These are all the songs I’ve chosen for this month’s contest. I know thousands of independent musicians who are deserving of having their songs in this dang deal. So narrowing my picks down to just a few is always the hardest part of my month. Oh well. Such is life.

Alec Berlin – Henry at Home

I know several regular HossTheBoss.com listeners who might end up benefiting from this powerful little song. (I’m not going to name names… you probably know who you are, dang it!) Alec is a pretty decent song writer, and this won’t be the last time you see him in our silly little contest. He sent me two other songs that you’ll hear as “bonus songs” throughout the month, but this one is the most important of the three. So I went with it first. You can check out his whole album “Innocent Explanations” at his website alecberlin.bandcamp.com. (Perfect title and cover art. I’m not yet sure if he’s purposely referencing that weird-but-important movie American Beauty with that cover, but it does kinda seem that way. Art is fun, huh?)With Alec, we’re continuing our tour of the New York City independent music scene this month (guest DJ Billy Kohout introduced us to a bunch of talent from up there in March). Alec played guitar on Broadway last year in the Green Day musical “American Idiot,” and he got a bunch of his Brooklyn area friends to play on his CD, which was mixed at Green Day’s studio in California.  From what I can tell, Alec has a pretty active internet following, and he said told me he intends to let them all know about this silly little contest. So I sorta expect him to be one of the top vote getters this month. Should be fun! Let’s get him in the Top 10 so I can have him on for Interview Week, dang it!

2Tallin’ – All I Ask

This rap group from Fresno, CA named themseves in honor of their huge front men/founders: Travis Huff (6′8″) and PJW (6′5″). This song features Daniel Rondero, and it’s reminiscient of the story as told on their Reverb Nation page,  behind the band’s album “Future vs. Retro”: “Imagine you’re alone…sitting waiting for your partner to come home, but they decide your time is not valuable. So they stay out all night till the wee hours of the morning. You wake up feeling hurt, angry, but you say I love her so it’s okay. You get married and try to start the All-American dream, you even write her love songs to show her that it’s just a fun hobby. She doesn’t believe you, and judges you for spending time trying to be a white rapper. She tells you that she can’t accept your passion for music; she hates the attention you get on stage in front of other women. You fight back by getting your biggest gig to perform for headliner Mickey Avalon, you talk to her and she tells you to cancel the show or your marriage is over. You cancel the gig, cry for hours, delete all videos, music online, sell all your music equipment on eBay, and give up a dream. Then she leaves you again…after 7 years of giving up; you wake up. On that day in December a RockStar was born!”

C-Sharp – Book of Rules

These guys call themselves a reggae band, but I sorta like the more detailed description they post of themselves on Reverb Nation. “This coming together of Musical talents has touched many lives. For those who have had a personal experience with C-Sharp, you may have an idea as to what to expect. However for those who have never really met them, let us first start by welcoming you to CSharp’s World. From this point on, we can guarantee that you will have an experience that you may not be able to comprehend let alone explain.” This is one powerful dang song. I’m sure Bob Marley would approve.

Dennis Gurwell – Blues Over You

Dennis was last on our silly little show in 2010 when his song “Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop” was one of our Top 10 finalists for the year. During our various on-air talks back then, Dennis said he was working on a full CD with his buddies in Burbank, CA, and, well, it’s finally here! He sent me a copy in the mail a couple of weeks ago, and every dang song is as solid as I was expecting. It’s great to know that ole’ Dennis is keeping that good ole’ New Orleans sound alive out there in weird ole’ Southern California. This song is off the new CD called “Always” (which also includes “Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop,” but now it’s just called “Waiting.”) Check Dennis out at dennisgurwell.com.

GGNoRe — I’m Different

GGNoRe (apparently, that’s text message slang for “Good Game No Rematch. Geez. Computers are weird these days) is a hip-hop/soul group from Central Florida. I like what they say in the email they sent to me: “The music we make is what some may call positive but since it has been over-used to describe music that is not we refer to it as optimistic realism. Our goal in music is to awaken the minds of our generation, invoke thought in others, and to create music that is timeless and can be enjoyed by people of all ages.” I can definitely hear that in this song. And everyone associated with HossTheBoss.com knows all about being different. Check these guys out at ggnore.bandcamp.com.

Guitar Pete – Raw Deal

This pick is for everyone who followed last month’s contest in which guest DJ Billy Kohout introduced HTBer’s to his friend Guitar Pete. Ya’ll all let ole’ Pete down by not voting  enough for his song Sluggers Row. So I figured I’d give you a chance to redeem yourselves by showing some love to this little diddy. While you’re at it, head on over to TheOriginalGuitarPete.com to buy the AMAZING CD by this same name. Billy said it was the best $10 he ever spent! (And he knows Pete personally, so he probably didn’t even have to spend that $10. Now, that’s a testimonial for ya’!)

Laney Meredeth – Whatever This Is

There is no WAY this amazing singer is only 13 years old! Check Laney out at www.laneymeredith.com. Thanks to Emmitt Gotcher of Vivadel Music for sending  her my way.

Paul Overstreet – I Think She Only Loves Me For My Willie

Oh man, Emmitt Gotcher is 2 for 2 (Actually, he’s 4 for 4. I’m holding two of the bands he sent me back until next month. Yeah, I’m just a tease.) He sent me this one too. Paul, of course, is one of the best known song writers in Nashville history, and this is a new recording of this well known song he wrote in 2008. Paul’s website is at www.pauloverstreet.com.

Poppyfield – An Always and Forever Kind of Love

This song comes to HossTheBoss.com from the writer Vic Holdroyd, a man who has won way too many UK country music song writing awards to be giving me any attention. But, nevertheless, he keeps sending me his stuff recorded by some of the best country music talent in Europe.   Poppyfield recently took 2nd place in the prestigious Country Music Euro Masters 2011. Check them out (if you understand German) www.country-duo.de. Oh yeah, and Vic is at vicholdroyd.weebly.com.

Tracey Grant – Springtime in Ireland

This is another song from Vic Holdroyd. (He really gets around.) Tracey is from Northern Ireland.  I’m trying to decide which I like better: the vocal work or the lyrics (which are a perfect fit for Easter). Good thing they’re not in competition with each other. Check Tracey out at Reverb Nation.

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