins managed the House of Cash publishing catalog, performed by in-demand session players of the time. Wide Open Country premiered “Pinball King,” writing “Hutchins flaunts his way with words.” Fans can hear “Pinball King” today at this link and pre-order or pre-save Buried Loot ahead of its December 10 release right here. 

The songs compiled on Buried Loot are unmistakably influenced by the era in which they were recorded. There is the never-before-heard “Stoney Creek,” written by the woman often credited as coining the “outlaw” label, the late Hazel Smith, and Hutchins’ own material ranges from Byrds-ish country rock, Everly-esque ballads, to Appalachian folk and down and out honky-tonkers. Meanwhile, there are Cash-penned songs performed here as demos before they would officially be recorded and released—tongue in cheek numbers far from the Music Row norm like, “Committed To Parkview,” as well as a Helen Carter-penned tune never recorded, “You Gotta Live It Brother (If You Wanna Serve the Lord).”

Buried Loot Demos from the House of Cash and Outlaw Era, ‘73- ‘78 Track list:
Pinball King
Who’s Gonna Be My Fire?
Paradise
Fools Gold
Stoney Creek
One More Habit
Wouldn’t Say It If It Wasn’t So
Daughter Of A Railroad Man
I Do Declare
Nashville Suite
Every Day’s A Monday
We Got It All
Four More Reasons
Whippoorwill
Whisky Lady
Taxi Please
Five Years In Hell
Committed To Parkview
Ya Gotta Live It
Hillbilly Ghetto
Reedy Creek
I’ll Always Have The Good Lord Watching Over Me
Sheets Of Green Clover
My Tennessee Hills

2021-12-10T14:57:00

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Yonder Mountain String Band re-release Town by Town

Yonder Mountain String Band re-releases pivotal second album Town By Town for twentieth anniversary. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

September 27, 2021 marked the 20th Anniversary of award¬-winning Colorado bluegrass luminaries Yonder Mountain String Band’s incredibly popular and influential second studio album, Town by Town. To celebrate, YMSB has just announced a 20th-anniversary re-release of this modern classic on 180g double vinyl. Originally released on the band’s own independent label, Frog Pad Records, Town by Town features founding members Adam Aijala, Ben Kaufmann, Dave Johnston, and Jeff Austin, along with album producer and bluegrass legend Tim O’Brien who lends his talent on fiddle and bouzouki. “Wow, 20 years have gone by since I dove in with Yonder for a new recording,” says O’Brien. “It’s a good thing to look back and see what we did and what happened since.” The 20th Anniversary release of Town by Town is available on their online store. (Yonder Mountain String Band, 2021)

Over time, the songs of Town by Town have grown into classics in their own rights and are certainly considered fan favorites at YMSB’s legendary live shows. Additionally, Town by Town paved the way for the next generation of jam-grass talent who regularly pay tribute to the Nederland, Colorado-formed band—and specifically this album—in their live shows. Six-string shredder Billy Strings slides “Sorrow Is A Highway” into his live shows and Greensky Bluegrass cover “Peace of Mind” in their sets. Up and comers The Kitchen Dwellers cover “New Horizons” and fellow jam-circuit veteran Keller Williams put the same song on his first bluegrass album with Larry and Jenny Keel. YMSB’s reach expanded beyond the bluegrass community when rapper Bubba Sparxxx sampled “To See you Comin’ Round the Bend” for the track “Comin’ Round” from his 2003 album Deliverance.

Looking back twenty years later, it is apparent the impact Town by Town had—and continues to have—on YMSB’s fans and contemporaries. “They were excited and determined and open-minded. I pushed them some, they pushed me some and we both learned a lot,” remembers producer Tim O’Brien. “At that time Yonder was exploding on the scene, gathering new fans like a wet snowball rolling down a black diamond slope. I doubt they knew they were carving out their own legacy. I was honored to be there with them.” Check here for a full tour listing.

Town by Town 20th Anniversary Vinyl Track list:
Rambler’s Anthem
Easy As Pie
Idaho
Loved You Enough
Sorrow Is A Highway
Must’ve Had Your Reasons
Wildewood Drive
New Horizons
Check Out Time
To See You Comin’ Round The Bend
Red Tail Lights
A Father’s Arms
Hog Potato
Peace Of Mind

Del McCoury Band dives deep into working-man songbook with upcoming new album

Del McCoury Band’s new album Almost Proud will be out February 18, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Even among the pantheon of music’s finest artists, Del McCoury stands alone. From the nascent sound of bluegrass that charmed hardscrabble hillbilly honkytonks, rural schoolhouse stages, and the crowning glory of the Grand Ole Opry to the present-day culture-buzz of viral videos and digital streams, Del is the living link. From headlining sold-out concerts to music festivals of all genres, not to mention one carrying his namesake, there is Del. Where audience members number in the tens of thousands and admirers as diverse as country-rock icon Steve Earle and jam band royalty Phish count as two among them, there is Del. (Del McCoury Band, 2021)

The easy humility of Del McCoury, after more than 6 decades of awards and honors, is remarkable. He sees himself as a working man who chose music as his vocation. So, it is no wonder that the collection of songs that comprise his upcoming album Almost Proud (McCoury Music) reflects a blue-collar mindset—four songs about love lost, one love song that sounds like many others he has cut as a tribute to his wife of 57 years, Jean, two cheatin’ songs, 2 drinkin’ songs, one extolling the virtues of hard work, and one about a working-class hero standing up to big coal in the West Virginia of the early nineteen hundreds. On February 18, McCoury’s latest venture into the recording studio will go live, but right now, Del and the boys of the Del McCoury Band have shared a sneak peek of Almost Proud with the tune “Running Wild,” a song that he started over 15 years ago and decided to finish when his son and band member Ronnie McCoury played him a portion of a demo that had been recorded and forgotten about. Clocking in at barely over two minutes, “Running Wild” is a classic bluegrass burner featuring McCoury’s unmistakable voice enveloped by the singing and picking of his sons Ronnie (mandolin) and Rob (banjo), as well as long time band members Alan Bartram (bass) and Jason Carter (fiddle). Fans can check out “Running Wild” today at this link and pre-order or pre-save Almost Proud ahead of its February 18 release date right here.

Almost Proud is packed with songs from a wide variety of writers—well known and obscure—and includes a few performances from old friends. There are new songs like the aforementioned “Running Wild” and “Almost Proud,” a song written by his good friends Eric Gibson and Mike Barber that was cut just hours after it was written. McCoury tapped into his long friendship with Vince Gill to find the right high country vocal for “Honky Tonk Nights” and chose a little-known song from a recent Kris Kristofferson album called “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore” to tell a story of married couples who have become perfect strangers. With “Once Again,” McCoury collaborated again with Josh Shilling, who joined him on piano.

Almost Proud Track list:
Almost Proud
Love Don’t Live Here Anymore
Rainbow of My Dream
My Little Darlin’
Running Wild
Brown Paper Bag
Honky Tonk Nights
Once Again
Sid Hatfield’s
The Misery You’ve Earned
Workin’ Man’s Wage
Other Shore

2022-02-18T13:34:00

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Balcones Heights Jazz Festival Christmas Concert

Multitalented Slim Man returns to headline the Balcones Heights Jazz Festival Christmas Concert. Photo: San Antonio Magazine

The inimitable, multitalented Slim Man will be headlining the Balcones Heights Jazz Festival Christmas concert on Friday, December 3. Local artist and jazz crooner Ken Slavin will serve as opening act at 7:30 p.m. The free concert will be held at Wonderland of the Americas Amphitheatre in Balcones Heights, Texas. (Balcones Heights Jazz Festival, 2021)

Slim Man, whose birth name is Timothy Camponeschi, is a singer, songwriter, bassist, producer, cook and teacher, and his charm and style have made him a crowd favorite. He will be performing for the 13th time for the jazz festival. He has recorded 12 CDs and was named Best Jazz Vocalist at the acclaimed Coachella Music Awards in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. JD Considine of Rolling Stone magazine described Slim Man’s style as “a near-perfect example of how jazz and soul can be combined as pop.”

Slim Man. Photo: Discogs

Jazz crooner Ken Slavin is a popular and award-winning classic vocalist based in San Antonio. He recently made his New York City debut at the famed Metropolitan Room and produced a CD of the event, which is available at all major online music stores. He is celebrating 25 years as a professional singer in 2015 and recently became a voting member of the GRAMMY Awards.

“We are thrilled to close out our final 2021 concert series on a high note featuring Ken Slavin and Slim Man onstage for a holiday rendition. Slim Man closing out 2021 and marking his 13th year with us will be the event jazz fans will not want to miss out on.” – Director Economic Development & Public Affairs at City of Balcones Heights Lorenzo Nastasi.

“Bringing yet another facet of Christmas joy to Balcones Heights Jazz Festival fans is such a part of who we are as a city, and we are looking forward to concluding the series with talent like Ken Slavin and Slim Man.” – City of Balcones Heights Mayor Suzanne de Leon.

In 2020, the Balcones Heights Jazz Festival evolved from a summer concert season to a year-long concert series, which was adopted pre-pandemic to spread concerts throughout the year. As live entertainment was halted due to COVID-19, the City of Balcones Heights featured its first ever virtual Christmas Jazz Festival in December 2020. It was produced and posted online featuring local artists MiChelle Garibay-Carey and Zarabande.

The Balcones Heights Jazz Festival has captivated jazz aficionados from across Texas since 1994 with a free, stellar lineup and a laid-back, family-friendly atmosphere. Outdoor seating is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Regulars, or “jazz babies,” come early to grab their favorite spots along the edge of the sparkling reflecting pool and fountains of the city’s main hub, Wonderland of the Americas.
Food trucks will be available.

When he was 5 years old, Slim Man saw a movie, “The Five Pennies,” with his dad, and when Louis Armstrong came on the big screen to play the trumpet and sing, he told his dad, “That’s what I want to do.” Slim Man studied trumpet for the next nine years and taught himself how to play piano and guitar. After studying piano, composition and harmony at Peabody Institute in his native Baltimore, Slim Man began working as a songwriter for Motown Records. His songs have been recorded by The Temptations, Angela Bofill, Carl Anderson and others. Slim Man also recorded a CD for Motown, giving birth to his signature style.

Slim Man also offers singing lessons, focusing on breathing techniques, simple performance hacks, vibrato control, and finding the appropriate range, tone and style.

He has been busy in the kitchen, too, creating recipes for his cookbooks. In 2016, he released “Slim Man Cooks,” containing 52 recipes that include plenty of Italian dishes, all with his own twist, as well as some of his own original recipes. The PDF version also includes links to dozens of videos as well as 52 charming stories—humorous tales about his family, his wild ride in the music business and his canine sidekick, Batu. Slim Man just released a sequel, “Slim Man Cooks 2,” which contains 30 new recipes, 30 stories and 30 videos.