People & Articles Of Interest-2

With a widescreen sound reflecting the hard hitting grooves of Queens of The Stone Age, fused with the blues-rock royalty of Zeppelin, the massive riffs of Audioslave, and the dark atmospheres of Alice in Chains, Voodoo Johnson are proudly flying their flag for Hard Rock, in an effort to break through this soulless era of manufactured reality shows, snazzy special effects, and over-choreographed dance routines…

Formed in 2006 in Birmingham (UK), the band’s hard work and constant gigging earned them support slots with the likes of Duff McKagan’s Loaded, Zico Chain, Valient Thorr, Sign, Hawkwind and Tokyo Dragons. These gigs enabled the band to sell over 1000 copies of their ‘II’ EP, released in February 2008 to great response.

Radio plays by Bruce Dickinson on the BBC Radio 6 Rock Show, and Alex Zane on Myspace Mars Planets Radio further enhanced their reputation, as did a roaring session on TV Show Ditto Music Live on Sky Channel Red TV.

The Midlands based rockers recently released their hotly anticipated 2nd EP entitled “Into The Red” on 2nd March 2009. Produced by Gavin Monaghan (Kings of Leon, Editors, Ryan Adams) the EP has recieved great reviews from the Rock press including Classic Rock Magazine, Powerplay and Black Velvet Magazine.

You can check out more about them and hear their music at their website:
http://www.myspace.com/voodoojohnson

For a recent update in voodoo news……..

Just a quick update for all our favourite Voodooers to let you know how the album is progressing!
We’re going into the studio in Cardiff for most of November with Romesh Dodangoda (Funeral for a Friend, Bullet For My Valentine) and have around 30 songs (some of them finished, some of them not) to choose from. The provisional title for the album is…………10,000 Horses! Let us know what you think of it. Some of the working titles pushing for an album place are – Rusty Dave, Angus, End of The Empire, Forkman and SIN.

One thing we can tell you for certain is that it sounds like the VJ you all know and love.
Only bigger and better!!

When we come out of the studio we’re hitting the road for a short tour with Marya Roxx, and then we’re playing Hard Rock Hell III in Prestatyn with some great bands including Monster Magnet, Queensryche, Logan and Terrorvision. So if you can come and say hi and we’ll buy you a beer.

Another bit of news is that American wrestler Sterling James Keenan (yeah he’s named after Tools singer!!!) is currently using Dirty Angel as his entrance music for the world tour he’s on! You can check him out at

http://www.myspace.com/sterlingjameskeenan

Rock on, don’t forget to enter the signed guitar competition on our myspace page!
http://www.myspace.com/voodoojohnson

See you on the road!
Carlo
VJ

You can sign up for their newsletter at either of these sites:
http://www.myspace.com/voodoojohnson

http://www.reverbnation.com/voodoojohnson

Jimi Hendrix’s Sister Releasing ‘Amazing Amount’ of Unheard Material

Posted on Sept 22nd 2009 10:00AM by John D. Luerssen
http://www.spinner.com/2009/09/22/jimi-hendrixs-sister-releasing-amazing-amount-of-unheard-mate/

It looks like Tupac Shakur might not be the king of posthumous releases anymore. Jimi Hendrix fans will be pleased to learn that there is still plenty of unreleased music and video to come from the guitarist’s short recording career. Hendrix’s sister Janie announced Monday that she plans to release new material every 12 to 18 months for the next 10 years.

Janie, who is the President and CEO of Experience Hendrix and Authentic Hendrix — the two companies that oversee the legendary rocker’s legacy — broke the news to instrument manufacturer Gibson in an interview announcing plans for a new line of Hendrix guitars. “We probably have another decade of music, including video. Every 12 to 18 months we’ll continue to have new releases and Dagger [Experience Hendrix's label for live recordings] official bootlegs,” she said.

“Jimi was a workaholic,” she explained. “After Electric Lady Studios was built he was able to record constantly for as many hours as he wanted to. It’s almost as if he knew he had only four years to accomplish everything that he did. We have an amazing amount of original masters, including a lot of material that hasn’t been previously released.”

Hendrix says that tapes containing the unreleased material are currently being preserved in two separate locations in the “We keep them in a temperature-controlled vault,” Janie added. “We have a s et of everything in Los Angeles and a set in New York in the event of something catastrophic happening. We have duplicates of everything.”

Despite Jimi’s affinity for and association with Fender Stratocasters, Janie promises “a whole line of Jimi-inspired instruments” coming from Gibson.

Tina Charles
First published in GMS
April Issue 12, 2008
Interview by: Debbie Stevens

The British invasion had ended and the Beatles had left their mark on the world forever.
The Vietnam war was finally over, the ‘hippies’ quietly retreating, but what lay in the waiting, was a sound destined to wake us all and bring everyone to their feet!
For those of us that remember the early seventies, it was a strange but wonderful place to be, and the music made us feel alive!

Just think of songs such as “Dance little Lady Dance” and “I love to Love”….like disco music, Tina Charles had arrived to add more spark into our steps.
The best news is, she’s back!

DS: Most of your fans would recall your songs and your great success. Would you share your early days, and where it all began?

TC: I started singing at the age of 4, my first public appearance was at the tender age of 15 where I was the lead singer in a band entertaining American NCO’s at a base in Ruislip. At the age of 15 Tina recorded four singles with CBS at Chapels Studio in London, one of which good to be alive had the backing vocals of an unknown young man called Reg Dwight, later known as the one and only Elton John – “I can see him now coming in and asking me what I thought of his new crocodile shoes!”
Most of the time I was working with The Tony Evans Orchestra and was performing at the Empire Leicester Square six nights a week
I was the lead singer on “I’m on fire” with 5000 volts. Tina started singing before she could walk however started to hit the right notes during her time at Coroner Academy of Arts and Drama.

DS: Is it true your first recording came as a back-up singer for the legendary, Elton John?

DS: Was this the only time you supported another artist?

TC: I went on a National and European tour with Englebert Humperdink, Tom Jones and Gilbert O’Sullivan.

DS: The United States were dominating the charts during the ‘disco era’. How did you make your way onto the scene as a solo artist?

TC: “I love to Love” was number 1 within 3 weeks of release, CBS promoted the single worldwide

DS: Was this a challenge, and if so, how did you break down the barriers?

TC: I didn’t believe there were any barriers for me to break down, the challenge was allowing my natural ability to be recognised.

DS: Who were you listening to?

TC: Diana Ross, Dusty Springfield and the Jacksons

DS: Did you find any inspiration from other musicians/artists?

TC: Diana Ross and Dusty Springfield inspired me to become a professional

DS: In early 1976, “I Love to love” (But my baby just loves to dance) was #1 on the UK charts. Can you remember your first reaction to the news?

TC: In a word Ecstatic

DS: During the seventies, here in Australia you ranked well in our charts, and in our nightclubs. During those years, did you ever travel/tour overseas?

TC: I travelled the whole world touring, since I had a baby boy “Max” I came home from touring the last place I visited was Singapore instead of going on to Australia

DS: As a ‘baby boomer’, I know almost all of your songs. How many were there in total, and did you have any favorites?

TC: I really have never actually counted the number of songs I recorded, however I recall recording 3 Sony Albums “I’m on Fire” “I love to Love” and “Love me like a lover”

DS: If you could go back in time and make any changes, what would they be, and why?

TC: With hindsight I would like to have had a manager looking after my interest. During the seventies it was very different with the demands placed upon you.

DS: It’s great to hear you’re back in the recording studios! What can you tell us about this latest project?

TC: “Listen 2 the Music” is the title of my new album, consisting of some of my favourite songs. I am in the process of recording a bonus track “Feels like Sunday” written by Jack Robinson who wrote “I love to love”
I have not released a new album for 30 years, I wanted to record the tracks with real musicians, real instruments and songs that are full of emotion and I certainly did not want to rely on computers as some music is today.

For more info on Tina you can check out her myspace at:
http://www.myspace.com/tinacharles

REAL
Interview by: Debbie Stevens
(first published at GMS)

There’s so much to say about REAL-
A cross selection of tunes from the 80′s and 90′s, cleverly arranged and released through their ingenious lyrics.
The guitars carry this sound, with powerful vocals breathing life into every note.
If you can imagine Boston meeting Bon Jovi, busting loose with a real harmony, then what you have is REAL!
Their latest album, “Minute before last” is ready to rock the world!

DS: Please introduce the band members and their role.

R: George Payas – lead vocals and guitar
Corey Alman – bass guitar and vocals
Jourdan Alman – lead guitar and vocals
Mark Brooks – drums and percussion.(also known as biscuit tin bashing….oops guess I’m in trouble now.)

DS: What brought you together? How did you meet?

R: We actually met on Myspace, which is quite strange really seeing as the guys live in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar, where I’m originally from. (though I’ve lived in the UK for years now.)
The guys told me they were recording an album with producer Tony Bongiovi and were looking for a good singer. I told the guys I didn’t know any good singers….but I’d do it!

DS: Originally known as Milbajac, what led you to the name change?

R: The name change? Well I gotta say I never liked the name. When friends asked me the name of the band, I always get the standard response of “Mil….who??” As it happens, the guys decided to change the name mainly due to the difference in style and sound that the band was heading in.

DS: Did you all agree on the style/genre of music?

R: Although we like all kinds of different artists and music styles, what we do musically just seems to come naturally to us….so why fight it? Having said that, I’d personally like to go a little heavier on the next album.

DS: Networking has proved to be successful for many artists. How would you compare networking on the internet, opposed to the public community?

R: Well I think both forms of networking are extremely useful and necessary.
I guess you can reach more people, fans, agents, promoters, etc quicker on the internet, but sometimes the personal touch produces better results and is more enjoyable.

DS: Since reforming the band, has this changed the style of music being written/produced?
R: Well, actually the band never split. Original singer Lawrence Imossi left the band, and the guys struggled to find a singer who could fit into what they wanted to do. That coupled with some personal problems, saw a period of inactivity on the ‘live’ scene and in terms of recording, but the guys never stopped writing songs and jamming. The band’s sound and songwriting style does seem to have just naturally evolved.

DS: Who is writing the lyrics and where do you gain your inspiration?

R: I’ve written most of the lyrics this time, not because I’m the singer, it just worked out that way this time. Everybody is very laidback about listening to each other’s ideas with regards to songwriting, so I’m looking forward to the next album because we really will have gelled by then. I gain inspiration from things I’ve experienced, or issues that matter to me, and the guys are the same really.

DS: More and more musicians/artists are taking advantage of downloading songs opposed to waiting for a CD. Which do you prefer and why?

R: I don’t really know, sometimes I think it’s cool to actually hold a CD in your hand and look at the CD artwork and stuff. On the other hand, downloading is much more convenient, instant and cheaper. From a business point of view, I prefer selling our album as a download because it’s much less hassle and we don’t have to pay for the manufacture of a physical product.

DS: What drives your band?

R: A love of music, songwriting and performing……simple!

DS: Are you completely satisfied with your music, or is there room for improvement?

R: Satisfied??….hell no! If you think there is no room for improvement then what have you got left to aim for? Where can you go in terms of music? I think our next album will be noticeably better. The band had not recorded or performed for a few years, so the feeling within the camp was “enough is enough” lets get something done!” We kinda drew a line and said “by this date we record what we’ve got.” I know we’ll be a well oiled machine by the time we next record an album.

DS: Do you have bigger plans, and if so, what are they?

R: There is only one plan, and that is to write and record the best songs we can, and perform to the best of our ability with the hope of reaching the greatest amount of people possible, with our music. We are going to be doing a little tour in Japan in November of this year which I’m excited about though!

DS: If your band had a chance to perform anywhere for one night, where would that be and why?

R: Nowhere specific, maybe one of the world’s great stadiums or one of the huge festivals….that’s gotta be every musician’s dream! To hear 50,000 people sing along to your songs must be an awesome feeling. As far as countries and cities go, there are a few, but I don’t think I’d like to perform my dream gig in Australia because Aussie girls are just too attractive…I’d forget my lyrics!

DS: What does rock and roll mean to REAL?

R: Well rock n’ roll as we perform it means a solid drum beat, big guitars and melodic songs, all delivered with truck loads of tongue in cheek humor.

DS: You released your first album with producer, Tony Bongiovi. What valuable advice have you inherited, which might benefit others in the business?

R: As simple as it sounds, the main thing is to give 100% to anything you do, if you do something, do it right! Make sure your songs are good enough before you record them, because the production should enhance your songs, not save them!…..AND you’re gonna be playing them for a long time!

DS: What music is REAL listening to when not at work?

R: Anything good, from Bob Marley to Metallica. We mainly listen to rock and metal though, Goo Goo Dolls, Counting Crows, Bon Jovi, Velvet Revolver, Iron Maiden, Metallica…..the list goes on!

DS: In one word, describe your band.

R: I’m not gonna say “REAL”…thats so cheesey!! I guess it would be “honest”, because we are not a bunch of young kids trying to look or sound like the latest big thing, we are not obsessed with acquiring money or fame, we do what we do because we love it!

DS: Where do you see yourselves, five years from now?

R: Mowing your lawn or being your “pool boy” Seriously?….we don’t look that far. Our goal is to write, record and perform our music for as long as we enjoy it, and to try and reach the greatest amount of people.

DS: Where can our readers locate a copy of the latest album, “Minute Before Last”?

R: We don’t have CD distribution in Australia yet, we’re actually discussing the subject with a couple of companies right now and hope to have something set up in the next couple of months. Our CD is available from several places such as Amazon.co.uk, but to be honest, the best place to buy the CD is from American company CDbaby.com. It will be much cheaper for fans and they will only have to wait a few days for delivery.The album is available from itunes, 7Digital and many other online shops as a download.

There are several links to these shops on our myspace.

http://www.myspace.com/realbanduk

Reba Nell McEntire
(born March 28, 1955) is an American country music singer, performer and actress.
Sometimes referred to as “The Queen of Country”,she is known for her lively stage-shows and pop-tinged ballads. She has issued 31 albums, with over 50 million records sold worldwide; 41 of the millions being in the U.S. in her career. She ranks as the # 7 best-selling female artist in all genres, and is the # 2 best selling female country artist of all time.

McEntire recently became the female artist with the most top 10 hits (with her collaboration with Brooks & Dunn on “Cowgirls Don’t Cry” becoming her 56th top 10 hit.) and released five gold albums, six platinum albums, two double-platinum albums, four triple-platinum albums, a quadruple-platinum album, and a quintuple-platinum album, for certified album sales of 40.5 million over the 20-year period.

Though she previously appeared in several films – most notably 1989′s cult-classic Tremors, in 2001, Reba expanded her activities as an actress in film, on stage (starring in a Broadway revival of “Annie Get Your Gun”), and particularly on television, where she starred in a situation comedy, Reba, which lasted from 2001 to 2007.

In November 2008, Reba McEntire announced she departed her long time label MCA and signed with Valory Music Group, a sister label owned by Big Machine Records. Her first album on the label, Keep On Loving You, confirmed by Reba.com, is set for release on August 18, 2009. McEntire debuted the first single from the album, a song called “Strange,” at the 2009 Academy of Country Music Awards on April 5, 2009. The song has received positive reviews with Billboard calling the song “a delicious performance from one of country music’s most gifted divas.” The song debuted at #39 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart giving McEntire the highest single debut of her career, and her first inside the Top 40.

Keep On Loving You is Reba’s first solo studio recording in six years since “Room To Breathe” in 2003.

The second single from the album, “Consider Me Gone”, was released on July 29, 2009

Reba’s Emmy-nominated sitcom “Reba” closed its six-season run in 2007, McEntire hasn’t lost interest in television. On August 17, 2009, soruces from the Canadian Press confirm that she says she’s working on developing a new sitcom, though the project is still in “very rough stages” at this point.

McEntire holds the record for the most Academy of Country Music Top Female Vocalist Awards (seven), and American Music Awards for Favorite Female Country Artist (twelve), and ties with Martina McBride for most Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year Awards (four).

http://www.reba.com/

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005207/

Like father, like son

Carrying on the family tradition

Plenty of sons follow in their father’s footsteps and go into the family business. But when that business is music, the stakes can be pretty high. Will recent attention-getters like Joe Sumner (son of Sting), Dhani Harrison (son of George) and Crosby Loggins (son of Kenny) be able to establish out their own identities, or will they forever be known as “the son of…”? Here are 14 singer-songwriters in various of stages of proving that there’s more to them than a famous last name.—Andy Hermann, Metromix

Kenny Loggins/Crosby Loggins

The father: Best-known for writing and performing the theme song to the 1984 film “Footloose,” Kenny originally rose to fame in the ‘70s as part of the duo Loggins and Messina, who had hits with “Danny’s Song” and “Your Mama Don’t Dance.” He also scored solo hits from the soundtracks to “Caddyshack” (“I’m Alright”) and “Top Gun” (“Danger Zone”). In recent years, he’s reunited with his old partner Jim Messina; the pair is set to embark on a second reunion tour this year.

The son: After releasing a largely overlooked album in 2007 with his band, Crosby Loggins and the Light, the younger Loggins accepted an offer to appear on a new MTV reality show called “Rock the Cradle,” which pitted the children of famous singers against each other in an “American Idol”–style competition. Crosby won the competition, beating out the likes of Jesse Blaze Snider (son of Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider) and Chloe Lattanzi (daughter of Olivia Newton-John). That led to a recording contract with Jive Records, which released Crosby’s solo debut album, “Time to Move,” earlier this year. It features retro-flavored pop-rock that must make Dad proud—and a cameo from John Mayer.
Credit:Pamela Springsteen; Jive Records

Hank Williams III/Hank Williams Jr.

The father: Himself the son of a famous country singer, Hank Jr. (right) started out playing traditional country music much like his father, the legendary Hank Williams. During the ‘70s, however, Hank Jr. began to rebel against the country establishment, incorporating more elements of Southern rock and honky-tonk into his sound. These days, he’s probably best-known for performing the theme song to “Monday Night Football.” His latest album, “127 Rose Avenue,” features the topical hit, “Red, White and Pink-Slip Blues.”

The son: Hank III (left), as he’s known to his fans, started releasing his own music a decade ago; his debut album, “Risin’ Outlaw,” was a nod to the “outlaw country” sound his father helped pioneer. From the very beginning of his career, Hank III’s conflicted feelings towards his family legacy have taken literal form in his live shows, which he usually splits between a fairly straightforward country set, a set of punk-influenced rockabilly (which he calls “hellbilly”), and a metal/hardcore set with his band Assjack, who are releasing their first proper album this year.
Credit:Frank Mullen/WireImage; Curb Records

Bob Dylan/Jakob Dylan

The father: Does he really need an introduction? All the man born Robert Zimmerman has done in his 50-year career is revolutionize popular music and write some of the most indelible songs of the 20th century: “Blowin’ in the Wind,” “Like a Rolling Stone,” “All Along the Watchtower,” etc. We pity the kid who has to follow in this guy’s footsteps. Oh, wait…

The son: …actually, we don’t pity him at all, because over the past two decades, Jakob Dylan has pulled off the seemingly impossible feat of establishing himself as a singer-songwriter and rock ‘n’ roll frontman with an identity completely separate from his legendary dad. He did this, wisely, by starting off with the Wallflowers, a ‘90s alt-rock band whose breakthrough album, 1996’s “Bringing Down the Horse,” was very much a product of its time, with lots of rootsy-yet-polished guitars and radio-friendly choruses that owed more to Counting Crows than to “Highway 61 Revisited.” More recently, Jakob has bravely invited comparisons to Bob by going the acoustic singer-songwriter route, releasing the widely acclaimed solo album “Seeing Things” in 2008.
Credit:Columbia Records; James Minchin

John Lennon/Sean Lennon

The father: Even before his murder in 1980, John was widely regarded as the smartest and most artistically ambitious of the Beatles—after his death, he was virtually canonized, making him perhaps the most difficult parent for any aspiring musician to live up to this side of Elvis.

The son: As the only child of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Sean embarked on a musical career quietly at first, appearing on some of Ono’s solo recordings in the ‘80s and ‘90s before joining the New York-based hip-hop/pop outfit Cibo Matto as a bass player in 1996. He eventually signed to the Beastie Boys’ Grand Royal Records and released his first solo album, “Into the Sun,” in 1998. That record’s Beck-like mix of folk, psychedelic pop and Tropicalia earned positive reviews, but it would be eight years before Sean would release a second studio album, the more straightforward (dare we say Beatlesque?) “Friendly Fire.” He is reportedly working on a third solo album.
Credit:Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage; Capitol Records

George Harrison/Dhani Harrison

The father: Though perhaps less revered than his bandmates Lennon and McCartney, the late George Harrison is another pater familias who casts a long shadow over his progeny. He died of lung cancer in 2001, leaving the completion of his final album, “Brainwashed,” in the hands of his close friend and longtime producer, Jeff Lynne, and his then-23-year-old son, Dhani.

The son: When you make your musical debut playing guitar and singing backup vocals on your late father’s posthumously released final album, what do you do for an encore? If you’re Dhani (pronounced “Danny”) Harrison, you get together with your buddy Oliver Hecks and start a pop/electronic band called thenewno2 that owes far more to Radiohead than it does to the Beatles. Harrison and Hecks quietly released thenewno2′s debut album, “You Are Here,” in 2008; despite the music’s experimental leanings, Dhani’s vocals and songwriting style are eerily reminiscent of his dad’s.
Credit:Alan Davidson/WireImage; Noah Adams

Sting/Joe Sumner

The father: As the charismatic, high-voiced singer/bassist for the Police, Gordon “Sting” Sumner became one of the most recognizable stars of ‘80s pop music. After the Police broke up in 1984, Sting went on to have a remarkably successful solo career, selling over 100 million albums’ worth of pop, adult contemporary, jazz and even classical music (yes, he plays the lute). Following a wildly popular Police reunion tour, he went back to work on his ninth studio album, due out later this year.

The son: The 32-year-old offspring of Sting’s first marriage (to actress Frances Tomelty), Joe initially started out playing guitar in a band called (we’re not making this up) Santa’s Boyfriend, but switched to his father’s instrument when the band’s original bass player quit in 2006. By then they were called Fiction Plane and had already released a debut album, “Everything Will Never Be OK,” to poor sales but generally favorable reviews. Their second album, 2007’s “Left Side of the Brain,” got quite a bit more attention, thanks in no small part to the band’s opening slot on—surprise!—the Police’s reunion tour. Although their music is pretty un-Police-like modern rock (think Snow Patrol meets 30 Seconds to Mars), on songs like “It’s a Lie,” Joe’s high notes sure do sound like his dad’s.
Credit:Kasskara; Bieler Bros. Records

Frank Zappa/Dweezil Zappa

The father: Over the course of his 30-year-career, Frank Zappa became the patron saint of bizarro rock ‘n’ roll, releasing everything from triple-album prog-rock operas (the 1979 classic “Joe’s Garage”) to culture-defining novelty hits (1982’s “Valley Girl,” which featured vocals by Frank’s teenaged daughter Moon Unit and forever immortalized the expressions “grody to the max” and “gag me with a spoon!”). He died of prostate cancer in 1993.

The son: Some children of famous figures spend their whole lives running away from their family legacy; then there’s Dweezil Zappa. In 2006, 25 years into a career that could best be described as patchwork (his biggest claims to fame were a brief stint as an MTV VJ and a cameo in the ‘80s teen flick “Pretty in Pink”), Dweezil launched a project called Zappa Plays Zappa, a Frank Zappa tribute band featuring several former Zappa sidemen and occasional guest stars like former Zappa guitarist Steve Vai. ZPZ has proven to be wildly successful, touring the world several times over and even winning a Grammy earlier this year for their cover of a Zappa instrumental, “Peaches en Regalia.” They are currently appearing on Dream Theater’s Progressive Nation 2009 tour.
Credit:Jeffrey Mayer(WireImage)/isifa(Getty Images)

James Taylor/Ben Taylor

The father: An icon to some and a punchline to others, James Taylor emerged in the early ‘70s as an easy-listenin’ antidote to the politically charged folk music of the ‘60s. An entire category of music, “adult contemporary,” was practically built on the foundation of his laid-back tenor and gentle, feel-good melodies. In 1972, he married fellow singer-songwriter Carly Simon (of “You’re So Vain” fame) and the couple had two children before divorcing in 1983, including…

The son: Ben Taylor released his first album, “Green Dragon, Name a Fox,” in 2002, but he came to most people’s attention with 2005’s “Another Run Around the Sun,” on which he sounded exactly how you’d expect the son of James Taylor and Carly Simon to sound, if he’d grown up listening to Ben Harper and Jack Johnson as much as to his parents’ music. Ben calls his style “kung folk,” even going so far as to name his latest album “The Legend of Kung Folk,” but it doesn’t really sound all that different from the vaguely funky/soulful folk music that seems to be all the rage these days (see also: Jason Mraz, Brett Dennen, Citizen Cope, etc.).
Credit:Mark Venema/Getty Images; Iris Records

Paul Simon/Harper Simon

The father: Do the names Simon and Garfunkel ring any bells? No? How about a little album called “Graceland”? Still nothing? OK, how about this: You know that band Vampire Weekend? This is the guy they totally stole their sound from. Ah, the light bulb just went on, didn’t it?

The son: In the song “Graceland,” Paul Simon refers to taking a trip to Elvis Presley’s famous Memphis estate with “the child of my first marriage”; well, that child is Harper. After attending the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, Harper spent several years living in London and playing with a band called Menlo Park. He then moved back to New York and kicked around in various musical projects with several famous friends, including fellow children of musical legends Sean Lennon and Bijou Phillips (daughter of John Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas). Then, he formed a band called the Heavy Circles with his stepmother, Edie Brickell; the pair released a self-titled album in 2008 that, Oedipal overtones aside, was a light-hearted collection of catchy pop-rock. His long-awaited solo debut is finally due out this fall; based on the songs on his MySpace page, it sounds uncannily (but pleasantly) like a vintage Paul Simon record.
Credit:Warner Bros.; Copyright © 2007, Echo Danon and Coke O’Neal

Loudon Wainwright III/Rufus Wainwright

The father: One of the more underrated singer-songwriters of the past 40 years, Loudon was best-known early in his career for a handful of novelty hits (including one called “Rufus Is a Tit Man”—an ode to his breastfeeding infant son) and, more recently, for writing and performing the soundtrack to the Judd Apatow comedy, “Knocked Up.” His latest album, “High Wide and Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project,” is due out this fall.

The son: Despite growing up as perhaps the world’s most famous appreciator of breasts, Rufus Wainwright is an openly gay singer-songwriter whose music is more influenced by his love of opera than by his parent’s folk-rock roots (his mother, Kate McGarrigle, is also a much-celebrated folkie). Over the course of five acclaimed solo albums, Rufus has developed his own unique and instantly recognizable style, marked by his swooning vocals and grandiose, orchestral arrangements. He’s also made something of a second career as an interpreter of Judy Garland’s song catalog; his 2007 live album, “Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall,” was a song-for-song recreation of a classic 1961 Garland concert.
Credit:Ross Halfin; Ellis Parrinde

Justin Townes Earle/Steve Earle

The father: A Nashville-based singer with a decidedly rock edge, Steve Earle seemed to poised to follow other roots-rockers like John Mellencamp to mainstream success in the late ‘80s before an addiction to heroin derailed his career. Reemerging in 1995 with a Grammy-nominated acoustic album, “Train a Comin’”, Earle has gone on to become one of the most respected singer-songwriters of his generation, working with everyone from Emmylou Harris to Joan Baez. He’s also written a book of short stories called “Doghouse Roses” and had a recurring role on the HBO series “The Wire” as a reformed drug addict.

The son: Named after his father’s best friend, songwriter Townes Van Zandt (who died in 1997 just shy of Justin’s 15th birthday), Justin Townes Earle started playing in several different Nashville-based groups while still in his teens. By the age of 20, he was in his father’s touring band, the Dukes, but he was also following in his father’s footsteps in other ways; by his own admission, he had overdosed on various drugs five times by the age of 21. Following a stint in rehab, a sober Justin signed to Chicago-based roots label Bloodshot Records and began releasing solo albums at a steady clip. His third and latest, “Midnight at the Movies,” came out earlier this year; Paste Magazine called it “a nearly flawless, organic LP.”
Credit:Joshua Black Wilkins; Ted Barron

Waylon Jennings/Shooter Jennings

The father: Along with Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings was one of the architects of the so-called “outlaw country” movement in the ‘70s. The style, which brought a more rebellious attitude along with bits of Southern rock and honky-tonk into the increasingly staid country music of the era, took its name from Waylon’s 1972 album, “Ladies Love Outlaws.” He died from diabetes-related complications in 2002.

The son: Shooter Jennings looks and sounds so much like his late father that the producers of the Johnny Cash biopic “Walk the Line” hired him to play Waylon in a few key scenes opposite Joaquin Phoenix. The resemblance wasn’t always so obvious; early in his musical career, Shooter was far more into rock than country. He even moved to Los Angeles in 1997 so he could follow in the footsteps of his idols, Gun N’ Roses. After his GNR-influence band Stargunn broke up in 2003, the younger Jennings found his way back to Nashville and rediscovered an appreciation for his father’s music. He’s since gone on to release three solo albums of outlaw-tinged country, with titles like “Electric Rodeo” and “Put the O Back in Country.”
Credit:Michael Grecco/Getty Images; James Minchin III

Trace Cyrus/Billy Ray Cyrus

The father: Before he was Miley’s dad, Billy Ray was a pretty successful star in his own right, a platinum-selling country singer with a little song you might have heard at the last wedding you went to: the infuriatingly catchy “Achy Breaky Heart.” He released his 11th album, “Back to Tennessee,” earlier this year—and yes, it features a Miley duet.

The son: The 20-year-old son of Billy Ray and big brother of Miley seems content to rebel via his tattoos more than his music. Trace’s band, Metro Station, makes the kind of vaguely punky dance-pop that’s all the rage on this year’s Warped Tour, thanks to the popularity of bands like 3OH!3, Cobra Starship and, well, Metro Station. They’ll also be taking a page from the Joe Sumner/Fiction Plane playbook when they hit the road as the opening act on Miley’s world tour later this year.
Credit:Red Ink; Lyric Street

Bob Marley/Stephen Marley

The father: Not only is Bob Marley (left) without question the most famous and influential reggae artist of all time—he’s also one of the most, um, fertile. Most of Marley’s 13 kids have gone into the music biz, making it difficult for any one of them to stand out from the crowd.

The son: If Bob Marley has an heir apparent among his many offspring, it’s probably Stephen (right). Unlike his older brother Ziggy, who assumed his father’s role as bandleader with his group the Melody Makers, or his younger brothers Julian, Ky-Mani and Damian “Jr. Gong,” who have mainly pursued solo careers, Stephen has focused on the behind-the-scenes aspects of his father’s craft, working as a producer and songwriter on most of his brothers’ projects as well as a collaborator and remixer for everyone from the Fugees to Nelly to Erykah Badu. But he’s also proved his mettle as a singer, channeling his father to great effect on his (so far) only solo album, 2007’s “Mind Control.” Expect to be hearing a lot more from Stephen in the years ahead.
Credit:Chris Walter(WireImage); Universal/Tuff Gong

Article credits:
Cincinnati Music

http://cincinnati.metromix.com/music

Interview/Chat with Bern Nadette Stanis

Interview/Chat by: Debbie Stevens
[originally published in Writing Edge magazine,Baby Boomer section.]

G’day Bern Nadette,
It’s so great to finally have caught up with you! Now, I have a list of approx. 8 questions, and I’m just going to type in each response as we go, and then run by you when we are finished so you can be sure I haven’t made any mistakes.

DS: By the way, I got the chance to hear your chat with Raven….what was that like?
BS: Yeah that was fun. Say hi to Raven!

DS: Having worked on the top rating show Good Times, what was that time like?
BS: A wonderful time, it was a new time, a new day with new stuff, the first new black show, it was really a new time and we loved it!

DS: How did this role happen? Had you done previous acting?
BS: Well what happened, I was in a beauty pageant,and someone spotted me. They approached my mother, telling her of a coming sitcom where I would be perfect for the role as a little sister. Had a few auditions, I was excited, but didn’t really understand because I was still so young. On the day, Norman Lear was sitting there, I asked if it would be okay to improvise and he said to go for it. I got on really well with Jimmy Walker [JJ] and we had him in stitches! Esther Role [mum]her TV mum was like another mum, a lovely lady. We didn’t mingle that much off set, everyone did their own thing.

DS: As you are an actress, artist and writer, were these inherited talents?
BS: Well, you know my mum did like to write,and still does, so maybe came from my mother..dad played saxophone and sang, so there was a talent running through…dancing since five, then beauty pageants..grandmother put in first dance class.

DS: What was it like working with the other cast members, and am I right in saying that this was where we saw a young Janet Jackson? Have you remained in touch with everyone, or do you find after awhile, everyone travels a new path?
BS: Everyone just got along, but we were so different in ages…common ground was the show, never really hung out together,although a few times I was taken out to comedy club with Jimmy Walker, where I met some of his friends, including Freddy Prince, Jay Leno…all would hang out together laughing etc..Jay one of Jimmy’s best friends..episode when JJ had VD…sits down right next down to Jay Leno in the scene..
Janet Jackson-very good on show, when she came in they were excited. We are all friends, I stay in touch with her family, especially her mum, we play UNO and stuff like that…Michael is in NY and is now a screen writer and teaching kids about their African-American history.

DS: In each artistic profession above what do you wish to achieve?
BS: Well the top of everything,would be my talent to be recognized, to touch others through my talent…inspire and reach out to others.

DS: Bern Nadette is a unique way of spelling Bernadette. Is this a reflection of your own outlook on life?
BS: Yes, I did this myself. I was in class, and thinking if I ever become famous, how would I write my name. I just loved the TV show,”THAT GIRL”, “I’m going to grow up just like her!” The clothes, living in Manhattan, I just wanted to be like her! I think in a way, I ended up becoming something like her because so many other fans wanted to be like me? I went to school at Julliard [Lincoln Square] and was always turning my head around like she did in the show haha

DS: Currently you have a new book released entitled Situations 101: Relatiohips The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. What has been the response to this release?
BS: This book has been very interesting to me,nothing but good responses. It’s the kind of book that people wont say out loud, which one they like, ha-ha, in case it reveals too much about them.I thinks alot of people cheat…ha-ha Alot of clubs have bought the book to discuss amongst themselves, and have heard others, especially women.

DS: Why did you wish to write this book?
BS: Oh, you know I travel alot…lots of plays, meet alot of people, we always end up talking about relationships, problems etc…noticed people having problems all over, same kind of issues, relationships, lack of sensitivity etc,I thought maybe if i were to write about it, we could heal in someway..it was on my mind…You know how you always have one friend you confide in, well that was me..I had one friend always calling me I so decided to tell her to write down a few things,then stick it to her fridge, I did and it became a book!

DS: This is a subject which involves in-depth research. Take us through the journey of researching a book of this type?
BS: Actually, not alot of research,the stories were not all mine, it was my response to each situation…focusing in on each situation, tuning in to each, then I started thinking about what people were going through, and began creating stories around them. Not boring, just thoughts, stuff we go through, written as a story so they would entertain…some real wild situations in there, with catchy titles, here are just a sample:

“The good the bad and the ugly” “Love is only thing that lasts”
“Friction started when I called my man a friend”
“I’m not a friend, we just had sex”
“He throws women in my face”
“He found out the baby was his”
“The x-ray sex vision thing”

DS: Who’s your all time favorite author or poet?
BS: Don’t really have one, I enjoy both writing poetry, and writing….just enjoy expressing…I have been painting oil paintings for the last 20 years, hopefully coming soon…

DS: What’s next for Bern Nadette Stanis?
BS: Don’t really know…think there is going to be a series or movie…fans always asking me to come back on the screen..if you hear of anything…ha-ha

Bern Nadette Stanis is as down-to-earth as they come! A pleasure to chat with,we laughed and had a great time!We both plan to do this again, very very soon!!!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0822304/

http://www.myspace.com/thelmaofgoodtimes

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