-- Hoss (aka Don Cudd), Reformed Corporate-Style DJ Dee Reeves’ & Melissa Cook’s November 2011 Hossey Award Picks
Dee Reeves lives near London, England and Melissa Cook lives in St. Louis. Both are major supporters of independent musicians all over the world. Dee was, for example, responsible for us picking Steve Carlson’s song “Stop” in the August 2009 contest, and after he blew the competition away that month and went on to win the championship that year with another song, Steve has become one of the biggest names on our silly little show. That, in turn, led us to Melissa who originally appeared on the show after her favorite Christian Kane — a great friend of Steve Carlson’s — was our big winner last March (and he went on to win the 2010 championship). Though Dee is very loyal to Steve and Melissa is, likewise, a devoted Kaniac, it’s a tribute to both of their love of great music in general that their picks this month do not include either of those guys. (Never fear, we’ll be playing songs from both of them during the month on the show anyway. How could we ignore our last two yearly champs!?) I hope you’ll look these two wonderful women up this month and just say hello and maybe get involved in their various music promotin’ adventures. (Neither of them get paid in anything but love for their promotion work, by the way.) You can find Dee through the Steve Carlson’s fan page, and you can contact Melissa through alwayschristiankane.com, the Christian Kane fan site she helps her friend Rose to run. Now… on to the picks…
Note: all these dang blurbs were written by Melissa.
Charlotte Autry – Be Honest With Me
Like many folks born and raised in northeast Oklahoma, Charlotte grew up singing at church, school & in plays and musical productions. With a last name (and familial connection to) ‘Autry’ is it any wonder that one of her first solos as a small child was a song that Gene Autry recorded, ‘Upon the Housetop’. Her musical style has been influenced by Gene Autry, and other classics like Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Conway Twitty, The Eagles and many more. More current country vocalists like Reba McEntire, Wynonna, Gretchen Wilson, and Sara Evans, and groups like Rascal Flatts, & Lonestar influence her as well. Her simple love for music that touches the heart is what spurs her on towards her dream today. “A good song is one that makes you feel like the writer has looked into your life, and put it down in writing and used the perfect words to describe your situation or feelings where previously there were just no words to describe it.”
I am so delighted that I can call this wonderful woman my friend! I can’t wait to see her in the top ten and an interview about her involvement with the Gene Autry Tribute CD “Boots to Big to Fill” I am featuring her rendition of Gene’s Academy Award nominated song “Be Honest With Me” Check out more at CharlotteAutry.com and follow her on twitter http://twitter.com/#!/CharlotteAutry
Curtis Peoples - Back Where I Started
“Curtis Peoples, songwriter with a defined understanding of creating a dynamic pop music—crafting songs that fans of rock, acoustic folk, and pop can enjoy equally. With a mix of free-spirited choruses and addictive rhythms, Curtis’ style of “coffee shop arena rock” is genuinely his own unique musical fingerprint.”
Curtis’ music has been influenced by a group of diverse artists like Pearl Jam, The Beatles, U2, Bon Jovi, Michael Jackson, Phil Collins and Matchbox Twenty. He has also worked with some great current talent like Tyler Hilton, Josh Kelley, Joe Firstman, Ernie Halter, Tony Lucca and one of my other picks this month, Josh Hoge.
I had a hard time deciding which song to use for November. Ultimately, I chose “Back Where I Started” for its great music and I was in a mood LOL He has some great ‘Done me wrong’ songs.
Read more about his interesting start on Curtis Peoples FaceBook Page and follow him on twitter http://twitter.com/#!/Curtispeoples
Josh Hoge - Take it or Leave it
I am so excited to be able to include this artist in the contest this month! I have adored his sound since I was first introduced to him and I tracked him down when I was in Nashville recently so I could get permission to use his music.
“Much like his hometown of Nashville, singer Josh Hoge represents Music City’s competing spirits of tradition and rebellion. In a town widely known for the tradition of country music, there’s no denying that Hoge has found a way to combine that with some rock, pop and soul to make up his new, yet original sound. Spend some time with his music and you’ll hear and feel the collision of these musical styles that shapes him, and you’ll see the rebellious heart in the tradition of legendary Nashville mavericks.”
I love all the songs on the 360 CD but his duet with Marc Broussard, Take it or Leave it, is my favorite. Their voices are just perfect together. As I mentioned, I was able to see him sing twice on vacation in Nashville recently. Josh is so high energy and fun… I am excited about seeing him again on Friday night November 4 with his brother Will Hoge here in St Louis.
If you find yourself in Nashville on a Monday night, Josh hosts “The Whiskey Jam”, a free event featuring a wide variety of musicians each week. It is a blast.
Learn more about Josh at http://www.joshhoge.com/ and follow him on twitter twitter.com/#!/joshhoge.
A Matter Gray – Friend
Composer and Los Angeles musician Jeehun brings you A MATTER GRAY. Rooted in pop-rock with a 5-piece band arrangement, the musical style of A MATTER GRAY readily diverges into other genres as the songs require. Wide ranging influences include 70s classic rock, 80s pop & 90s grunge/alternative. A MATTER GRAY’s first release “CHRONICLE” presents an enigmatic assortment of sound that is wistful and introspective as well as powerful and driving. Pop influenced dance rhythms combine with edgy alt rock tempos to create a penetrating and infectious album. The vocals and the lyrics give the record unique identity, with the lyrics sometimes wandering into melancholy, but always with a healthy dose of sarcasm.
The bands most recent Facebook post says it all… “We recorded, mixed, mastered and designed the entire record with apple computers. Edited, color corrected and touched up the music video with apple computers. RIP Steve Jobs.”
I found the CD very diverse and a lot of fun. Remember that I really enjoy Beck and Muse – it is in that alternative genre for me. Check them out at http://www.amattergray.com/
PostCard Fiction – Long Road
I had a hard time trying to come up with something new to say about Postcard Fiction. There is a new CD in the works but it isn’t quite finished yet. So I have picked an older song that I like a lot.
The band has recently gone through some personnel changes, but is still fronted by the amazing, Jeremy Sakovich. In a recent Kickstarter update from Jeremy, we learned about the new music.
“Every project seems to come with its ups and downs. When we started working on this record Postcard Fiction had a set line up, but since them two of our members have moved on to new things.
To fill the role on bass and drums I decided to bring in a handful of different players from the scene here in Columbia. That move has turned out great and in the studio we’ve been able to borrow people from Treadmill Trackstar, Magnetic Flowers, The Rejectioneers, and a few other very talented players.
Working with so many different people has really stretched the record in new and interesting directions and I’m very excited about what it is becoming.”
I am looking forward to the new music from this Columbia, SC based band. You can find more about Postcard Fiction http://www.reverbnation.com/postcardfiction
Ripcord 64 – Looking out for #1
How could I be a guest DJ and not include my buddy Ollie Dempsey and his band Ripcord 64 from Wexford, Ireland? Ollie is working on some great new music but it isn’t quite finished yet. So I am including a song recorded Live during 2011.
So what has Ripcord been doing since February? They are working on new music and Ripcord 64 is honored to have their music included on a fundraising CD to benefit Cystic Fibrosis research in Ireland.
Look for new music from Ripcord 64 in 2012! To learn more, check out https://www.facebook.com/ripcord64
Suite 709 – She Don’t even know
This group was a very late add to our line up for November. I woke up early Friday morning and found an unsolicited tweet from this band saying that if I liked Marc Broussard – I should check them out. (Well – I do love Marc Broussard thanks to Leslie Craig’s introduction. She is the one who told me that is voice is like Musical Sex. ) I was instantly taken with this band…
“Suite 709 launched at SXSW 2010 and has already won accolades of “Best New Band in Austin” and “Top 10 New Bands of 2010″ in the Austin Chronicle Music Awards, and has more recently been receiving stellar reviews from Grammy-award winning Artists, including Delious Kennedy (All-4-One), who says of the band, “I’m gonna go out on a limb and say, that in less than 3 years, this band will have secured a label deal and will be on their way to becoming a household name. All hail the future Ambassadors of Pop/Rock music…SUITE 709!”
I think you will enjoy them as much as I do. Check out their FB page https://www.facebook.com/Suite709 and follow them on twitter
Ted Russell Kamp God’s Little Acre
According to Ted Russell Kamp’s Facebook page, TRK’s music is classified as “Americana – rootsy rock” but I like the description of the CD..”It’s a juicy gumbo of country, Southern-fried rock and soul in the style of lifelong inspirations J.J. Cale, Leon Russell, The Band, Little Feat and Kris Kristofferson, packed with some of the toughest and most poignant songs he’s yet written.”
“I’m still very ’70s-influenced,” he acknowledges. “There’s more heart in that music that I relate to. It was allowed to reflect the chaos and all the political coming-of-age stuff that was happening after the ’60s, and people who were looking for music to relate to were more interested in more intensity and heart and soul and honesty. So that’s an era I always come back to when I’m looking for inspiration.”
TRK has been the long time bassist for Shooter Jennings. He was also a member of the original “Kane”.
Learn more about Ted at http://www.tedrussellkamp.com/index.html
The Common Revolution Grand Continental
I am delighted to be featuring new music from this group this month! To be honest, I wasn’t sure if a new tune would be ready in time – but lucky for the Hoss listeners… it is.
TCR is a Rock Alternative Pop band consisting of three incredibly talented guys: Olivier Zahm (Vocals/Guitar/Bass), Chris Forenz (Guitar) and last but not least Ryan Baker on drums. (uhmmm…. Kaniacs? Y’all know this guy, right?)
Chris, Ryan, and Olivier started working together as the pseudonym Brimstone Flowers (Best Local Band 2006, New Times PHX), along with vocalist David Glazier in 2006, and released the posthumous album Come On under The Common Revolution. The three boys stuck together and released a soul EP with frontman Paris James, self titled Paris James & The Common Revolution, Vol 1. The band then ventured new horizon, with the help of Lucas Marks on bass for a few select shows and pre-productions. Chris and Ryan are currently working with Olivier at Electric Lotus Music to birth their latest opus, coming soon.
Click to learn more about http://www.reverbnation.com/thecommonrevolution
Voodoo Swing Hillbilly Rock N Roll
Well, Dee & I were about to the last minute of our deadline for our Hoss selections and we were a song short. (MUSICIANS! OY) I put out a plea to a few people and I have to thank Olivier Zahm of The Common Revolution for giving me permission to use this Voodoo Swing song.
I have followed these folks on Facebook for a while now and I just love their sound. They are a fun and describe themselves as a “Rip it up’ Rockabilly group. The band actually started in the early ‘90’s and had a great following in Europe. As often happens in life, music was forced into hiatus for several years. Lucky for us, in 2008 the band regrouped in Phoenix. In 2010 the released a new CD, Refried Voodoo Beans, was produced by Olivier Zahm’s new label Electric Lotus Music . (Remember back to The Common Revolution interview from February 2011. Olivier talked about his new label)
Follow Voodoo Swing on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/voodooswing) and check them out on Reverbnation ( http://www.reverbnation.com/voodooswing) Try to catch a show… Voodoo Swing is rollin’ all over the western United States in their 1969 Lincoln Continental, tagging along a trailer full of gear.
See Dee & Melissa’s Previous Picks
