I’m Tony, and these are my June 2011 picks…

Cody Robbins Band–Nashville

Craic Haus–Bottom Of A Guiness

Craic Haus is from Claremont, California, playing what they call “Shamrockabilly” Music. They’re a 3-man band, consisting of Danny Oberbeck on lead vocals and drums, his son, Dylan Blue, on guitar and backing vocals, & Julian Johnson, (from the band “Jonny Come Lately”), on the King double bass. By the way Craic Haus, pronounced Crack House, is Irish & German, & means Fun House. Although the band hails from California, they bring a heavy dose of the Emerald Isle into their Rockabilly Music. Danny sent me their cd “Who’s Yer Paddy Now”, which I’ve added to the rotation of my show, and I chose their song “Bottom Of A Guiness” as their contest entry this month. For more info on Craic Haus, visit their ReverbNation page, www.reverbnation.com/craichaus…

David Castro Band–Rodeo Circus Girl

David Castro Band is from Tulsa, Okla., playing Folk, Progressive & Acoustic Music. They’re a 4-man group, consisting of David Castro on guitar & vocals, Dave Hickerson on drums & percussion, Jim Bob Lehr on bass, and Jacob Birdtail on lead guitar. I used David’s song “Splendidly Blended” in last May’s contest, but it didn’t make the top 5 that month, so I told him (in an interview that’s on here somewhere) that I’d bring him back in July with the song “Rodeo Circus Girl”. David has 17 songs up for free download on his ReverbNation page, and I’ve added all of them to the rotation of my show here on HTB. For more info on The David Castro Band, visit his RN page, www.reverbnation.com/davidcastroband…

Lewis Hamilton & The Boogie Brothers–Life On The Road

Lewis Hamilton & The Boogie Brothers are from Scotland, U.K., playing Blues, Rock & Roots Music. They’re a 4-man group, led by 18 year old Lewis Hamilton on lead guitar & vocals, his father Nick Hamilton on bass, cousin Steve Hamilton on keyboards & drums, & Ian “Santa” Wallace on drums. Lewis sent me his debut cd “Gambling Machine”, which I entered into the rotation of my show, and I chose his song “Life On The Road” as his contest entry. Lewis is gaining quite a name on the music scene in the U.K., winning a positive review in Blues Matters magazine, along with feature articles in several newspapers, and interviews on the radio, (and now he’s being featured in an international song competition on www.HossTheBoss.com!!) For more info on Lewis Hamilton & The Boogie Brothers, visit their RN page, www.reverbnation.com/lewishamiltonandtheboogiebrothers, or their website, www.lewishamiltonmusic.com…

Ray Duncan–Pictures On The Wall

Ray Duncan is from Phoenix, Arizona, playing and writing Country Music. Ray, as you might remember, is the bass player of the Rock group Crimson Storm, who came in in 4th place in June’s contest with their block-buster hit “Darkest Of Rain”. As a side project, Ray has been writing and recording several C/W songs, which he’s sent me in both male and female versions. I chose his female version of the song “Pictures On The Wall”, featuring Gina West singing, backed by studio musicians in the John Anderson-owned studios in Nashville. For more info on Ray Duncan, visit the Crimson Storm RN page, www.reverbnation.com/CRIMSONSTORM, or, to see him perform, check out the group’s YouTube site, www.youtube.com/thecrimsonstorm1…

Rick Hall Trio–Old Love-Live at Sully’s

Rick Hall Trio is from Rochester, N.Y., playing Blues, Rock, & Rock & Roll Music. On Rick’s RN page, it says he returned to Rochester in 2009, after spending 8 years in the Mid-West, and looked up a couple of his old friends, Don LaChimia, who plays bass, and Scott Weichman, who plays drums. As The Rick Hall Trio, they recorded several songs live at Sully’s Nightclub in Rochester, and I chose their song “Old Love” as their contest entry this month. For more info on Rick Hall, and to download a number of his songs for free, visit his RN page, www.reverbnation.com/rickhall…

Rusty Wright Band–World Upside Down

Rusty Wright Band is from Flint, Michigan, playing Blues & Southern Rock. They’re a 5-person group, consisting of Rusty Wright on lead guitar & vocals, his wife, Laurie LaCross-Wright on guitar & vocals, Dave Brahce on keyboards, Andy Barancik on bass, & Peter Haist on drums. Bluzapalooza founder Steve Simon called the group “one of the most entertaining Blues bands in the country today”. I got their cd “Playin’ With Fire”, entered it into the rotation of my show, and chose the great Blues song “World Upside Down” as their contest entry this month. For more info on The Rusty Wright Band, and to check out more of their music, especially their cover of “A Change In The Weather”, visit their RN page, www.reverbnation.com/rustywrightband…

Smith And Ashburns Dangerous Country Blues Band–Honky Tonk Love Affair

Smith & Ashburns Dangerous Country Blues Band is from King, N. Carolina, playing Country, Rock, & Alternative Music. They’re a 4-person group, consisting of Drew Smith, Mike Ashburn, Elizabeth & Sam. As you can see, it doesn’t say much about them on their RN page, other than their names, and that they’ve been playing together since the mid-90’s. They would like everyone to check out their song, “Roll Like The Thunder”, which is posted on both their page and mine, and was written in support of the troops overseas, and their friend Devin, who served there. I chose their song “Honky Tonk Love Affair” as their contest entry this month.  For more info on Smith & Ashburns Dangerous Country Blues Band, visit their RN page, www.reverbnation.com/smithandashburnband…

SpiritRiders–Bon Voyage Baby

SpiritRiders are from Dublin, Ireland, U.K., playing Country, Urban Twang & Alternative Music. They’re a 6-man band, consisting of Alan Begley on acoustic guitar, vocals, and song-writing, Satch Wright on electric lead guitar & vocals, Col Griffith on bass, Vardan Burke on drums, Joe Ryan on pedal steel, & Graham Nolan on fiddle & keyboards. When I fist ran across the SpiritRiders on ReverbNation, Alan said I could play their music, and even sent me some songs off of their cd “Hand Rolled”, but told me they didn’t like participating in voting contests like this, so they would not promote themselves. In fact, he told me in an e-mail that the only reason they had a presence on the internet was to “put some bums on the barstools” when they played! So, I will be promoting them in this contest (as well as my other picks), and I will be sending out voting bulletins on MySpace, ReverbNation & my wife Peggy’s FaceBook page. “Vote for “Bon Voyage Baby” by  SpiritRiders Damn You!!!” For more info on SpiritRiders, visit their RN page, www.reverbnation.com/spiritriders…

Transistor Rodeo–Faith

Transistor Rodeo is from Antelope, California, playing Country Music. Transistor Rodeo is the creation of David Erdman, who’s been writing songs for himself and others for the past 30 years. He was the official song-writer for Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen’s cd “Worst Case Scenario” on Aim Records. The other 2 members of the group are Gary Vogensen on strings and Steve Bryant on drums. Gary has been touring throughout the U.S. and abroad for years, with groups like Commander Cody, Boz Scaggs, Steve Miller, New Riders Of The Purple Sage, Maria Muldaur, & Elvin Bishop, among others. “Big” Steve, has been drumming for years in many local bands in California, and has been labeled a “Rockin’ Ass” drummer by Gary and Steve. I’ve just gotten Transistor Rodeo’s cd “Faith” and entered it into the rotation of my show, and I chose the title track for their contest entry this month. For more info on Transistor Rodeo, and to download the song “Faith” for free, visit their RN page, www.reverbnation.com/transistorrodeo…

About Me:

I got started in broadcasting during my stint as a Signalman in the U.S. Navy during the Viet Nam era, working part-time as a DJ and newsman for a ship-board Armed Forces Radio & TV station on the USS Truckee out of Norfolk, Virginia.  After being honorably discharged in 1979, I became a mainstream radio DJ and News Director in the Corpus Christi area for over 25 years on 9 different stations, including all 3 of the country-western ones. During that time I received 4 news broadcasting awards, 1 from the Associated Press & 3 from United Press International. I spent the last 5 years of my “career” on KFTX in Corpus Christi, constantly fighting with the program director over having to play their narrow top-ten Nashville music playlist of songs, when I really wanted to play Texas Music. I was finally shown the door after I played a Christmas-time phone request for Robert Earl Keen’s “Merry Christmas From The Family”, which was definitely not on the station’s playlist, (I really hate that word!). Now that I’m on HossTheBoss I can play what I want. Listen to my own dang show on the station every Sunday night at 7 p.m. Central.

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My previous Hossey Music Award Picks

November 2008 | December 2008 | January 2009 | February 2009 | April 2009 | May 2009 | June 2009 | July 2009 | August 2009 | September 2009 | October 2009 | November 2009 | January 2010 | February 2010 | March 2010 | April 2010 | May 2010 | June 2010 | July 2010 | August 2010 | September 2010 | November 2010 | January 2011 | February 2011 | March 2011 | April 2011 | May 2011 | June 2011