Press Releases - Page 107 of 191

October 6, 2022

Aerosmith’s Fiery Vegas Residency + Eataly

Hey, that was fun.

Drunk on the fountain of youth, Aerosmith last night lit up the Dolby Live venue at the Park MGM with their supersonic dirty blues. Tyler delivered his trademark mojo, Perry breathed fire, and there was plenty of eye candy spectacle. Thanks to the band’s camp for the hospitality—those were fantastic seats! Their “Deuces Are Wild” residency resumes November 19.

It was a terrific night out starting with dinner at the hotel on the Stripside patio of Eataly’s La Pizza e La Pasta. We split the Insalata Tricolore + a home-run pasta dish—Vesuvio Con Asparagi E Guanciale—which lured us in with this hyper-specific description: “Afeltra Volcano-shaped Pasta di Gragnano IGP, San Carlo Guanciale, Asparagus Sauce, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Pecorino Romano Zerto.”

October 6, 2022

THE MENDENHALL EXPERIMENT Release New Single “Stronger Together” For World Cerebral Palsy Day, Today, October 6

DT: OCTOBER 6, 2022

FM: KELLY WALSH/SRO PR

THE MENDENHALL EXPERIMENT
TODAY, OCTOBER 6
RELEASE NEW SINGLE
“STRONGER TOGETHER”
IN HONOR OF WORLD CEREBRAL PALSY DAY
WHICH GUITARIST BRANDON MENDENHALL SUFFERS FROM

WATCH LYRIC VIDEO HERE

BAND’S SECOND EP
‘AGAINST ALL ODDS’
DUE OCTOBER 31 VIA LUCENT RECORDS (UMG)

Los Angeles-based hard rock/metal band THE MENDENHALL EXPERIMENT have today (October 6) released a second single—“Stronger Together,” from their upcoming EP AGAINST ALL ODDS in honor of World Cerebral Palsy Day, an incurable neurological disorder that founding member/guitarist BRANDON MENDENHALL suffers from. The disorder affects movement, coordination and balance and only allows MENDENHALL limited movement on his left side. Despite the odds being stacked against him—which was the inspiration for the EP’s title—he refused to let his disability get in the way of his passion for music and taught himself how to play guitar which rehabilitated his left hand without surgical intervention and led to the formation of THE MENDENHALL EXPERIMENT. His inspirational story was the subject matter of the award-winning 2019 documentary Mind Over Matter (Sumerian Films) directed by French filmmaker Sébastien Paquet (Korn, Wounded Warriors).

Watch the lyric video for “Stronger Together” streaming below or directly via YouTube HERE.

“World Cerebral Palsy Day is a day that those of us with Cerebral Palsy can stand together, stronger together,” states MENDENHALL. “It’s about celebrating our challenges and triumphs, while educating others about our affliction. ‘Stronger Together’ encompasses finding your core team of people in life and sticking with them—your inner circle that has your back through thick and thin when life hits those rough patches.

“‘Stronger Together’ is a song that’s all about finding your support system—a place to belong,” relates vocalist ALYCE HAYES. “We’re all looking to connect with people who ‘get us,’ those who understand and support us through it all—our celebrations as well as our dark moments. I wanted the lyrics to remind people that they weren’t alone in their interests, their passions, or their dreams.”

AGAINST ALL ODDS will be released on October 31 via Lucent Records (UMG) and was produced by Chris Collier (Korn, Prong, KXM). The band premiered its lead single “Pulse of The Lost” featuring Suicide Silence guitarist Chris Garza in July which My Amp Music lauded as “a tidal wave of sonic ferocity,” stating “the track delivers hard-hitting guitar riffs, a pummeling backbeat and savage vocals.” THE MENDENHALL EXPERIMENT reunited with Mind Over Matter director Sebastian Paquet to direct its compelling music video seen HERE.

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AGAINST ALL ODDS EP Track Listing:
1. Breaking Out
2. Pulse of The Lost
3. Carry On
4. Stronger Together
5. This Ride Is Over

THE MENDENHALL EXPERIMENT have been seen on stages with metal mainstays including John 5, P.O.D., Alien Ant Farm, Kill Devil Hill, Fear Factory, Prong, Flaw, Metal Allegiance, Smile Empty Soul and Cold in addition to appearances at Aftershock Festival and Rocklahoma in recent years. Their self-titled debut EP was released in 2017 which included guest appearances from James “Munky” Shaffer (Korn) and Danny Lohner (NIN, A Perfect Circle). Its hit single “Seize The Day” received over 30k views and won “Video of the Year” at the 2015 LRT Music Video Awards the same year MENDENHALL was named “Trailblazer of the Year” at the United Cerebral Palsy Los Angeles Art of Care annual event.

A picture containing person, standing, posing Description automatically generated (l-r: Justin Luebeck, Alyce Hayes, Brandon Mendenhall, Mike Lira, Nate Stockton)
Credit: Stephanie Cabral

Find THE MENDENHALL EXPERIMENT online at:
WEBSITE| FB | IG | TWITTER

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For press inquiries, please contact:
SRO PR
Kelly Walsh – kwalsh@sropr.com

September 29, 2022

New Rock Opera “STARING INTO NOTHING?” Debuts Friday, October 7 In Los Angeles

DATE: SEPTEMBER 29, 2022

FROM: MARCEE RONDAN

“STARING INTO NOTHING?”
NEW MUSICAL/ROCK OPERA
BRINGS TOGETHER WIDE-RANGING CAST
FOR FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7 DEBUT
AT THE EL PORTAL THEATRE
IN THE NOHO AREA OF LOS ANGELES

“STARING INTO NOTHING?”
NEW STAGE PRODUCTION
WAS CONCEIVED BY
LONGTIME SONGWRITING PARTNERS
STEVE ROGERS AND KURT BARABAS

“Staring Into Nothing?” the collaborative songwriting partnership between Kurt Barabas and Steve Rogers, has evolved into a live stage production featuring all-new music and a wide-ranging cast of actors and musicians. Set to debut Friday, October 7 at the El Portal Theatre in the NoHo area of Los Angeles, the full-scale production will launch with three shows: Friday, October 7 and Saturday, October 8 at 8:00 PM and Sunday, October 9 at 2:00 PM. Tickets are available via the theatre’s website at $55. Listen to a sample of the music here.

The show is being directed by Broadway performer, director and choreographer Jeffrey Polk, with acclaimed musician Denny Fongheiser serving as producer, musical director and musician (drums, and percussion). Beyond Rogers and Barabas, the cast features stage and television actors, classically trained musicians and award-winning performers. The full cast (alphabetically) includes Jonathan Bluth, Marqell Edward Clayton, Adam Gimenez, Brentley Gore, Janaya Jones, Amanda Kruger, Ginny Luke, Derek Nakamoto, Will Riddle, Janet Robin, Krystle Simmons and Scott Spraags. Read more about the cast here.

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After releasing two albums under the name of “Staring Into Nothing?” Rogers and Barabas created a new musical/rock opera (with the same name) that explores the impact of mass media, social media and the digital information age on the quality of our lives. It asks and attempts to answer the age-old philosopher’s question: “What Is Good And What Is Not?” His project was always written as a musical narrative. Upon completion of the songs, the only question was should it be delivered as a film or a theatrical performance. After seeing “Hamilton,” Steve decided he definitely wanted to perform these songs with additional dialog and multiple actors live on stage and the rock opera was born.

The idea of writing a musical/rock opera that explores the philosophical concept of “Quality” began with one of Steve’s favorite books: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig. It is subtitled “An Inquiry Into Values,” and explores the relationship between people, technology and quality. Written in 1974, it could not have contemplated the technology we live with today, but the principles are the same.

Steve wanted to explore these same relationships in the modern world and mentions that during the writing process, “other books started to influence and enhance my thinking about ‘What is Good and What is Not’ in a world of cell phones, tablets, email and the 24-hour news cycle; particularly Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and Technopoly by Neil Postman.

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September 28, 2022

Indie trio LOVE BY NUMB3RS Return With Single/Video “Don’t Be So Hard On Me” From New Album Out This Friday, 9/30

DATE: SEPTEMBER 28, 2022

FROM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/MARCEE RONDAN

LOVE BY NUMB3RS
RETURN WITH VIDEO FOR
“DON’T BE SO HARD ON ME,”
THE SECOND SINGLE FROM
THEIR SOPHOMORE ALBUM
‘EARTH NEEDS A MOON’
OUT THIS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

A picture containing text Description automatically generated Album Artwork by Walter Craven for EARTH NEEDS A MOON

Portland, Maine-based indie trio LOVE BY NUMB3RS—co-vocalists DAN CONNOR and ANNA LOMBARD and multi-instrumentalist JON ROODS—today (September 28) return with “Don’t Be So Hard On Me.” It’s the second single/video from their sophomore album EARTH NEEDS A MOON out this Friday, September 30. Produced by ROODS and LOMBARD, the album follows the acclaimed band’s November 2021 Colours EP and doesn’t repeat any of its songs. Watch the video HERE.

Sonically, “Don’t Be So Hard On Me” is big-sounding, soulful and rootsy, with ANNA’s gutsy and moving vocals illuminating a difficult, fractured relationship. The video, premiered yesterday (September 27) by Vents Magazine, is cinematic, mysterious and evocative. The video was directed by ROODS, filmed in Industry, Maine at their friend’s barn and shot in in a deliberately distressed style, with imagery that is striking and intense. Below are quotes from ANNA about the song and video.

The “Don’t Be So Hard On Me” video follows the “Earth Needs A Moon” clip that was premiered by Glide Magazine, which noted that “the dramatic title track song and video that showers our ears with the dramatic interplay between the trio that takes listeners to a nostalgic hideout where secrets are sheltered and sins are forgotten. There is a bleeding guitar solo midway through the song as Lombard pours her fervently soulful vocals into the song’s building storyline.”

The EARTH NEEDS A MOON album is filled with haunting and evocative songs about love, devotion and more with finely etched, atmospheric settings, over which the band cast their spells. The tracks are sonically wide-open and move slowly, however confidently, and make the listener feel like they are floating in air on a journey somewhere. The album was recorded at Fisher’s Waterhouse on Peaks Island as well as the band’s South Ranch studio. EARTH NEEDS A MOON follows the band’s November 2021 Colours EP and doesn’t repeat any of its songs. This is the music of a band who freewheelingly chart a course through eloquent alternative, Americana and roots rock.

“Don’t Be So Hard On Me”
Q&A with Anna Lombard
of LOVE BY NUMB3RS

–Congratulations on the release of “Don’t Be So Hard On Me.” It’s a lyrically candid and very raw song about a fractured and seemingly destructive relationship, with such lines as “I miss the way you screamed my name/When you were angry/Nothing left but you, your pride & me/That’s how I loved you in the end.” What inspired you to write it?

ANNA LOMBARD: The song started with a single line, “don’t be so hard on me…” When I began writing the lyrics for the song, I tried to imagine myself as a person within a relationship who knew it was falling apart. In the heat of an argument, our instinct can often be to say hurtful things to the ones we love most. We’ve all been there. We isolate, because it’s easier than facing the issue head on, whatever it may be. We stray. We lose ourselves. We ignore the advice of friends or shut them out because we don’t want to hear what they have to say…and this fear of something ending or things changing kind of silently travels through us until we’re ready to face it…so this was the narrative that originally helped me finish the story. But the more I listened, the more I realized that this song was less about being hard on a partner within a relationship, and more about being hard on yourself…It became more self-reflective. I know I’ve had to learn how to be easier on myself and forgive myself and others through my own life’s trials and tribulations. If we cannot be kind or love ourselves, it makes it very difficult to love and be kind to someone else.”

–The song also features your most intense vocals to date, underlining the rawness of the lyrics. Can you tell us what it was like to record this in the studio?

ANNA: This was honestly my fastest vocal take of all time. I really prefer to be solo and run the console when I’m tracking…I don’t love other people being in the room, besides Jon if it’s an absolute must. So we had laid down the musical beds for the song..just keys, bass and drums…and I kicked Jon and Dan out of the studio. I’ll never forget the look on their faces as I walked out of the studio and said, “okay, all done.” I think it took me a total of 26 minutes from start to finish. The cool part was that the lyrics were sketched out with about five pages of verse options…and a couple of the lines that ended up being in the song were improvised…so they felt natural and just right. It was also the first time I ever sat down while recording vocals, because I was running the board at the same time.

–“Don’t Be So Hard On Me” has that trademark LBN sound: minimal but big-sounding, very edgy but finely etched and rootsy, too. What goes into the creation of this sound?

ANNA: We had been listening to a lot of Donny Hathaway (specifically, “I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know”) and from the start of the song, I really wanted to try and tap into some Betty Davis vocal style…throaty blues…lots of space…with simple, autobiographical lyrics. Throughout this album, Jon wanted the musical beds of each song built with all of us playing together live…the use of real instruments, keyboards, pianos, Hammond organ, synthesizers and very little editing…to be as true to late 60’s/70’s recordings as possible. I tracked my vocals on an SM-7 microphone through a vintage tube pre-amp with the gain cranked. It dirtied up my vocals so that when I pushed my voice, it allowed the rawness and cracks in my voice to come through.”

–LBN is also known for its visually striking videos. In this one, the imagery is arresting: you flip over a table, you emerge mysteriously from a body of water, instruments are smashed. And the video is shot in a deliberately distressed style. Please tell us about where it was filmed, who directed it and how you feel the video illuminates the song?

ANNA: We filmed this in Industry, Maine at our friend John Moore’s barn. We looked for weeks for a beat-up, empty warehouse around the Portland area but had no luck. We wanted the vibe of the video to look the way it sounds–raw, vintage, stripped down. This video was directed and filmed by Jon, as all our videos are done in house.

‘EARTH NEEDS A MOON’
ALBUM TRACK LISTING

(All songs written by LBN)
1. Intro
2. When I Close My Eyes
3. Earth Needs A Moon
4. Don’t Be So Hard On Me
5. Ashes
6. Do It All Over
7. The Universe
8. What Would I Do Without You
9. The Refuge
10. Last Love
11. A Million Suns

A group of people sitting on a bench Description automatically generated with medium confidence LOVE BY NUMB3RS
Pictured (L to R): DAN CONNOR, ANNA LOMBARD, JON ROODS
Photo Credit: Cam Jones

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September 22, 2022

WHEN WE WERE HUNGRY FESTIVAL Announces Cancellation of Las Vegas Event October 20 & 21

DT: SEPTEMBER 22, 2022

FM: KELLY WALSH, SRO PR

WHEN WE WERE HUNGRY FESTIVAL
ANNOUNCES CANCELLATION OF EVENT
ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 20 & 21 IN LAS VEGAS

TICKET REFUNDS AVAILABLE VIA POINT OF PURCHASE

Due to unforeseen circumstances, WHEN WE WERE HUNGRY FEST 2022 has been cancelled. The event was originally scheduled to take place on October 20 and 21 in Las Vegas at Rockstar Bar – Concert On The Green.

An official statement from the festival’s founders is as follows:

“Due to unforeseen circumstances, WHEN WE WERE HUNGRY FEST 2022 is no longer able to take place. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and we understand your frustrations, as we too are heartbroken that it has come to this. Our team has consistently been working around the clock trying our hardest to make things work, but sadly, it was beyond our control.

We would like to thank those who have supported us, as well as all artists who were set to play. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts. Please continue to support the bands who were scheduled to play WWWH and please support smaller festivals and tours. The music industry is struggling right now. Your support is beyond appreciated.”

Refunds for the event are available at point of purchase and will be processed immediately. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact info@wwwhfest.com with the subject “Ticket Refund,” notating name on the transaction and order number.

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For any press inquiries, please contact:
SRO PR
Kelly Walsh – kwalsh@sropr.com

September 21, 2022

TOMMY EMMANUEL With Mike Dawes Roll Out All-Instrumental Reimagining Of “Be My Mistake” By The 1975

DT: SEPTEMBER 21, 2022

FM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/ANDREA FAULK/LYNDIE WENNER
SRO PR (LOS ANGELES, NASHVILLE, LAS VEGAS)

TOMMY EMMANUEL
ROLLS OUT SPARKLING ALL-INSTRUMENTAL REIMAGINING OF
“BE MY MISTAKE” BY THE 1975

SONG IS FEATURED ON THE FIVE-SONG EP
‘ACCOMPLICE SERIES VOL. 3’ WITH MIKE DAWES
OUT THIS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 ON CGP SOUNDS

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE
TOMMY EMMANUEL AND MIKE DAWES WILL HIT THE ROAD
TOGETHER ON DECEMBER 6

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Description automatically generated ACCOMPLICE SERIES VOL. 3 Cover Art

Acoustic guitarist extraordinaire TOMMY EMMANUEL today (September 21) rolls out the video for “Be My Mistake.” It’s a sparkling instrumental arrangement of the song by the band The 1975 from their 2018 album A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships. Watch the video here that was premiered yesterday by Pop Matters which wrote: “Guitar luminaries Tommy Emmanuel and Mike Dawes join together for a gorgeous acoustic interpretation of the 1975’s hit ballad, “Be My Mistake”. The arrangement is approached with trademark restraint. For decades, Emmanuel has let heart and substance surmount flash, and Dawes is a forthcoming virtuoso cut from the same cloth. Both allow the original song’s melancholy to overtake the complexities of their arrangement, bringing an emotional core to an impressive display of fingerstyle and percussive guitar techniques.”

“Be My Mistake” marks the third single and video from EMMANUEL’s ACCOMPLICE SERIES VOL. 3, his five-song EP with British acoustic guitar virtuoso Mike Dawes out this Friday, September 23 on CGP SOUNDS. Pre-order the EP here.

The video for “Be My Mistake” was filmed, directed, and edited by Joshua Britt and Neilson Hubbard for Neighborhoods Apart. It was filmed live in the director’s home outside of Nashville, TN, with the live audio recorded by Dylan Allredge. Quotes from TOMMY and Mike about “Be My Mistake” are below as is the EP’s track listing. More info about the EP is HERE.

TOMMY and Mike joined forces last year to record and release their interpretation of Goyte’s 2011 hit “Somebody That I Used To Know” (described by Guitar Player as “spellbinding,” 6/24/21) and followed it with their cover of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” of which Guitar World noted: “the acoustic virtuoso duo combine powers to rework the era-defining grunge anthem, with spectacular results” (6/23/22). TOMMY and Mike next released their arrangement of the Sting gem, “Fields of Gold” which Glide Magazine praised as “a colorful take where a breezy soul elevates this nostalgic yet melancholy tune to imaginative double melodies.”

TOMMY EMMANUEL and MIKE DAWES:
“Be My Mistake” Quotes

Tommy Emmanuel: “Mike brought this song to my attention, and he had it all arranged and worked up as a solo piece. Everything he was doing was just what it needed, so I only had to find some spaces to add a few ideas and stay out of his way. Hopefully, I embellished enough to create some beauty. Recording together with our engineer, Marc DeSisto in LA, was a happy, creative experience that recording should be, and we found our mojo in our different sounding guitars and styles and put them together and let it mesh! Hope you all enjoy the music.”

Mike Dawes: “’Be My Mistake’ is probably my favorite cut from the record. This ‘The 1975’ cover was the only new arrangement we didn’t record live together in the studio. Instead, as Tommy hadn’t heard it before, I played my rhythm guitar part in one take whilst he listened. He then listened to playback to further acknowledge the structure. Then, he sat down and just NAILED it. This moment captured is a testament to Tommy as the greatest player out there. Every touch and delicate phrase sit with such an iconic character. Note his amazing mandolin impression in the second half. A beautiful way to conclude a special record that has been a privilege to create.”

TOMMY and his special guest Mike, who’ve toured together in the past including this past January’s run, will do so again in the U.S. starting in December 2022. The dates follow below and most shows are on sale now.

Full Track Listing for Accomplice EP #3:
1. Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana cover)
2. Slow Dancing In a Burning Room (John Mayer cover)
3. Fields of Gold (Sting cover)
4. Somebody I Used to Know (Gotye cover)
5. Be My Mistake (1975 cover)

DATE		LOCATION	VENUE
6-Dec	TUE	Boise, ID	Egyptian Theatre
7-Dec	WED	Salem, OR	Elsinore Theatre
9-Dec	FRI	Bend, OR	Tower Theatre
10-Dec	SAT	Grants Pass, OR	Rogue Theatre
11-Dec	SUN	Chico, CA	Laxson Auditorium
13-Dec	TUE	Santa Cruz, CA	Rio Theatre
14-Dec	WED	San Juan Capistrano, CA	Coach House
15-Dec	THU	San Juan Capistrano, CA	Coach House
16-Dec	FRI	Malibu, CA	Smothers Theatre

A person playing a guitar

Description automatically generated with medium confidence Artist: Tommy Emmanuel:
Photo Credit: Alysse Gafkjen

ABOUT TOMMY EMMANUEL:

TOMMY EMMANUEL has achieved enough musical milestones to satisfy several lifetimes. At the age of six, he was touring regional Australia with his family band. By 30, he was a rock n’ roll lead guitarist burning up stadiums in Europe. At 44, he became one of five people ever named a CPG (Certified Guitar Player) by his idol, music icon Chet Atkins. Today, he plays hundreds of sold-out shows every year from Nashville to Sydney to London. He’s piled up numerous accolades, including two Grammy Award nominations, two ARIA Awards from the Australian Recording Industry Association (the Aussie equivalent of the Recording Academy); repeated honors in the Guitar Player magazine reader’s poll including a cover story for their August 2017 issue; a cover feature for Vintage Guitar’s July 2020 issue; and was Music Radar’s reader’s poll #1 winner of the Ten Best Acoustic Guitarists in The World (December 2019). A noted fingerstyle guitarist, EMMANUEL frequently threads three different parts simultaneously into his material, operating as a one-man band who handles the melody, the supporting chords and the bass all at once. His talents, which translate in any language, carry him to the far corners of the globe, but EMMANUEL never plays the same show twice, and he improvises big chunks of every date. That leaves him open to those technical imperfections, though they also provide some of the humanity to an other-worldly talent. On May 8, 2020, he released a newly recorded career-spanning double album, THE BEST OF TOMMYSONGS, via CGP Sounds/Cruzen Street Records). Watch the album trailer here which focuses on TOMMY’s unique ability to tell stories without words: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SOQEMWYAQ4&feature=youtu.be

For more information on TOMMY EMMANUEL, visit:
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

SRO PR Assets + Press Releases:
http://sropr.com/portfolio/tommyemmanuel/

A person playing a guitar

Description automatically generated with medium confidence Mike Dawes
Photo Credit: Adam King Photography

ABOUT MIKE DAWES:

Mike Dawes is an award-winning solo guitarist known for composing, arranging, and performing multiple parts simultaneously on one instrument. He is regarded as one of the world’s most creative modern fingerstyle guitarists with a repertoire spanning solo viral video hits and mainstream chart success with artists including Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues. The British guitarist was named “Best Acoustic Guitarist in the World” by Total Guitar Magazine and MusicRadar twice in their end-of-year reader’s poll. Popular YouTube personality Rick Beato recently interviewed Dawes in a video titled “World’s Greatest Acoustic Guitarist?”, with Dawes regularly appearing online sharing tips and tricks regarding his unique playing style. All three of Dawes’ solo albums have spawned viral video hits with millions of views including his popular arrangements of Metallica’s “One” and Van Halen’s “Jump.” His original songs “The Impossible” and “Boogie Shred” are frequently covered by aspiring fingerstyle performers. Dawes has been featured on multiple Justin Hayward live releases, including Spirits…Live, which debuted at #2 on the US Billboard Charts. As a keen educator, Dawes has frequently worked as a columnist for the biggest guitar magazines in the world, including Guitar World and Acoustic Guitar.

For more information on MIKE DAWES, visit:
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

For press inquiries regarding TOMMY EMMANUEL, contact:

SRO PR
(Los Angeles, Nashville, Las Vegas)
Mitch Schneider // mschneider@sropr.com
Andrea Faulk // afaulk@sropr.com
Lyndie Wenner // lwenner@sropr.com

September 21, 2022

Grammy-winning Musician MICKI FREE Debuts Video For New Single “World On Fire ‘Warrior Remix’ featuring members of Santana

DT: SEPTEMBER 21, 2022

FM: KELLY WALSH, SRO PR

GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING NATIVE AMERICAN MUSICIAN
MICKI FREE
DEBUTS TOPICAL MUSIC VIDEO FOR
NEW SINGLE
“WORLD ON FIRE (WARRIOR REMIX)”
FEATURING SANTANA BAND MEMBERS
CINDY BLACKMAN SANTANA, KARL PERAZZO & ANDY VARGAS

“WORLD ON FIRE (WARRIOR REMIX)” OUT NOW ACROSS DIGITAL PLATFORMS
STREAM IT HERE

Q&A WITH MICKI FREE ON INSPIRATION BEHIND THE SOCIALLY CHARGED TRACK

Grammy Award-winner and 5X Native American Music Award-winner MICKI FREE has been on the cutting-edge of the music industry from the start of his career. Having been signed to a management deal with Gene Simmons and Diana Ross that launched his career, the singer, songwriter and incendiary guitarist joined the legendary R&B group Shalamar where he became friends with Prince. After his departure in the early 90’s, FREE continued his solo career appearing on both the stage and in the studio with iconic artists including Carlos Santana, Janet Jackson, KISS, Little Steven Van Zandt, Aerosmith, Neil Young and Bill Wyman, just to name a few. His most recent album, TURQUOISE BLUE, was released via the Dark Idol Music label, distributed by Burnside Distribution / The Orchard / Sony, on February 4. It features guest musicians including Gary Clark Jr., Steve Stevens, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and Cindy Blackman Santana, the latter of whom appears alongside fellow Santana band members Karl Perazzo and Andy Vargas on the riveting track “World On Fire.”

FREE has released a new remixed version of the track, “World On Fire (Warrior Remix),” and has today debuted a music video which highlights the current state of international affairs with clips showcasing turmoil across the globe. He further elaborates on the song’s meaning and the video’s imagery in a Q&A featured at the bottom of the page. Watch the music video for “World On Fire (Warrior Remix)” streaming on YouTube HERE or below. Stream/download “World on Fire (Warrior Remix)” across all digital platforms HERE.

Q&A with MICKI FREE

– Can you share the main message of “World On Fire” and how you developed the lyrics?

FREE: “To me the message is very clear in my song; I was inspired by all the turmoil going on in our world today; Roe v. Wade, the war in Ukraine, BLM, Native Americans fighting for water rights and ALL injustices happening worldwide. I literally wrote the lyrics based on current events happening in our world today; Covid, brother fighting against brother, racism, smashing a women’s right to choose, war, famine, prejudice, any and all things that moved me.”

– How did this inspire the music video?

“I literally wanted to bring my words to life in the video. To show images of the world today and all the injustices we are facing. My video is just a small part, a small mirror shall we say of my interpretation of the world today.”

– You enlisted guest musicians Cindy Blackman Santana, Karl Perazzo and Andy Vargas who are all currently players in Santana’s band. Can you tell us how they came to be on the track and the impact they had on writing its music?

“Carlos Santana is one of my biggest idols and friends; ever since I was a boy, I’ve been inspired by his music and guitar playing. To actually call him my friend and jam with him now is a honor and dream come true.

Cindy Blackman-Santana was in my band American Horse Trio; she is my sister and dear friend, the bridge/link between myself and Carlos. The song ‘World on Fire’ is actually my musical homage to Carlos Santana, his feel, style and messaging. I became ‘Santana Family,’ as Cindy and Carlos call it, with my connection with Santana, and jamming with Carlos at his residency at The House of Blues in Las Vegas and joining him onstage worldwide whenever possible. My dream was to have Carlos play guitar on it as well, but he was busy recording his last album. I’m playing ALL the guitars on the song. Andy Vargas and Karl P. are my brothers as well. I asked them to guest on this track; their influences help give it the feel I was going for.”

– “World On Fire” is featured on your latest solo album TURQOUISE BLUE released earlier this year. The album highlights your reverence for blues-rock genre with some slight R&B undertones. How do you feel your past career influenced the music on this album and what separates it from previous releases?

“I’ve loved blues-rock as long as I can remember…the style of combining blues-based riffs and rock together moves my soul…I am driven by guitar tone.

Bands like Santana, ZZ Top, Bad Company, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones and Aerosmith, to name just a few, have always been an inspiration to me. Their swagger and style and songs molded my guitar playing style. Joining the group Shalamar helped me understand R&B at its finest. Turquoise Blue to me is my best album to date, bringing together all my eclectic influences and style. I wrote the whole album during Covid when we were all confined to our homes. I did what I do best–write music. I was inspired to tell a story through my songs.”

– You’ve just released a remixed version of “World On Fire (Warrior Remix),” what changes did you make to the song and why?

“The new ‘Warrior Remix’ is a bit more aggressive, and the Latin feel to the song is more apparent, bringing the percussion and solo guitar more upfront and center. Doing this adds more groove to the track, inviting the listener to move and dance.

I added a Spanish guitar intro solo to the song as well to introduce the listener to the journey we will be taking together on a Latin-inspired magic carpet. I really wanted the listener to connect with my Santana influence in my guitar playing and percussive rhythms.”

FREE was born in West Texas of mixed blood Cherokee/Comanche Native American and Irish descent. Using his success in the music industry, FREE has advocated for the Native American community and created the Native Music Rocks program, which gives Native American musicians performance opportunities. He also founded the first Native American record company (Native Music Rocks Records). In addition to his guitar-driven blues rock albums, FREE has mastered the Native American flute and has recorded five flute music albums.

FREE was praised by American Blues Scene on TURQUOISE BLUE which stated: “He (FREE) has taken his influences, electrified them even further, added his own Native flair and created an album that belongs on everyone’s player. At this time, between a global pandemic and the brink of war, ‘Free-dom’ is on everyone’s mind, and Micki is leading the way. Have mercy!” Stream/download TURQUOISE BLUE HERE.

Follow MICKI FREE online at
Website | FB | IG | Spotify | YouTube

###

For press inquiries, please contact:
SRO PR
Kelly Walsh – kwalsh@sropr.com

September 21, 2022

STEPHEN McCARTHY & CARLA OLSON Share Video For Title Cut Of Debut Duet Album ‘Night Comes Falling’ Out 11/11

DT: SEPTEMBER 21, 2022

FM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/ANDREA FAULK/SRO PR

STEPHEN McCARTHY & CARLA OLSON
TODAY SHARE VIDEO FOR THE TITLE CUT OF THEIR
FIRST-EVER DUET ALBUM
‘NIGHT COMES FALLING’
OUT NOVEMBER 11

A person and person posing for a picture Description automatically generated with medium confidence ‘Night Comes Falling’ Album Cover Art

STEPHEN McCARTHY (Long Ryders, Jayhawks, Dream Syndicate) and CARLA OLSON (Textones, solo artist, producer) have today (September 21) unveiled the video for the title cut of their first-ever duet album, NIGHT COMES FALLING, out November 11. Watch the “Night Comes Falling” video HERE and listen to the single HERE.

It was premiered yesterday (September 20) by Rock and Roll Globe stating “A true Americana power duo has risen from the wildflowers of Los Angeles in Long Ryders lead guitarist Stephen McCarthy and the acclaimed singer / songwriter / producer Carla Olson. And Rock & Roll Globe is beyond honored to have the opportunity to premiere the video for the album’s title cut.”

The two singers, songwriters and guitarists have lengthy careers that have intersected a few times, and NIGHT COMES FALLING brings them together again in exciting ways on this 11-song album of stirring and rocking Americana music (the track listing is below). It will be released via CARLA’s production company Have Harmony, Will Travel, with distribution and marketing by Bob Frank Entertainment via the Orchard. Pre-order the album HERE and read the bio for the album HERE.

“Night Comes Falling” is a moving song that emerged after a conversation STEPHEN had with CARLA who was having dreams about her former singing partner, Gene Clark of the Byrds. It was on 1987’s classic So Rebellious A Lover, CARLA’s album with Gene, that STEPHEN and CARLA first recorded together when he contributed lap steel to “The Drifter” and dobro on “Deportee.” Below are quotes from both artists about the song, which will officially be released September 23, and video, directed by Tim Roth and including footage from two performances in CA: at McCabe’s Guitar Shop in Santa Monica and the Alex Theatre in Glendale.

NIGHT COMES FALLING comes on the heels of McCARTHY and OLSON’s two songs on the 2022 BMG multi-artist album Americana Railroad where they offered a new version of STEPHEN’s “Here Comes That Train Again” as well as Gene Clark’s “I Remember The Railroad.” (CARLA produced seven additional tracks on the album including those by Dave Alvin, Rocky Burnette, Robert Rex Waller Jr. and John York.) NIGHT COMES FALLING is a testament to their individual and combined talents and was recorded at Robbie Krieger’s studio, Horse Latitudes, in Glendale, CA, It was produced by CARLA, STEPHEN and Mikal Reid.

The album’s musician credits are Stephen McCarthy (guitars, pedal steel guitar, mandolin, mellotron), Carla Olson (guitars), Paul Marshall (bass) and drummers Mitch Marine and Benjamin Lecourt. The album’s other players are Skip Edwards (keyboards, plus the string arrangement for “Long Way Back To Seventeen”), Jeff Lewis (flugelhorn on “Broken Lullaby”) and Jesse Owens Wells (fiddle on “I Remember The Railroad”).

STEPHEN McCARTHY and CARLA OLSON:
QUOTES:

STEPHEN: “The idea for the song ‘Night Comes Falling’ came about at a band rehearsal in LA when I met up with Carla to sing a duet for a benefit. I asked her if she ever thought of her old singing partner Gene Clark. She mentioned that she’d seen him in a few dreams but that he never spoke a word. I returned to the East Coast and wrote the song based on that experience & Carla added lyrics as well. The contemplative thoughts of friends who’ve made a profound impact in our lives doesn’t come in the clear light of day but instead when shadows start to fall. The song is also meaningful because it was the initial inspiration for this collaborative album.”

CARLA: “In the 1980’s I performed live with Gene Clark and we recorded an album, So Rebellious A Lover. After he passed away in 1991, I found it difficult to listen to his songs without tears. He has appeared in my dreams for these past 30 years untouched by time and silent. Smiling but never speaking. When Stephen and I were rehearsing for a benefit concert in 2018,’ I told him about these dreams. ‘Night Comes Falling,’ both the song and the album, are the result of this conversation.”

STEPHEN: “I’ve known and respected Carla for a long time and was honored to record with her and Gene Clark on So Rebellious A Lover. Carla’s husband Saul Davis has always been very supportive, and it was he and my wife Liz who planted the idea of a duet album after we sang together at a benefit concert a few years ago.”

CARLA: Stephen and I have always appreciated each other’s talents and after we recorded the two songs that appeared on Americana Railroad, we said, ‘Let’s do more. Let’s record an album.’ We agreed that we should give writing together a try. The results of that idea can be heard on the five co-written songs that appear on the album. We also thought it would be fun to include a few covers. “One That Got Away’ has long been my favorite Desert Rose Band tune as is ‘Don’t Talk To Strangers’ by the Beau Brummels. I also wrote a few songs with the late George Green in the 80s including one that Percy Sledge recorded, ‘The Grand Blvd.’ I still have a few sets of words he’d given me, and his family gave Stephen and I permission to write music to one, ‘The Bell Hotel Is Burning.’ It’s an emotional and evocative lyric that will hopefully move the listener as it did Stephen and I.”

The NIGHT COMES FALLING track listing is as follows:

01 We Gotta Split This Town (McCarthy)
02 Night Comes Falling (McCarthy, Olson)
03 Broken Lullaby (McCarthy, Olson)
04 The Bell Hotel Is Burning (George Green, Olson, McCarthy)
05 Brink Of The Blues (McCarthy, Olson)
06 One That Got Away (McCarthy, Olson)
07 Don’t Talk To Strangers (Bob Durand, Ron Elliott)
08 Long Way Back To Seventeen (McCarthy, Olson)
09 Just To Get To You (McCarthy)
10 Timber (Kosta Lazarides)
11 I Remember The Railroad (Gene Clark)

Stephen McCarthy and Carla Olson; Photo credit: Markus Cuff

Stephen McCarthy
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM

Carla Olson
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER

Have Harmony, Will Travel
INSTAGRAM

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