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Mary Duval
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"I was interested in music at a young age and as I grew up, that interest grew into a passion. I can't sing and although I have taken violin and coronet lessons, let's just say, NO ONE wants to hear that! I discovered country music in 1989 and haven't looked back since, although I still appreciate many other genres..."
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Welcome to a new year and a new magazine! If the superb CDs I've received so far this year are any indication, 2008 is going to be a phenomenal year for independent country music. Chris Browder, Laura Bryna, Natalie Logan, and DeAnne Moore have released strong debut CDs that promise great things for their future in music and Randy Thompson's third CD proves he knows how to make music that is real. So, without further ado...onto the reviews!
Chris Browder The Way 5 stars (out of 5)
Chris Browder is Texas country to the bone. From his gritty, believable vocals to songs that tell stories about life, you travel the path he's walked and you learn the lessons he's learned. Chris and his band can rock with the best of them, but you won't find any pop fluff on this album. What you will find are true stories that evoke emotions.
Read more at the International Country Music Database... http://www.icmdb.com/cmartistreviews.php?review=reviews/theway.htm
Laura Bryna Trying To Be Me 4 stars (out of 5)
Laura Bryan's debut CD, Trying To Be Me, is a fun, thought-provoking, and entertaining CD. Thoroughly modern country, all of the songs feature instruments like banjo, mandolin, and steel guitar clearly in the mix. She doesn't just make a nod to country music's tradition, she embraces them while putting them in a modern context.
Read more at the International Country Music Database... http://www.icmdb.com/cmartistreviews.php?review=reviews/tryingtobeme.htm
Randy Thompson Further On 4 stars (out of 5)
Randy Thompson pulls from rock, country, and bluegrass to create an album that is real. Electric lead guitar, steel guitar, fiddle, banjo, and acoustic guitars all mix to create a sound that defies genre. His hard, gritty vocals tell stories about life and love with the vision of someone who has seen all aspects of life from beautiful to ugly.
Read more at the International Country Music Database... http://www.icmdb.com/cmartistreviews.php?review=reviews/furtheron.htm
Amber Rhodes Goodbye Yesterday 4 stars (out of 5)
Amber Rhodes music may not be traditional country, but that's OK, she'll tell you that herself. Her debut CD, Goodbye Yesterday, mixes pop, rock, and country to create a sound that is not only unique to Amber, but also darn good. Her strong vocal ability is enhanced and showcased by the music and lyrics she has written and co-written.
Read more at the International Country Music Database... http://www.icmdb.com/cmartistreviews.php?review=reviews/goodbyeyesterday.htm
DeAnne Moore Never Too Late 3 ½ stars (out of 5)
DeAnne Moore provides a solid debut with her album Never Too Late. The 12 songs in this collection have a modern country sound that make a nod to country tradition with a strong use of fiddles throughout. Many of the songs on this CD perfectly fit DeAnne's voice, which is strong, clear, and filled with emotion.
Read more at the International Country Music Database... http://www.icmdb.com/cmartistreviews.php?review=reviews/nevertoolate.htm
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| Artist Spotlight July-Aug 2008
Sharmian
Sharmian believes in the saying, “if you want something done, you've got to do it yourself,” and she does! This fiesty, go-getter singer/songwriter has a traditional country voice that tells a story while infusing emotion into every note. She has started her own record label (Sharmian's Records) and is making her mark on the country music industry. Walking red carpets, filming a reality TV show about her struggles to make it in country music, and now two appearances on the cover of R&R Magazine, this independent artist is here and she's not going away! Her latest single from her self-titled debut CD is “I Drank Myself to Bed” and was released on July 8th.
Check out Sharmian's new single and everything else Sharmian at her website (www.sharmian.com) and her MySpace page (www.myspace.com/sharmian).
Daniel Lee Martin
Marketing executive to country music singer to outdoor TV show host? It's not as crazy as it sounds. That is the path Daniel Lee Martin has taken. He decided to go the independent route and both his first CD and his latest CD, On My Way To You, have received rave critical reviews. His song, “That's What God Made Rivers For,” recently won the Twin Cities Spirit Award for Song of the Year. Danile Lee is also the host of Backstage and Backroads with Daniel Lee Martin, a show on the Sportsman channel that follows Daniel Lee as he hunts, fishes, and makes music. For this Florida boy who has loved the outdoors since he was a kid, life it pretty darn good!
Learn more about Daniel Lee at his website (www.danielleemartin.com), his MySpace page (www.myspace.com/danielleemartin), and the Backstage and Backroads website (www.backstageandbackroads.com).
Darlene Marie McCoy
Darlene Marie McCoy was blessed with a natural singing voice reminiscent of Dolly Parton and has been singing since she was a kid. Her grandfather played a Wurlitzer organ and she loved watching and listening to him play. From the time she was a kid, she knew she wanted to pursue a career in music, but then, life happened! With marriage and three kids to raise, it was hard to focus on a music career. So, she focused on the most important thing in her life, her family. Now, her kids are grown and, with the help and support of her husband, she is able to follow her dreams. Her latest CD, Typical American Girl, is her most recent release.
You can hear Darlene's music and learn more about her at her website (www.darlenemariemccoy.com) and her MySpace page (www.myspace.com/darlenemariemccoy).
Zane Lewis
Zane Lewis is heating up the Texas Music scene with his brand of high-powered, southern rock and country music. Zane knows the hard road he has chosen with a music career, but, as he says, he's “too dumb to know any better.” He knows the competition is out there and he knows he has to do a LOT of work to make it in country music. However, that's what he's doing. He's putting in his time, he treats his fans as friends, and he's getting some great critical reviews. All that hard work is paying off. He was featured in Country Weekly magazine in their Listen Up! feature and he was recently nominated for Artist of the Year by the French Country Music Association. His first nationally released CD, Zane Lewis, is available now.
You can learn more about Zane at his website (www.zanelewis.com and his MySpace page |
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Becky Schlegel For All The World To See 4 stars
Becky Schlegel is a singer/songwriter, but more importantly, she is an artist. She wrote all 11 tracks on her latest CD, For All the World To See. Her lyrics truly are poetry and when you combine them with her sweet, pure vocals, the result is magic. Mixing bluegrass and traditional country music, this CD reminds you why music is an art form. Although there is commercial potential in this album, it is not a manufactured commercial product. It is a work of art created by an artist with something to say. For country music fans, this is an excellent example of what can be accomplished in this genre and why we all love it so much.
Mark Chesnutt Rollin' With the Flow 4 stars
Mark Chesnutt is a stalwart of traditional country music. When artists all around him are dipping further in to rock and pop sounds for their country music, Mark has stayed true to country's roots and sounds. His latest CD, Rollin' With The Flow, is damn fine country music. There is not a bad track on this album, which contains songs that cover every subject from love, loss of love, honky tonkin' parties, father and son relationships, and living life. Mark's vocals wonderfully convey just the right emotion for each song he sings. If you miss country music with a twang and steel guitar, miss it no more.
Melissa Cleveland When You Say My Name 3 ½ stars
Modern country music has many styles and sounds that appeal to a broad audience. However, sometimes in the quest to reach that broader audience, the country core is lost. I am happy to say that Melissa Cleveland's CD, When You Say My Name, does not fall into this category. Melissa has delivered a modern country CD that is relevant and contemporary while sticking to core country sounds and themes. From up-tempo, attitude-filled songs to touching, sweet ballads, Melissa touches on themes of strong women, love, and loss. Her raspy vocals, reminiscent of Janis Joplin, provide a gritty reality that lends truth and honesty to what she is singing about. If you are wondering where the country went in country music, here is one place you can find it!
The Road Hammers Blood, Sweat and Steel 4 stars
The Road Hammers cut their musical teeth in Canada scoring several Top 10 hits and a couple CCMA awards. Now, they have set their sites on the US country market to deliver their hard-driving country music sound. Many of the songs on their latest CD, Blood, Sweat and Steel, are hard-driving up-tempo numbers that bring forth visions of speed and flying down the highway. However, that doesn't mean there isn't variety on the album. There are a couple of ballads, a couple pure country numbers, and even a bluegrass-tinged song. All of these sounds and styles blend nicely to create a fun, entertaining album that can be enjoyed at home or on a long haul. The Road Hammers have created an album showing that there is still hard-driving country music being made. If you like your country music with some drive, this is the album for you! |
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