HossTheBoss.com » Tony Kinsel’s August 2011 Hossey Award Picks

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

Brandon Rhyder–Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good(Live)

Brandon Rhyder is from Austin, Texas playing Country & Acoustic Music. His manager is sending me his Live At Billy Bob’s quad cd/dvd, that just came out, for me to write a review of it, and, from what I’ve heard already, I like it. I chose the song “Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good”, featuring Radney Foster, off that cd, but it was a tough choice. Brandon recorded 8 new songs for this cd, including “You Can’t Outdrink The Truth”, “In The Country”, “Shine”, “Lucky Man”, Undercover Lover”, & “Austin Avenue” co-written with Pat Green. ”Lord…” has been at the top of the Texas Music Charts for the last couple of weeks, so I thought I’d add it to our Hossey Music Chart, as well. For more info on Brandon Rhyder, you can check out his ReverbNation page, www.reverbnation.com/brandonrhyder…

Dave Younger–It Ain’t Right

Dave Younger is from Pine Grove, California, playing Country & Americana Music. When I first ran across Dave on ReverbNation, I liked the songs he had up on his page, mostly covers of some of my favorites that he had available for free download, so I did, and added them to my HTB file, including “Man Of Constant Sorrow”, “Texas Cookin’”, & “Homegrown Tomatoes”. I was, at first, considering using one of those songs for this month’s contest, until Dave sent me a couple of songs he’d co-written with his friend Farnell Cole, “Friends With The Devil” & “It Ain’t Right”, which is the one I chose, listen closely to the lyrics, it’s hilarious! (Dave also pointed out that these two songs are Cole-Younger songs, like the old outlaw!) For more info on Dave Younger, and to download a bunch of cover songs for free, visit his RN page, www.reverbnation.com/daveyngr…

Greg Griffin & The Dry Creek Band–Liar, Liar

Greg Griffin & The Dry Creek Band are from Gulfport, Mississippi, playing Country & Country Rock Music. They’re a 5-man band, consisting of Greg Griffin on vocals and guitar, Jim Gray on lead guitar, Doug Howell on bass guitar, Keith Dykes on drums, and George Kalasountas on guitar. Greg came out with a self-titled cd back in 2002, recorded live at Jay’s place in Nashville, where stars like Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood and Lone Star have all recorded cds. He formed The Dry Creek Band in 2009, and they’ve been performing at various festivals throughout the South, like the recent Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum Annual Crawfish Festival. They have 3 songs up for sale on their RN page, and I chose “Liar, Liar” for their contest entry this month. For more info on Greg Griffin & The Dry Creek Band, visit their RN page, www.reverbnation.com./greggriffinandthedrycreekband…

Hillbilly Hellcats–The Music Business

Hillbilly Hellcats are from Denver, Colorado, playing Rock, Rockabilly & Psychobilly Music. They’re a 3-man band, consisting of Chuck Hughes on guitar, Matt Dinsdale on bass, & Greg Guffey on drums. The Hellcats have toured the whole U.S. and 11 European countries, and currently are overseas doing 4 gigs in Belgium. They’ve had their songs featured in the movie “Dead & Breakfast”, and are played regularly on MTV & HBO. The band has 5 cds for sale, and a number of their songs up for free download on their RN page, including “The Music Business”, which I chose as their contest entry this month. Although it’s not as rockin’ as songs like “Road Rage”, “Hillbilly Love”, or “Hillbillies On Speed”, this song does have a message about the music business. Listen closely to the lyrics. For more info on Hillbilly Hellcats, visit their RN page, www.reverbnation.com/hillbillyhellcats…

Johnny Cooper–Texas To You (Live)

Johnny Cooper is from Wichita Falls, Texas, playing Rock, Red Dirt & R&B Music. When I ran across Johnny on ReverbNation, I was floored by his music, so I immediately asked him for permission to play his music here on HTB. He referred me to his manager, who not only agreed, she sent me all 3 of his cds to add to the rotation of my show, including his latest “Live At The Pub II”, which just came out on August 2nd. I chose his live version of “Texas To You” off that cd, because it was also one of my favorite songs on his 2007 cd “Ignition”. You should also check out his song “Red Dirt” off that cd. Now 23, Johnny first took the stage at the age of 15 and plays about 200 concerts a year. When asked why he works so hard at his music, he just says,”I’m having a blast!” For more info on Johnny Cooper, check out his RN page, www.reverbnation.com/johnnycooper…

Josh Ward Band–Jebadiah Beane

Josh Ward Band is from Montgomery, Texas, playing Texas Country Music. Josh has been described as one of the fastest rising stars on the Texas Music Scene today. He’s sold out shows from Houston to Huntsville, from Bandera to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. He’s also one of the most popular stars on the Texas festival circuit, having done gigs at the Luling Watermelon Thump, Houston’s Ziegfest and Livestock Show & Rodeo, the Texas Rice Festival, & the Conroe Cajun Catfish Festival, among others. He has one cd out, “Hard Whiskey”, which I’ve added to the rotation of my show here on HTB, and from which I chose the song “Jebadiah Beane” as his contest entry. For more info on The Josh Ward Band, check out their RN page, www.reverbnation.com/joshwardband…

Kanude–Wheels

Kanude is from Austin, Texas, playing Rock & Americana Music, what Chris “Kanude” Knudson describes as “Americronica”, something to listen to while bowling, driving around, or having the occasional acid flashback. Kanude consists of Chris Knudson, on guitars and vocals, and writing the songs, and the rest of the band varies from gig to gig. Chris sent me his debut cd “Church Of The Frozen Ghost” by e-mail, and I chose the song “Wheels” off of it for their contest entry. That song was also featured in the HBO series True Blood, Season 4, Episode 2, “You Smell Like Dinner”. Chris told me he’s currently trying to get his fans to help finance a video of “Wheels”. For more info on Kanude, and maybe to help finance their video, or download 4 of their songs for free, visit their RN page, www.reverbnation.com/kanude…

Mace Hathaway–Trucks Talk Too

Mace Hathaway is from Nashville, Tennessee, playing Country, Americana, Blues, Acoustic, Roots & Grasss Music.He describes the “members” of his group as “Me, Myself & I”. He has a Nashville produced, 7 song, EP cd “Born For The Storm” available through His RN page, which I’ve already acquired and added to the rotation of my show here on HTB. I had a hard time choosing just one song from Mace for this contest, because there were a number on that cd that I liked, including the title track, “Born For The Storm”, the traditional songs “Jack-A-Roe” and “Kudzu Creek”, and the songs “His Wallet And His Wife” or “Friday Night Therapy”. I finally chose “Trucks Talk, Too” as his entry, and I hope you agree it’s one of the best songs on this cd. For more info on Mace Hathaway, check out his RN page, www.reverbnation.com/macehathaway…

Owen Temple–Danger & Good Times

Owen Temple is from Austin, Texas, playing Folk, Rock & Texas Country Music. My wife actually heard Owen before I did, since he’s getting airplay on Corpus Christi’s only Texas Music radio station, the one that Hoss used to work for. I don’t listen to mainstream radio any more, myself. I’m glad she heard Owen, though. I looked him up on ReverbNation, befriended him, and asked him for permission to play his music here on HTB. He agreed, and told me to ask if I needed anything from him. I had already acquired his “Mountain Home” cd, so I added it to the rotation of my show, and I chose the song Peggy had heard from that cd, “Danger & Good Times” as his August contest entry. For more info on Owen Temple, visit his RN page, www.reverbnation.com/owentemple…

Reverend Raven & The Chain Smoking Altar Boys–Mailbox Blues

Reverend Raven & The Chain Smoking Altar Boys are from Cudahy, Wisconsin, playing Blues Music. They’re a 4-man group, consisting of Reverend Raven on vocals and guitar, P.T. Pedersen on bass, Bob Sellers, Jr. on drums, & Danny Moore on keyboards. I first ran across the Reverend when I was researching The Rusty Wright Band, one of my picks in July’s contest. A Blues magazine had quoted him as saying The Rusty Wright Band was one of the best Blues bands performing today. Since I agreed, I looked up the Reverend and his Boys on ReverbNation, and asked him if I could play his music here on HTB. He was all for it, so I added his new cd “Shake Your Boogie” to the rotation of my show, and I chose the song “Mail Box Blues” as his contest entry. For more info on Reverend Raven & The Chain Smoking Altar Boys, look up their RN page, www.reverbnation.com/reverendraven…

Rusty Hicks Band–Cruisin’

Rusty Hicks Band is from Corpus Christi, Texas, playing Country, Americana, Rock & Blues Music. It doesn’t say much about The Rusty Hicks Band on ReverbNation, other than that Rusty Hicks plays drums and sings, and his label is Rusty Metal records in Corpus Christi. His bio says Rusty has been playing in various groups for over 25 years, house bands, one-nighters, touring, singing and recording. He has 4 songs up on his RN page, and all are good, but only one is available for download at the moment, “Cruisin”, so I chose that one as his August contest entry. For more info on The Rusty Hicks Band, visit their RN page, www.reverbnation.com/therustyhicksband…

Stirling–Free Falling

Stirling is a family band from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, playing Rock & Alternative Music. They’re a 3-person band, consisting of Lisa Stirling on vocals, Alan Stirling on keyboards & production, & Matt Stirling on drums. On their RN page bio, it says that Stirling is “Unique. Enticing. Eclectic. Inspiring. Dark. Wide. Left side. But, above all else, original.” When I first ran across them on RN, I immediately asked for permission to play their music. Lisa not only agreed, she sent me 3 of their songs by e-mail to add to the rotation of my show. I chose their song “Free Falling” as their contest entry this month. (It’s not Tom Petty’s song of the same name.) For more info on Stirling, visit their RN page, www.reverbnation.com/stirlingmusic…

The BarnYard CupCakes–Candy

The Barnyard Cupcakes are from Las Vegas, Nevada, playing Americana, Country & Blues Music. The Cupcakes consist of Jonnie Sue Presley & Earlene Cash, along with Thelma Scattergood, & Lulu Pearl & The Clark County Orchestra, & The La Jolla Ocean Orchestra. You might remember The Barnyard Cupcakes from last year here on HTB, when they won the November contest, and made a good run towards winning the finals in December. They’ve been sending me more of their songs since that contest, and I just got ”Candy” from them in July, so I immediately decided I should put them in August’s contest, because I like their music so much. For more info on The Barnyard Cupcakes, and to get internet addresses to all of their songs, visit their RN page, www.reverbnation.com/thebarnyardcupcakes, or visit their website, www.KarmaRadioNetwork.com..

The Roadhouse Clams–Shore Girl

The Roadhouse Clams are from Centreville, Maryland, playing Country, Roadhouse & Drinking Music. They’re a 6-man group, consisting of Pacifico on vocals and guitar, Scoutmaster on mandolin, Lightning on guitar, Bucket on guitar, slide, dobro & pedal steel, Daytona on bass & piano, & JJ on drums. On their RN page bio it says “The Clams are fueled by sour mash whiskey and back roads attitude, playing rootsy Americana gems with a combination of biker bar rowdiness and Duval Street pub crawl harmony”, whatever that means. This is another group that I had a hard time choosing which song I wanted in the contest. They have one called “Farmville Baby”, about the stupid Facebook game I’m embarrassed to say my wife plays, another called “Trailer Park UFO’s”, which I liked because I live in a trailer pparpark. I ended up choosing “Shore Girl”, because I liked the lyrics, so listen carefully to them. For more info on The Roadhouse Clams, visit their RN page, www.reverbnation.com/theroadhouseclams…

Tim Hall & Buffalo Country–Pretty Up Sweet Thang

Tim Hall & Buffalo Country are from Hudson, North Carolina, playing Country, Outlaw Country & Southern Rock Music. They’re a 5-man band, consisting of Tim Hall, Alan Abernathy, Mike Church, Jim Phillips, & Todd Casstevens. According to their bio on ReverbNation, the band has toured the East Coast, from Florida to New York, and even made some stops in Nashville. Their original songs and videos have received national airplay, and now they’re competing in an international song competition on HossTheBoss.com!! Tim sent me 5 of his newest songs by e-mail, and I chose “Pretty Up, Sweet Thang” as their August contest entry. For more info on Tim Hall & Buffalo Country, check out their RN page, www.reverbnation.com/timhallandbuffalocountry…

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.

Check me out on MySpace

My previous Hossey Music Award Picks