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I started a quest to find terrific blues music and incredible musicianship when I was just a little kid. I also have a tremendous appreciation of fine musical instruments and equipment. One of my greatest joys all of my life was sharing my finds with my friends. I'm now publishing my journey. I hope that you come along!


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Showing posts with label Jonny Lang. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jonny Lang. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

2015 Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival welcomes Gregg Allman - Buddy Guy – Beth Hart – Jonny Lang


The Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival with Gregg Allman, Buddy Guy, Beth Hart, Jonny Lang and many more at Sandy Point State Park, Annapolis, MD 
on Saturday, May 16th and Sunday, May 17th, 2015!  Buy tickets today!
2015 CHESAPEAKE BAY 
BLUES FESTIVAL
Two incredible days of live music on the beautiful shores of the Chesapeake Bay.  On Saturday, May 16th and Sunday, May 17th, 2015, the Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival will return to Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis, Maryland.  
Boasting one of our best line-ups ever, the festival will feature performances by: Gregg Allman, Buddy Guy with special guest Quinn Sullivan, Beth Hart, Jonny Lang, Charlie Musselwhite, Bobby Rush, Tommy Castro and the Painkillers, Shemekia Copeland, Mingo Fishtrap, Jarekus Singleton, the Sisterhood of Soul, the Marcus King Band and the Chesapeake Bay Blues Band.  

The festival also includes a variety of food, including local favorite crab cakes and oysters, Beer, wine, smoothies, a large crafter village with something for everyone, and a kids activities!

The net proceeds from this event will go to several worthwhile and very special charities, including: Special Love, Inc., Camp Face, We Care and Friends and League for People with Disabilities.  

Tickets are on sale now!   For all the details, please visit our website at www.bayblues.org!  For more updates, follow us on Facebook.  Come and get Hooked on the Blues!
TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW - BUY TODAY!
General Admission tickets are available advanced prices now on our website at http://www.bayblues.org/tickets.html

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Monday, September 16, 2013

Jonny Lang returns to London for 2014 concert

click for hi res
It’s been seven years since Jonny Lang released a new studio album, but the wait is almost finally over.  Lang has signed a new recording deal with the Mascot Label Group and will release “Fight For My Soul” - the follow up to his Grammy Award Winning 2006 album “Turn Around”, in the UK and Europe on Monday 2nd September.
Lang has been working on the release for three years with Producer Tommy Sims, who co-wrote Eric Clapton’s Grammy winning “Change the World.”  The duo collaborated on the project from the ground up.
JONNY LANG plus support
TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY 13th SEPTEMBER 2013

24 Hour Ticket Hotline: 0844 338 0000
Online: www.Bookingsdirect.com
O2 SHEPHERDS BUSH EMPIRE, LONDON
FRIDAY 25th APRIL 2014

Tickets: £27.50 level One, £24.50 in advance
Venue Box office: 0844 477 2000 / Doors 7.00pm
www.o2shepherdsbushempire.co.uk
Since the release of his 1997 major label debut “Lie To Me”, the then 16 year-old Lang has built a reputation as one of the best live performers and guitarists of his generation.
“This particular record has taken quite a long time to finish for a lot of different reasons, Lang remarked. “Most of all, I started having kids a few years back. Between being with the family, and being out on the road touring, the last thing you want to do when home is to go make a record. I'm really happy with the body of work we have for this one. It's kind of hard to be excited and know what the record is going to be like when the process is extended over such a long period of time. Today, sitting here, I’m really proud of the recordings.”
JONNY LANG - BIOGRAPHY
Sixteen years ago, at the age of 16, Jonny Lang found incredible success with the release of his major label debut album Lie To Me. Fame does not seem to have impacted him from being the same country farm boy from Fargo, ND who got his start in the local clubs of Minneapolis. 
He survived the passage of youth to adulthood, fell in love, began a family, and in the process passed through the life lessons we all endure.  He has a keen sense of what he aims to achieve creatively, what music means to him, and is focused on the impact that his songs bring to the lives of those that encounter his repertoire.  For Lang, with the release of Fight For My Soul, he is entering a chapter wherein he has found his true voice.
When asked what he would tell his younger self if he was afforded the opportunity to share advise, he wisely answers, "I would say all of those voices steering you away from questionable decisions, listen to them.  They are right." 
He has encountered many in the public eye through his career that approaches two decades.  With those experiences, and the personality traits he has witnessed, he has a clarity of how he wants to be, and how he wants to treat others. 
This sense of who he wants to be is the core of the album.  Lang shares, "The inspiration for the songs on the record vary widely.  Some are about personal struggles, some are focused on injustices I have seen.  Some are random fictional stories that hopefully can relate to people in some way that is a blessing to them.  I’ve wanted to make this album for a long time.  Creatively, I think there is a lot more going on inside of me than I’ve been sharing on recordings." 
The album defies categorization by a single genre.  The textured arrangements, broad worldview, gorgeous vocal melodies, and expressive guitar playing are what defines Fight For My Soul.  It is unequivocally what Lang aimed to achieve over the long period he has been working on reaching a realized vision.  He offers, "Much of what I've experienced through music and life in general is in these songs.  I really like reaching out and connecting with people.  For me, this is what it's all about.  It keeps it fresh with different experiences every day."
Lang has been working on the release for three years with Producer Tommy Sims, who co-wrote Eric Clapton’s Grammy winning “Change the World.”  The duo collaborated on the project from the ground up. The first step was fine-tuning the soulful numbers Lang demo’d at home.  He relates, “Sometimes I write music that I could never imagine putting on a record, and thanks to Tommy's ability to see the continuity in these songs, where I might not have, they are on the album.   Sims also brought in one number, the acoustic-electric soul-rocker “Blew Up (The House),” and played several instruments the album that include resonator guitar on that tune, and contributing world class bass guitar performances on select others.
This grass roots approach was new to Lang, whose four earlier studio albums were written and crafted under the watch of his previous record labels.  It was a welcome change. After Lang released his Grammy winning Turn Around in 2007, he made the decision to forego the major label route and became an independent artist. The first result was 2009’s Live At the Ryman, but Fight For My Soul, by its nature,is his first fully realized artistic achievement through his own label SayRai Music, featuring his own touring band: drummer Barry Alexander, bassist James Anton, rhythm guitarist Akil Thompson, keyboardist Dwan Hill and background vocalist Missi Hale.  “Recording with the band for the first time was really gratifying,” says Lang. “They’re all amazing musicians and we’ve grown together musically and personally by playing hundreds of live shows.  This served us well in the making of Fight For My Soul.  Because of them, I have grown musically in ways I never thought I could, and it really is an honor to have them on this record."
Lang’s full touring schedule as well as making his family a priority in his life, are the primary cause for the length of commitment it took to deliver this album.  He reflects, " Between being with my family, and being out on the road touring, the last thing you want to do when home is to go and make a record.  We have had to pick our spots to fit in recording time.  In the last year, we've been able to work on it more consistently, and to finally wrap this thing up.  And with the delivery to label partners Mascot in Europe and Concord for North America, he achieved what he set out to deliver offering, "I'm really happy with the body of work we have for this one.  It's kind of hard to be excited and know what the record was going to be like when the process is extended over such a long period of time. Today sitting here I am really proud of the recordings."
As an artist he has evolved since he began the writing process.  The sound of that evolution is all over Fight For My Soul. “What You’re Looking For” carefully layers banjo, guitars, spacey keyboards and a percussion sample to create a sonic dreamscape for its story of searching for life’s essentials - faith, love, hope. The arrangement of “We Are the Same” evokes the freewheeling spirit of Motown’s Psychedelic Shack era.
The path Lang has been on has brought him the opportunity to interact with some of the most respected legends in music.  On the way up, he shared the stage with The Rolling Stones, B.B. King, Aerosmith, Sting, and Buddy Guy, who he continues to tour with today.
As a 12-year-old, he began a journey in Fargo, ND that has brought him to points across the Globe, and as he looks on the upcoming near-term future, he shares, "With this album, I really look forward to bringing our music to people in places where I've never been before. Music is one of the greatest conveyers of ideas and emotions, and in a sense that doesn’t have as much to do with the individual performing, but the power of the connection. One of my goals is the music can be a blessing to the people listening to it in some way. And if Fight For My Soul can help somebody by making them feel better or that they’re not alone, that’s my idea of success for this album.”
click for hi res
JONNY LANG - ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Provogue Records artist: Leslie West - Still Climbing - New Release Review

I just received the newest release (October 29, 2013), Still Climbing, from Leslie West and it has exactly what you listen to a Leslie West for.... gutsy vocals, a driving beat and flaming guitars! Opening with Dyin' Since The Day I Was Born, West is wide open on his amp, all volume controls and his vocals. With a strong metal influence, West shows all of the patience of a freight train with grinding riffs and pinched harmonics. Busted, Disgusted or Dead takes a more moderate pace with flashy sliding blues riffs from West and long time slideman Johnny Winter. Fade Into You is a 3/4 ballad with a solid melody giving West the opportunity to fire up his vocal chords and a wide open door to bust down with powerful fat guitar riffs. Real nice! Not Over You At All has a real cool intro with the smokin sound of an overdriven tube amp. Surprisingly a sax solo on this track takes a different direction than I would typically associate with West. A cool melodic guitar solo which I do think of with West is a prominent feature of this track. An acoustic track, Tales Of Woe is particularly strong. The opening, which appears to be played on nylon string guitar provides a nice backdrop for Wests rugged vocals and searing electric guitar soloing. On Feeling Good made famous by Traffic, celebrates Wests battle with cancer and diabetes with screaming guitar riffs and sharing vocals with Dee Snider (Twisted Sister). Classic Percy Sledge soul track, When A Man Loves A Woman, features guitar slinger and contemporary soul/blues singer Jonny Lang. This is a perfect track for these two guys to share the vocal lead as well as their love for the blues in smoking guitar riffs. Original Mountain classic Long Red has a fresh feel but the signature Mountain sound. You know it when you hear it. Don't Ever let Me Go again has a strong "metal" sound with driving drum work and searing lead work over melodic rhythm guitar. Rev Jones Time is a very cool interpretation of 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow" on lower guitar frets or baritone guitar and I really like it. A suitable ending to an explosive release.

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Thursday, August 15, 2013

Leslie West To Release Still Climbing October 29




LESLIE WEST TO RELEASE STILL CLIMBING ON OCTOBER 29 VIA PROVOGUE RECORDS / MASCOT LABEL GROUP
Legendary Guitarist Looks Forward Joined By Jonny Lang,
Johnny Winter, Mark Tremonti, and Dee Snider

New York, NY -- Leslie West will release Still Climbing on October 29 via Provogue Records / Mascot Label Group.  Originality, excitement, honesty and survival are all part of what makes a legend, and those qualities ripple through every song on West’s upcoming release.  The disc is also a testimonial to the strength and durability of West’s artistry.  Born October 22, 1945, as he approaches the age of 68, West has packed some of the most soulful and searing vocal performances of his half-century career into these eleven tracks, and his guitar has never sounded more massive or riff-propelled.
               
West, who ascended rock’s Mt. Olympus with his band Mountain in a historic performance at 1969’s Woodstock festival, accomplished all of that despite a life threatening battle with diabetes that cost him most of his right leg in 2011, just after his previous Mascot Label Group release Unusual Suspects was recorded.  "I’m lucky it wasn’t one of my hands or I’d be screwed,” West says with his customary candor.  “It was a difficult struggle, and after the amputation I didn’t know whether I’d ever want to or be able to perform again.  But a month later I played at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp in New York City, and I heard my guitar on stage and that was it. I knew I had to keep going.”

Following the success of Unusual Suspects, West approached the new release with vision of tying the albums together.  “This record is a sequel to Unusual Suspects, where I had friends of mine that include Slash, Zakk Wylde, Steve Lukather, Joe Bonamassa and Billy Gibbons come to the studio and play,” West explains.  This time Jonny Lang, Johnny Winter, Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider and Alter Bridge / Creed’s Mark Tremonti do the honors. “What’s different on Still Climbing is that I wanted my guitars to sound as big as I look. So I used four of my Dean signature model guitars with my Mountain of Tone humbucking pickups. I plugged them into my Blackstar amps — no pedals — and turned them up loud and raw, and what you hear is exactly what I did in the studio.  These Blackstar amps deliver everything I need without 'confidence' pedals.  I played one of the early tracks we recorded for Slash, and he said, ‘That is as heavy as it gets.’" 

Still Climbing  is co-produced by West and Mike “Metal” Goldberg, who engineered all of the sessions.  Songs like “Dyin' Since The Day I Was Born,” “Hatfield or McCoy,” and “Busted, Disgusted or Dead” establish a new litmus test for “heavy.” The latter features West and Winter on dueling slide guitars. West also gave up smoking cigarettes and pot after a bout with bladder cancer, so it’s no wonder many of Still Climbing’s numbers explore the theme of survival and, ultimately, triumph.   To that end, West avows, “Not only am I lucky to be here, but because I stopped smoking my voice is now stronger than it’s ever been — as strong as my guitar playing."  His inclusion of “Feeling Good,” a song by British actor-musician Anthony Newley that was made famous by Steve Winwood’s group Traffic, is a testimonial to all of that.  Its lyrics celebrate a “new dawn for me” as West and his longtime buddy Dee Snider of Twisted Sister trade vocal lines.

The truth is, West has always been an outstanding vocalist, earning comparisons to soul legends like Otis Redding since his 1969 debut Mountain, which gave his historic band its name.  On Still Climbing West revisits the catalog of another classic soul man, Percy Sledge, with the enduring “When a Man Loves a Woman.”  He’s joined by now 32 year-old soul man Jonny Lang, who he met 15 years ago when Lang was a rising guitar prodigy.  West says they cut the tune side-by-side in the studio, their soaring guitars and voices twining to bring fresh blood and a blues-soaked arrangement to the song.

The tracks “When a Man Loves a Woman,” “Never Let Me Go” and “Fade Into You” explore the theme of romance.  In 2009 West married his wife Jenni, who co-wrote many of Still Climbing’s songs with the guitar giant.  They exchanged vows on stage at the Woodstock 40th anniversary concert.  West credits her with saving his life — first with her love, and then by making the difficult decision to permit his doctors to amputate while he was in a coma.  West offers candidly, "Being in the band Mountain was one of the most satisfying things I have ever done in my professional life.  I became a musician, not just a guitar player.  Being in the group with Felix Pappalardi was an honor, who was so talented as a producer, arranger, bass player, guitar player, and all the things I aspired to be.  We had some great years together, and some rocky roads.  His wife Gail, who by the way shot and killed Felix, could suck the fun out of a clown.  It left a terrible taste in my mouth about working with my wife, Jenni. I did not want to risk going down that path where your wife was involved in every aspect of your musical life.  Jenni has become so good at expressing thoughts to paper, she has become my primary collaborator on the lyrical side of my new recordings."

West has been performing since 1965, when he fronted the soul-fired Vagrants in his native New York City.  Rolling Stone placed him at #66 on their list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists.”   His repertoire continues to be relevant with enduring appeal to this day as top selling rap recordings are built around samples from “Long Red,” which appeared on the Mountain album. Jay-Z tapped the tune for his 2004 mega-smash “99 Problems.” So did Kanye West, for  "Barry Bonds" and “The Glory," and Common’s “The People,” along with others.  Recently, Lana Del Rey sampled West's voice and features it in the beginning, middle and end of the worldwide smash "Born To Die."  For Still Climbing, , West re-recorded "Long Red" with his brother and former Vagrants-mate Larry West on bass.  He offers, “It was time for me to let people hear that song the way I do it now.  I used a B-3 organ on it again, but this time it has a lot more balls."

Balls, guts, heart — more words that are part of West’s legend and describe the roaring crescendos and deep emotional roots of Still Climbing — and West himself.  “You know, when it comes to talent, we don’t all move at the same rate of speed,” West muses. “Some people start at the top of their game and after 10 or 20 years you wonder what the hell happened to them. I like to joke that the older I get the better I used to be, but after giving up drugs and smoking, my voice can hit notes that I never could reach before.   I’m thankful for that.”

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Leslie West to release new studio album "Still Climbing"


LESLIE WEST - STILL CLIMBING
Featuring guest appearances from Johnny Winter, Mark Tremonti
(Creed & Alter Bridge), Jonny Lang and Dee Snider (Twisted Sister)

click for hi res
THE NEW ALBUM RELEASED 28th OCTOBER 2013
PROVOGUE RECORDS / MASCOT LABEL GROUP

Leslie West is set to release his new album "Still Climbing" on 28th October 2013 via Provogue Records / Mascot Label Group. 
Originality, excitement, honesty and survival are all part of what makes a legend, and those qualities ripple through every song on West’s upcoming release. 
The new album is a testimonial to the strength and durability of West’s artistry. Born October 22, 1945, as he approaches his 68th birthday, West has packed some of the most soulful and searing vocal performances of his half-century career into these 11 tracks. His guitar has never sounded more massive or riff-orientated.

West, who ascended rock’s Mt. Olympus with Mountain in a historic performance at 1969’s Woodstock Festival, accomplished all of that despite a life threatening battle with diabetes that cost him most of his right leg in 2011, just after his previous Mascot Label Group release "Unusual Suspects" was recorded. 
"I’m lucky it wasn’t one of my hands or I’d be screwed," says West. "It was a difficult struggle, and after the amputation I didn’t know whether I’d ever want to or be able to perform again. But a month later I played at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp in New York City, and I heard my guitar on stage and that was it. I knew I had to keep going."
Following the success of "Unusual Suspects," West approached the new release with vision of tying the albums together. "The new album is a sequel to Unusual Suspects, where I had friends of mine that include Slash, Zakk Wylde, Steve Lukather, Joe Bonamassa and Billy Gibbons come to the studio and play," West explains.
This time Jonny Lang, Johnny Winter, Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider and Alter Bridge and Creed’s Mark Tremonti do the honours. "What’s different on "Still Climbing" is that I wanted my guitars to sound as big as I look. So I used four of my Dean Signature model guitars with my Mountain of Tone humbucking pickups. I plugged them into my Blackstar amps - no pedals - and turned them up loud and raw, and what you hear is exactly what I did in the studio. These Blackstar amps deliver everything I need without 'confidence' pedals. I played one of the early tracks we recorded for Slash, and he said, ‘That is as heavy as it gets.’"
"Still Climbing" - Track Listing
01. Dyin’ Since The Day I Was Born (With special guest Mark Tremonti)
02. Busted, Disgusted or Dead (With special guest Johnny Winter)
03. Fade Into You
04. Not Over You At All
05. Tales Of Woe
06. Feeling Good (with special guest Dee Snider)
07. Hatfield or McCoy
08. When A Man Loves A Woman (With special guest Jonny Lang)
09. Long Red
10. Don’t Ever Let Me Go (With special guest Dylan Rose)
11. Rev Jones Time (Somewhere Over The Rainbow)
"Still Climbing" is co-produced by West and Mike "Metal" Goldberg, who engineered all of the sessions.  Songs like "Dyin' Since The Day I Was Born," "Hatfield or McCoy," and "Busted, Disgusted or Dead" establish a new litmus test for "heavy."
The latter features West and Johnny Winter on duelling slide guitars. West also gave up smoking cigarettes and pot after a bout with bladder cancer, so it’s no wonder many of Still Climbing’s numbers explore the theme of survival and, ultimately, triumph. To that end, West avows, "Not only am I lucky to be here, but because I stopped smoking my voice is now stronger than it’s ever been - as strong as my guitar playing."
His inclusion of "Feeling Good," a song by British actor-musician Anthony Newley that was made famous by Steve Winwood’s group Traffic, is a testimonial to all of that.  Its lyrics celebrate a "new dawn for me" as West and his long-time buddy Dee Snider (Twisted Sister) trade vocal lines.
West has always been an outstanding vocalist, earning comparisons to soul legends like Otis Redding since his 1969 debut Mountain, which gave his historic band its name. On "Still Climbing" West revisits the catalogue of another classic soul man, Percy Sledge, with the enduring "When a Man Loves a Woman."  He’s joined by now 32 year-old soul man Jonny Lang, who he met 15 years ago when Lang was a rising guitar prodigy. West says they cut the tune side-by-side in the studio, their soaring guitars and voices twining to bring fresh blood and a blues-soaked arrangement to the song.
"When a Man Loves a Woman," "Never Let Me Go" and "Fade Into You" explore a romantic theme.  In 2009 West married his wife Jenni, who co-wrote many of Still Climbing’s songs with the guitar giant.
They exchanged vows on stage at the Woodstock 40th Anniversary Concert. West credits her with saving his life - first with her love, and then by making the difficult decision to permit his doctors to amputate while he was in a coma.
"Being in Mountain was one of the most satisfying things I have ever done in my professional life," says West. "I became a musician, not just a guitar player."
"Being in Mountain with Felix Pappalardi was an honour. He was so talented as a producer, arranger, bass player, guitar player - all the things I aspired to be. We had some great years together, and some rocky roads. His wife Gail, who by the way shot and killed Felix, could suck the fun out of a clown. It left a terrible taste in my mouth about working with my wife, Jenni. I did not want to risk going down that path where your wife was involved in every aspect of your musical life. Jenni has become so good at expressing thoughts to paper. She has become my primary collaborator on the lyrical side of my new recordings."
West has been performing since 1965, when he fronted the soul-fired Vagrants in his native New York City. Rolling Stone placed him at #66 on their list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists."
His repertoire continues to be relevant with enduring appeal to this day as top selling rap recordings are built around samples from "Long Red," which appeared on the Mountain album. Jay-Z tapped the tune for his 2004 mega-smash "99 Problems." So did Kanye West, for "Barry Bonds" and "The Glory," and Common’s "The People," along with others.
Recently, Lana Del Rey sampled West's voice and features it in the beginning, middle and end of the worldwide smash "Born To Die." For "Still Climbing," West re-recorded "Long Red" with his brother and former Vagrants-mate Larry West on bass. He offers, "It was time for me to let people hear that song the way I do it now. I used a B-3 organ on it again, but this time it has a lot more balls."
Balls, guts, heart - more words that are part of West’s legend and describe the roaring crescendos and deep emotional roots of "Still Climbing" - and West himself.  "You know, when it comes to talent, we don’t all move at the same rate of speed," West muses. "Some people start at the top of their game and after 10 or 20 years you wonder what the hell happened to them. I like to joke that the older I get the better I used to be, but after giving up drugs and smoking, my voice can hit notes that I never could reach before. I’m thankful for that."

Leslie West - Facebook
www.facebook.com/lesliewestmountain  
 

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Jonny Lang confirms new album "Fight For My Soul"

click for hi res
It’s been seven years since Jonny Lang released a new studio album, but the wait is almost finally over.  Lang has signed a new recording deal with the Mascot Label Group and will release “Fight For My Soul” - the follow up to his Grammy Award Winning 2006 album “Turn Around”, in the UK and Europe on Monday 2nd September.
Lang has been working on the release for three years with Producer Tommy Sims, who co-wrote Eric Clapton’s Grammy winning “Change the World.” The duo collaborated on the project from the ground up.
Jonny will be in London 25th-26th June for interviews and will perform a rare concert at the London Borderline on 3rd October - his first UK concert in over a decade.
“With this album, I’m looking forward to going to different territories and countries all over the world, and just trying to be a positive presence for people in places where I have never been before,” Lang commented. “I'm excited to do that. It sounds like we'll be going to some new destinations this time around, and I really look forward to it."
The album defies categorization by a single genre. The textured arrangements, broad worldview, gorgeous vocal melodies, and expressive guitar playing are what defines “Fight For My Soul.” It is unequivocally what Lang aimed to achieve over the long period he has been working on reaching a realised vision.
He offers, "Much of what I've experienced through music and life in general is in these songs. I really like reaching out and connecting with people. For me, this is what it's all about. It keeps it fresh with different experiences every day."
“We are thrilled to be finally able to work with Jonny Lang and I predict that he has a glorious future ahead of him,” remarked Mascot Label Group owner/founder Ed van Zijl. “What a voice!”
Since the release of his 1997 major label debut “Lie To Me”, the then 16 year-old Lang has built a reputation as one of the best live performers and guitarists of his generation.
“This particular record has taken quite a long time to finish for a lot of different reasons, Lang remarked. “Most of all, I started having kids a few years back. Between being with the family, and being out on the road touring, the last thing you want to do when home is to go make a record. I'm really happy with the body of work we have for this one. It's kind of hard to be excited and know what the record is going to be like when the process is extended over such a long period of time. Today, sitting here, I’m really proud of the recordings.”
JONNY LANG
AUTUMN 2013 EUROPEAN TOUR
October 1
Paris, FR - New Morning
October 3
London, UK - Borderline
October 5
Avignon, FR - Avignon Blues Festival
October 6
Zurich, CH - X-tra
October 8
Hamburg, DE - Markthalle
October 9
Bochum, DE - Zeche
October 10
Munich, DE - Muffathalle
October 12
Nancy, FR - Nancy Jazz Pulsations
October 14
Amsterdam, NL - Melkweg
October 15
Brussels, BE - AB Club
JONNY LANG - BIOGRAPHY
Sixteen years ago, at the age of 16, Jonny Lang found incredible success with the release of his major label debut album Lie To Me. Fame does not seem to have impacted him from being the same country farm boy from Fargo, ND who got his start in the local clubs of Minneapolis.  He survived the passage of youth to adulthood, fell in love, began a family, and in the process passed through the life lessons we all endure.  He has a keen sense of what he aims to achieve creatively, what music means to him, and is focused on the impact that his songs bring to the lives of those that encounter his repertoire.  For Lang, with the release of Fight For My Soul, he is entering a chapter wherein he has found his true voice.
When asked what he would tell his younger self if he was afforded the opportunity to share advise, he wisely answers, "I would say all of those voices steering you away from questionable decisions, listen to them.  They are right."  He has encountered many in the public eye through his career that approaches two decades.  With those experiences, and the personality traits he has witnessed, he has a clarity of how he wants to be, and how he wants to treat others. 
This sense of who he wants to be is the core of the album.  Lang shares, "The inspiration for the songs on the record vary widely.  Some are about personal struggles, some are focused on injustices I have seen.  Some are random fictional stories that hopefully can relate to people in some way that is a blessing to them.  I’ve wanted to make this album for a long time.  Creatively, I think there is a lot more going on inside of me than I’ve been sharing on recordings." 
The album defies categorization by a single genre.  The textured arrangements, broad worldview, gorgeous vocal melodies, and expressive guitar playing are what defines Fight For My Soul.  It is unequivocally what Lang aimed to achieve over the long period he has been working on reaching a realized vision.  He offers, "Much of what I've experienced through music and life in general is in these songs.  I really like reaching out and connecting with people.  For me, this is what it's all about.  It keeps it fresh with different experiences every day."
Lang has been working on the release for three years with Producer Tommy Sims, who co-wrote Eric Clapton’s Grammy winning “Change the World.”  The duo collaborated on the project from the ground up. The first step was fine-tuning the soulful numbers Lang demo’d at home.  He relates, “Sometimes I write music that I could never imagine putting on a record, and thanks to Tommy's ability to see the continuity in these songs, where I might not have, they are on the album.   Sims also brought in one number, the acoustic-electric soul-rocker “Blew Up (The House),” and played several instruments the album that include resonator guitar on that tune, and contributing world class bass guitar performances on select others.
This grass roots approach was new to Lang, whose four earlier studio albums were written and crafted under the watch of his previous record labels.  It was a welcome change. After Lang released his Grammy winning Turn Around in 2007, he made the decision to forego the major label route and became an independent artist. The first result was 2009’s Live At the Ryman, but Fight For My Soul, by its nature,is his first fully realized artistic achievement through his own label SayRai Music, featuring his own touring band: drummer Barry Alexander, bassist James Anton, rhythm guitarist Akil Thompson, keyboardist Dwan Hill and background vocalist Missi Hale.  “Recording with the band for the first time was really gratifying,” says Lang. “They’re all amazing musicians and we’ve grown together musically and personally by playing hundreds of live shows.  This served us well in the making of Fight For My Soul.  Because of them, I have grown musically in ways I never thought I could, and it really is an honor to have them on this record."
Lang’s full touring schedule as well as making his family a priority in his life, are the primary cause for the length of commitment it took to deliver this album.  He reflects, " Between being with my family, and being out on the road touring, the last thing you want to do when home is to go and make a record.  We have had to pick our spots to fit in recording time.  In the last year, we've been able to work on it more consistently, and to finally wrap this thing up.  And with the delivery to label partners Mascot in Europe and Concord for North America, he achieved what he set out to deliver offering, "I'm really happy with the body of work we have for this one.  It's kind of hard to be excited and know what the record was going to be like when the process is extended over such a long period of time. Today sitting here I am really proud of the recordings."
As an artist he has evolved since he began the writing process.  The sound of that evolution is all over Fight For My Soul. “What You’re Looking For” carefully layers banjo, guitars, spacey keyboards and a percussion sample to create a sonic dreamscape for its story of searching for life’s essentials - faith, love, hope. The arrangement of “We Are the Same” evokes the freewheeling spirit of Motown’s Psychedelic Shack era.
The path Lang has been on has brought him the opportunity to interact with some of the most respected legends in music.  On the way up, he shared the stage with The Rolling Stones, B.B. King, Aerosmith, Sting, and Buddy Guy, who he continues to tour with today.
As a 12-year-old, he began a journey in Fargo, ND that has brought him to points across the Globe, and as he looks on the upcoming near-term future, he shares, "With this album, I really look forward to bringing our music to people in places where I've never been before. Music is one of the greatest conveyers of ideas and emotions, and in a sense that doesn’t have as much to do with the individual performing, but the power of the connection. One of my goals is the music can be a blessing to the people listening to it in some way. And if Fight For My Soul can help somebody by making them feel better or that they’re not alone, that’s my idea of success for this album.”
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