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2013 Limelight Magazine Music Award Winners

March 17, 2013 limelightmagazine 3 Comments

What an amazing awards show last night at The Rock Junction in Coventry, RI! Can’t believe that we increased our attendance by well over 100 people from the previous year. Fortunately, we moved to a bigger venue. If you weren’t there, then you missed stellar performances from Sam Bowen & Blue Cat Groove, Brianna Grace, Fly Kite Canvas, Carlin Tripp, Jeff Bryd and Dirty Finch, Satellites Fall, Ashley Jordan, and The Great Escape: A Tribute to Journey. We’d also like to thank the following people for all of their help in making this awards show such a success (in alphabetical order): Lisa Azizian (of Almost Famous), Sarah Blacker (who hosted the show), BOSTON, Jessica Botelho, Jose & Dorothy Botelho, Nichole DeClercq, Lisa Guyer, Brian & Susan Kenney, Gail Parenteau (of Parenteau Guidance), Kristen Pierson (of Kristen Pierson Photography), Henry & Rick Ottaviano and the gracious staff at The Rock Junction, John Shea (of Almost Famous) Gorette Sousa, Cat Wilson (of The Cheap Seats), and to everyone who has supported us along the way since Limelight Magazine was founded in October 2006. – Jay & Katie, Co-Owners, Limelight Magazine/JKB Entertainment Group

Here’s one final run down of all the nominees, including the winners and runner ups. Kudos to every single one of these great musicians for making the local music scene vibrant in New England!!!

Legend Award

BOSTON

Unsung Hero Award

Lisa Guyer

DJ Most Supportive of the Local Music Scene

Lisa Azizian & John Shea (of Almost Famous)

N.E. Tribute Band of the Year

Beast over Boston: Tribute to Iron Maiden

The Great Escape: Tribute to Journey (winner)

Gun Powder Gelatine: Tribute to Queen (runner up)

Holy Diver: Tribute to Ronnie James Dio

Human Clay: Tribute to Creed

Klassik Kiss: Tribute to Kiss

Lotus Land: Tribute to Rush

LoveSexy: Tribute to Prince

Live Act of the Year

Awesome Express (winner)

Jeff Byrd & Dirty Finch

Indiana Handshake

Tony Jones & The Cretin 3

Lansdowne (runner up)

Lisa Markovich & Beyond Blonde

Fly Kite Canvas (previously Scarlet)

Thurskills Vision

Female Vocalist of the Year

Lauren Bateman

Keturah Burgess

Dorian Havers (runner up)

Tammy Laforest

Erin Elizabeth Ollis

Jessica Prouty (winner)

Jessica Scalese

Jenny White

Male Vocalist of the Year

Corey Amaral

Joseph L. Auger

Walter Barlow

Norman Bishop

Mark Cutler (runner up)

Steven Scott Haidaichuk

Spogga Hash

Jesse Liam (winner)

Album/EP of the Year By Group

Closer Than We Appear – Evaluating Expressions (winner)

Fall and Bounce – Kickknack Avalanche

The Few – Headstock

Hemlok – A Cautionary Tale

Omega Reign – Arise

Satellites Fall – Lines On The Road (runner up tie)

A Simple Complex – Come Undone (runner up tie)

We Own Land – The Plan

Album/EP of the Year By Solo Act

Chris Allen – The Power of Chris Compels You

Sam Chase – Every Time I’m Home

Ian James – Grand Delusions

Brian Jarvis – Beautifully Broken

Ken Macy – Outline

Jay Psaros – Simply (runner up)

Hayley Reardon – Where The Artists Go

Sarah Swain – Every Little Bird (winner)

Metal Act of the Year

Bigtalkahh (winner)

A Dying Breed

The Folly of Man

Fuel of War (runner up)

Nothing Left to Give

Omega Reign

Santagata

To Die This Night

Country Artist of the Year

Krista Angelucci

Dalton and the Sheriffs

Kiley Evans

Brianna Grace (runner up)

Highway Ghosts

Shanna Jackman

Ashley Jordan (winner)

Erin Ollis

Breakthrough Artist of the Year

Closer Than We Appear

Consuelo’s Revenge

Tammy Laforest (runner up)

Nymphidels

popALERT (winner)

Carlin Tripp

Weld Square

Zanois

Video of the Year

Krista Angelucci – “C R E E P” (winner tie)

Birch Hill Dam – “Fathom’s Below” (winner tie)

Sarah Blacker – “Knocked the Winds” (runner up)

Brad Byrd – “On My Way Down”

Ashley Jordan – “Fading Away”

J. Kelley Band-“Shake You”

Greg Lato – “Help You Out”

PopALERT – “I Don’t’ Deserve It”

Singer-Songwriter of the Year

Joseph L. Auger

Samuel Bowen

Nick Duane (runner up)

Joanne Lurgio

Amanda McCarthy (winner)

Danielle Miraglia

Hayley Reardon

Carly Tefft

Song of the Year

“Only Human” by Bigtalkahh

“One More Spin Around” by Kiley Evans

“Second Time Around” by Brianna Grace

“Wicked” by Sara Leketa (winner)

“Won’t Ever Quit” by Joanne Lurgio

“I Don’t Deserve It” by popALERT (runner up)

“One Night” by Satellites Fall

“Silver Wishes” by Jenn Zapata and the Dan Kirouac Band

Band of the Year

City of Squares

Dead Nobodies

For the Love of Sloane

J. Kelley Band

Lisa Markovich & Beyond Blonde (winner)

The Mighty Good Boys

Grace Morrison and the SRO

Naked Stills (runner up)

Features & Interviews, Home, Movies & TV, Up & Coming Artists

Carnrike is a ‘super’ star on stage and on film

March 14, 2013 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

By JESSICA A. BOTELHO

Not all actors are willing to change their physical appearance to land a role, but for Jeremy Carnrike, 32, shaving his head full of red hair to star as Lex Luthor in the non-profit fan film, Superman: The Golden Child, was a no-brainer.

“That was the thing that got me the role in the end,” said Carnrike, who in addition to being an actor is also the guitarist for the East Coast Runaways, a rock band based in Worcester, Mass. “The director called me and we did a phone interview and it came down to, ‘let’s just cut to the chase. Are you willing to shave your head?’ And I was like, ‘Absolutely.’”

As the film’s genre explicitly suggests, a fan film is a movie or video inspired by a film, television program or comic book, which is made by fans, as opposed to the source’s copyright holders.

Considering that, it should be no surprise that Carnrike, along with everyone involved in the film, is a huge Superman fan. Starring as Luthor is something he’s wanted to do for a long time, however, he used to fantasize about playing The Man of Steel.

“As little boys watching Superman, we threw the towel around our neck as a cape,” he said. “I grew up with that, but I’m a little guy and I’m a redhead, so if I can’t be Superman, I wanted to play Lex Luthor. It’s a lot of that built up, redhead anger,” he joked. “It almost let me be myself, only a little more moodier.”

Carnrike, who said this was his first big movie role, learned about the available part about a year and a half ago on SupermanHomepage.com, one of the world’s largest Superman fan sites. He saw a posting about the movie, but ignored it at first.

“I thought, ‘I’m just some little Massachusetts guy with big dreams,’” he said. “But then a few months later I saw it posted again, so finally I sent in an email.”

A week later, Andrew List of AList Productions, the film’s writer, director and producer, interviewed Carnrike via phone. By the end of the following week, Carnrike emailed List again inquiring about the role.

“Within five minutes he got back to me and said, ‘the role’s yours,’” Carnrike said.

Made on an $850 budget, most of the funds for the 22-minute film came out of List’s pocket. Originally written as a full-length film, List decided to shorten the script as time went on. It was shot from July to October of last year in San Angleo, Texas, with a Panasonic DVX100 and a Canon Rebel T3. There were never more than two crewmembers working on any given scene, one of them always List.

“He pretty much did everything on his own,” said Carnrike, who served as an executive producer with List and List’s wife, Taylor Moehnke. Moehnke also did the photography stills for promotions.

The film made its online debut in December. According to Carnrike, it stays true to the classic Superman plot, as it highlights the intense power struggle between Superman and Luthor.

It is comprised of two main actors: Carnrike, along with Texas native Joshua Boultinghouse, who starred as Superman/Clark Kent. Boultinghouse is the official Superman at the “Superman Celebration”, an annual Superman festival that takes place in Metropolis, Illinois during the late spring or early summer. List is trying to secure a screening of the film at this year’s event.

“He’s the closest thing to the real Superman; his persona fits it perfectly,” Carnrike said of Boultinghouse. “He’s easily two or three times my size and he’s all natural muscle. He has the height, the chest build – there’s not extra padding. It’s real bodybuilding. And it’s not just his physique; just talking to him – there’s never a bad thing that comes out of his mouth. He works really hard and it’s been his life dream to play Superman.”

So far, the film has received lots of positive feedback from fans. Carnrike said people have commented about it on Superman Homepage.com.

“The people who go to those pages are hardcore fans and they love it,” he said. “They love seeing new fan stuff because it’s more accurate to the original story line.”

Carnrike, who studied music business and education at Berklee College of Music, was happy that the East Coast Runaways contributed to Superman: The Golden Child, as they wrote and recorded a song of the name for the film. In other band news, he said they have been working on a two CD project for the last year called, “Nosebleeds and Maybelline.” The album has already been recorded, with each CD comprised of seven songs. They are in the midst of mixing and mastering it and plan to release it soon.

“It’s a concept album, so the songs flow with each other,” said Carnrike. “We’re trying to reach back to the Pink Floyd days where they put real albums together where it was more of a story.”

In addition to the upcoming album, Carnrike has been working on a Superman script of his own. He started it about eight years ago and it’s based on the Doomsday storyline that came out in the 1990s. He’s also trying to bulk up for a short fan film based on Superboy, which is Superman as a young man in his late teens or early 20s.

“It hurts a lot,” he said. “All my muscles are aching.”

But Carnrike understands that sometimes there is no gain without pain and he’s willing to tough it out to follow his dreams. After all, starring as Luthor in “Superman: The Golden Child” was a dream come true.

“It was a great experience all the way around,” he said.

As for List, he’s focused on creating another Superman fan film based on the “Kingdom Come” storyline.

“The reception to this is even bigger than the Golden Child,” said Carnrike.

Watch Superman: The Golden Child at www.supermangc.com and click the “support” link to help fund future projects. Learn more about the East Coast Runaways at http://www.reverbnation.com/eastcoastrunaways.

Features & Interviews, Home, Up & Coming Artists

Sarah Blacker to add host to her resume

March 9, 2013 limelightmagazine 1 Comment

Sarah Blacker (Photo by Katherine Hemmond) — Sarah Blacker (Photo by Katherine Hemond)

By LEAH ASTORE

On Saturday, March 16, 2013, singer-songwriter Sarah Blacker will host the fifth annual Limelight Magazine Music Awards.

Over the last three and a half years Blacker has worked on her music full-time, released two albums, one EP, and toured the United States and Germany, while working as a part-time music therapist. Now, the multi-talented artist can add “host” to her repertoire.

“I’m very excited,” Blacker said, of hosting. “I was totally flattered when [Limelight Magazine] asked me.”

Along with hosting, Blacker’s first music video “Knocked the Winds” is nominated for Music “Video of the Year” at the Limelight Magazine Music Awards. The video, which currently has over 16,000 views on YouTube, stars all of her close friends.

“It was a really incredible process,” Blacker said, of filming.

Blacker is also currently nominated for “Female Performer of the Year” by the New England Music Awards.

“It’s pretty amazing. I was completely flattered and honored,” Blacker said of her nomination.

The best thing about award shows, she said, is they give recognition to all of the work musicians put in to make their music.

“New England really takes note of what’s going on,” Blacker said. “It really means the music counts.”

Needless to say, Blacker has been busy since she first began writing music as a junior in high school. Over the years, Blacker’s music has evolved along with her and is inspired by a “melting pot of influences.” Her music recalls aspects of several styles from jazz, to avant-garde, to classical, she said. When she writes, her creative process is often inspired by whatever her feelings are at the moment.

“It’s influenced by mood more than anything and emotion, of course,” she said. “There are different characters inside of me and when I write a song it’s usually one of those characters.”

Among her musical influences she lists classics such as Simon and Garfunkel, Pink Floyd, Joni Mitchell, and popular 90s artists such as Sarah McLachlan, to name a few.

“I think a little bit of everything I’ve heard have either a conscious or subconscious influence on all the music I make,” she said.

Currently, the singer-songwriter is finalizing her second EP titled Precious Little Things, which she funded through a PledgeMusic fundraiser.

“We reached our goal and that was pretty awesome,” she said. “[It] was a big help.”

While the public will have to wait until late spring or early fall for its release, Blacker will continue to tour and play house concerts with her percussionist, Shaysh, guitar player and vocalists Erik White and Chuck Fisher, and her bassist and producer/engineer at 37’ Productions, Sean McLaughlin. Blacker and her band will also hit the road to play some shows with local band, The Alternate Routes. As for another international tour, Blacker said she would love to and it’s “in the works.”

As a performer, Blacker offers her audiences a unique experience. She creates a fun atmosphere by telling “obscene jokes” and stories in between songs, she said.

“I think it’s nice to share with people why a song was written, and where it came from and what is going on,” Blacker said. “Typically I write in a way where people can choose how they relate to the songs.”

One of her favorite songs she’s written is from her first album The Only Way Out is Through called “Sand Piper.”

“I wrote it for my parents. I can play it anywhere and people really relate,” she said.

The Limelight Magazine Music Awards will take place at the Rock Junction in Coventry, R.I., on March 16^th at 7:30 P.M. The awards will honor bands and musicians from New England selected by readers of the magazine in an online poll.

The Rock Junction is located at 731 Centre of New England Blvd. in Coventry, R.I. The venue has a full bar and dinner menu. Parking is free.

Tickets for the awards show are $10 each and $12 day of show. They can be purchased online through http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/315633.

Home, Music Award Archives

BOSTON to receive Legend Award

March 4, 2013 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

From left, Tom Scholz and Gary Pihl from BOSTON (Photo by Jon Viscott/www.GonnaHitchARide.com)

Limelight Magazine is pleased to announce that BOSTON will receive the Legend Award at this year’s fifth annual Limelight Magazine Music Awards ceremony that will take place at the Rock Junction in Coventry, R.I., on Saturday, March 16, 2013.

Founded in 1976 by guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, producer and engineer Tom Scholz and the late Brad Delp, BOSTON is a staple of classic rock radio playlists. Their best known songs include “More Than A Feeling,” “Peace of Mind,” “Foreplay/Long Time,” “Rock and Roll Band,” “Smokin’,” “Don’t Look Back” and “Amanda,” among others.

BOSTON has released five studio albums and one compilation album, selling over 31 million copies in the United States. Their self-titled debut album has sold over 17 million copies and is one of the biggest selling albums of all time. The band toured the United States last summer and is expected to release a new studio album in the near future.

There have been numerous talented musicians touring with BOSTON over the years, but the one constant alongside Tom since 1985 has been Gary Pihl, whom Tom views as indispensable to the band’s live performances.

“Among the many great bands that originated in New England, BOSTON is more than worthy to receive the Legend Award,” said Jay Kenney, who co-founded Limelight Magazine in October 2006. “When we solicited nominations for the Legend Award in early January, the overwhelming majority recommended BOSTON. We are very pleased to present this award to them this year.”

“We are very excited to present the Legend Award to BOSTON at this year’s music awards,” added co-owner Katie Botelho.

Past recipients of this award include MASS and The Fools.

The Limelight Magazine Music Awards honors bands and musicians from New England who were selected by readers of the magazine in an online poll. This year’s event will be hosted by singer-songwriter Sarah Blacker. Performers scheduled to appear are Samuel Bowen and Blue Cat Groove, Jeff Byrd and Dirty Finch, Fly Kite Canvas, Brianna Grace, The Great Escape: A Tribute to Journey, Ashley Jordan, Satellites Fall and Carlin Tripp.

The Rock Junction is located at 731 Centre of New England Blvd. in Coventry, R.I. The venue has a full bar and dinner menu. Parking is free.

Tickets for the awards show are $10 each and $12 day of show. They can be purchased online through http://www.brownpapertickets.com.

Limelight Magazine started out as a quarterly publication, but has since moved its operations online. Visit their website at www.limelightmagazine.com. You can also like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/limelightmagazine.

“It seems each year, the award show gets bigger and better and we wouldn’t want it any other way,” said Botelho.

Features & Interviews, Home, Movies & TV

Whose Line stars coming to New Bedford for night of ‘goofy fun’

February 19, 2013 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

By JESSICA A. BOTELHO

“We like to say it’s like a live version of Whose Line without the tall guy, black guy, and rich guy,” said comedian Colin Mochrie, formerly of the Emmy-nominated improvisational show Whose Line is it Anyway?

Mochrie is explaining the side-splitting show he’s doing with Brad Sherwood, another Whose Line star, as the funny boys have teamed up for the “Colin & Brad: Two Man Group” tour. The comedians will be visiting the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center in New Bedford on Feb. 23. The fun begins at 8 p.m.

The dynamic duo have been doing shows as a pair for nine years, performing anywhere from 50 to 100 shows each year. With more than 20 years as comedians apiece, that’s a whole lot of laughs.

“It’s actually more interactive than the television show was,” Mochrie said. “Every scene starts with a suggestion from the audience and we have audience members on stage with us for about 80 percent of the show. It’s just a wacky free-for-all.”

Sherwood agreed.

“We basically hand the car keys to the audience and they drive us wherever they want us to go,” he said. “We have no idea what the people are going to do when we bring them on stage or what their suggestions will be. I have no idea what Colin’s going to say during the entire show and he has no idea what I’m going to say. Everything is going wrong and that’s what makes the show right.”

And that’s the way they like it. Mochrie recalls a time when an intoxicated woman in the crowd began walking down the isle and shouting at them to do a song about menopause.

“Brad immediately went into a rap song about menopause, so it worked out,” he said. “Those little hiccups make the show interesting.”

But picking topics for sketches, as well as participants from the crowd, can be tricky, said Mochrie. While they don’t want someone who is going to try to take over the scene and use it as their audition, they also don’t want someone to be nervous and too quiet.

“It’s always a crapshoot,” he said. “There are times you pick someone who’s drunk, which makes it difficult explaining the games to them, but I can’t think of any time we’ve been destroyed by audience members. We take very good care of the audience that comes up because they are there to help us. We try to make it as fun as we can. Usually the scenes where we can get ourselves into the most trouble are the ones we have the most fun.”

As noted, Mochrie and Sherwood agree that not having anything planned is the beauty of the show. Typically, they fly in the day of the show, get together for sound check and create a list of games they’re going to play. That’s pretty much it for preparation.

“But once we’re out there it somehow always works,” Mochrie said. “I’m not sure how, but it does. It keeps you on edge and makes you work a little harder. It’s the closest to death defying as I’ll get.”

Sherwood added, “It always plays out pretty darn well because we’re always in a state of, ‘Oh, my God. What’s going to happen?’ It’s always exciting.”

Mochrie and Sherwood first became acquainted in the early 1990s while appearing on the British version of Whose Line is it Anyway? They continued being co-workers and friends through the show’s eight-year run on ABC, a stint that earned the show an Emmy nomination.

“It was the best gig in the world,” Mochrie said. “Getting the chance to work with world-class improvisers, British and American, was just fun. This wasn’t a career when I was a kid and I’m still shocked that I get to do it and am getting paid for it. Whose Line made that possible.”

Sherwood, who earned a degree in acting from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, got the idea to do a two-man show with Mochrie shortly after Whose Line stopped filming in 2004. He had been performing as a two-man group with a friend before approaching Mochrie, also a professionally trained actor, as he graduated from Studio 58, a theatre training school located in Vancouver.

“We decided to give it a try,” Sherwood said. “We did a two week tour and it worked so well that we never stopped doing it.”

Their DVD, Two Man Group: Live and Dangerous Comedy, hit stores in 2011.

The same year, the “Whose Line?” cast was reunited in Vegas for Drew Carey’s Improv-a-Ganza, a series that aired for one season on the Game Show Network.

“It’s always nice to get together with everybody,” Morchrie said. “It’s really a good group. Everybody gets along so well.”

In addition to Whose Line, Mochrie and Sherwood have worked on other projects: Mochrie has been heavily involved in independent and small movies. He is an affiliate of The Movie Co-op, a Canadian venture to help produce great Canadian movies funded and run by the artists themselves.

Of course, he has appeared in commercials as the Nabisco Snack Fairy. He plans to release a book later this year.

For Sherwood, who in the last fifteen years has guest starred on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno more than 100 times, and made several appearances on VH-1’s I Love The 80’s’ & 90’s, and Talk Soup, recently served as a guest announcer on the Price is Right.

“I did it for a month and it was really cool because I grew up watching the show,” Sherwood said. “Saying, ‘come on down’ or ‘a new car,’ was just crazy. It was like being a part of TV history.”

When he’s not onstage, Sherwood is playing guitar. He said while he likes hard rock and country, he enjoys writing folk music in his spare time. He also likes to sample Mochrie’s food, as Mochrie loves to cook.

“My wife hasn’t cooked since 1990,” Mochrie said. “I find it really relaxing. I wake up and the first thing I think of is, ‘Ok. What are we having for dinner?’ I plan what I’m going out to buy. I’m always learning new stuff and experimenting with cooking.”

But for the most part, they just want to make people laugh.

“Come see the show,” Mochrie said. “It’s just goofy fun.”

Tickets, which range in price from $45.50 to $47.50, can be purchased at the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center Box Office, located at 684 Purchase Street in New Bedford, Mass., by phone at 508-994-2900, or online at www.zeiteiron.org.

Features & Interviews, Home, National Artists

Blues sensation Ruthie Foster ready to ‘Let It Burn”

February 12, 2013 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

By JESSICA A. BOTELHO

Grab your sweetheart – and a pair of concert tickets – for Valentine’s Day, as Grammy-nominated blues and gospel artist Ruthie Foster is set to play at the Zeiterion Theatre this Friday, Feb. 15, with Grammy Award-winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Mavis Staples.

Foster, who attended Sunday’s 55th Grammy Award celebration in Los Angeles, CA, said the nomination was “a nice surprise.”

“It’s validating more than anything,” said Foster. Her 2012 recording, Let It Burn, was up for Best Blues Album.

On Dec. 5, the day the nominees were released, Foster was spending time with family in her hometown of Gause, Texas, a small town just north of Austin. Later that night, her manager called her to share the good news.

“I spent the day with my sister and brother just getting back to my roots and then I got that call,” Foster said. “It was pretty cool. It all came together full circle.”

Foster also talked about something else that excites her: the fact that Staples will be joining her for the show.

“I love her to pieces,” said Foster, noting that she channeled Staples when recording a few songs for Let It Burn. “I brought her sound into a couple tunes, mainly the Los Lobos song, because it’s in a register I don’t sing in much.”

With the exception of two songs, Let It Burn consists of 11 soulful covers, including “This Time,” by Los Lobos, as well as Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire,” Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain,” John Martyn’s “Don’t Want to Know,” plus hits by The Band, Pete Seeger, Crosby, Stills & Nash and more.

She recorded it in New Orleans with producer John Chelew, another Grammy-Award winner, who suggested Foster cover these particular songs.

“He brought a lot of new tunes to me from different genres for this album that I hadn’t really got into until then,” Foster said. “I wasn’t familiar with John Martyn until I did this album and now I’m a fanatic for his stuff. I just can’t find enough of it. I’m chasing everything he’s got. It’s sad he’s no longer here.”

The CD features an array of artists, such as The Blind Boys of Alabama, soul legend William Bell and the rhythm section of The Funky Meters.

It also includes New Orleans-bred guitarist Dave Easley, renowned saxophonist James Rivers and Ike Stubblefield on organ.

Foster said The Blind Boys brought a lot of “earthiness,” as well as a “spiritual side” to the recording. Growing up with a group of uncles who all sang, she said hearing them brought her back to her childhood.

“They were real close to that sound I was so familiar with, so having the chance to put it on one of my albums was just a huge opportunity,” said Foster. “I wasn’t sure what the songs really meant until these guys started singing on them. They really just made the song ‘Welcome Home’ shine.”

For the first time in her recording career, Foster, who plays multiple instruments, including piano and guitar, didn’t play an instrument on Let It Burn. It gave her a chance to hone in on being a singer and get the chance to “channel” a variety of singers.

“It was different and very welcoming,” she said, adding that the recording process of the entire album was a pleasure. “Getting someone like George Porter, Jr. (of The Funky Meters) to be the first to say ‘yes’ to being a part of a group of guys that were going to lay down the tracks. Then, everybody else jumped on board. It was huge. My manager happens to be the manager to The Blind Boys, so all he had to do was make a phone call. We made it happen. It really came together well. I’m really happy with the way it turned out.”

The Grammy-nomination marks her second, as The Truth According to Ruthie Foster was in the running for Best Contemporary Blues Album a few years ago. She also has a long list of nominations and awards, including three consecutive wins for the Blues Music Award in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

“All of them are special,” she said. “I have three Blues Awards, but it means something different each time.”

This year, she hopes to hit the studio again. Writing more and recording with Keb’ Mo’, a three-time American Grammy-Award winning blues musician, is a possibility.

In terms of her show at The Z next month, she plans on bringing a full band with her, as she will playing a lot of songs from the CD.

“It should be a good time,” she said. “I like getting the chance to be introduced to the audience. That’s what’s great about what I do.”

The Zeiterion is located at 684 Purchase Street in New Bedford, Mass. Tickets are priced at $40, $37.50 & $35. Box Office Hours: M-F 10 a.m. to 5 pm.., Sat 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and one hour before each performance. For more information, visit www.zeiterion.org or call 508-994-2900.

Home, Music Award Archives

Lisa Guyer to receive Unsung Hero Award

February 11, 2013 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

Limelight Magazine is pleased to announce that singer-songwriter Lisa Guyer will receive the Unsung Hero Award at this year’s fifth annual Limelight Magazine Music Awards that will take place at the Rock Junction in Coventry, R.I., on March 16, 2013.

Guyer, who is the front woman for the band Mama Kicks and a vocalist on Sully Erna’s solo album Avalon, founded the Lisa Guyer Music Empowerment Program this past summer in New Hampshire for young adults between the ages of 13 and 18 to help them find their own “it” factor through music, movement and motivation. The five-day program encouraged participants to explore their own innate creativity by giving them access to the tools necessary to nurture their inner artist.

Limelight Magazine co-owner Jay Kenney felt that Guyer was the ideal person to be the first recipient of this award.

“By definition, the unsung hero award is given to a musician from New England who has made a significant contribution in the lives of others without asking for any reward in return,” said Kenney, who co-founded Limelight Magazine in 2006. “Lisa and her team touched the lives of many young adults this past summer, enabling them to become better people through music. I wish there was a program like this when I was growing up.”

The Rock Junction is located at 731 Centre of New England Blvd. in Coventry, R.I. The venue has a full bar and dinner menu. Parking is free.

Tickets for the awards show are $10 each and $12 day of show. They can be purchased online through http://www.brownpapertickets.com.

The complete list of nominees:

N.E. Tribute Band of the Year

Beast over Boston: Tribute to Iron Maiden

The Great Escape: Tribute to Journey

Gun Powder Gelatine:Tribute to Queen

Holy Diver: Tribute to Ronnie James Dio

Human Clay: Tribute to Creed

Klassik Kiss: Tribute to Kiss

Lotus Land: Tribute to Rush

LoveSexy: Tribute to Prince

Live Act of the Year

Awesome Express

Jeff Byrd & Dirty Finch

Indiana Handshake

Tony Jones & The Cretin 3

Lansdowne

Lisa Markovich & Beyond Blonde

Fly Kite Canvas (previously Scarlet)

Thurskills Vision

Female Vocalist of the Year

Lauren Bateman

Keturah Burgess

Dorian Havers

Tammy Laforest Schneider

Erin Elizabeth Ollis

Jessica Prouty

Jessica Scalese

Jenny White

Male Vocalist of the Year

Corey Amaral

Joseph L. Auger

Walter Barlow

Norman Bishop

Mark Cutler

Steven Scott Haidaichuk

Spogga Hash

Jesse Liam

Album/EP of the Year By Group

Closer Than We Appear – Evaluating Expressions

Fall and Bounce – Kickknack Avalanche

The Few – Headstock

Hemlok – A Cautionary Tale

Omega Reign – Arise

Satellites Fall – Lines On The Road

A Simple Complex – Come Undone

We Own Land – The Plan

Album/EP of the Year By Solo Act

Chris Allen – The Power of Chris Compels You

Sam Chase – Every Time I’m Home

Ian James – Grand Delusions

Brian Jarvis – Beautifully Broken

Ken Macy – Outlines

Jay Psaros – Simply

Hayley Reardon – Where The Artists Go

Sarah Swain – Every Little Bird

Metal Act of the Year

Bigtalkahh

A Dying Breed

The Folly of Man

Fuel of War

Nothing Left to Give

Omega Reign

Santagata

To Die This Night

Country Artist of the Year

Krista Angelucci

Dalton and the Sheriffs

Kiley Evans

Brianna Grace

Highway Ghosts

Shanna Jackman

Ashley Jordan

Erin Ollis

Breakthrough Artist of the Year

Closer Than We Appear

Consuelo’s Revenge

Tammy Laforest Schneider

Nymphidels

popALERT

Carlin Tripp

Weld Square

Zanois

Video of the Year

Krista Angelucci – “C R E E P”

Birch Hill Dam – “Fathom’s Below”

Sarah Blacker – “Knocked the Winds”

Brad Byrd – “On My Way Down”

Ashley Jordan – “Fading Away”

J. Kelley Band-“Shake You”

Greg Lato – “Help You Out”

PopALERT – “I Don’t’ Deserve It”

Singer-Songwriter of the Year

Joseph L. Auger

Samuel Bowen

Nick Duane

Joanne Lurgio

Amanda McCarthy

Danielle Miraglia

Hayley Reardon

Carly Tefft

Song of the Year

“Only Human” by Bigtalkahh

“One More Spin Around” by Kiley Evans

“Second Time Around” by Brianna Grace

“Wicked” by Sara Leketa

“Won’t Ever Quit” by Joanne Lurgio

“I Don’t Deserve It” by popALERT

“One Night” by Satellites Fall

“Silver Wishes” by Jenn Zapata and the Dan Kirouac Band

Band of the Year

City of Squares

Dead Nobodies

For the Love of Sloane

J. Kelley Band

Lisa Markovich & Beyond Blonde

The Mighty Good Boys

Grace Morrison and the SRO

Naked Stills

Features & Interviews, Home, National Artists

Rockapella ready to perform Motown classics and more

February 5, 2013 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

By JESSICA A. BOTELHO

Rockapella, a five-piece American a cappella group that formed in 1986 in New York City, will be coming to the Zeiterion Theatre in New Bedford, Mass., this Sunday, Feb. 10 for “Motown and More,” a show featuring songs from their upcoming album of the same name.

USA Today sang their praises for Rockapella, as they reported, “The best musical instrument of all is the human voice – if you’ve seen Rockapella you know that’s the truth.”

Scott Leonard, the group’s primary songwriter, arranger and high tenor, said he anticipates the album will be available in the next few months, and that the show, which begins at 7 p.m., pays tribute to the music of Motown with one-of-a-kind versions of hits from his all-time favorites such as The Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, and more.

Among Rockapella favorites, which have rock, jazz, R&B and doo-wop elements, the concert will include songs like The Temptations’ “My Girl” and “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” to The Jackson 5’s “Stop The Love You Save” and “Dancin’ Machine.”

“Songs from my childhood are the ones that really inspire me to make an arrangement,” Leonard said. “People have a connection to the music, so we’re already half way there. The songs are so great and we give a unique, new approach to them and that usually hits home pretty well. Rockapella and Motown is a good match.”

Leonard started singing in male groups in college, and joined the group in 1991. He said Rockapella has evolved through the years, as they’ve added a lot more staging, technology and choreography to the mix.

“We’re not a dance act by any means, but it’s the most energetic Rockapella show we’ve ever done,” he said. “We don’t want the dancing to distract from the sound and the experience, but you rarely see a cappella groups going at it like this.”

None of the founding members are still in the band, but as each of them retired, said Leonard, they were able to strengthen the group, as they handpicked replacements they were looking for. Aside from Leonard, the current line-up also features bass vocalist George Baldi III, tenors John K. Brown and Steven Dorian, plus vocal percussionist Jeff Thacher.

“This line-up has never been better,” Leonard said. “Rockapella is a band, we just don’t have the keyboards and rhythm guitars. We have two guys with voices picking up the background, and then you have the bass, drums and melody.”

Of Thatcher, Leonard said he’s basically a human drum set.

“He’s got a technique where he puts a microphone to his throat to pick up a lower, more full sound that you don’t usually hear from a human,” Leonard said. “And the jingle bells he does at Christmas shows really stun the audience. They are remarkable.”

To keep their voices in “remarkable” condition, Leonard said he drinks a lot of water. Unlike other vocalists who are backed by bands, there are no musical breaks or gaps in a cappella, so their vocal chords get little rest during performances.

Keeping a healthy cardiovascular system, plus a musical education, is important, too.

“I have a voice degree, so being able to correctly produce the sound really helps me because I’m screaming so high,” said Leonard, who has a Bachelor’s Degree in Music from the University of Tampa. “If I didn’t do it right, or at least try to do it right all these years, I’d be horse by now.”

As the primary writer, Leonard uses a piano to write and make arrangements. He grew up singing at a piano with his mother and always adds his own twists to songs.

“If it’s a cover, I need a great idea to make it new and different,” he said. “I don’t just do a Beatles’ song because people will like it because it’s The Beatles – we want to offer something to the fans that’s new and deserves to exist.”

The group made a name for themselves in America in the early 1990s shortly after creating the theme song for the PBS hit show, “Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?” They appeared as the show’s vocal house band and resident comedy troupe. Leonard said the experience was a lot of fun, and to this day, they sing the theme song at every show.

They also penned the well-known Folgers commercial with the famous catch line, “The best Part of waking up is Folgers in your cup,” a Taco Bell commercial, starred in the television special “Do It A Cappella,” which was hosted by accomplished filmmaker Spike Lee, starred with Whoopi Goldberg and Denzel Washington in the HBO family series “Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child,” as well as opened for acts such as Chuck Berry, Styx, Billy Joel, and their a cappella idols The Persuasions.

Additionally, they performed on Jay Leno’s first New Year’s Eve episode of “The Tonight Show “in 1992. Since then, they’ve built quite the fan base.

“We have fans that have seen over 200 shows apiece,” Leonard said.

He’ll most likely see some of those fans within the month: the group recently booked a gig to perform on a cruise from Australia to Bali. He’s also hoping to see them at The Z Feb. 10.

“There’s a rumor surprise guests might be opening for Rockapella,” he said.

To learn more about the group or to download their music, visit http://www.rockapella.com.

The Zeiterion’s box office is located at 684 Purchase Street in New Bedford, Mass. Tickets are priced at $30.50. Box Office Hours: M-F 10 a.m. to 5 pm.., Sat 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and one hour before each performance. For more information, visit www.zeiterion.org or call 508-994-2900.

Editor’s Note: Since this interview, the surprise special guest alluded to by Mr. Leonard is the G-20 Chorus, an award-winning chorus group from Fall River, Mass.

Features & Interviews, Home, National Artists

John Waite is ‘Missing You,’ East Coast

January 17, 2013 limelightmagazine Leave a comment

By JESSICA A. BOTELHO

While Jan. 26th will mark the first time singer-songwriter John Waite will take the stage at the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River, Massachusetts, it’s certainly not his first show in the area.

Considering the fact that he used to live in New York, and knows many people from Massachusetts and Rhode Island, he said Fall River feels just like home.

“It’s stunning, especially this time of year,” said Waite, who was born in Lancaster, England. “I’m used to the East Coast weather and I like the seasons. It’s just great to be out there. We can’t wait to get back East. I’m sure it’s going to be a pretty good show because we love to play.”

The evening will feature two opening acts, including Burlington, Vermont, singer-songwriter Justin Levinson, as well as former Somerset, Mass., resident Shaun Hague, who was a member of Waite’s touring band last year.

“We love him,” Waite said of Hague. “He looks like ‘House,’ so that’s what we used to call him and introduce him as on stage. He’s really great and we’ll be pleased to see him.”

Waite, a guitarist, will have a full electric band with him. They’ll be performing fan favorites from throughout his career, including songs from his days as lead vocalist for The Babys, such as “Isn’t It Time,” as well as “When I See You Smile,” an anthem he released with the rock band Bad English.

Of course, he’ll play songs from his solo career that produced numerous Billboard Top 40 hits, such as the #1 smash hit “Missing You.”

“It will be colorful because there’s a huge amount of songs to choose from,” Waite said. “We keep it interesting and we start each show off differently. If we got into playing the same set every night, everybody would just stay home. I can’t be part of that. It’s just not what I do. I try to keep it as fluid as I can.”

As he said, every show is unique, as is every audience. He believes an audience has a big impact on how a band performs a particular song or even a whole set.

“Sometimes the audience is pretty vocal and sometimes they just watch. It’s my job to sort of bring it,” said Waite. “I don’t really have any rules about it – you just step into it and go. If the vibe is in the air, everything just explodes. It’s music; it’s the best thing in the world.”

Aside from his show at the Narrows, Waite is set to gig at a handful of other venues in New England. In February, he plans to record tracks at an unplugged show in New York for a live album, which he expects to release in the spring. The album will also feature songs he recorded during a Philadelphia performance in November.

He anticipates he’ll be on a world tour shortly afterwards, leaving little time for writing and recording new material. Still, he’d like to go into the studio this month to tinker around.

His last studio album, “Rough & Tumble,” was released in 2011, and contained some of his most personal songs.

“I had a rough couple of years going in to that record, and came out with a lot of interesting lyrics,” Waite said.

He described it as a “funny” album, as he planned to release it as a five track EP, but his former management wanted more songs.

“It was really frustrating because to me, it was complete, so I was completely stumped,” he said. “I didn’t know what to do.”

That’s when Waite hooked up with Matchbox 20 guitarist, Kyle Cook, in Nashville. The two collaborated and made music Waite said is some of his best.

“It was like a career record for me,” he said. “I have no idea how it worked, but it all worked. We completed about seven songs in four days. At the end of the day I was pretty beat, but it’s a great little record. I was very happy with it and it got a lot of airplay.”

He also said working with Cook was “great fun.”

“We got on very well and wrote songs at a very fast speed,” Waite said. “He was always game to jump in and try anything new. He’s a great guitar player and he’s very intelligent.”

When recording the track, “The Evil,” Waite said he made up lyrics on the spot. The demo is on the album as a master track.

But Waite is known for not liking overly produced music. Rather, he enjoys imperfections.

“It’s the honesty of it,” he said. “When you’re in the studio doing a vocal, the first is always the best. You’re bobbing and weaving and you’re in that place. You’re just being yourself completely. You can’t be out of tune and you can’t be going down the road – you have to know where you are, but mistakes make it more human.”

Like his music, Waite appreciates life and all the imperfections and magical moments that go along with it.

“I’m lucky to have the life I have,” he said. “And I love making music. I’m so knocked out by it. It’s a beautiful thing.”

Tickets to Waite’s show can be purchased online at www.narrowscenter.org or by calling the box office at 508-324-1926. Tickets can also be purchased in person at the box office. Hours are Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Our publisher, JKB Booking, is presenting the show. They can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jkbbooking.

Home, Music Award Archives

Nominees revealed for fifth annual music awards

January 12, 2013 limelightmagazine 4 Comments

We are pleased to announce the nominees for this year’s fifth annual Limelight Magazine Music Awards. Like the past two years, the nominating process was completely fan driven. We received so many nominations that we expanded the number of nominees in each category from seven to eight. We also added two new ones: “Video of the Year” and “Country Artist of the Year.”

As to how the nominees were selected, we simply took the top eight artists who received the most nominations and placed them in each category. Some bands received as many as 50 nominations. Anyone who won an award in a specific category last year is ineligible to be nominated for that same award this year. Public voting begins today and lasts until 11:45 PM on Friday, Jan. 25.

An all-ages awards ceremony will be held on Saturday, March 16, at the Rock Junction in Coventry, RI, where the winners will be revealed. Advanced tickets can be purchased online at this link: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/315633.

Check out the list of nominees below and be sure to vote in our poll at this link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/limelightmagazinereaderspoll. Only one vote per computer (or IP address) counts.

N.E. Tribute Band of the Year

Beast over Boston: Tribute to Iron Maiden

The Great Escape: Tribute to Journey

Gun Powder Gelatine:Tribute to Queen

Holy Diver: Tribute to Ronnie James Dio

Human Clay: Tribute to Creed

Klassik Kiss: Tribute to Kiss

Lotus Land: Tribute to Rush

LoveSexy: Tribute to Prince

Live Act of the Year

Awesome Express

Jeff Byrd & Dirty Finch

Indiana Handshake

Tony Jones & The Cretin 3

Lansdowne

Lisa Markovich & Beyond Blonde

Fly Kite Canvas (previously Scarlet)

Thurskills Vision

Female Vocalist of the Year

Lauren Bateman

Keturah Burgess

Dorian Havers

Tammy Laforest Schneider

Erin Elizabeth Ollis

Jessica Prouty

Jessica Scalese

Jenny White

Male Vocalist of the Year

Corey Amaral

Joseph L. Auger

Walter Barlow

Norman Bishop

Mark Cutler

Steven Scott Haidaichuk

Spogga Hash

Jesse Liam

Album/EP of the Year By Group

Closer Than We Appear – Evaluating Expressions

Fall and Bounce – Kickknack Avalanche

The Few – Headstock

Hemlok – A Cautionary Tale

Omega Reign – Arise

Satellites Fall – Lines On The Road

A Simple Complex – Come Undone

We Own Land – The Plan

Album/EP of the Year By Solo Act

Chris Allen – The Power of Chris Compels You

Sam Chase – Every Time I’m Home

Ian James – Grand Delusions

Brian Jarvis – Beautifully Broken

Ken Macy – Outlines

Jay Psaros – Simply

Hayley Reardon – Where The Artists Go

Sarah Swain – Every Little Bird

Metal Act of the Year

Bigtalkahh

A Dying Breed

The Folly of Man

Fuel of War

Nothing Left to Give

Omega Reign

Santagata

To Die This Night

Country Artist of the Year

Krista Angelucci

Dalton and the Sheriffs

Kiley Evans

Brianna Grace

Highway Ghosts

Shanna Jackman

Ashley Jordan

Erin Ollis

Breakthrough Artist of the Year

Closer Than We Appear

Consuelo’s Revenge

Tammy Laforest Schneider

Nymphidels

popALERT

Carlin Tripp

Weld Square

Zanois

Video of the Year

Krista Angelucci – “C R E E P”

Birch Hill Dam – “Fathom’s Below”

Sarah Blacker – “Knocked the Winds”

Brad Byrd – “On My Way Down”

Ashley Jordan – “Fading Away”

J. Kelley Band-“Shake You”

Greg Lato – “Help You Out”

PopALERT – “I Don’t’ Deserve It”

Singer-Songwriter of the Year

Joseph L. Auger

Samuel Bowen

Nick Duane

Joanne Lurgio

Amanda McCarthy

Danielle Miraglia

Hayley Reardon

Carly Tefft

Song of the Year

“Only Human” by Bigtalkahh

“One More Spin Around” by Kiley Evans

“Second Time Around” by Brianna Grace

“Wicked” by Sara Leketa

“Won’t Ever Quit” by Joanne Lurgio

“I Don’t Deserve It” by popALERT

“One Night” by Satellites Fall

“Silver Wishes” by Jenn Zapata and the Dan Kirouac Band

Band of the Year

City of Squares

Dead Nobodies

For the Love of Sloane

J. Kelley Band

Lisa Markovich & Beyond Blonde

The Mighty Good Boys

Grace Morrison and the SRO

Naked Stills

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