“Just Say So Baby” the new digital single release by Mike Runnels is receiving airplay and accolades across Europe. The Tex-Mex single available on iTunes is making impact on the radio in Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and France.

What the disc jockeys are saying,
“A very great song, love the Tex-Mex sound”
- Kjell Horlin MCWC Radio Sweden
“I love it ”
- Mike Penard Radio ISA France

Radio programmers can download the single for free at https://www.AirplayDirect.com/MikeRunnels

Mike Runnels is a Retro-Country and Tex-Mex artist based in Austin, Texas. The upcoming movie Fuel starring C. Thomas Howell and directed by Oktay Ortabasi features three of Mike’s songs.For more information visit https://www.MikeRunnels.com

With a state of the art mobile recording studio brought right into the school, the kids are recorded singing their favorite songs by classroom. The recording is then edited, mixed and mastered and a personalized CD of the school is produced and sold to the parents as a fundraiser…All Things Media actually rolls into the school with the same recording technology used in your top studios in New York, Nashville and LA and before each session a presentation is done about the recording industry including the copyright issue.

Billy loves the project and thinks it’s a great way to bring the excitement and experience of the recording industry into the schools and expose the kids to something that they might not otherwise experience and at the same time bring money into the school. “It has been very popular because it’s such a different and unique kind of fundraiser” says Billy “and it has been successful in every school.” He’ll be contacting broadcast companies around the USA as a way to reach out to their communities. Billy also said, “This is a public relations goldmine for any corporation as a way for them to reach out to the American public in a way that really touches them”.

“Billy is an exciting new music artist coming out of the Detroit area and we’re so happy to have him part of our team” says Brad Johnson national promotions manager.

You can check out All Things Media at www.imusiccd.com or call 586-321-2286

www.billycraigmusic.com

On August 24, 2006, Wildflowers Records alternative-country artist Amy Speace stopped by Fort Collins’ KRFC 88.9 FM for a live in-studio interview and performance on the station’s Live@Lunch show. Now MusicDish is making 8 tracks available from that memorable show freely available in MP3 format through social networking site ReverbNation at https://www.reverbnation.com/amyspeace

Amy’s ReverbNation profile offers 8 live tracks from her third album “Songs for Bright Street,” recorded at the station, including “Double Wide Trailer,” “Dreamin,” “Make Me Lonely Again,” “The Real Thing,” “Row Row Row,” “Shed This Skin,” “Step Out of the Shade” and “Two.” KRFC 88.9 was voted Best Radio Station by Coloradan readers, as its Live@Lunch show has a listening base of thousands which grows daily toward FM range/demographics in Colorado of over 700,000 (without counting internet listeners). Live@Lunch has celebrated over 1,000 shows since launching in March 2003.

The promotional campaign is part of a larger effort to promote MusicDish’s latest downloadable MP3 album “Amy Speace - Live On Radio.” Gathering nine tracks Amy’s most memorable radio performances on Ft. Collins’ KRFC 88.9 FM, NY’s WFUV 90.7 FM and Boston’s WMBR 88.1 FM, as well as syndicated show The Art of Song, the full album is available for download at https://www.musicdish.net/amyspeace/mp3/

Amy Speace has already won a loyal grass-roots fan base, thanks in large part to live performances that merge warmth, humor and emotional immediacy, and to a tireless touring schedule that’s already taken her across the United States. She’s also won considerable critical acclaim, with The Village Voice observing that Speace is “taking her Americana away from twangy contemplation toward tangy confrontation” and noting that she’s “not another of those breathy would-be child poets, but a real singing writer of songs.” Time Out New York stated, “Amy Speace plays sweet, twangy folk music with a clear voice and an innocent vulnerability,” while The Nashville Scene noted that she “balances wry humor with open-hearted honesty.” And renowned Nashville critic Robert K. Oermann, writing in Music Row, dubbed her a “new star.”

MusicDish, LLC has been at the forefront of the digital music sector, publishing some of the industry’s leading music magazine, including MusicDish.com and Mi2N.com, as well as dynamic white label content solutions. MusicDish also offers artist development and label management support, combining saturated online marketing with business networking and consulting.
https://www.musicdish.net

The recording started out at the legendary Sun Studio in Memphis where Johnny Cash began his recording career and finishing the process in the Metro Detroit area.

The song is currently being played on 99.5 The Wolf Country Detroit HD Digital Radio and as a featured artist on the legendary WSM in Nashville it’s getting a great response. Other Country stations in Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, New Jersey, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Oregon and Canada are all hoping on the summertime bandwagon with “Flip Flops.” The song has recently been added to the play list for Pure Country GAPEAU FM in France and regular rotation on Radio Antenna 2 in Italy as well as England and Australia.

Billy Craig is no stranger to the music industry, he’s been kicking it around for some time. In fact, since childhood Billy has performed in thousands of shows. From solo performances to cover and original bands, from jazz and Country to rock, he has played in front of audiences of up to 25,000 across the USA and abroad, including New York, California, Florida, Ohio, Texas, Detroit, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway.

As one of the founding members of a Detroit based band he co-wrote songs that received heavy radio play in the Detroit metro market and as far west as Sacramento, California.

Recently Billy was a featured artist performing live on the syndicated Mitch Albom Show for millions of listeners across the USA.

Billy has been newly nominated for the Motor City Music Awards.

www.billycraigmusic.com
www.myspace.com/billycraigmusic

Grissom has some well-known performers on Loud Music such as Pat Mastelotto and Chris Layton on drums, names that would ring a bell with anyone that has a good knowledge of recorded music.

Grissom has a great bluesy country voice that I found very engaging. He made me feel like I was the living out the story with him as he sang while playing his guitar. I was starting to feel the whole thing was in chorus with my rhythm and he totally rocked my socks off. This guy can kick out the jams!

As the opening track, “Lonesome Dave” (perhaps a tribute to Foghat’s deceased Lonesome Dave Peverett) kicks off this barnburner of an album…all I could think of was SRV and Double Trouble so maybe Chris Layton should have stepped behind the drum kit for this one. Grissom’s guitar work is extraordinary-He draws from the deep wells of the blues, country, and rock to create his masterpieces of raw energy filled with swift guitar licks on primarily instrumental voyages of delight. I was reminded of incredible players like Danny Gatton and the trio from The Hellecaster’s, who seemed to have all that lightning captured in a bottle…the ability to blend three different genres into one powerful ear catching toe tapping tune that you cannot resist.

There are only three tracks with vocals, the title track “Loud Music” and “Sake and Venom,” both are smokin’ hot numbers and the closer “Midnight Drive,” a blues-country ballad featuring a different side of the artist with some softer vocals and some wicked slide guitar (think Allman Brothers in their prime). “Lucy G” was one of my favorite instrumentals. It starts with a dog barking and you hear it one more time around the middle of track, which gives it that backcountry feel. Although all of the tracks displays Grissom as an outstanding virtuoso it was this one that really made my ears perk up more than any other.

Loud Music is a great album and one that I have found very difficult to keep out my stereo. It is a great thing to see an artist step out from behind the shadows of others to show what they can do when left to using just their own original talents without having to pay attention to what someone else wants. In this case, it worked out very well and I hope to hear more solo work from this cat very soon, he is on fire!

Artist: David Grissom
Title: Loud Music
Genre: Rock-Country-Blues
Label: Wide Lode Records
Website
Source Link

Tracks:
01. Lonesome Dave
02. Loud Music
03. Wide Lode
04 Hi-Tex
05. Sake And Venom
06. Nothin’ Makes A Man Go Crazy
07. Whiskey Cryin’
08. Boots Likes To Boogie
09. Lucy G
10. Mister Quincy
11. Midnight Drive

© MuzikReviews.com

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

Leon Newton is considered a new songwriter while actually he has been writing songs for over ten years. It was only a couple of years ago that he decided his talent for writing could lead to commercial success.

It all started when he began entering songwriting contest and the recognition and encouragement he received motivated him to seriously consider songwriting as more than a hobby.

Although Leon has written in various genres of music; such as folk, blues, rock, rap and Christian, his main forte is country music. Leon says “I write country music because you can tell stories about life and the struggles that we all go through. In fact, if you take time to listen, you can learn a lot from country songs.”

Someone must be listening as Leon was named a top finalist in the 2007 SongOfTheYear.com competition in the country music category with his song, “Love Story.” In 2006, he received recognition for two songs he entered in the competition, “Cintia” and “Global Warming.”

Leon says of his song “Global Warming,” I wrote the song because this is a serious matter not to be taken lightly. I feel that I, as a songwriter, and including other music artists, have a responsibility to help raise public awareness on such issues. Music is an art form that can touch us and actually cause people to act.”

To Leon songwriting is more than just writing words and composing and arranging music to go with the lyrics, it is the ability to infuse life into the words and paint a picture with the music. He believes it is what we visualize and hear that makes people want to dance, act for a social cause or sit back and listen to the lyrics and enjoy the beat.

To emphasize his writing talent, Leon recently scored 8 out of 10 possible for his song, “Country On My Mind.” The honor was for evoking an emotional response from listeners and it was bestowed by CMT’s (Country Music Television) 8th Annual Nashville Songwriters Association International Song Contest.

On another note, Leon wrote a song titled “Race Car Junky” out of respect for the drivers of NASCAR and motor sports around the world, and the fans that love the sport.

Leon’s goal is to be a respectable songwriter who can create music that will inspire people, music that will move the listener. Music, that when people hear it, will recognize it as a Leon Newton song. Samples of Leon’s songs can be heard at www.cdbaby.com/cd/leonnewton and www.phonesherpa.com/leonnewt

Mike Foster, creator of livelife365.com, has just released his latest studio recording, lampooning the too-close-to-call contest for the Democratic nomination between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. A spirited mix of Americana, Country, and County Rock, “Pick One” is a toe-tapping tune you’ll be humming all day, while the lyrics have you nodding in agreement. Foster’s suggested solution of Hillary Obama as the candidate, revealed at the end of the video, is not to be missed.

Inspired by his interest in two exceptional and, in obvious ways, unprecedented candidacies, Mike “wanted to write a song that would not only entertain and make you laugh a little, but also call attention to this remarkable electoral season. I started playing around with the names and went from there.” The enjoyment he finds in performing, especially singing and playing guitar, shines through in this well-produced music video that could well have America singing along with its bouncy melody and catchy lyrics.

The production of a thought-provoking parody of the 2008 political scene is only one example of Foster’s work found at livelife365.com, a video-driven website dedicated to healthy living, personal development, and entertainment. With a background as a writer and stage actor, and clearly possessing an eye and ear attuned to what is happening in the world, he shows considerable promise as a singer/songwriter and videographer. His efforts include an interesting collection of short films related to a wide variety of topics, ranging from nutritional and dietary advice to motivational and self-improvement tips, from humorous vignettes and observations to sober reflections on the sometimes painful lessons he’s learned in life. You can even find information on sports, current events, and hobbies like book collecting and gardening. His major focus is on maintaining a careful balance between and within your physical, psychological, and spiritual dimensions.

Watch the “Pick One” video at:
https://www.livelife365.com/ or https://www.youtube.com/livelife365
Listen to the MP3 at: https://www.soundclick.com/livelife365

Sponsored by online music giant Broadjam, prizes include iPods, royalty advances, CD Players, USB Key Drives, Music Industry Books, and of course, a slot on Kent’s next record. Entrants new to Broadjam also receive a free music web site, and free help placing their music online. Entries may be entered by mail or online, and anyone is welcome to enter. There is also a special section for lyric-only entries.

The owner of Goodnight Kiss, Janet Fisher, listens to every submission. “So many times in music competitions, there are outside judges who listen to the first rounds of music. I like to hear everything that might be appropriate for my own label. Sometimes raw talent or a raw song can be honed into a brilliant, refreshingly original gem. I don’t want to miss anyone’s potential,” says Fisher. “It takes a lot of hours to go through all of the songs, but there’s no other way to make sure I don’t miss anyone’s inspired work. This year Cathy and I will both be listening to find the perfect songs for her new release.”

Goodnight Kiss has created numerous CDs from contests, including a CD about addiction, an original Christmas collection, and a CD of songs written about the military by those serving or who have served. They pay traditional real-world royalties to their writers and artists.

“One of the best parts of owning an independent company is that we are never stuck on one flavor. Each project can be individually created with unique goals in mind. Cathy is an amazing artist which makes this project very inspiring, and I love it,” says Fisher. The song contest runs through July 31, 2008.

The label is hoping to receive both up-tempo songs and ballads in the style of music that could crossover in Country, Rock, and Pop venues. When asked what specific type of songs she is looking for, artist Kent replies, “I’m looking for great, memorable crossover-country songs with interesting melodies, and surprises. Mid to up-tempo is favored for this project, but I also love great meaningful ballads. I also enjoy big powerful choruses with wide vocal range.”

Kent’s vocal range covers three octaves, so she can certainly handle the big-range material, and her songs on iTunes shows her love of melody. She continues, “As an artist, I will be singing many of these songs for years to come, so songs of substance, that have timeless, sincere messages, are what I really seek. Fun or serious, a great song is a great song!”

Fisher’s company has worked on various projects with Broadjam.com over the past nine years, and is highly impressed with their contest delivery system. She refers to the process as flawless. “Every year we discover new artists and songwriters from all sorts of places. Broadjam is key to this, as everyone from anywhere in the country or the world, can get their songs online via their delivery system.”

Besides the plethora of prizes, winners and runners up in the song contest will also receive some nice promotion via Broadjam’s news and the Goodnight Kiss Music News and their respective web sites. In addition to Broadjam.com, sponsors include The Music Registry, Celebrity Black Book, FreeEarbuds.com, and others.

To enter the “Songs For Cathy Kent” Song Contest, see below:

Rules and Entry information at: https://www.goodnightkiss.com/contest.html
Online entries: https://www.broadjam.com/goodnightkiss

For information about Goodnight Kiss Music, see: https://www.goodnightkiss.com

This coincides with the release by MusicDish of Amy’s most memorable radio performances through a new downloadable MP3 album “Amy Speace - Live On Radio.” Gathering nine tracks from performances on Ft. Collins’ KRFC 88.9 FM, NY’s WFUV 90.7 FM and Boston’s WMBR 88.1 FM, as well as syndicated show The Art of Song, the album is available for download at https://www.musicdish.net/amyspeace/mp3/

John Platt’s three-hour tour of tunes strikes a balance between the “Joni Mitchells/Harry Chapins/Jackson Brownes” and “lesser-known but equally talented” singer/songwriters. Guests have ranged from icons like Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Loudon Wainwright, and Judy Collins, to WFUV mainstays like Dar Williams, Bruce Cockburn, and Luka Bloom, to emerging artists like Richard Julian, Sonya Kitchell, and Ben Taylor. With his gentle probing John helps us to know more about the music - and who the artists are as people.

From the rustic rush of “Step Out of the Shade” to the bittersweet lilt of “Water Landing” to the gentle acoustic intimacy of “Two,” Songs for Bright Street’s 12 original compositions (plus a slyly countrified reading of the Blondie classic “Dreaming”) showcase Speace’s unique gifts, offering catchy Americana with indelible hooks, sharply observed lyrics and a gritty urban edge. Among those impressed by her sassy songcraft is legendary folk-pop songstress Judy Collins, who chose Songs for Bright Street to release on her new Wildflower label.

Amy Speace has already won a loyal grass-roots fan base, thanks in large part to live performances that merge warmth, humor and emotional immediacy, and to a tireless touring schedule that’s already taken her across the United States. She’s also won considerable critical acclaim, with The Village Voice observing that Speace is “taking her Americana away from twangy contemplation toward tangy confrontation” and noting that she’s “not another of those breathy would-be child poets, but a real singing writer of songs.” Time Out New York stated, “Amy Speace plays sweet, twangy folk music with a clear voice and an innocent vulnerability,” while The Nashville Scene noted that she “balances wry humor with open-hearted honesty.” And renowned Nashville critic Robert K. Oermann, writing in Music Row, dubbed her a “new star.”
https://www.amyspeace.com

Check out our country music coverage, as we sit down and talk to Texas singer/songwriter/guitarist Owen Temple, and review concerts by Tift Merritt and Sara Watkins (formerly of Nickel Creek).

We also review Holly Long’s and The Band of Heathens’ new country albums. R&B artist Cynthia Layne is featured on the front page. We have a ton of Jazz interviews and we review jazz vocalist Sylvia Bennett’s new CD Songs From The Heart.

All this and more for free at Riveting Riffs www.rivetingriffs.com

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