Biography

Contact: lynda@AirPlayDirect.com


Click here for APD’s Global Radio Showcase - Home Page

APD's “GLOBAL RADIO SHOWCASE"
Volume 5 - "Americana Unlimited"

This particular showcase features songs that fall into the very broad category of “Americana Unlimited”, i.e., Country, Americana, Alt. Country, Folk, Roots, Rock & Roll, Bluegrass, Blues & Western Swing.

"This showcase is for everyone around the globe that loves and supports Americana music in all of its various forms. We are now going to be able to enjoy special deep cuts, new releases and catalogue." ~ Robert Weingartz, Chairman - AirPlay Direct


APD's Global Radio "Showcases" are for “Best of Breed” songs and musical portraits. There will be “superior ” songs, special deep cuts, or some of your favorite singles."

Executive Producers: Robert & Lynda Weingartz

THE ARTISTS & THEIR SONGS

1. THE WHITSTEIN BROTHERS - THE SOUNDS OF SILENCE (3:04)
Click here to go to listen to full album - SweetHarmony

Songwriter: Paul Simon
Publishing & PRO: Paul Simon Music, BMI

Musicians:
Jerry Douglas; Dobro
Hoot Hester: Fiddle
Roy M. "Junior" Husky: Bass
Ricky Simkins: Fiddle
Adam Steffey: Mandolin
Jeff White: Guitar
Charles Whitstein: Vocals
Robert Whitstein: Vocals

"As teenagers in 1963, after auditioning for producers Chet Atkins and Marvin Hughes, The Whitstein Brothers were encouraged to incorporate our country duet style with some of the folk sounds of the 1960's. We soon developed a special interest in the sounds, adapting our style with some of the folk songs of that era. The song, ‘The Sounds of Silence’ became a favorite. Because of its lyrics and melody, we were challenged to attempt our own version of this awesome song, knowing we could not improve upon what Simon and Garfunkel had done.

While working on the vocal arrangement, we decided to do some slight harmony deviations from the original --- For example, at the end of each verse, the high lead would change to tenor, and we also changed the harmony on the first lines of some of the verses. In the studio we were fascinated by the way in which Jerry Douglas and the other musicians had instinctively arranged the music in such a way as to match our vocal arrangement. When it all came together, we were so thrilled, because it was exactly the way we had envisioned the song to sound--- with the country duet flavor of The Whitstein Brothers without destroying the writer's intent.’” ~ Charles Whitstein


2. THE DUHKS - FAST PACED WORLD (3:52)
Click here to go to listen to full album - Fast Paced World

Songwriter: Sarah Dugas
PRO: SOCAN

Musicians:
Tania Elizabeth: Fiddles, Strings, Backing Vocals
Sarah Dugas: Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals
Jordan McConnell: Guitars, Baritone Banjo (Track 2), Backing Vocals
Leonard Podolak: Banjos, Backing Vocals
Christian Dugas Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals

"Fast Paced World by The Duhks was written in 2007 by Sarah Dugas, who had just joined the band with her brother,Christian. The Dugas siblings joined the band after the departure of original vocalist, Jessee Havey, and percussionist, Scott Senior, and brought with them ntimate relationships with Rock'n;roll, Afrobeat, and funk, adding to the bands cornucopia of acoustic traditions.

The song criticizes our societies obsession with personal possession, and the use of religion as a propaganda tool by the elite. Not surprisingly, it was criticized in The Washington Post, as a Monotonous Neo-Liberal Rant. This didn't prevent the band from playing it, nor fans from enjoying it, and dancing their butts off." ~ Leonard Podolak


3. TOM RUSSELL - GALLO DEL CIELO (5:58)
Click here to go to listen to full album - Cowboy Real

Songwriter: Tom Russell
Publishing & PRO: End of the Trail Music, SOCAN

Musicians:
Tom Russell: Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
Hank Bones: Bass, String Bass
Andrew Hardin: Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Percussion, Timpani, Tiple, Background Vocals
Fats Kaplin: Accordion, Dobro, Tin Whistle, Instrument Whistle
Ian Tyson: Vocals

"I wrote "Gallo del Cielo" in 1978 in a garage in Mountain View, California. I was inspired by Marty Robbins' epic hit - "El Paso" - and his gunfighter ballads. Also Mexican traditional corridos- Mexican historical story songs. I also took a trip into the Copper Canyon country in Mexico in the 1970's and heard outrageous stories about Pancho Villa stealing land and ladies for the "Revolution." Gallo has a deep legacy...I was driving taxi in NYC in 1981, picked up Robert Hunter - who wrote lyrics for The Grateful Dead - and writes with Bob Dylan, and I sang him Gallo in the taxi and he was blown away and got me to open shows for him. Got me back into the music business. Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen also like "Gallo" very much… that's some of the story! It has an enduring history.”
~Tom Russell


4. CARRIE CUNNINGHAM - WHISKY KISSES (4:00)
Click here to go to listen to full album - Secrets

Songwriter: Carrie Cunningham
Publishing & PRO: Sound Barn Publishing, ASCAP

Musicians:
Carrie Cunningham: Vocals, Backing Vocals
Jerry Salley: Backing Vocals
Gregg Lohman: Drums
Kevin Grantt: Bass
Jason Roller: Acoustic Guitar, Banjo
Justin Schippe: Electric Guitar, Pedal Steel

"Whisky Kisses is a song about the touchy subject of Domestic Violence, but I believe in talking about subject matters people try to avoid. I was listening to Patty Loveless and her "Mountain Soul" album, when the song "You'll never leave Harlan Alive" played. The sound was so eery yet so beautiful. It touched a nerve with me and I let the sound take me in a direction I had yet to write.

At first the song started out as a bluegrass song, simply because of the influence and I touched on parts of the song that sounded great, but didn't leave an impression. A publisher in Nashville listened to the initial version and said " If you are going to write about this, you need to go all in", and so I did. I appreciate it when people come up to me and tell me that I wrote their life in the song..."
~ Carrie Cunningham


5. LARRY CORDLE - SOUTHERN BY THE GRACE OF GOD (3:25)
Click here to go to listen to full album - Lonesome Skynyrd Time

Songwriters: Larry Cordle, Larry Shell
Publishing & PRO: Wandachord Music / Americana Music Publishing / A Toad In Cowboy Clothes, BMI

THE BAND:
Larry Cordle - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Harmony Guitars, Backvocals
Booie Beach - Lead Guitars
Kim Gardner - Dobro
David Talbot - Banjo
Andy Leftwitch - Mandolin
David Pomeroy - Bass
Tom Roady - Percussion
Jenee Keener - Fiddle
Mark Howard - Vibra-slap
Carol Chase - Back vocals
Kim Morrison - Back Vocals
Terry Eldridge - Back Vocals
David Talbot - Back Vocals

"This song was written by my old friend and longtime songwriting cohort Larry Shell and myself as sort of a chronicle of this band's life. I hope we got it right for the "Skynyrd" guys cause we certainly have a ton of respect for them and the things they accomplished. Obviously, we were writing it from the outside tolling in, so if there happens to be some creative license taken here, well, we tried to get the story right as we saw it." ~ Larry Cordle


6. STEVE YOUNG - LONESOME, ON'RY & MEAN (3:38)
Click here to go to listen to full album - Seven Bridges Road

Songwriter: Steve Young
Publishing & PRO: Rich-way Music, BMI

Steve Young: Guitar, Vocals

Steve Young is probably best known as a writer, especially for his song Seven Bridges Road recorded by the Eagles. Steve was also an incredibly soulful singer, but his mixture of blues, country, rock and gospel never found the larger audiences he deserved. He was an Americana artist before the term was used for a genre. He was too country for rock and too rocky for country and is now viewed as a pioneer in the development of country rock. Steve’s song Lonesome On’ry and Mean, included here, was covered by Waylon Jennings and became an anthem of the outlaw movement.

Young says, “I gave this song away to Waylon, he used this song almost like his image back in the macho country rock days, but ironically it’s about trying to give up alcohol, and wondering if you could still play.”

As Waylon Jennings famously said, "If he gets any better I'm gonna kill him"!


7. WILLIE & BOBBIE NELSON - FARTHER ALONG (5:20)
Click here to go to listen to full album - Farther Along

Songwriter: Rev. W.A. Fletcher

One thing most people don't know is how influential Gospel has been for Willie Nelson and his sister Bobbie. From their childhood in the cotton-farming country of Abbott, Texas, Willie and Bobbie were raised with good country Gospel music, and the soulfulness of that upbringing has permeated their lives ever since.

The lyrics to the song were written in 1911 by Rev. W. A. Fletcher, an itinerant preacher, while he was travelling to the Indian Territories by train. Fletcher was feeling depressed because his wife was expecting their first-born child in a few weeks and he wouldn't be present for the occasion. He felt that his priorities were with his ministry in the Indian Territories and wrote the lyrics to reflect his frame of mind at the time.

Sitting next to him on the train was J. R. Baxter, a gospel music promoter who was quite taken with the lyrics that Fletcher was writing and offered him $2.00 for them. Mr. Baxter subsequently had them put to music and the song has been quite popular in the gospel music arena ever since.

The song deals with a Christian's dismay at the apparent prosperity of the wicked, when contrasted with the suffering of the righteous. The repeated theme is that, in Heaven, the truth will be revealed.


8. TOMMY EMMANUEL with AMANDA SHIRES - BORDERLINE (5:19)

Songwriter: Reginald Grant Lucas
Publishing & PRO: Universal Music-Careers, BMI
Administered by: GGP Sounds, Thirty Tigers

Musicians:
Tommy Emmanuel: Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, Drums, Backing Vocals
Amanda Shires: Lead Vocals, Fiddle

“Borderline" appears on finger-style guitarist Tommy Emmanuel’s duet’s album, Accomplice One. It features Amanda Shires on fiddle and vocals. She was the 2017 Emerging Artist of the Year for the Americana Music Association.

"This was an early hit for Madonna which was brought to my attention by a brilliant artist from Sweden named Theresa Andersson. When we toured through Europe and Scandinavia, we did this song in our show and it really got a great response from the audiences. Amanda Shires is known for her western swing and Americana style, but was adventurous enough to give this song a go. She nailed it."
~ Tommy Emmanuel


9. I'M WITH HER - LITTLE LIES (3:54)
Click here to go to - Little Lies

Songwriters: Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O'Donovan
Publishing & PRO: Fiddle & Fall Music, ASCAP / SoRaw Music, BMI / Cosmic Seed Music, ASCAP

Musicians:
Sarah Jarosz: Claw Hammer Banjo, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Mando-Guitar, Mandolin, Octave
Aoife O'Donovan: Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Keyboard Synthesizer, Piano, Vocals
Sara Watkins: Fiddle, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Ukulele, Vocals

“Little Lies” was released in advance of I’m With Her’s (Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz, & Aoife O’Donovan) debut full-length album See You Around. The band took this EP on the road with them as part of the American Acoustics tour in the fall of 2017 and continue to perform the song as part of their live shows, but never released the track to radio. NPR World Café says their performance is full of …quiet beauty, gorgeous playing and harmonies and touching, visceral intimacy.


10. DANA COOPER - NO SECOND COMING (3:21)
Click here to go to listen to full album - Building a Human Being

Songwriter: Dana Cooper
Publishing & PRO: Dog Eared Music / Bluewater Music, SESAC

Release Date: 4/1/2015

Musicians:
Dana Cooper: Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals
Thomm Jutz: Electric Guitar, Dobro
Mark Fain: Bass Guitar
Lynn Williams: Drums, Percussion
Barbara Santoro: Keyboard
Sally Barris: Background Vocals
Kim Carnes: Background Vocals
Barbara Santoro: Background Vocals
Jeff Thorneycroft: Background Vocals

"While teaching at a songwriting retreat in Michigan I was given an assignment based on a church in my hometown. Seems they built a tower for Jesus to land on when he one day returns to earth.

Walking along the wind blown shore of Lake Michigan I reflected on the disappointment and frustration Jesus might feel to see our human race still failing to follow his message of love. By simply recalling his teachings, his suffering and dying on the cross for our sins, I put myself in his sandals. I wanted to make people laugh and think seriously at the same time about the work we all need to do in making the world a better, more peaceful place.

The day after writing No Second Coming I performed it for all the attendees at the Songwriting workshop. The response was huge and continues to be with audiences every where I play. It has become one of my most requested songs and I've even sung it at a few Unitarian Church services where folks sang along. Though writing it was a serious endeavor the whole process was also a whole lot of fun. And, so far, I haven't been struck by lightning! ~ Dana Cooper


11. FREDDY POWERS - LIKE A MOVIE STAR (2:16)
Click here to go to listen to full album - My Great Escape

Songwriter: Freddy D Powers
Publishing & PRO: Air Fred Music, BMI

Musicians:
Kevin Williams: bass
Scotty Joss: Fiddle
Jeff Ingram: Drums
Doug Colosio: Piano
Django Porter: Lead guitar
Big Kenny & John Rich: Harmony Vocals

This album was co-produced by Merle Haggard and Freddy Powers and recorded at Merle Haggard's studio in Redding, California in 2003.

"Freddy Powers is my close friend, probably my closest in the music business. He's my buddy, and we wrote a lot of songs together. He's a great rhythm guitar player and he knows a million songs."
~ MERLE HAGGARD


12. TIME SAWYER - THERE AND BACK BLUES (2:40)
Click here to go to listen to full album - Wildest Dreams

Songwriter: Sam Tayloe
Publishing & PRO: Mentally Tight Productions, ASCAP
Administered By: All rights owned by Time Sawyer Band, LLC 2018

Musicians:
Sam Tayloe: Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Houston Norris: Banjo
Bob Barone: Electric Guitar
Mike Ashworth: Organ
Jordan Nelson: Drums
Court Winter: Bass Guitar
Luke Mears: Acoustic Guitar

"This song echoes the sentiment of knowing something is wrong but you just can't stop yourself from going back again & again. This one was written pretty quickly, as I found myself deep in one of those situations, knowing how to escape, but not being able to bring myself to it." ~ Sam Tayloe


13. THE JERRY DOUGLAS BAND - HEY JOE (4:19)

Songwriter: Billy Roberts
Publishing & PRO: Third Palm Music, BMI
Administered by: Rounder Records

Musicians:
Jerry Douglas: Dobro, Lap Steel, Lead Vocals
Daniel Kimbro: Bass, Strings
Doug Belote: Drums
Christian Sedelmyer: Violin, Strings
Mike Seal: Guitar
Jamel Mitchell: Saxophone
Vance Thompson: Trumpet

The classic song, “Hey Joe” appears on the Grammy nominated album, What If, by The Jerry Douglas Band. This album was a career highlight for Jerry Douglas who successful blended together his favorite types of music such as bluegrass, jazz, and rock into one amazing musical stew.  This project saw Douglas writing new songs as well as revisiting some old favorites.

In 1992, Douglas covered “Hey Joe,” the Billy Roberts folk tune that became one of Jimi Hendrix’s most beloved blues-rockers, as an uptempo bluegrass song. Here, it’s re-contextualized again with Dobro, drums, fiddle, upright bass, electric guitar, and horns.


14. SUSAN SHANN - BUSTED (3:06)

Songwriter: Susan Shann
Publishing & PRO: Moose Lodge Music, ASCAP
Administered by: Moose Lodge Music

Musicians:
Susan Shann: Lead Vocals
Chip Martin: Lead Guitar
JT Corenflos: Rhythm Guitar
Will Barrow: Keys
Michael Rhodes: Bass
Bob Mater: Drums

Busted is a raw, hard-edged character study: a portrait of a woman who falls prey to the trappings and temptations of success - the unrivaled attention, easy money, easy access to drugs - only to discover these are but fleeting illusions, as the first two fall away and the third becomes a crutch to prop up her crumbling ego.

Inspired by real events and real people, Busted is a composite of many who have passed this way, and a cautionary tale about the risk of being burned for those drawn to the dark flame. ~ Susan Shann


15. CHELSEA CONSTABLE - GREASY CREEK BREAKDOWN (4:01)

Songwriter: Chelsea Constable
Publishing and PRO: ©℗2017 Chelsea Constable, ASCAP
Administered by: Constable One Productions

Musicians:
Chelsea Constable: Main Lead Guitar
Steve Morse: Guest lead Guitar
Paul Simmons Drums
Billy Mercer: Bass

"I love to play banjo as a side line project, when I am not playing guitar. Greasy Creek Breakdown was something I wrote with the banjo in mind and I wanted to apply what I was playing on the banjo to the guitar.

Earl Scruggs and Ralph Stanley were huge influences on my early banjo playing years; but on the other hand, I was greatly influenced by chicken pickin' guitarists such as Steve Morse, Brad Paisley, Jerry Reed, Albert Lee, Johnny Hiland, etc. When I heard "The Bash" by Steve Morse I thought "Wow, this is incredible!" I loved how Steve Morse and Allen Sloan work so well together. This was definitely an early influence in this style of music, not to mention, I would say this is why Greasy Creek Breakdown exists today.

To have Steve Morse involved as a guest guitarist was an absolute honor and a dream come true! ~ Chelsea Constable


~ Carl Jackson, 3 Time Grammy Winner / APD Artist Ambassador shares: “Robert, you should be very proud of what you have created with AirPlay Direct. You not only dreamed of it, but actually created a whole new way of delivering and promoting catalog music to the global music industry that we had never seen before. No one in history has ever accomplished this, and you should be very humbled by this major achievement.

More importantly, I am, and the industry as a whole should be very grateful to you for all the opportunities you have created and now made possible for all of us in the ‘New Music Industry of 2017’. Thank you my friend.”

~Bruce Iglauer, President & Founder - Alligator Records states, “AirPlay Direct has become an absolutely essential part of Alligator Records’ worldwide promotional efforts. Conceived and designed by Robert Weingartz, AirPlay Direct allows us to deliver music by our artists to radio stations large and small around the globe.

The vital support that AirPlay Direct has given to independent labels and artists and to niche genres sets it apart from all other digital delivery services. In addition to helping get our new releases to radio, AirPlay Direct has helped bring attention to our catalog by featuring our classic albums in their digital newsletters to radio.

As a result of their outstanding service, we’re able to make a much greater worldwide radio impact than ever before. They’re the best!”

~ Ken Irwin, Co-Founder - Rounder Records says, "The AirPlay Direct Global Radio Showcase Series has been a tremendous support to our artists. Through their Bluegrass, Blues and Country showcases we had the opportunity to promote both current and catalog artists. We couldn’t have asked for better results, with stations from around the world downloading these songs, many entering the top 10 of the AirPlay Direct charts. We love the broad diversity within these showcases."

MORE TO FOLLOW… SOON!