Kent Blazy discusses how "Gettin' You Home (The Black Dress Song" came about.

The Don's Hit List 

"Seeing Your Black Dress Hit The Floor" - Kent Blazy On Writing This Line For Chris Young

Country Superstar Heidi Newfield talks about being on the wrong side of the bottle

Ep 222 Part V: Country Superstar Heidi Newfield Is On the Wrong Side of The Bottle

In this segment, Heidi Newfield how she made the blues her business with Delbert McClinton

Ep 222 Part VIII: Heidi Newfield Makes The Blues Her Business With Delbert McClinton

Bassist Brian Wheat of the rock band Tesla discusses writing their big song "Paradise" for The Great Radio Controversy Album

Brian Wheat of Tesla on writing the song Paradise for The Great Radio Controversy

Singer/Songwriter Solstice Rey (Sabrina) joined us from Philadelphia to discuss the following with time stamps included.  

0:00 - Start show talking about the song “Phoenix” from the “Sunday, Someday” Comp with Solstice Rey (Sabrina).  We discuss how some of her earlier songs had an ambient vibe to them whereas the latest songs fit more into pop punk. We talk about how the band Nervus played a part on this track.   We go to 1:50 of the track for the goosebump moment.  
“When they sent the final cut to me I was like ‘Oh my f****** God!’ I never imagined it would come out this way.  I was so happy and I cried a little bit”  

6:59 - “Mountains” We go to 2:23 of the track and the breakdown here gives us all goosebumps!  We are addicted to this part of the song.   We discuss the line “I’ve got to find the strength to climb this mountain.”  Sabrina mentions her current musical influences:  Purity Ring, Melanie Martinez, FKA Twiggs, Title Fight, Tiger’s Jaw, Balance And Composure, Stuck Up Kids.  Sabrina mentions how Bollywood music affects her.   

11:37 - Sabrina talks about songs that affect her from other artists.   “My Life” by Anthony Flammia.  This song makes her feel really good especially when things are going really well in her life.  She talks about seeing and hearing for the first time live in Philadelphia.  

16:12 - We discuss how the comp “Sunday, Someday”  came together.

18:45 - “Dawn” is discussed.   We go to 0:59 seconds of the track.   This song makes us feel good.   

21:16 - We play a goosebump moment from the song “Between The Lines” from the band Nervus that is on the “Sunday, Someday” comp.  So good!  We discussed more about Nervus band member Em Foster provided her creative talent to the Soltice Rey songs.   

29:10 - We get into a discussion about genres and we dive into some Ballywood music for our listeners in India.  

33:24 - The curse for some bands when they create a song that they really don’t like but the fans love and demand they play it.   We talk about Paramore and the song “Decode”.  

36:46 - We discuss K-Pop and and the music of Shinee.

Ep 256:  Solstice Rey (RIYL Purity Ring, Tiger's Jaw) on The Don's Hit List

Donna Simpson Photo

 
Natalie D-Napoleon joined us to go through the songs from her album “You Wanted To Be The Shore But Instead You Were The Sea”
We start the show with the track “Thunder Rumor”.   Natalie talks about having writers block but when she sat on the front porch of an one hundred year old California college and the songs started pouring out.   Natalie talks about being an Australian who was heavily influenced by Americana folk.  She also talks about growing up on a farm 
 
5:42 - We talk about her song “Wildflowers” and go to the 2:09 - 3:09 mark of the track.  We talk about the Freya Phillps (Daughter of Toad The Wet Sprocket’s Glen Phillips) and Susan Marie Reeves (An award winning songwriter) doing the beautiful harmonies with Natalie.   The song was inspired by the wildflowers super bloom that occurs in California.  Don also talks to Natalie about she reminds him of Natalie Merchant (10,000 Maniacs).  
 
12:03 - We discuss “Second Time Round” and we go to 3:15 of the track and hit play.   We talk about Dan Phillips who plays the piano and the harmonies in this part of the song hits us as well. We talk about the song Michael Kiwanuka whose song “Cold Little Heart” was used as the theme song for “Big Little Lies”.  We talk about how “Second Time Round” should be used in a tv or movie.  
 
16:53 - We discuss her track “Soft” and we go to 3:19 in the song.  
“You wanted a woman that was soft but you got one that was hard”.  We talk about that line as well as the sound of the standing bass in the song by Jim Connelly.  We talk about how The Beatles and Neil Finn of Crowded House write excellent bridges in songs.   This song was written for women coming from different angles.   
 
22:01 - We discuss the song “No Longer Mine” and we go to 0:56 of the track.  We brought up Allison Krauss.  We also talks about how the song was created to have a playing live vibe to it.  We talk about “Humble and Kind” by Lori McKenna and what an inspiration Lori is to Natalie.

Ep 267:  Natalie D Napoleon (Folk Singer/Songwriter) on The Don's Hit List

Photo By Victoria Roth:  

Allie Colleen joins The Don and Grizz to talk about her upcoming single "Pink Lemonade" and we go into details about the song scheduled for release June 15th.   We discuss meeting Nora Collins who wrote and performed the song originally.  We asked Allie if there will be a video for this song.  She answers the question. 
  We also get into lyrics of the song.  
We also discuss the following:  
- The challenge of Math Word Problems 
- Allie's favorite drink of choice and it involves a Tito's Vodka and Vlasic pickle juice with a special shoutout to Nashville Pickers Vodka 
- Allie needs to be on at least 5 Sirius XM channels and numerous playlists like "New Boots"
- Then we talk about how Allie should do a cover of "Warrior" by Patty Smythe and Scandal.
- Allie talks about her trip and show in Paso Robles at Rava Wines.   Allie talks about getting her clothes while there at Ross.  She shares some great stories about the trip as well.

We also talk about her upcoming shows 
11 Jun 
Comstock Windmill Festival 2021 Comstock, NE 
17 Jul 
Valleyview Campgrounds Belmont, OH 
31 Jul 
Casey Donahew with Allie Colleen Milbank, SD 
07 Aug 
Franklin Theatre Franklin, TN

Ep 271:  Allie Colleen (Country Star) Discusses Her Song "Pink Lemonade" on The Don's Hit List

Frankie Sullivan of the iconic rock band Survivor discusses their late lead vocalist and his close friend Jimi Jamison.   Frankie discusses the first meeting/audition with Jimi and the magic which occurred and the pivotal moment when Jimi got the gig .   We also get into the goosebump moments from Jimi's vocals on "I Can't Hold Back", "Is This Love", "When Seconds Count", and "Burning Heart".   We also have laughs over the Starbucks commercial and the the icon that is James Brown.   We also hear Frankie's opinion on "There's No Easy Way Out" by Robert Tepper and how that is an incredible song in the Rocky soundtrack catalogue.

Iconic Band Survivor Guitarist Songwriter On Jimi Jamison & Their Biggest Hits on The Don's Hit List

Granny 4 Barrel continues to shock and rock with the brand new track, “The Art of Deception.” G4B’s first release since 2019, the song and it's accompanying video prove once again that the “Matriarch of Metal™” is without question one of the most incendiary artists on the scene today.

Despite all the obstacles presented during the Covid-19 pandemic, Granny (aka Terry LeRoi) managed to link up with longtime producer/collaborater David Bendeth and create a slew of new material, including a cover of Ronnie James Dio’s “Stand Up and Shout” under the name “LeRoi XIII”. The track featured performances by Will Hunt and Troy McLawhorn (Evanescence), Aaron Pauley (Of Mice & Men), and guitarist Sammy Boller. The cover was met with rave reviews and is currently generating hundreds of thousands of streams/views with all proceeds being donated to Dio's SUAS charity.

All of that wood shedding and hard work from 2020 has paid off with a forthcoming string of new singles throughout 2021, the first of which is “The Art of Deception.” 
 
And while this powerful track most certainly rocks, it’s the music video that puts it over the top:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsSXzQmVynU

The video was shot in an old castle on the Hudson River called “Greystone Court.” Master videographers David Brodsky and Allison Woest from My Good Eye Visuals did a breathtaking job capturing the dark essence of the track. Brodsky explains “We shot filming in super-slow-motion, we were able to capture our stellar cast’s interpretive dances, bringing the song to life visually and expressively. It was a remarkably entertaining shoot and we’re all quite proud of the result.”

LeRoi explains, “The character of Granny is inspired by horror movies, villains and anti-heroes. If you take a closer look inside, there are psychological components to this alter ego that give it depth. It’s the perfect vehicle for me to express my disdain for stereotypes and intolerance. But it also gives me equal satisfaction on the theatrical and musical side.” Terry continued “Granny’s extended family (the fans)relate to not only the sheer visual insanity of G4B but in grand heavy metal fashion there’s an element of danger that says I really like this but I’m kind of afraid of it as well! (laughs) They embrace the idea of a surrogate witch-like metal Granny who kicks ass, loves them equally but doesn’t hesitate to dish out scathing proclamations against evil and injustice. Granny 4 Barrel succinctly delivers the message “Never judge a book by its cover!”

"Writing this track with David Bendeth was a great experience” explains LeRoi  “We delved into darker waters and were able to explore and stretch out musically and vocally. I believe we hit upon a theme a lot of folks can relate to “The Art Of Deception” begs the question, ‘Who do you really trust?’ Your leaders…your friends? Beware infiltrators among us - they are wolves in sheep‘s clothing!’ It’s an honor to share this menacing track with all of the rock ‘n’ roll children!”

First breaking onto the scene with the track “Freak Flag” G4B then toured extensively and received heavy rotation on terrestrial and satellite radio with the track "Nitro Sexy". Most of the singles were accompanied by outrageous videos, including “She Likes Guns" which was directed by the one and only Stormy Daniels. Now Granny 4 Barrel is ready to take 2021 full-on with hands down their best work yet– the first strike being a can't miss with “The Art of Deception.”

Ep 292:  Terry LeRoix (Granny 4 Barrel) on Ronnie James Dio Tribute on The Don's Hit List

Waylon Reavis (Frontman from Mushroomhead fame) joined The Don and Grizz to discuss his band A Killer's Confession music.  There are many goosebump moments in the AKC arsenal and we deep dive into them.   We also discuss the relationship he had with his dad and the special moment they had when his dad was about to leave this mortal coil.

Ep 312:  Waylon Reavis (Mushroomhead fame)discusses A Killer's Confession on The Don's Hit List

Well known rock front man/vocalist/songwriter John Corabi joined The Don and Grizz to discuss his latest single "Cosi Bella (So Beautiful)".   There are elements of Queen and The Beatles in this track which has goosebump moments within the song.   John talks about a writing session he had as a member of Mötley Crüe that turned into a song and it was his first song he ever wrote starting with a piano.   We talk about goosebump moments he has had listening to The Beatles music.   A song he wrote that was inspired by his song who was listening to The Beatles in the car.   This was an incredible story and worth a listen.  We also started the show off talking about the proper cheesesteak as he is a Philly guy after all.

Ep 315:  John Corabi (ex-Mötley Crüe, The Scream) on The Don's Hit List

Dave Faulkner is the vocalist, guitars, and songwriter for the iconic Aussie power pop band Hoodoo Gurus.  Dave joined the show and we went over the goosebump moments from some of the songs in the soon to be released album "CHARIOT OF THE GODS" coming out March 11th, 2022.   

We also talked about their classic song "Like Wow - Wipeout!".  They are also doing a one time only live stream concert event for the new album plus some classics on March 10th no matter where you are in the world.

Dave Faulkner of power pop icons Hoodoo Gurus

Michigan rockers NO RESOLVE--Oscar Pegorraro (singer), Matty Shea (guitars), Jason Hatmaker (guitars), and Dennis Patterson (bass)—transformed their lives and completely reinvented themselves during the past two years. Since November 2020, after releasing their own songs for years prior, they’ve been releasing Rock covers of classic Pop songs by Adele, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and others, all while Pegorraro works as a UPS driver during the day.

 

Their latest single, “Surface Pressure” from the Oscar-winning film Encanto, wracked up over 30,000 pre-saves and the video trailer has garnered over 107,000 views upon the band’s first announcement about it on Tuesday, March 22. It’s finally available today on all digital outlets and the band’s official YouTube page.

 

“The music industry has changed completely,” observes NO RESOLVE frontman Oscar Pegorraro, “and the power is now in the viral creator’s hands, rather than the record label. Look at us--we’re an independent band who have over one million monthly listeners on Spotify, are regularly charting on Billboard, and every new song release of ours goes to the top of the iTunes charts. We’ve already gone the traditional music route of putting out a full-length album and two EPs of original material, but now we’re going viral on every streaming platform out there.”

 

NO RESOLVE signed a multi-album deal with Noise Machine (founded by Grammy-nominated, Platinum-selling producers B.J. Perry and John Pregler) in 2020 with “Never Back Down” as their first song release. Their debut EP, A NEW BEGINNING, was released in 2012, followed by 2013’s smash “Get Me Out” single, which the Detroit Red Wings played during playoff games that season and currently has over 18 million streams on YouTube. Dragon Ball Super used the song in a video for “Goku Vs. Jiren,” which has over 54 million views. Their first full-length album, UNITY, dropped in 2017 with the hot singles “Love Me To Death” and “What You Deserve” that received heavy airplay on SiriusXM’s Octane channel, and it debuted at #10 on Billboard’s “Heatseekers Albums” chart, #45 on the iTunes Rock chart, and it was highlighted on Amazon’s Hot New Releases.

 

In November 2020 when the world was still in lockdown, the band decided to change things up a bit and record a cover of Adele’s “Set Fire To The Rain,” which was played in heavy rotation on SiriusXM’s Octane channel, and has since garnered over 4.3 million views since its release on YouTube. The rest is history.

 

Over the next months, the band went on to turn Pop hits into Rock hits by Morgan Wallen (“Broadway Girls,” which reached #1 on Billboard’s “Hard Rock Digital Song Sales” chart), Adele (“Easy On Me,” which reached #2 on Billboard’s “Hard Rock Digital Song Sales” chart), Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, The Kid LAROI/Justin Bieber, and songs from The Greatest Showman and Moana soundtracks. In October 2021, their joint cover of Garth Brooks’ “The Thunder Rolls” with labelmates State of Mine went to #1 on Billboard’s “Hot Hard Rock Songs,” “Rock Digital Song Sales” and “Hard Rock Digital Song Sales” charts, and it even got a thumbs up from Garth himself during one of his quarantine Q&As.  As a result of all of the cover song love, NO RESOLVE has over 92 million streams and over 1.7 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

 

While the band has an avowed knack for creating vibrant original material dating back well over a decade, Pegorraro felt NO RESOLVE could do something more to move the needle even further. “I’d been wanting to do covers since 2011, so it was a no-brainer to me,” he confirms. So, what’s NO RESOLVE’s “secret covers sauce,” so to speak? According to Pegorraro, the aural recipe is really quite simple: “It’s the sense of creating something that feels familiar but at the same time brings it to a genre that needs rejuvenation.”

No Resolve: UPS Driver By Day, #1 Charting Rock Stars By Night

When it comes to crafting albums, singer-songwriter Graeme James seems to follow two philosophies: Do it yourself, and think big.
 
And no, those are not conflicting notions. James, a talented multi-instrumentalist, plays a dizzying array of instruments on his new Nettwerk Records release, Seasons (out April 1) — just as he did on his Nettwerk debut, 2019’s The Long Way Home, and his earlier independent efforts. He’s been a one-man band since he started his career as a busker in his native New Zealand, and still uses his trusty loop pedal to create his own mini-orchestra when he performs live. 
 
James also produces his recordings, which allows him to sandwich together as many layers of violin, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, bass, double bass, banjo, baritone ukulele, viola, cello, harmonica, accordion, and percussion as he wants. For Seasons, he did request piano, horn, percussion and vocal contributions from friends.

He even creates his own cover art, drawn in a distinctive pen-and-ink style partly inspired by vintage children’s books and linocut printing. 
 
As for the “go big” part, that’s more about his approach to subject matter. On The Long Way Home, James did with words and music what Einstein did with math: explore the nature of time and space.  With Seasons, James contemplates the cycles of life and the human condition, as measured by nature’s own time clock.  These are not idle musings about mundane situations. Though he might use tiny brushstrokes to define minute details, James paints panoramas, not postcards.

The Long Way Home wasn’t a concept album; its theme emerged organically whereas
Seasons definitely is. Starting with spring, it cycles through to winter via 12 songs of such intimacy and delicate beauty, they invoke another Einstein comparison — to the fictional literary gem, Einstein’s Dreams. The album’s first single in particular, “Everlasting Love” (releasing Feb. 18), would fit perfectly within that petite book’s pages.
 
In a Rolling Stone “Songs You Need to Know” feature about the Seasons track, “The Voyage of the James Caird,” writer David Browne observed, “[James’] records tend to be calm and ruminative, recalling the work of fellow modern balladeers like Nathaniel Rateliff (during his unplugged moments) and Phoebe Bridgers.”

These are not bad comparisons. James’ musical style also reflects his love for Sufjan Stevens, Bon Iver and Iron And Wine — though it’s doubtful any of them belong to the unique musical club James has just joined; it’s open only to composers of Celtic-veined doomed-ship songs inspired by actual disasters.

James mentions fellow violinist Andrew Bird as another favorite; both began studying as children. James was heading toward a career as a classical violinist when repetitive strain injuries caused him to make other plans.
 
Like those artists and many others, James has often turned to the natural world for inspiration. His first album of original work, 2016’s News from Nowhere, was shaped by the landscapes of his native country. Seasons came to life after James and his partner, Zoe, moved to the Netherlands in 2018.  “In New Zealand, most of the trees are evergreen,” he notes. “You don't get as much seasonal distinction as you do in Europe or North America. The Netherlands is northern Europe, so you're getting a lot of range. The weather here really caused me to appreciate seasonality, and come to appreciate all of the seasons for the richness they bring to life.”
 
With the Seasons release, James continues plumbing subjects he began exploring in a four-EP series released from fall of 2020 through summer of 2021. On the opening track, “The Fool,” he marvels at “the splendor of a world being made anew.”

Graeme James: Nettwerk indie folk artist from New Zealand/Netherlands

Breaking In A Sequence is based out of Huntington Beach, California and features drummer David Silveria, bassist Chris Dorame, guitarists Joe Taback and Mike Martin. The band formed after a worldwide vocalist search led them to recruit Rich Nguyen. The band’s diverse musicality is backed by Silveria’s signature groove and neatly wrapped together by captivating vocal melodies.
The band's debut singles "Pity" and "Change Your Mind", released on January 4, 2019, were met with tremendous fanfare. "Pity", the edgier track of the two, has helped grow the band's following exponentially in both the U.S. and abroad. "Change Your Mind", showcases the band's softer, melodic side. The two singles were released as a SIDE A/B as a throwback to the 80's and 90's single releases. "Pity" peaked in the TOP 25 (#23) on the Billboard (BDS) Indicator Chart and TOP 10 (#9) on the Foundations (SMR) Chart. It has reached over 264,000 streams on Spotify and 54,000 views on YouTube.
A third single "Hesitation", was released on July 16, 2019 to radio with an accompanying music video. The song is the exact middle ground between the first two singles. It peaked in the TOP 25 (#24) on the Billboard (BDS) Indicator Chart and TOP 10 (#6) on the Foundations (SMR) Chart. It has reached over 26,000 streams on Spotify and over 72,000 views on YouTube.
The band released their debut EP Acronym in January of 2021. It has reached over 560,000 streams on Spotify. The video for the final single "Anything But Right" was released on August 13, 2021.
Please reach out if you would like to review the EP or interview the band.
Breaking In A Sequence is:
Rich Nguyen - Vocals
David Silveria - Drums
Joe Taback - Guitar / Backup Vocals
Mike Martin - Guitar
Chris Dorame - Bass

Breaking In A Sequence: A Direct Descendent From The #korn Family Tree #hardrock #numetal

Ken Lewis has been a part of 19 Grammy winning recordings, 112 Platinum/Gold records, and 74 Billboard number 1 songs.   He wears many hats from producer, to engineer, to mixer, to musician on these efforts.   
He joined us to talk about his new project:  obSCENE Stealers

obSCENE Stealers are the collision of music industry titans Ken Lewis and Michael Maas. Meshing over 100+ gold records with scores of epic movie trailers, this dynamics duo’s sound can only be described as EPIC AF! Michael Maas brings the cinematic smoke while Ken Lewis channels his experience working with every artist in the known universe, possibly...probably...definitely...a few Ye-liens. obSCENE Stealers first single “Danger” -featuring the unique and powerful voice of Deraj -smashes hip hop barriers with driving guitars and pounding drums to the cadence of “Jericho”.

obSCENE Stealers are vandalizing playlists while unapologetically de-composing the musical soundtracks to your favorite scenes. Ruining the music to your favorite video game, shocking you with gratuitous violence DAMNYOUAUTOCORRECT..... of gratuitous violins!

Drama king Michael Maas brings the movies like a Boss, and Ken’s secret weapon status is Steal Team 6 Level in the music industry. Collaborating with insanely talented artists, oS brings you the next level of “DJ" collaborating, where the DJ’s play instruments and understand orchestration and songwriting and drama, and the artists expand their musical worlds with us and bring us into theirs.

obSCENE Stealers already have several great collaborations dropping this year, and look out for the full STEAL TEAM 6 EP by early 2023.

Also, during this interview Ken and Stormy get into a discussion about their disease they battle each day: Ankylosing spondylitis

For more information about Ken, go to: https://kenlewis.com/

Ken Lewis: 19 Grammys , 112 Platinum/Gold Records, 74 Billboard number 1s. NEXT: obSCENE Stealers

Imagine if you will that the legends Prince and Sheila E are your godparents.  Mychael does not need to imagine this as it is reality.   The thing is, Mychael is an INCREDIBLE songwriter and musician himself.   We dove into is release "Genesis" and there are so many goosebump moments that it was hard to on discuss the few we could do in the 30 minutes we had him on.   Take a listen to this interview and you will see why we were BLOWN AWAY! 

Mychael Gabriel's background in the musical arena has been a colorful one: Writer, producer, arranger, engineer, mixer, musician - his extensive collaborations in the professional music arena include: Sheila E., Stevie Wonder, Ringo Starr, Hans Zimmer, Usher, John Legend, Snoop Dogg, Beck, Common, Gary Clark Jr., St. Vincent, Miguel, H.E.R., Juanes, Goapele, Earth Wind and Fire, Gloria Estefan, George Duke, George Clinton, Freddie Stone (of Sly and the Family Stone), Luis Enrique, Tony Succar, Joss Stone, Debi Nova, Israel Houghton, George Benson, Tony! Toni! Toné!, C.O.E.D., Escovedo Family, Avery Sunshine, Ellis Delaney, Kevin Ross, Johnny Gill, Peter Rafelson, Jean-Marie Horvat, Victor Wooten, Damon Castillo, MasterClass, DreamWorks Animation, ABC Network, 2007 and 2012 Latin Grammy Awards, 2016 BET Awards, Super Bowl XXVI, 2020 Grammy Awards, 2020 Grammy Salute to Prince, 2022 Summit of the Americas, 2022 World Games, and so much more..

Mychael Gabriel: Rising From The Mist Of The Purple Rain

Michael Monroe is an icon and legend from bands Hanoi Rocks and Demolition 23.  He joined us to talk about the reunion show with both Hanoi Rocks and Demolition 23.   He also talks about the Hall Of Fame Legend he would love to perform with soon.  Michael describes what is what like to meet and perform with Alice Cooper.

Michael Monroe: Iconic Frontman of Hanoi Rocks & Demolition 23 On Music,  Mick Jagger & Alice Cooper

Industrial/electro rockers Julien-K, founded by original Orgy members Ryan Shuck and Amir Derakh debuted their new single "Your Tears Mean Nothing" along with the official music video today via FRAME|WORK. The single was written by Julien-K, produced and mixed by Amir Derakh.

Ryan and Amir come on to talk about this song in detail, the live album that was bootlegged without their consent that they got the rights to, and we play a song from that live album that gives me absolute goosebumps.

Julien-K (Founding Members of their former band Orgy) Are Here To Tell You Your Tears Mean Nothing

The last three years saw plenty of uncertainty within the world and catalyzed a search for intention and creativity for artists worldwide. For Chris Urriola, it inspired a debut solo EP. The Hollis Brown bassist has always had a knack for “writing songs and finding melodies everywhere,” and has now allowed his songwriting to develop in this defining moment of his burgeoning solo career. The result is the Illustrator EP.

Knowing it was time to take the leap from bass player to front man, Urriola began forming his band. “It’s never easy to ask anyone for anything, at least for me,” he says. “So getting a surprising yes from my best mates was addictive.”

Given the collaborative compositional nature of Urriola’s songwriting, finding the right studio atmosphere was crucial. Enter Sean Walsh of The National Reserve, who captured the band’s energy as the recording engineer. The sessions took place over 7 unique tracking sessions in 2021.

Urriola describes the sessions as “akin to an old Motown Session.” During each session, “I’d teach them a tune on the spot. It was a lot of fun and sometimes difficult conveying the idea but I feel that the results were captured on the Illustrator EP.” They recorded over 30 songs over the course of the sessions, and choosing the four that would become Illustrator was “a luxury, a garden of creative energy.”

As a bassist by trade, Urriola found that he was “creating ideas that live only in “bass-land,” the ideas don’t always translate to a full-band rock aesthetic.” So, to realize his full vision for the EP, he fine-tuned his guitar playing and learned how to structure and develop a tune to take to the studio. He says, “The experience recording 30 songs as a guitarist allowed me to focus on rhythmic tendencies and song-arrangement. I was able to convey the song ideas to the band and capture some great takes.”

The Illustrator EP is a collection of songs about identity, relationships, and the universality of loss. Urriola’s experience as a bass player and band member before picking up the guitar lends a unique and eclectic sound to the EP. Both musically and lyrically, Illustrator has broad appeal and will connect with indie rockers, deep thinkers, and anyone looking for a little human connection in these modern times.

Chris Urriola: A Music Discussion About Identity, Relationships, And The Universality Of Loss

Doug Kistner joined the show to talk about his music project Studio D’Lux which features an all star line up from legendary bands Chicago, Steely Dan, and Billy Joel on new yacht rock vibe single. This is the follow up from the recent Studio D’Lux EP, which released on December 2, 2022 and has so far streamed 200k on Spotify. This project and song is written and produced by singer/keyboardist Doug Kistner. Grammy winner Bill Champlin, best know for co writing "After The Love Is Gone" for Earth Wind & Fire and for his voice on "Look Away" and "Hard Habit to Break" by Chicago, adds his soulful vocals to the track. Famed rock drummer Liberty Devitto and bassist Malcolm Gold supply the grooves. The song takes a turn at the 3 minute mark and features a guitar solo from Steely Dan’s Jon Herington.

Studio D'Lux is a musical venture led by singer, songwriter and instrumentalist Doug Kistner, who writes and produces all the songs released by the group. Doug Kistner has played with Trans-Siberian Orchestra, John Waite, Blood, Sweat &Tears, and Danny Seraphine's CTA. He is currently playing with Lords of 52nd Street and Summer of Love.

You will hear these world class musicians put their stamp on this exciting new music inspired by the great music of the 70s and 80s.

Studio D'Lux: Doug Kistner And Legends Featured In Bands Like Chicago, Steely Dan, and Bill Joel

Marc Ribler has played with some greats and is well respected by Little Steven, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello and even performed with Sir Paul McCartney.   Marc join the show to talk about his new song "Armageddon" and share some amazing stories.   

"When Marc isn’t putting together amazing bands for me, he’s writing great songs and has been doing it for years. His new album for Wicked Cool plays like a greatest hits collection. He can do it all."- Steven Van Zandt

Marc Ribler (Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul, The Boss, Elvis Costello) New Music & Sir Paul

Jock Bartley is an original member of the legendary rock band Firefall.  How often do we here "Just Remember I Love You" and "You Are The Woman" on rotation on our favorite classic contemporary music station?  Frequent is the right answer.  We talk about those hits and more.  

When a group reaches their fifth decade like Firefall has, they develop deep roots with their fellow musicians, whether it’s from sharing touring bills or the shuffling of band members. On Friends & Family (arriving September 22 on Sunset Blvd Records), Firefall celebrates these relationships by performing songs from bands whose histories are intertwined with Firefall’s. These 13 tracks, representing multiple Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees, country rock pioneers, Southern rock superstars, and Top 40 hit-makers, create an album that stands - in the words of Firefall’s remaining founding member, guitarist Jock Bartley - “as a tribute to the great music of the 70s.”
 
Firefall certainly contributed their share to the 70s’ great music. They lit up both AM and FM airwaves with a string of hits, starting with their 1976 smash “You Are the Woman” and touring with such acts as Fleetwood Mac, The Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Doobie Brothers. While the band’s melodic, country-flavored rock is present throughout Friends & Family, Firefall also show their deep respect for these songs that they, and millions of others, love. Their intention wasn’t about perfectly recreating the originals, explains Bartley, who also produced the album. “We wanted to duplicate the energy in the songs and make them familiar but make the music a little bit different and put a new slant on the songs.” 
 
This approach is fully evident on the opening track, the Doobie Brothers’ “Long Train Running.” The band flips the primary and secondary guitar parts, as well as adding in Jim Waddell’s saxophone, resulting in a rendition that sounds similar but isn’t a replication. For Poco’s “In The Heart Of The Night,” Bartley decided to not include a pedal steel (played on the original by Rusty Young, a longtime Firefall friend who died in 2021), but instead played a slide guitar to achieve the same vibe. Similarly, the version Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man” stays true to the tune’s thunderous guitar sound, the addition of a nimble accordion solo (provided by album guest John Magnie of the Subdudes) delivers a nice sonic touch. 
 
Friends & Family features two songs that feel tailormade for this project: Loggins & Messina’s “Angry Eyes” and Marshall Tucker Band’s “Can’t You See.”  Like Firefall, Loggins & Messina’s music was rooted in acoustic guitars, harmonies and offering a touch of sax. On their rendition, Firefall cut several minutes off the 70s-jammy original, while also injecting a rockier edge. Marshall Tucker and Firefall were among the few American rock bands to use a flute. In fact, long-time woodwind/keyboard player David Muse, who joined Firefall before their first album, also performed with Marshall Tucker beginning in the late 90s. Sadly Muse, who passed away from cancer in 2022, was too ill to play on this track. Firefall dedicated Friends & Family to him.

Firefall began in 1974 when both Bartley and Roberts were living in Boulder, Colorado. They started to play together, with Andes soon joining them. Initially, the three planned to record Roberts’ third solo album, but it felt more like a band when they played together. Roberts soon enlisted singer/songwriter Larry Burnett, and Clarke came aboard on drums, and Firefall was born. Bartley still marvels at how Burnett and Roberts not only brought a dozen songs apiece to the band, but also how wonderfully their songwriting and singing balanced with one another.

Jock Bartley: Guitarist Of The Legendary Band Firefall Talks About Hit Songs, Friends, and Family.

Tommy Victory of the legendary metal band PRONG joined us to talk about their 13th studio album 'State Of Emergency' which was released on October 6th via Steamhammer / SPV.  The album title aptly describes the state of world as we know it today.  We cover some of the tracks and we talk about NYC yesterday and today.   We also talk about their upcoming shows with Life Of Agony.

Tommy Victor of PRONG: Masters Of Palm Muting In Metal And Album # 13

Legendary performer John Corabi headlines an incredible lineup for G4L Records Cancer Benefit Show #1 for "Elizabeth & Chris" on October 17th in Nashville at The Eighth Room. John will be performing songs from his Motley Crue days including hits such as “Hooligan’s Holiday”; The Dead Daisies’ “Dead and Gone"; “Man in the Moon”, and ”Love (I Don’t Need It Anymore)”. Tora Tora’s Anthony Corder will be performing his hits including “Walkin’ Shoes” and “Guilty”. 13 South’s Chris Blevins will be performing his 2023 Josie Award Nominated “Rock Songwriting Song of the Year” “Mississippi Way”.

"The idea for the show came from G4L Records Founder, Markus Muller-Stach. He began developing the event while his wife was in her battle with Stage 4 Breast Cancer as a way to honor her, give her a night of great music, brighten up her day, raise money to fund an end of life trip and pay for cancer related bills. Sadly, during production Elizabeth passed," says John Corabi.

The event has grown to include artist and friend Chris Blevins who is also battling cancer, performing, and co-producing the event.

Markus Muller-Stach adds, “I’m excited to move forward with this event. It’s been very therapeutic to work on. The last 3 ½ years of my wife battling cancer, losing her recently, the impact and all that goes with it has inspired me to help other families that are going through this. So after this show, we will begin working on the next one in Los Angeles and find other cancer patients to honor. Knowing firsthand the pain and suffering a cancer patient and their family go through, all the associated bills, I’m honored to be doing my small part to help cancer warriors in the future. I’m so blessed to have such talented, accomplished, and generous artists help make this idea a reality.”

Purchase G4L Records Cancer Benefit Show #1 Tickets HERE

John Corabi will head back on tour with The Dead Daisies at the end of the month. For Tour & Ticket information, please visit: https://thedeaddaisies.com/

John Corabi (Dead Daisies / ex-Mötley Crüe) Screams "F*ck Cancer!"

Whitehall is an indie rock four-piece band from Charleston, SC. Paddy McKiernan (vocals, guitar), Brennan Clark (bass), Davis Rowe (drums), and Avery Greeson (guitar) met while attending the College of Charleston and got their start writing songs in a dorm room. After four years spent in the South Carolina DIY scene playing house shows throughout the state, the band recorded their debut album, 'Ocean Fiction,' and embarked on their first tour on the East Coast with a live show that is at once frenetic and introspective. In the years that followed, Whitehall recorded and released their sophomore effort 'Swordfish Catcher' and received praise and playlist placement from national publications like NPR, Alternative Press, and American Songwriter. This album saw their sound shift from bouncy, melody-laden indie, to something grittier, with distorted guitars and imaginative lyricism that more closely resembles acts like Pavement and Car Seat Headrest.

Whitehall: Just finished a tour opening for The Goo Goo Dolls

Scott Lucas of the legendary alt rock band Local H joined The Don's Hit List to discuss their latest release "Lifers".  We go through many goosebump moments in the new album.  We discuss the story behind the opening track "Patrick Bateman", We also discuss the influences of Arthur Lee and Love as well as the first YES album on this new record.

Ep 100:  Scott Lucas of Local H

Ray Patricks' return to deep dive into the music of the great 90s and 2000s band Agents Of The Sun.   The band made a big splash in the 90s and 2000s with there melodic choruses and rock anthems.   They toured with 311 and Unwritten Law along with a host of other bands.   Ray tells the stories of what it was like getting signed quickly and ups and downs that go along with it.  We also go through songs from other artists that give us all goosebumps.

Ep 105:  Ray Patricks' Agents Of The Sun on The Don's Hit List

LEGENDARY MUSIC PRODUCER TED NICELEY JOINS THE DON’S HIT LIST FOR A SEVEN WEEK SERIES EXAMINING HIS EXTRAORDINARY CAREER FROM MUSICIAN TO PRODUCER 
Ted Niceley has worked on some monumental music projects in his career.  From local DC favorites The Razz as the bass player, to becoming a part of a national sensation in the Tommy Keene Band as both a bass player and a producer.   These foundations and experiences laid the groundwork for the efforts that will go down as one of the greatest recording moments in hardcore history:  Fugazi!   The thing is, there is SO MUCH more to all of these stories.   
Session 1 is where you really get to know where it all began for Ted as a kid:   

“My first musical impression was jumping around on my oldest brother’s bed one Saturday morning really early and hearing ‘Blue Moon’ by The Marcels.  The next memory I have really did it, considering I was a very young guy was sitting around after dinner on a Friday night and my dad pulling out singles and he started playing them...the piece de resistance was Johnny Cash “Ring of Fire” which still impresses me to this day:  The arrangement, notably the mariachi horns.  I dug the lyrics even back then.  I knew what he was singing about from some weird place which I could not imagine why because I was just six years old.” 


During Session 1, Ted shares more stories about growing up in the DC area and how music affected him including being asked by his brother to go with him to see The Beatles.   We all learn what led to The Razz and their rise to popularity in the Mid-Atlantic states.

The Ted Niceley Sessions: Session 1 on The Don's Hit List

Ted Niceley is back for session 2 and he digs deep into his time with the Tommy Keene band.   Ted was the bassist in the early incarnation of the band with the early releases that gained a 4 star review in Rolling Stone magazine.   This is also the time where Ted began to hone his producer chops.

The Ted Niceley Sessions:  Session 2 - The Tommy Keene Years on The Don's Hit List

When hear a song recorded from the 70s - 90s by artists like Stevie Nicks, Phil Collins, Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, Don Henley, Billy Joel, Warren Zevon, and the list goes on and on, the musicians that make up The Immediate Family may have had something to do with it. Danny Kortchmar, Waddy Wachtel, Leland Sklar, Russ Kunkel, and Steve Postell joined us to discuss their new project The Immediate Family as well as talk about goosebump moments they have had in their career.

Ep 127: The Immediate Family (Music Legends) on The Don's Hit List

Ted Niceley is back for session 3 and he discusses the record store in Rockville, MD which was world known in "Yesterday and Today".   He also discusses coming to a career crossroads with music and his desire to become a chef.   Then, a deep dive into the Fugazi years!

The Ted Niceley Sessions:  Session 3 (The Fugazi years) on The Don's Hit List

Legendary music producer Ted Niceley joins The Don's Hit List for session 4.  On this session, Ted takes us to France when he worked on projects for French bands The Dirty Hands and Noir Désir.  So many great stories involving Eli Janney and the time spent in France working on records.  We also get into The Dead Milkmen album "Soul Rotation".

The Ted Niceley Sessions:  Session 4 (...and then I went to France) on The Don's Hit List

Session 5 takes Ted back to Europe with Eli Janney to record more Noir Désir.   This actually took them to Bath, England.  

Also in this session. Ted goes deep into the great band Girls Against Boys (GvsB)

The Ted Nicelely Sessions: Session 5 on The Don's Hit List

When The Don and Grizz heard Ashlie Amber sing for the first time, they could not tell if she was Ashlie Amber or Whitney Houston.   Truly remarkable.  Then, having her put the power of Whitney's voice into country music and you have a big star about to illuminate the scene.  Ashlie is aspiring to be the first black female in country music with Top 40 country chart success.  

Starting off with becoming a part of the esteemed Actors’ Equity Association, she started performing full time all over the world for the past decade including landing TV airtime on the 2012 Season of American Idol as well as being nominated for multiple Henry Awards and played leading roles in renown musicals such as The Color Purple, Avenue Q, Pippin, and RENT. 

 

With that being only the beginning, Ashlie Amber wanted more and set out to create her very own headliner show with a breath taking tribute and celebration of vocal legend Whitney Houston entitled, “I Will Always Love You.” Her show grew to be one of the best acts in international waters landing her a residency onboard one of the worlds #1 acclaimed cruise lines and ships. The Celebrity Edge, a $1.2B vessel touring Europe and the Caribbean.

Ep 174:  Ashlie Amber (Black Female Country Singer) on The Don's Hit List

Survivor guitarist Frankie Sullivan reveals the inspiration for “Eye Of The Tiger” and how it become the Rocky Theme Song.

From Episode 134 of The Don’s Hit List

“Eye Of The Tiger” Guitarist Reveals Inspiration For Rocky Theme Song on The Don’s Hit List

From Episode 124 of The Don's Hit List, "Somewhere Other Than The Night" is a song made famous by Garth Brooks.  The songwriter for that song Kent Blazy discusses Garth's vocal performance on that track.  Goosebumps.

FM 2.0 Presents: The Don's Hit List

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