Category: Music News

New album release: Sunny Sweeney’s Married Alone

Sunny Sweeney, with the help of Paul Cauthen, paints a beautiful picture of a hard reminder in “A Song Can’t Fix Everything” from upcoming album Married Alone, out September 23 via Thirty Tigers. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Sunny Sweeney is a country and Americana artist from Texas, currently based in Nashville, TN. Her latest album is Married Alone, a raw, vulnerable exploration of loss, grief, and healing, recorded in Dallas, TX, and co-produced by fellow country artist Paul Cauthen and The Texas Gentlemen’s Beau Bedford. Sweeney debuted in 2006 with the acclaimed Heartbreaker’s Hall of Fame, which announced her as an important new voice in country and Americana songwriting. Sweeney continued to expand upon the traditional-leaning, forward-thinking sound of her earlier work with 2014’s Provoked and 2017’s Trophy, both of which earned Sweeney rave reviews across the country and roots communities. (Sunny Sweeney, 2022)

“A Song Can’t Fix Everything” is the first single from Sweeney’s upcoming album Married Alone—out on September 23 via Thirty Tigers. Produced by Cauthen and the Texas Gentlemen’s multi-hyphenate Beau Bedford, Married Alone is Sweeney’s finest work yet, bringing together confessional songwriting, image-rich narratives, and no shortage of sonic surprises for a loosely conceptual album about loss and healing. The album was recorded at Dallas’ Modern Electric Sound Recorders and mixed by the whole team with the help of Jeff Saenz—beloved Dallas-based producer and owner of Modern Electric—upon his unbelievable return to work after being electrocuted in a freak accident. Fans can listen to “A Song Can’t Fix Everything” now at this link and pre-order or pre-save Married Alone ahead of its release right here.

In addition to the release of Married Alone, Sweeney has a song featured in the upcoming film VENGEANCE, the directorial debut from writer and star B.J. Novak (The Office).

The full potential of the album really revealed itself, though, when a friend sent Sweeney a demo of what would become its title track, “Married Alone.” Though she was not a co-writer on the track, Sweeney felt her own story reflected in its lyrics. The song, which features a particularly emotional guest vocal from living country legend Vince Gill, charts the painful moments sometimes experienced in marriages that have run their course. A few months after securing the song and mining her own vault for a track list, Sweeney traveled to Dallas, TX, to record—alongside Cauthen and Bedford—what would become Married Alone.

Married Alone track listing:
Tie Me Up (Sunny Sweeney/Buddy Owens/Galen Griffin)
Easy As Hello (Sunny Sweeney/Lori McKenna/Heather Morgan)
Married Alone ft. Vince Gill (Hannah Blaylock/Josh Morningstar/Autumn McEntire)
Someday You’ll Call My Name (Sunny Sweeney/Brennen Leigh)
How’d I End Up Lonely Again (Sunny Sweeney/Channing Wilson/Josh Morningstar)
A Song Can’t Fix Everything ft. Paul Cauthen (Sunny Sweeney/Lori McKenna)
Want You To Miss Me (Sunny Sweeney/Caitlyn Smith)
Wasting One On You (Sunny Sweeney/Buddy Owens/Monty Holmes)
Fool Like Me (Waylon Payne/Kendell Marvel)
All I Don’t Need (Sunny Sweeney/Lori McKenna)
Leaving Is My Middle Name (Sunny Sweeney/ Buddy Owens/Galen Griffin/Scotch Taylor)
Still Here (Sunny Sweeney/Lori McKenna)

Catch Sunny Sweeney on tour:
7/15 – Springfield, MO – Southbound Bar & Grill
7/16 – Kahoka, MO – Clark County Fair
7/17 -Yorkville, IL – The Law Office Pub & Music Hall
7/20 – Berwyn, IL – Fitzgerald’s Night Club
7/21 – Milwaukee, WI – Shank Hall
7/22 – Minneapolis, MN – The Hook and Ladder Theater & Lounge
7/24 – Omaha, NE – Reverb Lounge
7/27 – Manitou Springs, CO – Lulu’s Downstairs
7/29 – Cheyenne, WY – The Outlaw Saloon
7/30 – Sheridan, WY – WYO Theater
7/31 – White Sulphur Springs, MT – Red Ants Pants Music Festival
8/2 – Rochester, NY – Abilene Bar & Lounge
8/5 – King Ferry, NY – Treleaven Wines

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The Jacob Jolliff Band announces new release

The Jacob Jolliff Band’s new CD will be released August 5, 2022. Photo: Adam Sweeney, used with permission.

Known for his stunning cross-genre virtuosity and his collaborations with musicians from across the musical spectrum, acoustic musician Jacob Jolliff recently announced the release of his album The Jacob Jolliff Band via Adhyâropa Records. Featuring tight vocal harmonies as well as the customary instrumental fireworks of a collaborative ensemble made up of fellow young stars, this album marks a major milestone in Jolliff’s evolution and the arrival of an authority on bluegrass mandolin. The album goes on sale August 5 and pre-orders will be available starting July 8, 2022. (Adhyâropa Records, 2022)

Long known for his musical prowess with contemporary bluegrass ensembles Joy Kills Sorrow and Yonder Mountain String Band, as well as his collaborations with Alex Hargreaves, Michael Daves, Tony Trishka, and Grant Gordy, Jolliff is equally fascinated by many other genres, and puts that musical polyglotism into what he writes and arranges for the Jacob Jolliff Band. This album is an attempt to capture the stylistic diversity the JJB pours into their fiery live performances. “It’s important to me to have real traditional bluegrass tunes in our set, but when I’m making a setlist I always want to hear a shift from one mood to another, like a story. It helps keep an audience engaged, and keeps us on our toes.”

Jolliff grew up in a musical family near Portland, Oregon and played in a bluegrass gospel band led by his dad, who started him on mandolin at age seven. That soon blossomed into an exploration of multiple genres, along with a love of – and impressive devotion to – his instrument that continues unabated to this day. “I’m really inspired by musicians like John Coltrane,” he says, “because of his incredible work ethic. And because he was putting in those hours his playing changed so much to the point of being completely different from era to era. There was a sound he was chasing, but there’s no way you can dynamite your way through the mountain, it just comes down to sheer hours.”

Today, all that work is evident in a musical approach which is distinctly, inimitably his own. “Whatever I play, whether it’s instrumental bluegrass, vocal music, jazz, anything – I hope my personality will come through. I don’t know how it couldn’t!”

The direction of the music is in large part dictated by the collaborators Jolliff invited to join him on this album: Stash Wyslouch on guitar, John Mailander on fiddle, and Myles Sloniker on bass. They were specifically chosen for the ability to not only provide a counter to Jolliff’s own bluegrass playing, but their sympathy for other genres as well. “The musicians that I call on have a shared set of influences, bluegrass being a huge one for everyone,” he volunteers, “but from the bandleading I’ve done, the players I really admire are those that are able to balance projects in different genres and really invest in each one.”

Known as a frequent collaborator with old-time standard bearer Bruce Molsky as well as the leader of his own ensemble, Stash Wyslouch brings an eclectic energy to the proceedings. “There’s no one like Stash. He has one of the most interesting amalgamations of influence, with his shred metal high school background, and having studied jazz and classical, a lot of that comes out even when he plays bluegrass. One of the most fun things for me is to play traditional bluegrass with Stash and see the skeptical faces that he always wins over by the end of a set just through sheer force of will and genuineness.”

John Mailander (also a member of Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers) offers a moderating voice to the musical conversation, full of wit and elegance. “He’s just one of the most tasteful musicians I know. Everything he plays is transcribable. He also just has a really nice contrasting style to Stash and myself.”

Bassist Myles Sloniker has been the engine of the band since 2018: “I called him on a couple weeks’ notice to do a tour and he came in already knowing all of the arrangements. With just the two of us playing together you could see there was a special connection. Great singer too, and his solos arguably work the audience into a fury even more than Stash’s do!”

Single release dates:
July 11: ‘Outbound Plane’
July 25: ‘Large Garbage Barge’

Sponsored Post

The Jacob Jolliff Band’s new CD will be released on August 5, 2022. Photo: google
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Balcones Heights Jazz Festival returns

The Balcones Heights Jazz Festival will kick off its highly-anticipated 28th season on Friday, July 15, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

The Balcones Heights Jazz Festival will kick off its highly-anticipated 28th season on Friday, July 15, 2022 and continue with a second concert on Friday, July 29, 2022. Each performance will take place at the Amphitheater at Wonderland of the Americas. Headlining will be Rob Zinn and Jeff Ryan on July 15, 2022 with Tony Saunders opening. Peter White will headline on July 29, 2022 with local Johnny P & the Wiseguys opening. (Balcones Heights Jazz Festival, 2022)

“We are excited to feature live jazz concerts again this summer with two back-to-back July performances presenting a stellar line up of dynamic national and local artists at the beautiful, sparkling Wonderland Amphitheater.” – Director Economic Development & Public Affairs at City of Balcones Heights Lorenzo Nastasi

“Balcones Heights’ uniqueness is that we are dedicated to providing FREE family-friendly, high-quality music for all to enjoy. We are thrilled to welcome the sights and sounds of our signature jazz festival, bringing residents and visitors from all over South Texas to experience our city’s charm and hospitality over these two weekends.” – City of Balcones Heights Mayor Suzanne de Leon

The first opener on July 15 will be Billboard recording artist and bassist Tony Saunders. Saunders is an American bass and synthesizer player who has had an incredible multi-faceted career that has found him “vibin’” with everyone from Eric Clapton and David Crosby to Les McCann, Joe Sample, and Chaka Khan. He has been recognized as a two-time Emmy Award winning bassist, composer, and producer, and is also the son of legendary keyboardist, Merl Saunders

After his performance, headliners Rob Zinn and Jeff Ryan will kick off their show. Rob Zinn is a multi-faceted talent working as a veteran vocalist, trumpeter, and flugelhornist. He is internationally recognized as a smooth jazz artist and composer. In 2016, Zinn emerged as an independent smooth jazz artist and composer with the release of his debut album, “Yesterday Again,” showcasing a multitude of styles including funk, Latin, R&B, rock, pop and urban jazz.

Paired with Zinn will be one of contemporary jazz’s top emerging artists and saxophonists, Jeff Ryan. Ryan, an international sensation, has captivated thousands with his robust jazz sounds. “Double Up” was the first single released in May 2020 from his latest album “Duality.” It debuted as the number one “Most Added” on the Smooth Jazz Billboard. In 2020, Ryan was also named 2020 Billboard Smooth Jazz Artist of the Year. His second single from this album “Sentimental Soul” landed the number one spot on the Billboard Chart and was later named 2021 Billboard Song of the Year.

Opening the concert on July 29 is Johnny P & the Wiseguys, a velvety ensemble led by vocalist, songwriter, and trumpeter Johnny Panzarella. Johnny P is a New York native from a close-knit Italian family. The rat-pack style band plays original tunes as well as innovative musical arrangements of classic favorites. The Wiseguys are composed of multiple talented musicians featuring pianist Travis Davis, bassists Max Garcia Jr. and Doug Bennett, Roger Escobar on tenor sax, David Woodard on trombone, and drummers Johnathan Alexander and Jay “Jaybird” Buried Mitthauer.

Following is headliner and one of the jazz industry’s greatest icons, British-born, LA-based guitarist and smooth jazz artist Peter White. White first played for the Balcones Heights Jazz Festival in 2010 and returned in 2015. This is his third appearance in Balcones Heights. White is set to give a simmering performance to end the summer concert season. White’s lyricism and energy is unparalleled and sure to create a beautiful sound for his broad audiences. He has found huge success in his musical career winning multiple awards through four decades working as a multi-instrument musician, performer, and writer with other artists and solo on his own highly regarded albums.

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. Since 1994, the Balcones Heights Jazz Festival has captivated jazz aficionados from in and around Texas with a free stellar line-up in the festival’s laid back and family-friendly atmosphere. Regulars or “jazz babies” grab their favorite spots along the edge of the sparkling reflecting pool and fountains of the city’s main hub, Wonderland of the Americas.

The Balcones Heights Jazz Festival is produced through a partnership of the City of Balcones Heights, Wonderland of the Americas, and iHeartMedia. David Muñoz is back again to host as he has at the Jazz Festival every year since the event’s inception. Muñoz, known as San Antonio’s very own “Jazzman,” is serving as emcee and co-producer of the festival. David also hosts “Smooth Jazz San Antonio” on KQXT/Q101.9 HD-2 and iHeart Radio App/Texas Central Region.

General admission to the festival is free and parking is free at Wonderland of the Americas, 4522 Fredericksburg Road, Balcones Heights, Texas. Wonderland of the Americas is located at the intersection of IH-10and Loop 410, just a few minutes from downtown San Antonio and minutes from the South Texas Medical Center.

Hillside seating around the Amphitheater is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Fans sometimes stake out their spots as early as the Monday preceding the Friday concert. Food and beverage vendors will be on-site. Attendees can also visit the Food Court inside Wonderland of the Americas. No coolers and outside food and beverages are allowed at the Amphitheater.

Singer-songwriter Andrew Combs covers Radiohead classic ‘High And Dry’

‘High and Dry’ is the first single from 3Sirens Presents: With Love Part 1 EP, due out July 8, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Set to release July 8, independent East Nashville-based label and recording studio, 3Sirens, presents a compilation of 80s and 90s artist-chosen covers that make for the perfect summer soundtrack. 3Sirens Presents: With Love Part 1 adheres to the label’s mission statement: build community and celebrate great artists all while having a little fun. By doing just that, artists Andrew Combs, Dylan LeBlanc, Caitlin Rose, and more came together in mixing these tracks with the 3Sirens team. (3Sirens, 2022)

In conjunction with Glide Magazine, the label premiered the first track off the collaboration, Andrew Combs’ cover of the Radiohead classic “High and Dry.” Check out the premiere here. To pre-save the track click here and Part 1 here. Growing up with Radiohead, Combs shares he chose this track specifically because of the huge role the band played on his own introduction to making music. The soundtracks of Kid A and Amnesiac were just the beginning. Diving into the full Radiohead catalog, Combs credits the band as the reason he began recording his own music in high school. Inspired by their creativity, Combs expresses, “ I love when an artist/band is curious, and always exploring new territories in terms of sound, production, and song structure. I find Radiohead to be the best example of this in the modern age. ‘High and Dry’ is an amazing song – it is simple and to the point, but still so lush and beautiful. Those are the hardest songs to write.”

Creating a space for artists to express their creative freedom and record in an “easy peasy” process is exactly what The Grahams had in mind when they set out on the journey of starting a different kind of label and studio. With Love: Part 1 is a product of that vision flourishing.

Though born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Nashville-based singer-songwriter and artist Andrew Combs cannot say for certain he identifies with any one place in particular. Through years of drawing on ethereal and visceral beauty wherever he can find it, his work is more accurately a measured synthesis of a wide array of “places:” the literal and the figurative, those he has been to and others he has yet to see. His newest full-length album, Sundays (out August 19), is reflective of those varied places that inform Combs’ creative work.

3Sirens Presents: With Love Part 1 track list:
“Big Love” by Fleetwood Mac, performed by Dylan LeBlanc
“One Way Or Another” by Blondie, performed by Caitlin Rose
“High and Dry” by Radiohead, performed by Andrew Combs
“Somebody to Shove” by Soul Asylum, performed by Kevin Kinney
“Something So Strong” by Crowded House, performed by Derek Hoke
“Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star, performed by The Grahams

3Sirens is a gathering spot for creatives and dreamers, a social salon. A studio built with the premise that to be creative one must exist in a creative space. Of course the state of the art gear and the thoughtfully curated collection of vintage and specialty instruments abound but it goes beyond the material into something less tangible. Fitting, really, that such a space was dreamt up by lifelong lovers and dreamers, The Grahams, who themselves longed for a space to gather, to create art and play music, to collaborate, to stretch out and explore the “impossible,” to let the intangible and unexplainable just happen.

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Bobby Cool’s first single from upcoming LP Family Time

Bobby Cool’s Family Time will be out July 29, 2022. Photo: google

From an Athens, Georgia dive bar to Music City’s club scene and beyond, songwriter Bobby Cool has spent the ups and downs of the past 10+ years—like working as a janitor, radon inspector, and flooring salesman to make ends meet throughout the music industry’s shutdown in 2020 and 2021—collecting stories about life’s small moments and telling them in a way that makes listeners feel as if the tunes were written just for them. In the vein of Chris Stapleton, Tyler Childers, and Sturgill Simpson, Cool blends bluegrass, Americana, and country into a rousing, good-time mix of genres on his upcoming album Family Time, which will be out July 29, 2022. (Bobby Cool, 2022)

Cool’s way with words shines on his country-folk ballad “American Dream,” the album’s opener and the first listen shared with fans ahead of Family Time’s July 29 release date. Telling the story of an enlisted brother, free-spirit sister, and an ultimately ailing mother—all narrated by a road-dog musician—“American Dream” paints a quirky, fun, and at times devastating story of what it means to make a life in the land of the free. “It’s ultimately not about fortune or fame,” says Cool. “…but the freedom to choose your own path and live it out.” Americana Highways premiered the single with early praises who stated, “If you allow Bobby Cool to entertain you, you’ll find deep country with strong Southern rural roots in every note. Find nostalgia and hope and a story of family we can all relate to.” Fans can check out the lyric video for “American Dream” now at this ink and pre-order or pre-save Family Time ahead of release day.

At the end of February 2020, Cool and his producer Adam Haynes (bluegrass fiddler for The Grascals, Dailey & Vincent, and others) tracked 13 songs over the course of two days. Two weeks later, the world would shut down and a two-year journey would commence to release into the world what would finally become Family Time. On Family Time, Cool shares musical snapshots of small and large moments that define family life and captures intimately the grooves and creases, the craziness and the humor, the regrets, and the celebrations of living together in songs that resonate so deeply we feel as if he has written them just for us. He sings songs that reach us wherever we find ourselves in our lives, touching us, healing us, and embracing us with music that fills our hearts and reminds us that life’s most important events happen on family time.

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Teddy and the Rough Riders’ new single from upcoming new album

Teddy and the Rough Riders skip town to start a farm on groovy new single ‘Livin in the Woods.’ Their new LP, Teddy and the Rough Riders, will be out July 1, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Teddy and The Rough Riders is probably your favorite country band’s favorite country band. With a sound that sits somewhere in the middle of “down-home” and “far out,” the Nashville-born-and-bred band proudly and prolifically drops retro-sounding, feel-good songs that would fit right in on a Grand Ole Opry radio broadcast or a late-night slot at Bonnaroo. Masked alt-country darling Orville Peck decided to take Teddy and The Rough Riders on a nationwide tour this year that included a stop at the band’s hometown Ryman Auditorium—a bucket list venue for performers from around the world—and current queen of the country underground, Margo Price, loves the band so much she decided to produce their upcoming LP, Teddy and The Rough Riders. On July 1, via Appalachia Record Co., that great uniting can begin with the release of the Price-produced LP Teddy and The Rough Riders. (Teddy and The Rough Riders, 2022)

The band recently released their first preview of the album with “Livin in the Woods,” a grand idea of leaving town and disappearing into the woods to start a farm with friends. The track premiered with The Boot who hailed the band and called the trio, “a must watch act to watch in 2022.” Fans can hear for themselves by checking out “Livin in the Woods” now at this link. Teddy and The Rough Riders can be digitally pre-ordered or pre-saved ahead of its July 1st release right here and physical pre-orders, including vinyl, can be found here. 

Up until the sessions for Teddy and the Rough Riders in 2019, the band—Jack Quiggins (vocals, guitar), Ryan Jennings (vocals, bass), Nic Swafford (drums), and Luke Schneider (pedal steel)—had mostly recorded at home. This was their first big studio effort with a producer, engineer, session players, and the goal of an audible fidelity change. After narrowing down their best demos, the band recruited Margo Price to produce because of her creative vision and “let’s roll” Neil Young-inspired recording philosophy. They rented out Club Roar, brought in engineer-producer Jake Davis and spent a few days holed up in the studio to capture the magic of the session. What resulted from those days of close collaboration in the studio on the final version of the album, mixed by Davis and mastered by John Baldwin, is some of the most original country rock to come from Nashville in a while.

In the years leading up to their new self-titled LP, Teddy and The Rough Riders have released a home-recorded EP and LP, and several singles, including a 7” record from Third Man Records. They have shared bills with artists such as Margo Price, Jeff the Brotherhood, and Soccer Mommy, and have been the backing band in most of Emily Nenni’s recordings and live shows. Musical collaborators include Skyway Man, Erin Rae, Sean Thompson, and David Leonard, among others. After years of touring, playing bars and recording a prolific back catalog of work, Teddy and The Rough Riders first “big studio” effort, produced by Margo Price, will be released on July 1 via Appalachia Record Co.

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Forrest McCurren’s debut album Oh Me, Oh My

For fans of Hayes Carll, Willie Nelson, and John Prine, Oh Me, Oh My will be out August 19, 2022. Photo: Forrest McCurren.

With a half-time back beat and a feel-good guitar twang, songwriter Forrest McCurren graciously marries a classic rock road song with a classic country love song on his new tune “Little Rock.” Sparked by how his messy motel room on the road was compared to the orderly and clean life he led back home, McCurren spun up this rocker that evokes the urgency of a road warrior like himself to make it on home, specifically to his wife Margaret—who sings and plays drums and fiddle on McCurren’s upcoming debut Oh Me, Oh My. The initial idea transformed into an ode to Margaret and getting home to her. (Forrest McCurren, 2022)

Last week, Wide Open Country premiered the music video for “Little Rock,” which follows Forrest and Margaret on a beautifully-shot mission from the fireworks store to the Piggly Wiggly and beyond. They noted, “You could consider Oh Me, Oh My a soundtrack to those moments of human connection that feel almost cosmic.” Fans can watch the “Little Rock” music video now at this link and stay up to date on all things Forrest and Oh Me, Oh My ahead of its August 19 release right here.

McCurren’s entertaining debut album Oh Me, Oh My showcases the energy of his live shows with songs that shimmer and rock with an ebullient warmth that is bound to reach into listeners’ hearts and souls and get them to reflect a little on the people and places that mean the most to them. He is always writing songs, but all the songs on this album are from a three-year period when McCurren was setting out on his own, between college and now. He is looking back at his life, looking at his life now, and looking forward to his life to come in the 10 songs on the album. “I was just setting out on my own,” McCurren laughs. “I spent a lot of time thinking about my grandparents, painting a picture of characters I knew growing up. In the songs there’s a sense of longing and place, and they evoke the transition from running wild as a kid to running wild as a man. The songs have a sense of movement and a sense of place and a sense of who I was gonna be.”

As soon as he learned three chords, McCurren started to write songs. In his early 20s he started accumulating songs. In his songwriting, he resembles Hemingway. “I always try to write one true sentence. Every song I have kept, the first line I wrote was the first line of the song. Words come first, then melodies get inspired by the words. I trust the quickness of the way I write. I am always jotting down rhymes. Songs have given me a way of understanding who I am and relating to people.”
Music is McCurren’s favorite ways to connect with people. “My songs show them a little bit of who I am and when I show them a little of me they share a little bit of them, too.” He does not write sad songs, but songs that move us and celebrate, as he says, the “luckiness of life.” As his debut album shows, McCurren excels at making those connection and at celebrating life. Forrest McCurren has a reverence for the songs, and he sings, plays, and writes with a heart for bringing people together.

Catch Forrest McCurren on tour:
June 23-26 – Slade, KY – Festival of the Red
October 6-8 – Eldon, MO – Lake Ozark Music Festival

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Anova Skyway announces new EP Reset

The new EP Reset will be released July 15, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Described as “A talented and dark-visioned lot!” by popular metal site Bravewords.com; Houston “prog-ternative” rock band Anova Skyway will follow up the release of their acclaimed 2020 single “Diet of Worms” with another bold and irresistible take on the modern prog blueprint. The six-piece ensemble will debut their awaited EP titled Reset on July 15, 2022. (Anova Skyway, 2022)

Reset features six songs including four co-written with Louis Abramson of JOLLY and an intriguing cover of Faith No More’s “Ashes to Ashes.” Produced by the incredible Dean Dichoso; Anova Skyway makes a notable and instantly satisfying impression with Reset, showcasing their sonic evolution with their most indulgent and exploratory melodies to date, caressed by powerfully emotive lyrics.

“Reset represents yet another turn in our winding journey as a band. All the detours left their mark and brought us to the unit that we are today. Mike has completely blown us away with where he’s taken the vocal performances. The hole he leaves in the guitar spot with this move makes room for one of our oldest friends in music and one of the best guitarists we know in Sean Gary (ex-Oceans of Slumber). Frank Alonzo rounds it out on keys and our brother Garret West has left his mark as well contributing the lyrics to some of these songs as a final parting gift. We are excited to bring this new version of Anova Skyway to the world.” – drummer Mike Marksberry

The refreshed ANOVA SKYWAY lineup is composed of vocalist Mike Palacios, Guitarists Andrew Alvarez and Sean Gary, Drummer Mike Marksberry, Bassist Cory Miles, and Frank Alonzo on Keys/synth.

“Mike has completely blown us away with where he’s taken the vocal performances and we can’t wait to bring this new version of Anova. We have a new vocalist, a new guitarist, and a new keyboardist. I wouldn’t say there is a huge departure from our previous style, but those new elements alone make for a brand new sound! We’re excited to bring it to the world.” – Anova Skyway

The track listing for Reset is unveiled below along with the stunning EP artwork designed by Giannis Nakos of Remedy Art. The first single will premiere soon, along with additional EP details including pre-order information. Anova Skyway teased a glimpse of what’s to come via social media. Visit the band’s Facebook page for a peek into the arrival of Reset.

Reset track list
1. Translucent
2. Absent
3. Spark
4. City Underground
5. Ashes to Ashes
6. Horizon

Horizon is the new single from the new EP Reset, due out July 15, 2022.
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County Line Community Band summer concert

The County Line Community Band will perform in the Buena Vista Theater on the UTSA downtown campus. Photo: google

On Sunday, June 26, 2022 at 3p.m., the County Line Community Band will perform their “Concert Favorites and Solos” in the beautiful Buena Vista Theater on the UTSA Downtown Campus from 3p.m. to 4p.m. This concert will feature world renowned Saxophonist, Dr. Andy Wen and Tyler Neufer, French Horn instrumentalist with the U.S. Air Force Band of the West. The band will also highlight music considered some of the favorites in band literature like, “Funiculi, Funicula,” “Bugler’s Holiday,” “Lassus Trombone,” and more. (County Line Community Band, 2022)

This concert is free and open to the public. Parking is free at the Cattleman’s Square parking lot across the street from the theater. Come out and support community music in San Antonio. Donations deeply appreciated.

The CLCB is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and our mission and endeavor is to create an environment whereby our all-volunteer organization can further their musical education and enjoyment through the performance of concert and symphonic music, to further the efficacy of music as an integral piece of the culture of the local community, to advocate for the synergistic integration of music education, to work with our cultural partners in our communities for the advancement of the arts and to be a source of pride for our members and the communities we serve.

We Banjo 3 shares ‘Hummingbird’ from upcoming album Open The Road

We Banjo 3 appeals to fans of bluegrass, Celtic, and Americana music. Open The Road will be out July 15, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Traditional Irish music and traditional American music share a lot of similarities in instrumentation, lyrical content, and community participation. Still, there are a surprisingly few number of acts who straddle that musical gap across the Atlantic—and even fewer who have made a decade-long, award-winning career out of it like Galway-based quartet We Banjo 3. Containing two sets of two brothers—Enda & Fergal Scahill, and David & Martin Howley—We Banjo 3 have built their legacy on seamlessly combining the virtuosity and precision in each genre’s traditional disciplines with the artful song-craft and infectious live performance of today’s musical landscape. Their upcoming album Open The Road—out July 15—meets on the corner of complex-but-nimble instrumentation and magnetic, well-crafted songs; a combination of which their fans have been enjoying from studio to stage since the band first landed on American shores ten years ago. (We Banjo 3, 2022)

We Banjo 3 shared the first track from Open The Road, the driving jig-turned-indie pop love song, “Hummingbird.” First conceptualized in March 2020 during the great lockdown, David Howley had ample free time. David and his Nashville roommate Scott Mulvahill, an accomplished musician in his own right, spent time in Scott’s home-studio to lay down some new songs. “We had a house full of instruments, microphones, coffee and whiskey, so we did what we could to stay sane,” Howley remembers. Having mentioned to Mulvahill that he had a tune he liked but that needed it still needed to be finished, Mulvahill replied while tearing open a new bag of coffee beans, “Well let’s finish it then!”

Fast-forward to almost two years later, We Banjo 3 finished tracking “Hummingbird” and it landed in the lead-off spot on Open The Road. In addition to the guest musicians who contributed to the initial session—Danny Young on drums and Josh Shilling on keys—The Infamous Stringdusters’ Andy Hall plays his dobro on the final track. Fans can hear “Hummingbird” right now at this link and pre-order or pre-save Open The Road ahead of its July 15 release right here.

We Banjo 3 shares a musical intimacy that emanates in the rolling banjos, soaring fiddle and mandolin runs, and bright and vibrant guitar strums that swirl around propulsive vocals and perfect harmonies. On their new album, Open The Road, it’s the band’s prolific tune-writing skills, and their inciting lyrics that are somehow ubiquitous and intimate all at once, that pull the listener in. Buoyed by musical virtuosity and well-crafted song structure, their complex instrumentation feels nimble and willowy, shaping a contended and canny listening experience. The album’s ten tracks offer up the infectious melodies and musical brilliance fans have come to expect from We Banjo 3, and introduces the band to an even wider swath of music fans at festivals across the U.S. and the world.

Open The Road track list:
Hummingbird
Garden Song
Long Way Down
Heart In Hand
Open The Road
Rialto
Gift Of Life
The First Second Gentleman
Alive With You
Believe In Us

Catch We Banjo 3 on tour:
June 17 – Dayton, OH – Levitt Pavilion
June 18 – Lakeside, OH – Lakeside Chautauqua: Hoover Auditorium
June 19 – Charleston, WV – Mountain Stage (Culture Center Theater)
June 23 – Memphis, TN – Overton Park Shell (formerly Levitt Shell)
June 24 – Owensboro, KY – ROMP 2022
July 16 – Oak Hill, NY – Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival 2022
July 19 – Rockport, MA – Shalin Liu Performance Center
July 20 – Natick, MA – Center For Arts In Natick
July 29 – Ventura, CA – Ventura Music Festival 2022
July 30 – Denver, CO – Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox
July 31 – Lyons, CO – RockyGrass Festival 2022
August 1 – Crested Butte, CO – Center for the Arts Crested Butte
August 3 – Portsmouth, OH – Vern Riffe Center for the Arts
August 5-7 – Dublin, OH – Dublin Irish Fest 2022
August 9-10 – Bethlehem, PA – MUSIKFEST
August 12 – St. Paul, MN – Irish Fair of Minnesota 2022
August 13 – La Crosse, WI – IrishFest La Crosse 2022
August 14 – St. Paul, MN – Irish Fair of Minnesota 2022
August 19 – 21 – Milwaukee, WI – Milwaukee Irish Fest
September 2-4 – Kansas City, MO – Kansas City Irish Festival 2022
October 21 – Frederick, MD – Weinberg Center For The Arts
October 22 – Manteo, NC – Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival

2023 (Rescheduled) Tour Dates:
January 27 – Sacramento, CA – The Sofia
January 29 – Berkeley, CA – Freight & Salvage
February 1 – Flagstaff, AZ – Orpheum Theater
February 2 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre
February 3 – Wickenburg, AZ – Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts
February 4 – Chandler, AZ – Chandler Center for the Arts

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