The day you've all been waiting for!
Go listen to/download the new song "The Belly of a Whale" off of The Ground Above Us by following the link:
The Belly of a Whale
I'm so excited to get this project started!!! This project is not
only new music for you, but represents a new chapter in my music
creation process. That sounds about as crystal clear as the person in
the photo up above, right? (although, I'm 95% sure that's me (: ) So let
me tell you about it in the same words I so eloquently wrote for the
website announcement:
So what is The Ground Above Us?
The Ground Above Us is going to be a collection of
songs that takes a close look at our self-narratives. Who do you tell
yourself that you are? Who do you tell others that you are? Who do other
people tell you that you are? The answers to those questions tend to
become so ingrained in us that we think of them as a permanent part of
our identity: "I am who I am." But in recent times these narratives have
been given an incredible amount of power(social media anyone?), and it
has changed everything in tremendous ways. I thought now would be a good
time to write some material that shines a spotlight on these stories
and to re-think how we use them to relate to our own self and others
around us. I call these stories The Ground Above Us.
The Ground Above Us also represents a new approach
to my music that I'm really excited about sharing with you. I'm going to
be releasing singles through monthly emails. These singles will have an
over-arching theme that will be announced every 6 months. At the end of
six months, I'll bundle the songs as an EP and also put them out to be
streamed on your favorite streaming service. It will be like a
serialized concept album or rock opera that takes a new turn every six
months. This is exciting because it will give us more time for
discussion around the art as it is being created and released. How cool
would it be if your input could influence the work of your favorite
music artist?!!!
(end of website announcement)
So cool, right?! This is going to be a work in progress as I figure
out this new method of music writing and story creation, but I love the
idea of making it ongoing and keeping things fresh and new and open
dialogue (for you and for me). So plenty more to come because I've been
hard at work - there's artwork coming up for the project, more photos to
be released, a performance video, behind the scenes, etc..A lot to be
excited about!
Also, I wanted to mention that the amazing string parts that you're
going to be hearing on the tracks of this project were played by Tammy
King who (along with many other credits) is the fiddle player for The
Steeldrivers. I was VERY lucky to have her play, and I absolutely love
how the tracks turned out.
And other news,
I have some shows coming up in South Carolina, Virginia, West
Virginia, Kentucky, Alabama, and Georgia, and we are already looking at
more areas, so check out my calendar here
if those areas are close by! Or just go check out the snazzy new web
page layout with some new photos taken by the amazing Stephen Byrum who
runs Young Blood Films on My Home Page
I know this is a huge post, so I'll end here. I just didn't know how
to tell you everything that's going on without brimming over (with
joy/excitement!)
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
Songs and Stories from Nashville
Hey Everybody!
I hope you've been having a great summer. It's definitely my favorite time of year. I grew up in southern TX around Houston and developed a taste for sweltering heat. So I kinda love this stuff.
Also, I just recently got back from a quick trip over to the mid-South and had a blast. For those reading this who made it out to those shows, I just want to say that I really enjoyed getting to meet everybody. Also, thanks for coming out - the concerts definitely blew away my expectations (in Lawton ya'll packed the room plus some!), and that's solely based on your kindness.
On to the news:
For the Nashville area:
I get asked a lot by my friends in the Nashville area if I play in town (where they wouldn't have to travel crazy distances to see a set). I've been putting a lot of my efforts into playing in neighboring areas and haven't had a lot of options for you. But good news! I'm now one of the regular performers at Cafe Lula (in the Ryman). The August schedule should be posting in the next couple of days, so I should have some local gig times posted soon. Stay tune-d.
For the East Coast:
We've got a really cool project going on where me and 3 other songwriters have put a show together called Songs and Stories from Nashville. This is a project my buddy Dave Minninburg organized, and it's something I'm excited to be a part along with Dave, writer Eric Haines, and Marc-Alan Barnette. We'll be playing our songs in the Nashville Writer's Round style. This is going to be our first few shows, but we were excited by the interest it has generated so far and plan on keeping the project going. Here's a quick video to give you a little more info:
Here's our current dates coming up:
- 7/22 Sat. 1-4pm @the Salamander Resort & Spa (Middleburg, VA)
- 7/27 Thu. 7-9pm @the Bright Box Theater (Winchester, VA)
- 7/29 Sat. 4-6pm @the Villain & Saint (Bethesda, MD)
This is our first run out of what we hope to be many. So let me know if you would like us to head to your area! And if you're close by to these venues, we'd love to see you. I can say of the other 3 writers that they are top notch. It's going to see a great show!
For Fun:
I love playing music - but my favorite part of the gigging and the traveling is meeting new and really cool people (if it was just music, I could do that in my studio :) ). In Dallas about a week and a half ago, I got to talk to Edward after my set and he was telling me about his own love of words (I mean, check out his blog title :) ) and how he likes to rewrite lyrics to popular songs. He shared one with me on his blog called "Getting Old" (written to the tune of "Letting Go"). I thought it was fun and that I'd share just to help spread the word that there are amazing, creative, and cool people creating art all the time around us. It's one of things that keeps me optimistic about life. Thanks for sharing Edward! Check out the link:
I have exciting stuff brewing that I hope to be able to share soon. Until next time!
John
John
Monday, November 14, 2016
Sunnymeade Live Recordings
I had a cool opportunity come up to play out a house concert series called Sunnymeade Live. The audience there was spectacular that night...and I even had a bit of heckling there that night (all in good fun! :P ) that just made it one of the more fun times that I've had playing songs for an audience. The other cool thing about the show was that one of the host is a working audio engineer in the Nashville area, and he made a live recording of the live set. So I wanted to share that with you! Here's a link to a file with the mp3's:
I just want to thank Ed and Melissa for letting me come out to play, and for the people who came to support. This is a monthly concert so check their facebook page for future shows of other great artist. I'll list that link below along with a link to Ed Brussa's info for those of you looking for a talented music producer/sound engineer for your own projects!
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Check out this good news! I'm headed to TX to compete in the final round of the Songwriters Serenade national songwriter competition on May 7. Here's the press release!
------------------------------
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 5, 2016
Songwriter Serenade competition
11 a.m. Saturday, May 7, 2016
Parish Hall, 11135 FM 957, Moravia, Texas
Tickets: $10
SONGWRITER SERENADE
SELECTS SEMI-FINALISTS FOR 10th ANNIVERSARY CONTEST
15 outstanding performing songwriters showcase their original music
Austin, Texas — 15 Semi-Finalists have been chosen for the Songwriter Serenade competition, now in its tenth year. The event will be held on Saturday, May 7 in Moravia, Texas. The semi-finalists, including top songwriters from Texas, California, Colorado, Florida, Washington and Tennessee were selected from more than 110 entrants in the competition. Acclaimed Texas singer-songwriters Susan Gibson, Walt Wilkins and Kevin Welch will be judging the competition.
The competition starts at 11 a.m. with the winner and order of finish determined by 4 p.m. Tickets for the event are $10 and are available for purchase online at www.songwriterserenade.com
The crossroads town of Moravia is centrally located just off Interstate 10 between Houston and San Antonio and is also just a short drive from Austin. The competition will be held in a classic wooden dance hall surrounded by live oaks and picnic facilities.
The 15 accomplished performing songwriters will compete for $5,000 in prize money. In addition to prize money, the first place winner will be provided accommodations and transportation to the Folk Alliance International Conference, held in Kansas City February 2017. The first place winner will also be provided a showcase through Real Life Real Music (www.RealLifeRealMusic.com) at the Dosey Doe (www.DoseyDoe.com).
Also, on the evening of the contest (May 7) the winner of the 2016 contest will perform as an opening act for the three Judges, Susan Gibson, Walt Wilkins & Kevin Welch at the Bugle Boy Venue in La Grange. For more information and to purchase advance tickets: www.TheBugleBoy.org
The 2016 semi-finalists are (in alphabetical order):
Bostick, Ben – Los Angeles, CA /http://www.benbostick.com
Carroll, John – Nashville, TN / http://johnplaysmusic.com
Delaney, Andrew – Dallas, TX / http://andrewdelaneymusic.com
Gassaway, Chase – Austin, TX / http://www.chasegassaway.com
Hariu-Damore, Crystal – Houston, TX / http://www.ordinaryelephant.
Holder, Ali - Austin, TX / http://www.aliholder.com
Laven, Rachel – San Antonio, TX / http://www.rachel-laven.com
Louise, Gabrielle – Golden, CO / http://www.gabriellelouise.
Makins, Daniel – Sewanee, TN / http://danielmakins.com
O’Connor, Daisy – Austin, TX / http://www.daisydobedo.com
Rowden, Mandy – Austin, TX / http://www.mandyrowden.com
Starr, David – Cedaredge, CO / http://www.davidstarrmusic.
Wallace, Alice – Fullerton, CA / http://www.
Weber, Dan – Vancouver, WA / http://www.danwebermusic.com
Wood, Stephen Grant – Tampa, FL / http://www.thehummingbirds.
Accomplished singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer Ken Gaines, of Houston, will emcee the event.
Established in 2007, the Songwriter Serenade competition gives performing songwriters a platform to showcase their skills. Sharing a deep passion for original music, co-chairs musicians Mike Stroup and Brian Kalinec, philanthropist Tom McDaniel and Lane Gosnay of the Bugle Boy in La Grange, founded the Songwriter Serenade to create a valuable career stepping-stone for songwriters and a memorable listening experience for the audience.
Past Winners:
Gina Chavez - 2015
Allie Farris - 2014
Frank Gilligan - 2013
Phoebe Hunt – 2012
Jean Synodinos – 2011
Jessica Graves – 2010
Bill Pasalacqua – 2009
Abi Tapia – 2008
Brian Kalinec – 2007
For more information about this event and a short video with highlights of prior competitions, please visit www.songwriterserenade.
The Songwriter Serenade is part of the Moravia Fest (facebook.com/
Media Contact: Heidi Labensart, 512.698.2621; heidi@
Monday, December 14, 2015
"Heart to Heart" Music Video on VIDEO NATION
I wanted to share with you some cool news that's come my way this holiday season. Before the band I worked with Man & the Mountain had decided to do other things, we recorded a music video of "Heart to Heart". The guys graciously agreed to let me use the video if opportunity arose. And I'm excited to say that opportunity arose!
An organization called Video Invasion is creating a show dedicated to music videos from Indie musicians, and the "Heart to Heart" video was picked to be a part of it! Video Nation has partnered with hotel companies such as Wyndham, Sheraton, Hilton, Ritz-Carlton, and others to broadcast the show to over 600,000 motel rooms across the US. They're also working with online services such as SmartMed Plus to show streaming videos while people wait to see the doctor. The shows will be available to most smart tv's including Chromecast, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV. So, you can see that it's a great opportunity.
I have to say a really huge thank you to Jeff Swafford who took on this project as director/producer and made all of this possible. I also wanted to give a shout out to the guys from Man & the Mountain. This video is a reminder to me of how much fun we had playing together.
And now if you're wanting to see the video, there's more good news.
Monday, September 7, 2015
Hard at Work
Quick update:
These past couple of weeks have been exciting ones. Music in general is great, but some moments that are more gratifying than others. I've been experiencing one of those peaks these past couple of weeks watching these songs that I've written come alive with the arrangement and polished sound design that Dean and I have been laying down. It's kind of like finally seeing a idea that you've scratched out on a napkin turn into a full fledged painting. You think..."that's what I really was creating!" So we've been hard at work in the studio making it happen. We've only got one more session for mastering, and then the songs are ready to go! It's hard to believe the moment has finally arrived.
Also, with every project comes artwork. I'm excited to say that I'm working with Jacob Hansel again for the album artwork. He was the artist who created the Man & the Mountain artwork for the Songbird EP, and we loved it. This album is different, but the artwork is shaping up to be equally as awesome. I'm very excited about this whole project from cover to cover....literally. :) Here's a preview using a scratch idea that was later fleshed out for what will be the some of the album art. Keep in mind this is a scratch pencil idea...I can't show you everything and ruin the surprise!
So very soon, you'll see the finished version of everything up and ready for you to experience. I'm counting down the days!
Sunday, August 16, 2015
EP COMING!!!
Big News!!! I'm so excited to tell you that my solo EP is happening! I've worked hard writing material, getting the right producer, and everything else that goes into making an EP. And now it's ready to track. This is a huge step for this process, and it means that this is going to be ready to roll out very soon.
I'm working with producer and songwriter Dean Payla, Jr. for the tracking, recording, and mastering of this project. He's a great songwriter as well as producer, and I really believe he's going to help complete the vision I have for these songs. Here's a video of Dean doing a cover if you're curious about this guy:
Also, I encourage you to go check out his web page
http://deanpalyajr.com
If you're not following me on FB and/or Twitter, I encourage you to do so to get more updates on day to day activities of this process.
Again, I am super excited that the ball is really rolling. I can't wait to share it with you.
I'm working with producer and songwriter Dean Payla, Jr. for the tracking, recording, and mastering of this project. He's a great songwriter as well as producer, and I really believe he's going to help complete the vision I have for these songs. Here's a video of Dean doing a cover if you're curious about this guy:
Also, I encourage you to go check out his web page
http://deanpalyajr.com
If you're not following me on FB and/or Twitter, I encourage you to do so to get more updates on day to day activities of this process.
Again, I am super excited that the ball is really rolling. I can't wait to share it with you.
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Two Step Texas Girl
I wanted to drop in and update with this recent bit of cool news. I co-wrote this song "Two Step Texas Girl" a couple of months ago with songwriter friend Bob Pennington. We had it demo-ed and I mixed up the tracks here at the home studio. I've been meaning to post this song to the blog anyways for ya'll to check out for some time now, but I received a call about a week ago that it was picked up for rotation by Hamilton Radio which, of course, is amazing news. Big thanks to Paul Mac for spinning the song!
Well, I was really excited to let you all know. Stay tuned for some new really exciting news shortly! Now without further ado - here's "Two Step Texas Girl".
Well, I was really excited to let you all know. Stay tuned for some new really exciting news shortly! Now without further ado - here's "Two Step Texas Girl".
Friday, July 3, 2015
Last Band Release of "Man and the Mountain"
Sad news. The band I fronted, Man and the Mountain, has broken up. It was a smooth band break up as far as band break ups go. We were just moving in different directions and thought that we would end it before things became difficult. Which means we're all still friends...so you may yet hear them on future recordings! That being said, it is sad to no longer be meeting with that great group of guys. It was really awesome to be able to say that I really liked and am friends with every member that was in the band. I've been told that doesn't happen often. We wanted to leave everybody on a high note with one of our favorite songs to play out...and we always opened with this song. This was actually a co-write with a former-former member of the group Eric Landshaft. He'll be releasing an EP soon himself so watch my FB page because I'll be spreading the word when its ready. The song is called "One Day Dreamer":
This does not mean you won't be hearing more for me, however. I've been writing new material for a solo EP and have been talking to producer's around Nashville to get this project out. So there will be new material as soon as I can get it to you!
So there's the happy news with the sad. We really hope you enjoy the band's farewell track. I know I'll remember the time with the band as a really awesome and formative time of my life.
This does not mean you won't be hearing more for me, however. I've been writing new material for a solo EP and have been talking to producer's around Nashville to get this project out. So there will be new material as soon as I can get it to you!
So there's the happy news with the sad. We really hope you enjoy the band's farewell track. I know I'll remember the time with the band as a really awesome and formative time of my life.
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Wildflower Festival and Spice Radio Interview
Hey there -
These past couple of weeks have been really eventful ones for me. I know you've seen some of it if you've kept up on facebook, but here's a recap:
Wildflower Festival was awesome! I got to participate as finalist in their songwriting competition. There were around 600 song submissions from around the country, and I made it into the top ten. This got me a spot in the songwriting competition onstage and also an hour set at the Wildflower Festival. So we packed up and headed to Richardson, TX (a close suburb of Dallas). I lined up a coffee shop gig for that Friday night, and spent all day Saturday doing music stuff. Here's some pics. The first was the awesome auditorium for the competition and the second is the stage out at the festival:
My family lives pretty close to that area, so a cool thing that happened was that my Dad was
able to come out and back me for my set. He's a drummer who played in a lot of bands during his college years (country, 70's rock, etc...) and had even organized the praise team that I played in during my youth group years. So it was really cool that he could come out and play some cajon with me. You can see him in the pic there.
It was awesome getting to play, but getting to meet the songwriter's there was just as great an experience. There was some serious talent there from all around the country. At the end of the festival, we were all invited out for the after party. It turned into a song round. There was a lot of inspiration happening in that room. It was one of those moments where you can sit back and appreciate something you've worked hard to be a part of.
I would be remiss, if I didn't throw in a quick mention of my favorite act of the weekend. Kansas has always been a favorite band of mine (ever since I stole the Kansas cd we got for my Dad on Father's Day...I stole it that day upon hearing it). Since then I've tried to see them in concert, but it never panned out. A ride would cancel, or it would rain. So finally I got to see Kansas that Saturday night. It was amazing. I could sing along with every song. :)
Oh, also, I did get an interview right up where I was able to talk about my thoughts on songwriting and my personal approach to my art. It's not often that I get such a forum, so if you're interested, here's a link to it: Every Word Counts. I have to give a big thanks to Erica Mueller for the interview and the write-up!
Shortly after getting back, I went down to Huntsville, AL for an interview with music blog Spice Radio. I met with Ben there and recorded a few songs and did an interview about the songs and what I'm up to these days musically. I had a blast with them and hope to be back there soon to talk about the EP that I'm working on (when it releases! :) ). Here's the link for that interview: John Carroll @Spice Radio.
I know, that's so much information! And there's even more I can tell you about, but write too much in a blog posts and it becomes too hard to fit into peoples busy schedules. So check back here in about a week or so, and I'll post more. Talk to you soon!
These past couple of weeks have been really eventful ones for me. I know you've seen some of it if you've kept up on facebook, but here's a recap:
Wildflower Festival was awesome! I got to participate as finalist in their songwriting competition. There were around 600 song submissions from around the country, and I made it into the top ten. This got me a spot in the songwriting competition onstage and also an hour set at the Wildflower Festival. So we packed up and headed to Richardson, TX (a close suburb of Dallas). I lined up a coffee shop gig for that Friday night, and spent all day Saturday doing music stuff. Here's some pics. The first was the awesome auditorium for the competition and the second is the stage out at the festival:
My family lives pretty close to that area, so a cool thing that happened was that my Dad was
able to come out and back me for my set. He's a drummer who played in a lot of bands during his college years (country, 70's rock, etc...) and had even organized the praise team that I played in during my youth group years. So it was really cool that he could come out and play some cajon with me. You can see him in the pic there.
 |
| Kansas |
It was awesome getting to play, but getting to meet the songwriter's there was just as great an experience. There was some serious talent there from all around the country. At the end of the festival, we were all invited out for the after party. It turned into a song round. There was a lot of inspiration happening in that room. It was one of those moments where you can sit back and appreciate something you've worked hard to be a part of.
I would be remiss, if I didn't throw in a quick mention of my favorite act of the weekend. Kansas has always been a favorite band of mine (ever since I stole the Kansas cd we got for my Dad on Father's Day...I stole it that day upon hearing it). Since then I've tried to see them in concert, but it never panned out. A ride would cancel, or it would rain. So finally I got to see Kansas that Saturday night. It was amazing. I could sing along with every song. :)
 |
| After Party |
Oh, also, I did get an interview right up where I was able to talk about my thoughts on songwriting and my personal approach to my art. It's not often that I get such a forum, so if you're interested, here's a link to it: Every Word Counts. I have to give a big thanks to Erica Mueller for the interview and the write-up!
Shortly after getting back, I went down to Huntsville, AL for an interview with music blog Spice Radio. I met with Ben there and recorded a few songs and did an interview about the songs and what I'm up to these days musically. I had a blast with them and hope to be back there soon to talk about the EP that I'm working on (when it releases! :) ). Here's the link for that interview: John Carroll @Spice Radio.
I know, that's so much information! And there's even more I can tell you about, but write too much in a blog posts and it becomes too hard to fit into peoples busy schedules. So check back here in about a week or so, and I'll post more. Talk to you soon!
Friday, April 24, 2015
Heart to Heart Video Shoot!
Really exciting news!...we've been working with a video producer to put together a music video for "Heart to Heart"! We were contacted by Jeff Swafford about creating a video centered around this song's story line a couple of months ago and have been working with him to put things together. A little over a week ago, we got together and filmed everything. It was a blast to record and a really incredible learning experience. We brought in some actors to play the two main characters of the story. I took some pics while I was there, and I wanted to share them with you. Ha, I'm not in any of them because I was the one with the camera. You'll just have to wait until the video release to see me. :)
The video is currently in post production now. Stay tuned for more updates!!!
The video is currently in post production now. Stay tuned for more updates!!!
Monday, January 19, 2015
My Evangeline
Yes! More music! and so soon! It's a folksy tune this time around. The band liked it, so I'm sure you will hear a Man & the Mountain version of it at some point in the near future. There might even be a washboard involved if you cross your fingers and wish very hard for it (I know I am!). For you right now, though, I'm going to give you a stripped down version. Just a guy and his guitar.
The idea came from a Longfellow poem. I was going through trying to get some ideas ("A Boy's Will" and such) and came across this tale. Originally its more from the girl's perspective. It tells the story of two people who were destined to be together, except upon their engagement they were forced from their land. The guy sends Evangeline first on a ship (ends up being a pretty big mistake). They spend a lot of time waiting and looking for each other. I won't ruin the ending. Go read it! I do like me some Longfellow. The song switches plot points around a bit, but the names of the innocent were not changed for their protection:
We're talking to some sound engineers now about getting a studio recording of this which we can release soon. I thought I'd let you hear it first. A "behind the scenes" look, if you will.
The idea came from a Longfellow poem. I was going through trying to get some ideas ("A Boy's Will" and such) and came across this tale. Originally its more from the girl's perspective. It tells the story of two people who were destined to be together, except upon their engagement they were forced from their land. The guy sends Evangeline first on a ship (ends up being a pretty big mistake). They spend a lot of time waiting and looking for each other. I won't ruin the ending. Go read it! I do like me some Longfellow. The song switches plot points around a bit, but the names of the innocent were not changed for their protection:
We're talking to some sound engineers now about getting a studio recording of this which we can release soon. I thought I'd let you hear it first. A "behind the scenes" look, if you will.
Monday, January 5, 2015
Check out M&tM EP!
Happy New Year's!
I hope you're having a great one. So far so good for me - though I did just spend the morning writing a song about the sun and how it brings to life and then burns up everything it touches. It's really dark (figuratively). But it's just a morning mood thing, it's really rainy and wintry outside right now. Maybe I was just sun sick.
Anyways, this year is looking like it's going to be a big one for me. I'm going to be able to step up my music game in a big way, and I'm very excited to share it with you! We have a few recordings that my band M&tM is getting ready to release very soon. I'll post links here along with my social media accounts so be watching for it.
Now, however, is a time to catch you up on stuff I've already released. My band Man & the Mountain recently released our EP entitled "Songbird". It's available for download now if you haven't been able to get a hold of it yet. If you like my music - then you will definitely want to check it out. Click on the cover and it will take you there.
I hope you're having a great one. So far so good for me - though I did just spend the morning writing a song about the sun and how it brings to life and then burns up everything it touches. It's really dark (figuratively). But it's just a morning mood thing, it's really rainy and wintry outside right now. Maybe I was just sun sick.
Anyways, this year is looking like it's going to be a big one for me. I'm going to be able to step up my music game in a big way, and I'm very excited to share it with you! We have a few recordings that my band M&tM is getting ready to release very soon. I'll post links here along with my social media accounts so be watching for it.
Now, however, is a time to catch you up on stuff I've already released. My band Man & the Mountain recently released our EP entitled "Songbird". It's available for download now if you haven't been able to get a hold of it yet. If you like my music - then you will definitely want to check it out. Click on the cover and it will take you there.
Monday, July 14, 2014
VBS and More!
Fun news! It came time again this year to sit down and get a song out for Cornerstone Mesquite Baptist Church in TX. Every year for the past 3 or 4, I've co-written the VBS theme song with Michelle Lenk. This year was pirate themed, which was great fun to write and produce. Michelle wrote the lyrics and emailed them over for me to write and record some music. I immediately thought of a guy I knew here who plays accordion:
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| Gage Gleim |
(Gage Gleim). Had a blast bringing him in on it - it was my first go at recording accordion. Also, for a fun note, you can hear everybody who worked on the project in the gang vocals (ahoy matey) with Darren (drums), Gage, and my wife Kat! They just finished up with VBS there with a successful week. Here's the finished product. Keep in mind this is different from my usual stuff - It's for a children's sing along. Expect some silliness:
Monday, March 3, 2014
The Latest and Greatest
Hey everybody!
I wanted to drop in for a quick update about my music life here in Nashville. Things are great! I've been playing out around town - some solo, some with the band. There are so many cool, different people that you get to meet at these writer's nights. I hope to share that on this blog pretty soon. If you're listening to my music, there's a lot of other writer's out there who haven't made mainstream yet that are still super talented individuals - and I hope to share that with you soon. That's in your future.
But...the band has been recording. We working hard on getting an EP together to get our sound set, and something to be able to put in people's hands. I've put on my sound-engineer's hat, and I've been having a lot of fun with that. There are so many more possibilities in song-writing if you are not only putting the time in on the lyrics and music but also on the production. I'm really excited to be sharing that very soon. We've already sent one track off to be mastered and should have it back within the week. Two more are already in the process of being tracked. We've been busy!
This is Waldon Rowe at our recent gig at Ugly Mugs:
I wanted to drop in for a quick update about my music life here in Nashville. Things are great! I've been playing out around town - some solo, some with the band. There are so many cool, different people that you get to meet at these writer's nights. I hope to share that on this blog pretty soon. If you're listening to my music, there's a lot of other writer's out there who haven't made mainstream yet that are still super talented individuals - and I hope to share that with you soon. That's in your future.
But...the band has been recording. We working hard on getting an EP together to get our sound set, and something to be able to put in people's hands. I've put on my sound-engineer's hat, and I've been having a lot of fun with that. There are so many more possibilities in song-writing if you are not only putting the time in on the lyrics and music but also on the production. I'm really excited to be sharing that very soon. We've already sent one track off to be mastered and should have it back within the week. Two more are already in the process of being tracked. We've been busy!
This is Waldon Rowe at our recent gig at Ugly Mugs:
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Song Corner: Zeno's Fountain
Happy New Year's!
I know everybody says that this time of year, but I really mean it this time. It's a rare New Year's this year in that I'm really excited about the upcoming year. It's not that I'm usually depressed, but most of the time around this season I'm reflecting on the previous year wondering where things got off track and how I'm going to make things better. This year I'm just excited about plans that are happening and the potential for the upcoming months. So just believe me as I say "Happy New Year" to you all, because this time I really mean it. :)
Here's a song I wrote that I recorded with Nashville artist Eric Landshaft (check him out!). He's a great vocalist and harmony genius. He also gets cred for the ukulele playing on this track (I have to look that word up every time I write it out). So give his name a click and take a listen. He has some other tracks that he should be releasing in the near future for which I can vouch for their greatness, so give him another friend request on facebook and wait expectantly.
This song he recorded with me is one I wrote and produced as an personal experiment - like a mad scientist in the lab. It's fairly abstract in content, and we made strong use of vocal harmonies (thanks Eric!). It's somewhat based on Zeno's paradox (hence the terrible song title) and the idea that the main character feels that their not able to move on or develop their life. Maybe something similar to what I might have written on a lesser New Year's.
Without further ado:
I know everybody says that this time of year, but I really mean it this time. It's a rare New Year's this year in that I'm really excited about the upcoming year. It's not that I'm usually depressed, but most of the time around this season I'm reflecting on the previous year wondering where things got off track and how I'm going to make things better. This year I'm just excited about plans that are happening and the potential for the upcoming months. So just believe me as I say "Happy New Year" to you all, because this time I really mean it. :)
Here's a song I wrote that I recorded with Nashville artist Eric Landshaft (check him out!). He's a great vocalist and harmony genius. He also gets cred for the ukulele playing on this track (I have to look that word up every time I write it out). So give his name a click and take a listen. He has some other tracks that he should be releasing in the near future for which I can vouch for their greatness, so give him another friend request on facebook and wait expectantly.
This song he recorded with me is one I wrote and produced as an personal experiment - like a mad scientist in the lab. It's fairly abstract in content, and we made strong use of vocal harmonies (thanks Eric!). It's somewhat based on Zeno's paradox (hence the terrible song title) and the idea that the main character feels that their not able to move on or develop their life. Maybe something similar to what I might have written on a lesser New Year's.
Without further ado:
Monday, November 18, 2013
Square Dancing is Cool
Earlier this year, I worked with square dance producer Scott Bennett to produce a square dance track to the Lou Rawls song "Miss My Lovin' ". It was a fantastic learning experience where I got to dip my toes in a completely different music scene. I also had a great time trying to recreate the sound of 70's soul.
Scott and I were both very excited that the song was picked up and performed around by square dancing giant Tony Oxendine. I've been told that this song has now been played in locations all of the world. This is always fantastic news for any musician.
Here's a video of him performing it in South Carolina. It was cool for me to see because even though I can arrange and play the instruments, it doesn't mean that I know how the dance is going to look out when its actually being called. I thought you might like to see as well. :)
Scott and I were both very excited that the song was picked up and performed around by square dancing giant Tony Oxendine. I've been told that this song has now been played in locations all of the world. This is always fantastic news for any musician.
Here's a video of him performing it in South Carolina. It was cool for me to see because even though I can arrange and play the instruments, it doesn't mean that I know how the dance is going to look out when its actually being called. I thought you might like to see as well. :)
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Song corner: "Oh Little Bird"
So I'm a part of a band called Waldon Rowe, and we've been fitting ourselves somewhere in the new folk/indie movement. This has been a pretty cool shift in writing focus for me. Stylistically new folk has a lot of focus on creative transitions, different sounds, and lyrics that can say just about anything. Creatively its very satisfying. You can write about anything you want mostly how you want with only a few minor genre constraints.
Here's a first song that I really feel I have that fits in that slot. It's called "Oh Little Bird".
The inspiration for this song comes from the love story in "For whom the Bell Tolls". The two always talked about the great future they had in front of them - the time after the war. My favorite example being of how she would talk about how beautiful she would be after her hair had grown back out (it had been cut after she had been captured). All this emphasis on the future, despite both seeming to feel that both of them were not going to make it out alive. Yet any spare moment, they still found themselves back there dreaming together. Was it a waste of time? It's this question that I'm exploring.
I hope you like it! We're planning getting together a full band version of this in the near future, so I just recorded an acoustic guitar/vocal track. Until next time!
Here's a first song that I really feel I have that fits in that slot. It's called "Oh Little Bird".
The inspiration for this song comes from the love story in "For whom the Bell Tolls". The two always talked about the great future they had in front of them - the time after the war. My favorite example being of how she would talk about how beautiful she would be after her hair had grown back out (it had been cut after she had been captured). All this emphasis on the future, despite both seeming to feel that both of them were not going to make it out alive. Yet any spare moment, they still found themselves back there dreaming together. Was it a waste of time? It's this question that I'm exploring.
I hope you like it! We're planning getting together a full band version of this in the near future, so I just recorded an acoustic guitar/vocal track. Until next time!
Monday, October 21, 2013
New Website!
Welcome to the new website! This one will be a lot easier to maintain (I always see bloggers say that, it's fun to say it for my first time). This means more time to make content for you. It's been a busy time, but fantastic musically. So much stuff has happened - I'm having trouble trying to figure out where to start.
I've been hitting the open mic scene these past few weeks and have been really encouraged by the response. I've met some really great writer's and am already working on getting together to start making some music. I'll be keeping you updated.
Our band, Waldon Rowe, just recorded a couple more songs in studio. One of them is definitely one of the most upbeat I've written. It's always tremendous to see your stuff take life in a studio with great musicians - almost like it wasn't alive until that moment. It's called "When a Beautiful Girl" and will be posted free for download for all of you. The only thing that we ask is that you get your friend to download it for free, too. We just want people to hear it! Also, we'll be playing at The Rutledge coming up in a couple of weeks....quickly followed by another set at The Basement. Both of these places are awesome, and I'm really excited just to get to set foot on stage there.
Well that's a broad, quick round up of what's going on. You'll be seeing more in the days to come!
I've been hitting the open mic scene these past few weeks and have been really encouraged by the response. I've met some really great writer's and am already working on getting together to start making some music. I'll be keeping you updated.
Our band, Waldon Rowe, just recorded a couple more songs in studio. One of them is definitely one of the most upbeat I've written. It's always tremendous to see your stuff take life in a studio with great musicians - almost like it wasn't alive until that moment. It's called "When a Beautiful Girl" and will be posted free for download for all of you. The only thing that we ask is that you get your friend to download it for free, too. We just want people to hear it! Also, we'll be playing at The Rutledge coming up in a couple of weeks....quickly followed by another set at The Basement. Both of these places are awesome, and I'm really excited just to get to set foot on stage there.
Well that's a broad, quick round up of what's going on. You'll be seeing more in the days to come!
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