About Me
- Ira Blonder
- Franklin, TN, United States
- Ira Blonder is the Managing Partner of Sound Kitchen Studios (www.soundkitchen.com)and The Blonder Group, LLC (www.blondergroup.com)
Little Texas brings it home for A Vintage Affair
Little Texas brings it home for A Vintage Affair By Mindy Tate, Editor Celebrating the end of their 20th anniversary tour by headlining A Vintage Affair’s “Legends at the Sound Kitchen” April 12 seems completely appropriate to Little Texas drummer Del Gray because it fits with the band’s commitment to family and community. “Back in the 1990s, we were gone all the time, playing 300 dates a year,” said Gray. “Now we play 60 to 80 dates per year. We say we get to go out on the weekend and be rock stars and then come home in the week and spend time with our family and go to our kids’ games.“As we get older, speaking for all four of us, we realize how important community is,” Gray said. “A Vintage Affair is a valuable organization that has given so much back to the community and we are honored to be part of the event at the Sound Kitchen.” A Vintage Affair is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Since its inception by founder Ralph Drury, the event has raised more than $750,000 for charities that benefit women and children and this year hopes to break the $1 million mark. As the kickoff event for the weeklong A Vintage Affair, Gray promises attendees will go away wanting more from the band whose biggest hits include “What Might Have Been” and “God Blessed Texas.” “We are what we ware. We are a rocking country band,” Gray said. “I am not sure how long we get to play, but it will be up beat and exciting. “We are basically a rocking Eagles. We have big vocals,” said Gray, adding the guys in the band — bassist/vocalist Duane Propes, lead guitarist/vocalist Porter Howell and rhythm guitarist/vocalist Dwayne O’Brien — have written many of their hits, as well as having success individually as songwriters. “We are just about to go in the studio again,” Gray said. “Unfortunately, we had a record deal that tied us up for a few years where we couldn’t record. We are writing and starting to record again.“We are getting older and I think the themes of our music are a little more mature. No telling what we will come up with,” Gray said. “Time certainly does fly, but we have been blessed. We have been able to make a living doing what we love to do and making music and it is a good time to be in Little Texas.” The band showed its community spirit last year when they served as the “pep band” for the Nov. 6 regional playoff game between the Brentwood Bruins and the Rossview Hawks after O’Brien heard the marching band would be out of town.“I hope they ask again,” Gray said of the experience, in which they wore Brentwood Bruins jerseys and performed not only their songs, but classic rock and roll between plays.“You get called to do that and then you think, man this is a great football game,” Gray said. “If we get asked again, we will come prepared with a strong set list.” Filling out the bill at “Legends at the Sound Kitchen” will be Crossville native Mandy Barnett, who started singing at 5-years-old and as a teenager, drew national acclaim when she starred as country music legend Patsy Cline in the stage show “Always . . . Patsy Cline” at the celebrated Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Barnett has released two albums and has appeared on “The Late Show with David Letterman” and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” as a result of her acclaim. She is currently working on a variety of projects and a new CD for release this year. She continues to play shows, both nationally and internationally, and is a frequent guest on the Grand Ole Opry. Barnett will reprise her role as “Patsy Cline” in the acclaimed production “Always . . . Patsy Cline” at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, during June and July 2010, in honor of the 50th anniversary of Patsy Cline’s induction into the Grand Ole Opry. Tickets to “Legends at the Sound Kitchen are $100 and First Tennessee is the sponsor of the evening, which features heavy hors d’oeuvres and the wines of Robledo Vineyards, a longtime A Vintage Affair favorites. A new event Tuesday, April 13, “Cigars & Cordials,” will be held at the Franklin Men’s Club, featuring the food of Giovanni’s Restaurante in Nashville, as well as the cigars of CAO and cocktails created by Horizon Wine and Spirits. Century Construction is the evening’s sponsor and tickets are $75 per person. A Vintage Affair Managing Director Ashley Roberts the event will feature a “speakeasy type” atmosphere with the vintage cocktail recipes and CAO cigars, but the Men’s Club does feature a non-smoking area where those not wishing to be near the cigars can enjoy the evening. Order tickets online or get more info at www.avintageaffair.org for this or any of the week’s events, including the Main Event April 16 at The Factory at Franklin. | |
NATALIE MERCHANT’S FIRST STUDIO ALBUM IN SEVEN YEARS
NATALIE MERCHANT’S FIRST STUDIO ALBUM IN SEVEN YEARS
LEAVE YOUR SLEEP
OUT APRIL 13 ON NONESUCH RECORDS
"One of the most successful and enduring alternative artists to emerge
from the eighties –- intact and uncompromised." —Vogue
Natalie Merchant is poised for the release of Leave Your Sleep, her first studio album since 2003’s The House Carpenter’s Daughter. Out April 13 on Nonesuch Records, this release is the culmination of six years’ research and collaboration and is, in Merchant’s words “The most elaborate project I have ever completed or even imagined.”
A two-disc set, Leave Your Sleep is a collection of songs adapted from poems selected by Merchant including pieces by both well-known and obscure writers. Featured are works by British Victorians, early- and mid-20th century Americans and contemporary writers as well as anonymous nursery rhymes and lullabies. Among the authors included are Ogden Nash, e.e. cummings, Robert Louis Stevenson, Christina Rossetti, Edward Lear, Gerard Manley Hopkins and Robert Graves. Please see attached for a complete track listing.
In addition to a new method of lyricism, Merchant stretches out musically on Leave Your Sleep by collaborating with a broad spectrum of artists—some old friends, some she has admired from afar—including the Wynton Marsalis Quartet, Medeski Martin & Wood, members of the New York Philharmonic, The Klezmatics, Lúnasa and Hazmat Modine. “The sessions were recorded in live ensemble settings to capture a fresh and spontaneous energy,” notes Merchant. “They were some of the most magical experiences I’ve ever had making music.”
Having sold millions of records worldwide over the course of her recording career, Merchant has remained busy in the time since her last studio album by curating compilations for both 10,000 Maniacs’ Campfire Songs and her own Retrospective. Additionally, Merchant performed live to the accompaniment of Philip Glass, Dr. John, Pete Seeger and Wynton Marsalis and collaborated with British composer Gavin Bryars as part of The Royal Shakespeare Company’s Complete Works series.
Steff Nevers' "Skypes" a Recording Session
Norwegian Country artist, Steff Nevers, "Skyped" a recording session in Studio E with engineer Matt Coles and session leader and percussionist Pete Abbott. A host of A-list session players; ie: Brent Mason, Michael Rhodes, Dan Dugmore, and Pete Abbott tracked Steff's project while Steff produced the session players from Norway. "The Skype tracking and mix sessions were flawless! So, it was like Steff was in room, all the while working from his home in Norway" commented Pete Abbott.
Steff Nevers was born in 1975 in the small Norwegian town of Drammen. He grew up in the similarly unknown town of Geithus in Modum. Still, the move was worthwhile for the toddler because it was here that he came into contact with music. He was already convinced at a young age that he would become a musician. Instead of a classic violinist, his original career goal, Steff Nevers became an outstanding guitarist. His speciality: finger picking. Soon the stocky virtuoso was a heavily booked session guitarist across all of Norway. KERRANG magazine said about the guitarist that he had a very promising career ahead of him.
Lonestar returns to The Big Boy
This will be the band's first studio album in four years. Party Heard Around The World, their 10th album, is a total ‘hands on’ creative effort, produced by the band with eight of the ten tracks written by the foursome. Noted lead guitarist and original member Michael Britt said in a recent interview: “We feel that this album is a complete reflection of the group, circa 2010. It’s personal and powerful music that reflects the core values of Lonestar through lyrics, performance and production.” The Sound Kitchen is very proud to be part of their continued success.
Musicartists4U Films at Sound Kitchen Studios
Little Texas
Little Texas
INFO ABOUT MusicArtists4U.com
"MusicArtists4U.com is a totally new media that will create a place for good quality music by talented musicians which up until now will never be heard. A place for established artists to be recognized and be able to be seen and heard again. A place for Singer/Songwriters with catalogs of great music that no one has ever heard will now be able to get their music in the hands of YOU the consumer! Everyone in the music business is trying to figure out how to introduce new artists and how to sell their music. It's almost impossible to get your music aired on radio or television so we have created a totally new media which allows all these artists to be seen and heard. Artists like Little Texas, John Anderson, Confederate Railroad and more have had new CD's released, but radio and television refuse to play their new material so the general public has no way of knowing they have new music available. We intend to change that! MusicArtists4U.com is a place where you will be able to buy and download the artists music, videos, as well as purchase artist merchandise.
High Hopes "Strings and Stories" a Huge Success!
Sound Kitchen Interviews Consumed By Fire
What brought you together?
Three of us (Josh, Jordan, and Caleb Ward) are brothers. We grew up playing music together. We met Ervin at church several years ago and have been like brothers ever since.
In a nutshell describe your music.
Music that is created to meet the listener wherever they are, and put them in a position to receive something they need. All of this of course being put into straight up Rock & Roll, and touching ballads.
Who/ what has inspired your music?
Jesus Christ. Family. Life. Rock and Roll. That's what matters to us and what our lives and music reflect.
What makes your band different from others?
Everything we do is based on building relationships and integrity from song writing and performing, to contracts and recording. The most defining difference would have to be in the fact that we are not just doing this for ourselves.
What is the wildest ambition for your band?
That people will still listen to our songs 20+ years from now and get something out of it. When people talk about Elvis, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, artists like that, we'd love to be mentioned in that same breath. Someone once said: "Shoot for the stars, and you might just reach the clouds."
What’s playing on your ipod right now?
Oh boy, here goes... haha. Elton John, Hall & Oates, Beyonce, Miley Cyrus, Daughtry, John Denver, Taylor Swift, Pure Prairie League, Safetysuit, Nickelback, Kari Jobe, Hillsong United, Jason Upton, and John Mayer.... A pretty extensive & diverse list indeed. lol.
If you could have written any song, what would it be?
We have a big list, trust me, but here's each of ours.
CALEB- The Pretender by Foo Fighters
ERVIN- I know it's hard to believe, but... Love of the Road by Consumed by Fire
JORDAN- The Climb by Miley Cyrus
JOSH- Benny and the Jets by Elton John
