Tag: #Songwriter

Thursday TREAT! Luckenbach – CD Review @RandyCMoore1 #NewMusic #TexasMusic

Published on by Jan Sikes31 Comments

Hello, lovely blog followers. I am super excited to bring you a music treat today from my good friend, Randy C. Moore!

Randy is no newcomer. He started his music career at the age of 15. And he’s been at it ever since. Not only is he an enigmatic performer, but he’s also a talented songwriter. Now he has a new CD release that is SO good I have to share. Whatever style of music you gravitate to, you’ll find bits and pieces of it on this new album, Luckenbach!

PURCHASE LINK

The first song, which is the title track, embodies what Luckenbach, Texas is all about. It’s a step away from the rush of everyday life. “We spent too many ticktocks working the time clock, dead on our feet. And too many nights going to bed and just going to sleep….” Then he raises the question, “Do you wanna go to Luckenbach Waylon and Willie and feelin’ no pain…” It’s a toe-tapper and makes you want to get up and dance around the room!

“James Dean Dream” has a great message about allowing the rebel inside you to break free. Living your life based on a truth you believe. It’s not breaking laws and being a bad guy, but being true to your authentic self.

The third track, “A Mother’s Prayer,” goes straight to the heart. Such a heartfelt tribute to the beautiful spirit of mothers and the lifelong bond with their children.

I love the true story, “Before Elvis.” Randy’s Uncle Gene went to Hughes High School in Memphis in 1953 with Elvis Presley. This song is the heart and soul of rockabilly!

In the same rockabilly vein infused with a dose of soul, “Big Bertha” co-written with the late and great Carl Lee Perkins will get you on your feet and moving! “Big Bertha” is actually about a golf club. 🙂

The next song on this album is probably my favorite just because it’s such a heartfelt and moving story. “I’ll Save A Place” is about two brothers and their unbreakable bond. The instrumental arrangement on this one is as rich as decadent chocolate with full strings and piano added. Have a tissue handy when you listen.

“Mosey Off” is a fun song about dying. Oh, wait! Dying is supposed to be sad and morbid. Not the case with this tune. I love the mention of Texas red dirt clay and San Jacinto river mud. Just that line alone is pure visual artistry.

With a bit of sarcasm, “Undertaker” is a rocking tune about the man who claims the body after the soul is gone.

The album closes with a spiritual tune, “Jericho.” What are you going to do when the walls of Jericho tumble? “Are you gonna roll? Are you gonna run…?”

I cannot say enough about this album. Each song is fantastic. The songwriting is superb, the instrumental arrangements are varied and the vocals are smooth and spot-on. It’s a journey from beginning to end, straight from the heart and soul of Randy C. Moore.

I highly recommend that you click over and purchase your copy. Once it’s on your playlist, you’ll find yourself bringing it back up over and over again the way I do!

For a physical copy of the CD, visit Randy C. Moore’s online store

For streaming, go to Amazon ** iTunes

Thank you for helping support this dedicated and hard-working Indie Artist!!

Jan Sikes and Randy C. Moore White Elephant Saloon, Fort Worth, Texas

“make it be me” – #NewRelease @MeabhStanford #Music #Literature WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

Published on by Jan Sikes49 Comments

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING WINNERS!

Mae Clair

Marie Sinadjan

D.L. Finn

Winners, please contacct Meabh at meabhmeabhmeabh@gmail.com to make arrangements to receive your prize!!

The artist I am introducing to you today is perhaps one of the most unusual and talented young ladies I have had the pleasure of meeting. What Meabh has done is unique and brilliant. And she is giving away a batch of goodies! I’ll let her tell you about it.

  1. About the Project: “make it be me” concept EP

“make it be me” is a concept project based on movies and novels that inspired strong emotions in me. The EP explores the effect that media has on the consumer through the lens of the characters in said media. I would say that my music is indie-pop, or alternative-pop, leaning towards the writing style of artists like Taylor Swift or Phoebe Bridgers. “make it be me” is filled with dramatic orchestration and piercing lyrics that inspect classic and modern stories, written from the perspective of well-known characters or the vantage point of an outsider swept into the deceptive magic of a universe. I immerse myself in different stories and write as if those fictional experiences are reality. 

The EP’s opening song, “Keira Knightley as Anna Karenina,” is based on the dramatic screen interpretation of the novel. I was enchanted by the way the author and directors took the mundane and inserted dramatics and pain and love into the story. I wanted to know what it would feel like to be one of those characters, who seem to live for each other, who abandon all reason in the name of love. Of course, it’s all unrealistic. But that doesn’t make it any less romantic or beautiful and she wanted to capture that feeling. The second and sixth tracks, “oh, Hyacinth, parts one and two,” revolve around the heartbreaking Greek myth of Apollo and Hyacinth. These songs are from the perspective of Apollo and follow the story of their short but intense relationship. Track three, “i can still hope” is a playful twist on the play, Romeo and Juliet Same star-crossed lovers deal, except this time, the love is unrequited on the part of who is representing Romeo’s character. The narrator, who represents Juliet, laments and self-deprecates and wishes that her Romeo would love her back.  Track four, “glory days” is a folk-pop anti-war anthem based on the point of view of Billy Pilgrim from Slaughterhouse-Five. He is such an interesting character and because I agreed with many of his ideas, this was a fun song for me to write. However, there are parts of this song that are purely Billy. So it goes… Finally, track five, “i still remember” was inspired by the novel, The Kite Runner. It is written from the perspective of Amir, the main character. It explores themes of guilt, haunting, and the desire to run away from your mistakes, even if it includes running away from the beautiful memories too.

  1. Stream/Purchase links for Méabh’s music which has been inspired by literature:

All links can be found in the following linktree: https://linktr.ee/meabhstanford

Individual links are below:

Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/album/4uZGdGu9QeUH73zg0ATb76?si=xJGTcYgJR7uA9ABsucTj0g&dl_branch=1

YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kk241_d4UpK7YRuo28pDEZDsfHR4e12E4

Apple Music- https://music.apple.com/us/album/_/1576998327?mt=1&app=music&ls=1

Bandcamp- https://meabhstanford.bandcamp.com/album/make-it-be-me

Tidal- https://listen.tidal.com/album/191317779

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/make-be-me-m%C3%A9abh-stanford/dp/B099PFQ36H/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=meabh+stanford&qid=1627089741&sr=8-7

  1. Website/Social Media Links: 

Website: https://www.meabhstanford.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/M%C3%A9abh-Stanford-108163631464642

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meabhstanford/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MeabhStanford

4. Bio:

Méabh Stanford is a 16 year old singer-songwriter-musician from Ocean City, New Jersey. She has been in love with music since childhood and has been performing since 2016. Her musical adventure began as an infant when her parents towed her and her older brother to “Music Together” music and movement classes. As she grew, she began taking piano lessons as a young child, then moved to play the flute in the school band. Inspired by Taylor Swift, Méabh began to play the guitar and sing. Méabh’s vocal coach and mentor, Stevi Leigh, challenged her to write a song at their first lesson four years ago when Méabh was just 12 years old. Writing this first song was a groundbreaking moment and she hasn’t stopped writing since. A voracious reader and evocative storyteller, Méabh infects her sophisticated sound with semantic twists and potent metaphors. Her debut concept EP, “make it be me,” was released in July 2021 and was produced by 2x Grammy-nominated producer, Saint Luke.



Giveaways:

A t-shirt, cd, and goodie bag which would include a pin, sticker, and bookmark.

To be entered to win, leave a comment and share on social media!

#SundaySpotlight – John ‘Pops’ Dennie – I’ve Got Something To Say @johndenniemusic

Published on by Jan Sikes16 Comments

Welcome to another Sunday Spotlight! The artist in the spotlight today has something to say! He is a true-blue genuine-to-the-core man who chooses his words carefully. Then he delivers them with passion.

John Pops Dennie…honest, contemplative, sometimes…his voice is almost as thick as his big, grayish beard.” – Dallas Observer

His new album, “I’ve Got Something To Say” is timely as America trudges through a surreal 2020.

The first song on the album, “Rose Garden,” is nothing at all about the flowers and everything about the injustices of life. “We can’t feed our families on a seven dollar bill, work eighty hour weeks in conditions that kill, and we ain’t gonna live on scraps anymore…”

Since the album started out with a protest song, I thought the title track, “I’ve Got Something To Say,” would carry on that theme and to my surprise I found a great love song with a funky beat! “People say I talk too much, but I got a lot to say. When I think about your touch, I’m gonna shout it out night and day…”

“Adrift” is a poignant look at the state of affairs in America today. “I say it’s raining outside, my brother says it’s not. Sees only what he’s learned to see and he doesn’t learn a lot…He doesn’t see the fire. He doesn’t smell the smoke…”

One of the most melancholy songs I’ve ever heard, “Long Black Cadillac Train,” is a mournful refrain.

A compelling story, “Creole Lady,” is filled with powerful imagery and an easy melody. This song is the perfect example of how a writer can weave an entire story in just over four minutes. It is my #1 pick on the album. “It was a helluva day back in ’39, when they took her away to pay for her crime. Falling in love was how it all began, but she fell in love with a poor white man…”

Slowing it down, “You Can’t Hear Me” is another persuasive story song that tugged at my heartstrings.

Reminiscent, “Loving You Like Old Times,” speaks of lost love that will never be reclaimed, and it brought me to tears. “If I were a king, I would sell everything just to have you here with me again…I’d write your name across my heart in flames, if it would bring you back to me…”

“Gonna Move” is an upbeat story about a young man coming into his own.

A haunting melody, “The Pendulum Swings,” is the perfect depiction of Karma, and an addict you cannot save.

Another song that shows the versatility of this artist, “Escape From Bull Run,” takes us to a time in early American history.

The album closes with a strong statement with “Here We Are.” The lyrics say it all! “Never dreamed the likes of them would ever fall for the likes of him, oh, but but somehow, here we are…”

I cannot say enough about this album. The musical stylings run deep and wide with versatility and relevance. You’ll find everything from vintage country to rock, blues and folk. John ‘Pops’ Dennie’s twenty-four carat vocal delivery is warm and full. He is America’s conscience!

Please take a listen and pick up a copy! You will not disappointed, and at the same time, you will be supporting a music artist who is giving his heart and soul to the craft!

Follow John ‘Pops’ Dennie

FACEBOOK

WEBSITE

TWITTER

Cut out the middle man and purchase the music direct from the artist!

https://johndennie.com/

Sunday Spotlight – STEEL BLOSSOMS! @steel_blossoms

Published on by Jan Sikes39 Comments

I am SO excited to turn my blog site over to Hayley and Sara today, of the amazing duo, STEEL BLOSSOMS! I had the pleasure of hearing these girls live at Love & War in Texas when they were opening for the artist I went to see. I had never heard of them and they blew me away! So, I’ll turn it over to these multi-talented young ladies and let them tell you about themselves! Take it away, Sara and Hayley!

Hello! It’s nice to virtually meet all of you and I hope you’re surviving this strange time in the world. Let us first introduce ourselves. You’ll be hearing from us both, Hayley Amour and Sara Zebley, as we make up the female fronted, Nashville-based duo, Steel Blossoms.  

A LITTLE BACKSTORY:

We met about 12 years ago at a music festival in Pittsburgh, PA near where both of us grew up, but it wasn’t until 3 years later when we joined a band together that we actually became friends and started singing full time with each other. It was instant chemistry on stage and off. We were both on the path to being elementary teachers for life when we convinced each other to give it all up to move to Nashville in 2014. It’s been a hell of a ride ever since. 

Moving to Nashville was an opportunity to make music a full time career instead of a hobby and we quickly began performing regularly on Broadway 4 hours a day, 7 days a week. About a year in, we discovered that traveling the country was going to be key in expanding our following so we started performing “house concerts,” a unique experience that has gained us lifelong relationships with fans who have turned into friends. Seriously, you’ll question ever going to a regular concert again after attending an intimate house concert- it’s that fun!! 

Fast forward a few years later… In January 2019, we signed a record deal with emerging Americana label, Billy Jam Records, under the direction of hit songwriter Jerry Salley. That was huge for us, as it gave us a boost in the industry and a team to rely on for some of the legwork it takes to promote an album. We’ve been so lucky to have since hired a band of phenomenal musicians (who are literally our best friends now), buy a van (her name is Blonde Betty White), and tour the country telling the stories behind our original songs. 

AN EVEN BIGGER BREAK:

I remember us saying to each other “How in the world will 2020 ever top 2019? So many amazing things happened in 2019 and there’s no way we’ll outdo it!” And then we got a phone call that changed everything. We may have both blacked out during the conversation in disbelief, but at the end of that 5 minutes, we were the opening act for Alan Jackson’s 2020 tour. WHAT?! Crazy, right? We screamed, cried, called our families and swore them to secrecy, cried some more, questioned whether it was a dream, then got to work preparing for one of the biggest moments of our career. 

OUR FIRST STADIUM/ARENA TOUR:

January 10 and 11, 2020 was the first weekend of the Alan Jackson tour and we were beyond excited that the very first show was in Cincinnati, OH, equal distance between our Nashville friends and our Pennsylvania friends and family. It was one of those surreal weekends that we struggle to put into words. Let’s try though. 

First of all, we got to ride a tour bus for the very first time (not as glamorous as one would think- those bunks are tiny!!). We rode the bus with a lot of the sound engineers and techs from the show and that alone was such a neat experience to see what behind the scenes work goes into making the performance night run smoothly. Alan Jackson’s band was particularly welcoming and genuine, which was not taken for granted on our parts. We got to watch their sound check and hang out with some of the musicians throughout the evening. Alan’s fiddle player, Ryan, is from our hometown- small world! Hearing some of our favorite songs in person from AJ was also nothing short of amazing. Imagine hearing “Remember When” and “Little Bitty” from a few rows back in an empty arena before 13,000 people were on their way to fill the seats. PINCH ME MOMENT times infinity. 

We had the honor of performing 5 songs to start the night off and saying we were terrified and filled with adrenaline would be the understatement of the year. We were all pleasantly surprised that the butts were in the seats so early on and we had over 10k people watching our performance. The most amazing part of this experience was realizing that we belonged on that stage. I know it sounds crazy considering we’ve been working our way up to this moment consistently for years, but we really weren’t sure before that first performance if our usual stage show was going to translate to such a large atmosphere. When it did and we proudly finished our last original song of the night “You’re the Reason I Drink” with the whole audience singing the hook, we realized we had caught the bug. Both of us cried, hugged our band members, and decided that we NEVER wanna not be doing shows like that. Honestly, after feeling what we felt on that stage, I’m not sure why musicians do drugs. 

UNTIL NEXT TIME:

Thanks for getting to know us through these stories and we look forward to not only continuing the Alan Jackson tour once the world is in better shape, but we hope and pray that while you are reading this, you and your loved ones are safe, healthy and managing the uncertainty of these times. 

Follow The Steel Blossoms:
www.steelblossoms.com

www.steelblossoms.com/store

www.facebook.com/steelblossoms

www.instagram.com/steelblossoms

www.youtube.com/steelblossoms

Spotify link to SB latest album

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6c7CCsR0EwgZ81KHktNrhO