Chuck Loeb is more than just a guitarist, he’s the consummate musician. In a career that spans four decades, he’s proven himself to be a versatile composer, arranger and producer in a wide range of musical styles. In 2010, Loeb joined the smooth jazz super-group, Fourplay where he joined other musical giants Nathan East (bass), Bob James (keyboards) and Harvey Mason (drums). Fourplay’s latest release, ‘Esprit De Four’ continues the trend of beautiful arrangements and tasty guitar licks that has made the smooth jazz super group world renowned.
I spoke with Loeb about the new album and his creative process as well as what he thinks makes smooth jazz so appealing. He also gives advice on the best way to approach the instrument when it comes to improvisation.
You can read the rest of my Guitar World interview with Chuck Loeb by Clicking Here!
Since moving to Nashville in the 1990’s, producer and Emmy Award winning songwriter Trey Bruce has written multiple hit singles (five of them #1) and has collected more than a dozen ASCAP awards. He’s also written songs with a variety of artists that include bassist Duff McKagan and guitarist Billy Gibbons.
Now, Bruce is stepping out of his “comfort zone” and becoming the artist himself; teaming up with singer/songwriter Loni Rose to form King’s Bullet. The duo’s self-titled debut EP is filled with nothing short of straight from the heart songwriting.
I had the chance to speak with Bruce and discuss the new album, his songwriting prowess as well as his affection for vintage guitars and gear.
Read the rest of my Guitar World interview with Trey Bruce by Clicking Here
Every once in a while an album comes along that reminds you of what true rock and roll is really all about. For me, that album is Adler’s ‘Back From The Dead’. I’m also willing to go out on a limb and say that drummer and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Steven Adler’s new album is the best hard rock album of 2012 and maybe even longer. Yes, it’s THAT good!
Adler’s past may be riddled with personal and emotional demons from his days with Guns N’ Roses and the various incantations of Adler’s Appetite, but this new chapter in his musical book of spells thankfully leaves all of that behind. Along with the top musicianship of Jacob Bunton (vocals/guitars), Lonny Paul (guitars) and Johnny Martin (bass), Steven’s drumming has never sounded better.
Producer Jeff Pilson (T&N/Foreigner/Dokken), also deserves credit for crafting one of the finest rock records in years. One that real rock fans (like me) have been craving for a long, long time. From the acoustic opening of the title track to ‘the anthem message of ‘Dead Wrong’, there is not one weak track on ‘Back From The Dead’. Even Rob Zombie guitarist John 5 contributes a face melting solo on the song ‘Good To Be Bad’. It doesn’t get much more rock than that.
For me though, the strongest track is “Just Don’t Ask”. With an amazing classical guitar intro by Bunton and a guest solo by Adler’s fellow GnR band mate Slash, the song should easily become a hit on mainstream rock radio.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Steven Adler and get his thoughts on the new band as well as his Hall of Fame Induction. For Steven Adler, the best is yet to come!
goJimmygo (gJg): What started this new project?
Steven Adler (SA): I was doing Adler’s Appetite playing the GnR songs and I just felt that it was time to be relevant again. All of my friends are out there playing music and touring and I want to be a part of that. I had so many different trials and tribulations with the drugs and with the people and family. For this project, I decided to just let everybody go and start fresh.
I did a lot of work on myself; my heart and my brain. It took a lot of healing. I had so much help from my guitar player, Lonny Paul. He got me back into shape; picking me up every morning and going to work out at the gym in his house. He really pushed me. Lonny also did much of the leg work for this project. I’m just glad that whatever I did was the right thing to bring these people into my life. I feel so blessed.
gJg: What was it like writing and recording the album?
SA: It was so fun and exciting to make it. I don’t think a band has ever high-fived each other as many times as we did. It was magic! We did it more now with this album than I did with the GnR guys doing Appetite.
gJg: Your drumming has never sounded better.
SA: I actually took drum lessons again for a year before starting to work on this project. I want to be the best I can be in what I do. It’s not just a job for me. It’s my career and it’s my life. It’s who I am. I can’t help it. I enjoy me. I look in the mirror and see a few scars, but I like myself.
gJg: This album is one of the strongest rock albums in years. From start to finish, every song is memorable.
SA: When I was growing up, you would put on a KISS record or a UFO or Aersosmith record and listen to it from the first song through the last song. It’s been so long since a band has put out a record like that.
gJg: You can hear a lot of influences on the album: Dokken, GnR, Journey, Aerosmith, Def Leppard.
SA: That’s exactly what we all wanted. Every song has influences from all of those bands we loved.
What was it like working with Slash again?
SA: It was wonderful. Just to have him be proud enough and believe in me enough again after all of the things that have happened. I have to prove myself every second of every day and it got to where I’ve proved myself enough for Slash to be happy and want to be a part of this record. It feels great that we have such a history together. I really care about what he thinks and feels about me.
gJg: Do you plan to take tour?
SA: Absolutely. It’s all about touring. Some people are built for just recording and some are built for touring and meeting people. We’re those guys; we’re built for playing live.
Adler (l to r): Lonny Paul, Steven Adler, Jacob Bunton, Johnny Martin
gJg: Do you have a funny story about your Appetite For Destruction days?
SA: We were touring with The Cult and it was our last show in New Orleans. Usually, what happens is the headlining band will do something to the opening band (assuming they like them). With us, they had the road crew come out and take my drum set apart piece by piece, so I was just sitting there with the snare drum.
So after that (which was something they weren’t expecting), we all put towels around our waists and our heads and I filled this cup with mayonnaise, mustard, raw eggs and relish. I went skipping out on the stage and smashed the cup on top of Ian Astbury’s head. He started chasing me around the stage and ripped my towel off and I was naked underneath. I tell you what, after being naked in front of 10,000 people, it takes a hell of a lot to embarrass me now. [laughs]
gJg: How was your experience being inducted into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?
SA: It was the experience of my life and the best way to end that chapter of my life. It would have been cool if the whole band was there but that’s when I realized that it will never happen. There was always a part of me in my heart and soul that had a little belief, but after that, it would never happen. Let me tell you though, it was relief! It was a pain in the ass just wondering and worrying. I’m just glad that I got to work with those guys and that I was a part of the GnR legacy.
gJg: So ‘Back From The Dead’ is a fresh start?
SA: Every musician, their goal in life is to play music that people love and I’ve accomplished my goal. I was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and left that chapter of my life and those people in the past. Good and bad, I’ve loved and am thankful for that chapter. I’m thankful that I SURVIVED that chapter and am able to have a second chapter. I want to start fresh and become relevant again.
Today we do a little something different on goJimmygo. Jim and I, Kat from Kat’s Theory of Music, thought it would be a kick to both review the same album, but guest post on each other’s blog. We have been anticipating the release and have been pushing each other to do the review. In the end we decided to both do it. The CD to be reviewed is “Never Too Late” by Jimi Jamison.
Jimi Jamison, is best known as the frontman of Survivor, Cobra and Target, as well as a veteran solo artist. This latest album, released through Frontiers Records, was written expressly for him by Swedish wunderkind Erik Martensson. As a member of the European groups Eclipse and W.E.T., Martensson has gained a reputation as the go-to guy when you want your record to be well written, well produced and basically, well done.
Full disclosure: Jim and I are both fans of Jamison and we’ve had the pleasure of meeting him on more than one occasion. If this album was really bad…well I don’t think either of us would be writing the review. But it’s good, real good. I haven’t read a bad review of it. With that being said, it’s still fun to break it down track by track. Since Jim is a musician, his take on it will be different from what I absorb as a writer/music lover only. So read my review, then jump over to my blog and read Jim’s.
Here we go:
Everybody’s Got A Broken Heart: Bang…right out of the gate. Great tempo. Martensson has created a huge wall of sound. After listening to the album a few times, the one word I feel defines his producing technique is precision. Clean, clearly defined producing…it seems every note, every riff is thought through. This opening track is well put together, the vocal suits Jamison to a tee. It would be hard to find a reason not to like this song or why it’s not in the running to be released as a single down the road.
The Great Unknown: The opening notes of this song remind me a bit of Survivor’s “Can’t Give It Up.” But then Jamison voice explodes into all grit and fire…time to catch a ride. I’ve always enjoyed listening to how he interprets a vocal…this is a really nice example. The song itself has a great hook, from start to the real fun ending, it’s all good.
Never Too Late: Ultimate uplifting song. Caution: you will have the chorus in your head all day. Along with a great video, it has a great vocal, great hook, it’s just an overall spot-on balance of vocal and music production. Good choice as a first release, as it’s easily the most commercially viable song on the album. Has everything a hit should have…getting airplay is another thing.
Can’t Turn Back: If this was the 80’s, this song would be blaring out of radio stations non-stop. In this, Martensson has written a song for Jamison that plays to his strong suit…a ballad where he bounces between power vocal and marked restraint. Great haunting fadeout to the song.
Street Survivor: An electronic start into a rock anthem. It’s an interesting insertion to the CD. The rest of the album focuses mainly on the love found/love lost theme, with a few inspirational tracks thrown in, and I guess this might fit into the inspiration group, but it gives me the feel of one of Survivor’s finer songs, “Rebel Son.” The feeling of doing what you need to take on the world. A gutsy and strong rocker.
The Air That I Breathe:More of a traditional ballad, it starts with a easy feel and clear vocal before letting Jimi’s vocal chops shine through. Former Survivor bandmate Jim Peterik once commented about Jamison’s range when he’s really zoned in. He called it the Jamison yodel. As he hits some of the notes in “The Air I Breathe”, you can hear the yodel in full force. A real nice ballad.
Not Tonight:“Someday I might miss you, but not tonight.” Yeah, so who wasn’t felt that way. An underlying infusion of pop, but you can’t beat the chorus. The only issue I have on the album’s production is the backing vocals on this track. And honestly, that’s a little picky. The second half of the song sees the backing vocals become a little heavy handed. That being said, it’s still one of my favorite songs on the album.
Calling the Game: Although I’m sure it was his intent, but the writer in me hears a few too many clichés in Martensson’s lyrics. Musically, the song works. It’s well paced, catchy and Jamison’s vocal brings it all together.
Bullet in the Gun:Beginning with a beautiful piano intro, it quickly jump starts into full rocker mode. Interesting reverb ending creates and eerie fadeout….really well done.
Heaven Call Your Name: Haunting is the only word I can use to describe this. Jamison fully interprets the pain of loss. The stripped down organ intro only fuels the desperation of the lyrics. The kind of song where after you hear it you think…whoa. The use of Jamison’s younger daughter on background vocals adds to the ethereal quality; adding a female voice really provides the perfect sensitivity.
Walk On (Wildest Dreams): No doubt right from the start, this one is gonna punch it out. It finishes off the album repeating the theme of reaching for more in your life. A strong end to what is one fine album. As a whole, there isn’t a bad track on the album. Everything that was promised by having Erik Martensson command the project, was delivered. There is a reason he works non-stop on successful projects, one after another…he’s that good. To write an entire album where the material so acutely matches the singers’ ability is not an easy thing to do. To further produce and play most of the instruments, and not lose sight of the big picture is brilliant.
But aside from having good material and an intuitive producer, you still need the guy to deliver the goods. After all these years, Jimi Jamison is still at the top of his game. The voice has naturally morphed into a richer tone. And while he can still hit the high notes, as a singer he has learned that phrasing and reserve creates a much more solid and interesting vocal. In other words, he still rocks and rocks hard. If melodic rock is your passion, give in to the desire and buy the album. It’s exciting as all hell.
Lisa McClowry is one of a kind! The beautiful songstress has performed on more than 25 albums with a singing style that intertwines the best elements soul, jazz, rock and pop have to offer.
Lisa’s resume includes writing the song, ‘Through the Eyes of a Child‘ for the movie, ‘The Adventures Of Rocky and Bullwinkle’ (with Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo). She was also the singing voice of the princess in the movie, ‘Rug Rats in Paris’.
Now Lisa gets to flex her vocal muscles in a truly unique and fascinating way. Together with songwriter/producer Jim Peterik (Eye of The Tiger, The Search is Over), the duo has joined forces with the guitar inspired sounds of Acoustic Alchemy’s Greg Carmichael and Miles Gilderdale to bring us, “Lisa McClowry Sings Acoustic Alchemy”.
Peterik’s lyrics to ten existing Acoustic Alchemy smooth jazz instrumentals have given the songs a new life and a fresh sound. (Lisa herself joins Peterik in songwriting duties for the track, Visions Of Marrakesh). It’s the combination of lyric, melody and most of all, Lisa’s sensual voice that makes the partnership with Acoustic Alchemy so musically satisfying!
I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Lisa and get her thoughts on the Acoustic Alchemy album. We also discuss her new Christmas release and her Christmas show at The Montrose Room in Rosemont, IL on December 14th.
LM: I had opened up for Acoustic Alchemy about a year prior to the album coming out. That’s when I first met them. Jim Peterik also came to the show and we were all behind stage when Jim told the manager that he’d always wanted to try to put a lyric to one of the Acoustic Alchemy songs. So the manager said to him, “Well, have a go at it, mate!” [laughs]
So, Jim wrote lyrics to one of the songs and we all liked it so much that we decided to do an entire albums’ worth of songs! Jim picked out his favorites and wrote lyrics for all of the tracks except for ‘Visions of Marrakesh’; which was a song that he and I sat at a Starbucks and wrote together.
gJg: What is it like to sit and write a song with Jim Peterik?
LM: The first time I wrote with Jim was actually nine years ago. It’s an experience I’ll never forget. For Jim to sit at the piano and play ‘The Search is Over’ and then pull out his guitar and play ‘Eye of The Tiger’ was unbelievable; almost like an explosion.
I remember driving to his house and I was very nervous, as you can imagine. Here was a man I grew up with listening to on the radio and now I was going to be writing with him in his house. What happened was, I’d say something and then he’d have something to react to (and vice-versa). I don’t even know how the song was written. It was almost as if there was a third-party in the room that took over. The song was ‘These Open Arms’ which later was released on an album of mine.
From there, it then grew in to Jim becoming my producer and we’ve been dear friends ever since.
gJg: What was the recording process like for the Acoustic Alchemy record?
We actually never met with them during the process of recording. They were in London, and we were in Chicago. We’d have our band in Chicago lay down some tracks and then send them to Greg and Miles, who would lay down some guitar parts over what we did. It was a unique, wonderful experience recording back and forth. We definitely wanted to make sure we kept the original wonderful quality of Acoustic Alchemy.
gJg: How has the reaction been to the album?
LM: Fantastic! It’s a real treat to perform these songs live. As a singer, you really get to sink your teeth into them. The melodies allow you to show many colors in the voice. Our guitarist, Mike Aquino also enjoys the songs as well, because he can really let loose.
From left: Miles Gilderdale & Greg Carmichael (Acoustic Alchemy), Lisa McClowry, Jim Peterik , Michael Jeffers (Publisher of Chicago Jazz Magazine) – Photo: Gene Steinman
gJg: You also have a new Christmas EP that was recently released. Tell me about the beautiful song from that album, “Before The Tree Comes Down”.
LM: ‘Before The Tree Comes Down’ was originally written by Christa Wells and about three years ago, I released her version of the song. For this re-recorded version, Jim added a new chorus and produced it. So it went from a good song to a really, really good song with Jim’s touches.
gJg: The message of the song is so powerful.
LM: The military is a big part of me. I’m not from a military family, but am very empathic because I have friends who are in the military and live through them what it’s like to not being home for the holidays. It’s a song close to my heart because I think we can all understand family. I’m donating part of the proceeds from the song to Stars For Stripes so that we can help entertain the troops.
gJg: Tell me about how you first got into music.
LM: When I was 2 my mom said that’s when it really began. I would go up to the radio and just start singing and dancing. At 7, I started playing piano by ear. I never had a lesson at the time, but was just eager to play melodies.
By the time I was 15, I was in a rock band called ‘Mischief’ as one of the keyboard players. Somehow, I found my way to the front and became the lead singer of the band and we eventually started playing in the clubs.
Because I wasn’t trained vocally (and because rock music was hard on the voice) I started taking classical lessons. I remember fighting with it at first but my teacher (who I’ve been with now for over 20 years) told me that this type of training was going to get me through five nights of singing. Through her teaching, I was able to apply a lot of those classical techniques and keep my voice healthy.
gJg: Who were some of your musical influences growing up?
LM: I remember listening to Olivia Newton John’s records. I loved the innocence of her voice. I listened to Pat Benatar, Heart and Journey as well, but I also loved my Dads’ collection of music: Frank Sinatra, Johnny Mathis and Doris Day.
gJg: What are you working on now?
LM: This past year, I was involved as the emcee for a special needs talent show called “Special Talents America”. It’s very much like American Idol but for special needs kids. It’s one of the biggest highlights of my career; being involved with these wonderful, gifted children.
I’m also gearing up for a December 14th Christmas show at the Montrose Room in Rosemont, Illinois. It’s a 300 seat intimate room and I love the location. One of the winners from the talent show will be performing with me that night as well. Her name is Mia Strayer, and she plays harp. She has such a wonderful spirit and I want everyone to hear her!
When I did the show last year, it was one of the first of my shows mixing the Acoustic Alchemy album along with traditional Christmas music. That went over extremely well. This year, I’ll be doing a lot of the same songs but with a string section. It will be a little twist to the music that people are familiar with. I’m excited about it.
In the early 1980s, a few years before Russ Freeman gathered a bunch of his L.A. musician friends together to create the groundbreaking Rippingtons debut Moonlighting, the multi-talented guitarist and composer spent time on TV sound stages listening to orchestras play. On the band’s new album Built To Last, Freeman pays homage to those days, working with orchestral textures for the first time in addition to opening up new realms of creativity that transcend expectation.
Built To Last also celebrates one of contemporary jazz’s most enduring legacies; a twenty-five year journey that spans nearly twenty albums. The album has universal appeal, with elements of jazz, rock, pop and country combined into one eclectic mix of sonic art.
But Freeman and the Ripps really go for broke on the metal world with the music mash “Monument Monolith,” a freewheeling blast of intensity on which Freeman complements his acoustic guitar with a little of everything you’ve never heard before: “angry cannibals with boiling pots” on percussion, orchestra, solo violin and a blistering solo by heavy metal great Zakk Wylde for good measure!
I spoke with Freeman to get his thoughts on the new Rippingtons album and on celebrating a quarter century of great music!
Read the rest of my article and interview with Russ Freeman by clicking here.
“It’s fun to tell the story, because it’s one of those things that just happened”, Loni Rose says when asked about how King’s Bullet (her partnership with hit songwriter and producer, Trey Bruce) came to be.
“Some of the best things in life happen when you least expect it. All of a sudden, you turn a corner, and there’s a gift just waiting for you.”
Loni originally met Trey through a mutual friend to do some songwriting together, but the pair quickly realized that what they had was something extra special. The result is the debut EP of King’s Bullet; eight songs shot straight from the heart. From the opening lines of the eccentrically titled “Watermelon Sun” to the rawness and energy of songs like “One Brick Shy”, “Blood On the Floor” and the title track, the power of their partnership is on full display.
I had the chance to speak with Loni about the new album and her partnership with Trey. We also discuss her musical background as well as the day she had an epiphany, and discovered the real secret of songwriting.
goJimmygo (gJg): Tell me about the genesis of King’s Bullet.
Loni Rose (LR): Trey and I met a few years ago in Nashville by a mutual friend (Eli Ball) just to meet and possibly do some writing together. One of the things Eli had told me before I moved to Nashville and started co-writing was, “You’re going to meet and write with a lot of people. There will be situations where you will really click, and then there will be times when you don’t. But every once in a while, and maybe only once, you’re going to meet someone and there’s going to be magical chemistry.” And that’s what happened with us. I’ve been a solo artist for a long time and Trey’s always been a hit writer and producer. So this is a major thing for both of us. It’s cool!
gJg: What were those early writing sessions like?
LR: Trey had hired me to sing the demo for a song he had written called “King’s Bullet” (which we ended up calling the duo). It was such a great demo and we received really great feedback on it. So we started writing material together that felt like that. The songs we found that were special were the ones that had a disregard for the typical format of a song. I mean, who would write a song called “Watermelon Sun”? [laughs]
gJg: That’s one of my favorite songs from the record!
LR: Thank you! Sometimes we’ll start with just an idea or a title. Sometimes we won’t even have a concept; like with “Watermelon Sun”. I said, “That title (Watermelon Sun) is so cool! I don’t even know what that means, but I like it.” [laughs]
gJg: One Brick Shy
LR: I was going through some things when I showed up at the co-write and that was kind of how that song was born. Trey and I discovered as we got to know each other that we both had gone through a lot of things in love and life that were similar. We both channeled that feeling and got really raw about it; which was new for me. I was always more comfortable with writing music that lifts and lights up a room. I wasn’t used to writing songs that had a darker edge or a tragic, sad quality to them. It wasn’t easy for me to get comfortable about talking and writing about it. That has been a huge evolution for me.
gJg: Blood On The Floor
LR: It was Eli Ball who once said, “When you guys write together, you leave your blood on the floor!” I immediately texted Trey and said, “This is our next song title!” [laughs]. We actually wrote “Blood On The Floor” the day before we went in to the studio to cut the EP.
Loni Rose
gJg: Tell me a little about your musical background.
LR: My parents both played guitar and I grew up listening to them play in the house. When I was in third grade, I started taking piano lessons and got really into it. There actually came a point where I really got lost in playing. I would practice my piano in the morning, but then when I came home from school, I’d just play and make things up.
I remember that even before I had actually written a “real” song with lyrics, I had about fifty or so pieces of music that I created and would just play for hours.
When I was 16, my parents gave me my first guitar. By then, my parents both knew that I wanted to be a singer, but my Dad told me something that’s been so powerful to me ever since the day he said it. He challenged me and said:
“Singers are a dime a dozen, you need to write your own songs.”
It wasn’t until I was in a piano room in my high school trying to write a song with words that I finally realized where they come from. Songs come from inside of your heart, inside of you. It was a place to be expressive.
Ever since that clicked in my head and I wrote that first song with lyrics and melody, I was able to write, and I’ve been writing ever since. I’ve been fortunate to have had a lot of my music placed in TV and film. It’s given me nice exposure which helped when I moved to Nashville.
gJg: Now that the album has been released, what’s next for King’s Bullet?
LR: We’re definitely interested in going out on tour and supporting the new record. We’re on this amazing ride and have no idea where it’s going to go. It came from such an authentic place, and we’re having so much fun just throwing it at the world and seeing what’s going to happen next.
For more information on Loni and King’s Bullet, check out their official website by Clicking Here
Welcome to the next generation of music. One represented by the talented artists of YouTube who take their show from the comfort and safety of their own homes to cities across the country and around the world. Welcome to DigiTour.
It’s mission? To bring amazing online stars to the stage and bridge the gap between new and traditional media.
In 2010, Meridith Valiando, a music industry A&R powerhouse joined forces with multi-platinum producer Chris Rojas and founded DigiTour. The duo realized that there was an untapped pool of talent in a new media landscape and immersed themselves in it. The artists they discovered online may not have had millions dollars in record company support behind them, but what they lacked in revenue they more than made up for with legions of devoted followers.
This Fall, Tyler Ward, who’s own loyal fans lifted him to the #1 spot on Billboard Heatseeker’s chart with the release of his new EP “Hello. Love. Heartbreak”, has joined forces with DigiTour on a twenty-eight city North American tour, presented by Intel’s Ultrabook.
I had the chance to speak with Valiando and Rojas in between stops of the current tour as they begin to gear up for 2013. I also had the opportunity to ask Ward about his experiences being part of the world’s first-ever, large-scale social media tour!
gJg: What criteria do you use to determine who to showcase on tour?
Chris Rojas (CR): There’s no one way that we use to find the talent. It’s a combination of listening to fans who Tweet us about who they’d like to see along with researching the current tide of YouTube talent. We’re always watching videos and keeping tabs. Then there are also the artists who come to us and ask to be a part of it. We’ve had all kinds of styles represented including Pop, Rock and Hip Hop acts. As the tour grows, our reach grows as well!
Meridith Valiando (MV): It’s also less about the style of music and more about the demographics. We really cater to the hard core fans. Our mission is to continue to grow and be the “Lollapalooza” of the Internet. Where we take all of the most relevant pop culture and online stars and you get to see them live with Digitour.
The cool part is, we don’t just play to the venue. We’re also able to live stream, Tweet and access the fan base of the artists. So, while there may be 1000 people in the seats, there are unlimited numbers of fans who can tune in around the world. That’s what makes it so unique.
gJg: What do you have planned for 2013 and beyond?
MV: This spring will be our third annual Digitour proper. In addition to that, we have another tour that we’ll be announcing shortly that’s a slightly different spin on Digitour, but it’s something that’s been in high demand. There’s also a lot of interest overseas as well so there may even be a third one as well.
Seven Questions With Tyler Ward…
gJg: How has the use of social media outlets helped you get your music to a large audience?
Tyler Ward (TW): Social media is the platform I chose to really start sharing my music outside of my hometown in Denver. I was taking a break from playing live and started making videos and it literally spread like wild-fire. I went from 400 subscribers on YouTube to 5000 in one month. From there it was just about how much content could I create. I produce all of my audio and most of my videos and push it out to my fans. What I never expected was how my fans would become so involved and share my music with their friends. Now, two years later and 1,000,000+ subscribers the fans through social media have changed my life! I can make music for a living now which is the best gift ever.
gJg: How did you get connected with the DigiTour?
TW: I first heard about the DigiTour in 2011 and how they were able to get “YouTubers” on the road. I was developing my own tour in 2011 so we kinda missed out on working together, but this year they called and had an opportunity to partner on my North American Tour and it’s been a great partnership. I love working with companies that understand the digital space and DigiTour is definitely up there.
gJg: Tell me about your background and how you first got into music.
TW: I first got into music when my mom asked me to play for our church when I was in 8th grade! I picked up bass, guitar, piano (my mom teaches piano full-time) and drums. I played in some bands in college and then transitioned to being a solo artist after that. My YouTube career really took off in February 2010 and the rest is history!
gJg: At one point, you also had a military and football career. What made you decide to change to music?
TW: I grew up playing and loving sports and would definitely call myself a competitive guy. I was honored to receive a scholarship from the Air Force Academy to play football. After some injuries though, I had to stop playing. That was really hard, but then I turned my focus to music and it’s been an amazing journey the last two and a half years!
gJg: What is your process for songwriting?
TW: Writing for me is very personal. I will work with some ideas over a few months and then some ideas come out much faster. Recently, I’ve really developed more co-writing which I love! It’s great to work out an idea with another writer.
gJg: How did you first start getting involved opening up for The Fray, Jonas Brothers and others.
TW: Some of those opportunities came from the first bands I started in Colorado and then when I became a solo artist. It really showed me where my music had the chance to go…and I was hooked after that! For the last 14 months, I’ve been able to headline my own tours in the United States, Canada and Europe which is literally a dream come true! I used to play in bars with 8 people there and now I can go to Prague, Paris and all over Europe and fans show up!
gJg: What are your plans once the tour is complete?
TW: I will probably sleep for like a week! [laughs].
Coming off my European tour and going right into the North American tour is really exciting. Being able to play my new music live is incredible! Once we finish up, I’ll get back to writing and creating more videos for my YouTube channel. 2013 is right around the corner and I can’t wait to see where my music and fans take me!
My Vital Signs album only needs Stephan Ellis’ signature to make it complete!
I’m looking for someone, and I hope you can help me find him. He’s the last piece of the puzzle I need to complete my musical journey.
Back in 1984, I purchased my very first record album; Survivor’s “Vital Signs”. You know, the one the that has “I Can’t Hold Back”, “High On You” and “The Search if Over” on it, among other great songs.
By now, you all should know about my love of this particular album but if not, you can read about it here.
The music of Jimi Jamison, Frankie Sullivan, Jim Peterik, Stephan Ellis and Marc Droubay quickly became the soundtrack of my life.
Over years of repeated listenings, the album eventually wore out and soon found itself a new home (along with other items of reckless teenage abandon) in a box in the farthest reaches of my basement. Hell, by that time I had already moved on to having a copy of Vital Signs on cassette tape and CD anyway. (I have it on iTunes now, for those keeping score).
When I finally built my own music room/office area seven years ago, I decided to take the album out of the darkness, put it in a nice frame and hang it on a wall. It would become a beacon of youth; a reminder of all of the good times and great music I enjoyed in high school. Nail soon met wall and before I knew it, the music of my teenage years was on full display.
As I stood back to admire my new wall decor, it quickly became apparent that something was missing; and that’s when the idea hit me. I thought, what if I could take the album that meant so much to me nearly thirty years ago and try to get the entire band to autograph it? The only caveat was, five signatures were needed and only two of the guys from the album were still touring with Survivor. It was no small challenge, but one that I was up for.
The search began.
Guitarist Frankie Sullivan and drummer Marc Droubay signed it for me after a Survivor concert at Hershey Park in 2009.
Two Down… Three To Go
In March of this year, singer Jimi Jamison, who was performing with another group, made an appearance at a venue near my home and signed it for me.
Three Down…two to go!
A few weeks ago, after doing an interview with Jim Peterik for Guitar World, I made arrangements to send the album out to Chicago for a signature. An album that had not been out of my possession since 1984 was gone and left in the hands of fate. Yesterday, I received the album back in the mail, signed by Jim.
Four down… ONE to go.
The call now goes out to you, oh faithful reader! If anyone can help me locate and connect with bassist Stephan Ellis, please let me know. Because when Stephan signs Vital Signs…. (as the song says)… the search is over!
In a career that spans five decades and more than forty albums, guitarist Lee Ritenour has developed a unique balance between the wisdom of experience and the enthusiasm of youth. Ritenour’s 2010 album, “6 String Theory” focused primarily on guitar and featured the winners of his 2009 guitar competition alongside guest appearances by guitar greats BB King, Steve Lukather and Slash among others.
For his new album, “Rhythm Sessions” Ritenour has added the winners of his 2012 Rhythm Section Competition which includes aspiring keyboardists, bassists and percussionists as well. The result is an album of sonic euphoria. From catchy songs like “The Village” and “LA By Bike” to the hypnotic vocal of Zamajobe on a remake of Stereophonics “Maybe Tomorrow”, there are elements that will appeal to both guitar and jazz fans alike.
I had the chance to speak with Ritenour about Rhythm Sessions, the competition and a really cool story about his days as a session player.
Check out the rest of my Guitar World interview with Lee Ritneour Here!
Chuck Loeb is more than just a guitarist, he’s the consummate musician. In a career that spans four decades, he’s proven himself to be a versatile composer, arranger and producer in a wide range of musical styles. In 2010, Loeb joined the smooth jazz super-group, Fourplay where he joined other musical giants Nathan East (bass), Bob James (keyboards) and Harvey Mason (drums). Fourplay’s latest release, ‘Esprit De Four’ continues the trend of beautiful arrangements and tasty guitar licks that has made the smooth jazz super group world renowned.
go.Jimmy.go 