Previously On The Show

12-28-08

Jennifer Kelber joined us with her beautiful voice and folk renditions of both covers and originals. She has a real heart for children and also reaches out to  young talent via the AZ Lil’ Chicks with Picks organization that she leads. This is an outgrowth of the big girls group, specifically for young Arizona Singers and Songwriters. Jennifer will not only be performing her music but will bring a few “Lil” Chicks with her. Cali Rodi (13 Years Old) and Janelle Loes (14 years old) also joined us for another Chicks segment.

Josh Halpern visited us from Austin, Texas and came courtesy of his grandparents whom he was visiting while playing a few gigs in Scottsdale. Josh plays rhythm guitar and his style is best described as acoustic folk with influences by Jeff Tweedy, Jeff Mangum and Jordan Tarrant.

Katy Creek (Wes & Nancy Ruybal), perform Western Americana, Cowboy Poetry and Gospel. With a pure uncomplicated style, they present renditions and recitations about the American West and its people from the 1800′s to the modern day working cowboy. Wes grew up a horseback, cowboying with his father and brothers. His family’s cowboy heritage dates back to the settling of the San Luis Valley in Colorado in the 1680′s. Wes’s poetry and songs reflect his many experiences as a working cowboy, including the folks he has met and places he’s worked. Nancy, a country girl from Ohio, began writing and performing folk music at age fourteen. When they came together, it was only natural their music and poetry would speak of our great American Heritage, the settling of the West and Wes’s own cowboy experiences in the modern world. A Katy Creek concert is an exciting adventure of life and love, laughter and tears with a dash of murder, mayhem and mystery you won’t want to miss.

For Rick Calderone, music has always been a family affair. Calderone and
his sister, Michele Statt, perform as the Calderones, a folk/rock duet.
“We were the Bobby and Cindy Brady of the family,” Calderone said of
himself and his sister, the fifth and sixth of six children. “My mom
played piano and my dad played guitar, and all my siblings now play
instruments, except Michele, who has always had the best singing voice.”
The Calderones have been writing and performing together professionally in
the Valley for about 8 years, but their musical training is longer.
“I started playing guitar around the third grade,” Calderone said.
“I remember playing Freebird in front of the class.” Calderone is also
a pilot. “I have four kids, and time at home is no longer mine,”
Calderone said. “I take my guitar on the road with me because it’s the
best place for me to practice.” Calderone admits that the pressures of
flying and those of performing live might be relative, but the one major
difference is the audience response. “There is no more gratifying thing
than the reaction of an appreciative crowd,” he said.

12-21-08

Mary Hoffman, Arizona’s sweetheart and country artist as she
rejoined the program and talked about her current album and her
upcoming project with guitarist and valley favorite Darin Mahoney.
Darin will also shared music from his new CD, “In the Grain” and we got to
hear some extemporaneous picking if we are lucky!

Flamenco aficionado Chris
Burton Jácome also returned to the show and we heard some
marvelous guitar work from him and his Christmas CD as well! Also
on this shows was singer and songwriter Chava Cannon, one of our most
memorable performers who reprised her Christmas song for us and
spoke about what she has been doing this fall with Cup O Karma and her
other endeavors. Finally, we are got a visit from the Godfather of
this program, Chris Frazer, founder and architect of the
AZ OPEN MIC website and the
quarterly Songwriter Challenges that have yielded such a great variety
of creative effort from songwriters all over the valley. Chris was
‘instrumental’ (pun intended) in helping get this show off the ground
back in June and was our very first guest.

All of these wonderful artists brought their considerable talents to
bear as we celebrated the AZ Music Café’s first Christmas!
We hope you joined us for a memorable time.

12-14-08

Rhonda Towns
lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Actively pursuing her dream to become a
major singing presence in the Country music industry, she divides
her time traveling back and forth to Nashville on a regular schedule to
work in the studio and oversee her primary business, her business as a
country music entertainer. Rhonda has a wonderful CD out called
“Somethin’ Better” which was partly produced by the late Jim Cotton,
one of Nashville’s renowned producers. There are some great
songs on this CD including “Slow Rain” by Dobie Gray is a standout!
Rhonda returns to the AZ Music Café and brings her unique country
stylings right back with her. We will check in with Rhonda and see
what her busy schedule has been like and talk about her music and
her plans for the new year. And, we will get to hear some great music from
Rhonda so don’t miss it!

Larry Jolly is a Phoenix singer and songwriter who is originally from
New Mexico, he grew up in Southern Arizona on the Mexican border and is a
self proclaimed survivor of “The Great Folk Scare” of the early 60′s.
Larry cites as his main influences diverse artists like Townes Van Sandt,
John Stewart and Tom Russell. He does folk originals and we are looking
forward to welcoming him onto the program. We’ll have pictures
up after the show!

Lisa Weeden is 16 years old. She is a singer, model, and actress.
Lisa grew up in Raymore, Missouri. She has lived in the Phoenix area for
6 years. Her passion is to share her gift with others. “I love
helping people and hope to one day make a difference in several
people’s lives.” This is her debut on the radio program, and we will
hear more from her we’re sure!

Singing along side her mother 60′s musical artist Melanie
(“Brand New Key,” “Lay Down,” “Beautiful People”)
Jeordie Schekeryk
has
performed on stage since age five and seen the magic of a worldwide
fan base. Her family life heirloom, her voice, and songwriting as
her ability, & sharing it with an audiences everywhere her passion and
life. So, she set out to do just that.

Jeordie has since performed at festivals, state fairs and arenas of all
different sizes including The Kerrville Folk Festival Texas, A Day In
The Garden Woodstock Reunion, as well as The Winnipeg Folk Fest, Canada.
She has also performed as a support act for Dido, Jewel, Indigo Girls,
and Sade and recently Capitol Recording artist OK GO. After winning
multi shows in the Suaza Tequila’s, Hard Rock Café Battle of the bands
summer series. Her sound is a blend of female fronted folk/pop and
Americana, with influences that range across the board. She consistently
delivers a high energy show through her songwriting, melodies and stage
performances.

12-07-08

Darin Mahoney
is a musician and guitar luthier who builds and repairs guitars out of his
shop, Mahoney Guitars, in Tempe, AZ. Darin’s new CD “In the Grain”
reflects his journey from being in a medically induced coma,
fighting for his life against cancer with the inspiration of music by
Will Ackerman and other Windham Hill recording artists nearly 12 years ago
to working in the studio with Will Ackerman on the pre-production of this,
his first CD. Darin plays music that inspires and give hope to those in
need. He is thankful for every guitar he builds or repairs and every chance
he gets to share his music with his fans.

Scott and Emily Kriegshauser,
a father daughter duo,
The 15th Floor
exists mostly in the studio,
occasionally performing acoustically in the Phoenix area. Scott
is a medical doctor who has been writing songs since a teenager.
Working on the craft of songwriting more seriously over the last 15
years, he started The Songsmith in 1995. This small “coffeehouse” venue
brought in other singer-songwriters to the “Valley of the Sun”. Daughter
Emily, a musical prodigy, learned to read music and play piano at age four
(reading music before words.) Considerably more musical and much better
trained than Scott, Emily wrote a song in high school that she
performed at her high-school graduation. After a stint in college, she
enrolled at and matriculated from the Conservatory of Recording Arts and
Sciences, in Tempe, AZ. Around that time, she started producing this
first album, inspired by her father.s songs, some he had sung to her at
bedtime when she was young. One of her most striking abilities is with
vocal harmonies. These rich, comfortable, but subtly unique harmonies take the
album “From The Dining Room” to a higher level.

Shawn Royer
is not the “next up on stage” musician that spends his weekend nights
waiting to be next. While spending time on the local circuit, Royer
continues to shine by being a favorite in the valley of the sun.
Performing at numerous Music festivals and invitational events, he has been
a favorite opener for bands such as Split Lip Rayfield, Hans Olson, Richard
Buckner, The Bottle Rockets and Bobby Bare Jr. Royer is not only known
for his passionate playing but for his gut felt lyrics which quietly
underlines his unique demeanor that shoots you for a loop just when you
thought you might have it all figured out. April 2007, Royer released his
debut album “20 Hours from Memphis” which includes 10 original songs and
contributions from artists Tony Bruno (Major Lingo), Scott Howard
(Tramps and Thieves),
Rhonda Hitchcock,
Mike Mercier, Brad Ingle,
Ron Bowen, and Mike Galli. In keeping with his sense of American roots and
folk rock, Royer adds familiar melodies of tried and true musical icons.
Shawn makes his first live appearance on the show with Rhonda Hitchcock one
of the founders of AZ Chicks with Picks. Shawn’s new CD “20 Hours to
Memphis” is a truly refreshing amalgam of singer/songwriter, folk pop,
country and alternative songs inspired by America’s roots.

Matt Moran
is singer/songwriter and author based in Anthem Arizona (North Phoenix).
“My father played banjo and I remember sitting on our stairs listening
to him recording Dylan’s “Blowin” In The Wind. on a little cassette
player. I remember thinking, I wish I could do that. His voice was
really very good – and I still wish I could do that.” Picking
up his father.s copy of Pete Seeger’s “red book”, a Mel Bay chord
book, and a Guild classical guitar they still own, he taught himself
to tune and then play guitar. The Crawdad Song, This Land
Is Your Land, and Skip To My Lou became his first songs – songs
he plays to this day. After moving to Arizona in 2003, Matt had
a book published – a life-long dream. Spurred by that success and
other writing opportunities, Matt started to focus again on songwriting
and performing. He began playing some small coffeehouses around Phoenix,
testing new material. Matt is building a loyal following of fans/friends
who value lyrics, respect songwriting, and believe in passionate pursuits.
Matt Moran is singer/songwriter and author based in Anthem Arizona
(North Phoenix).

11-30-2008

Paul Woodall -
Paul is one of those rare finds that you can neither adequately
describe, nor deposit into a corral. Paul called me one Saturday afternoon
and said he performed regularly at Famous Sams and at Rula Bula in Tempe and
that he would like to be on the show. He told me he writes all his own
material and doesn’t have any instrumental back up. He just sings and
that everyone seems to like him pretty well when they hear him. Well,
I ended up heading over to Rula Bula and sat in on the program and heard Paul
deliver 3 of his own compositions and it was pretty amazing,
both with regard to how the crowd responded and how effortlessly the words
came and how much fun he was having. Anyway, I told Paul we would get him
on the program and share what he does with the audience. He has no website,
and no My Space page. He just does his thing every week and like he says,
people seem to like him. You will too. Oh, and did I mention that
Paul is 90 years old?

Walt Richardson -
In his own words: “I’ve been singing, songwriting, and playing guitar ever
since I can remember. In one point in my life I was planning to pursue a
career in bio-chemistry. That was when I learned the power of music and
live performance. Standing alone with a guitar gives me freedom of
expression, and for me, that’s where it all begins. It is an intimacy which
touches each audience member and gives rise to the message behind the music.
I believe that inspiration is one of the greatest gifts we can share with
each other, and music allows me to share this gift with all of you.”
Walt is indefinable. His stylings range from Reggae to Blues to Folk
and beyond. To Tempe folk, Walt Richardson is a kind of neighborhood
good-vibe merchant. To the AZ Music Café, he is our featured artist!

Instant Hobo -
Original, driving, and entertaining, Instant Hobo fuses the best of
alt- country, folk, rock, jazz, and more into a band they label “AZ’s
Americana Power Trio”. The name Instant Hobo derives from the group’s
desire to play and go in any direction without worrying about crossing
traditional boundaries; essentially drifting like musical hobos! In this
band, technical ability combines with a fun show and top notch songwriting to
create a one of a kind musical experience. Instant Hobo performs at a
wide variety of college and civic events, nightclubs, dive bars, coffee
houses, theatres, folk listening rooms, marathons, and more.

Sydney Taylor -
is 11 years old and will be our youngest guest. She is a member of the
AZ CHICKS WITH PICKS and is pretty excited to be on the program, since she
knows several of our previous guests. She has her very first CD out
called “I’m Just Getting Started” with 10 of her original compositions!
In her own words, “I started playing the guitar when I was 9. After about
eight months of hard work, I realized that I love singing and playing the
guitar. My idols are Cheyenne Kimball and Enrique Iglesias. I have two
little Martin guitars that I play and I named them Cheyenne and Enrique!
I have spent a lot of time in my room with my tape recorder, chord chart,
rhyming dictionary and my Golden Retriever, Jake, as my audience writing
songs.”

11-23-2008

Steve Albright
was born and raised on 80 acres right on highway 39 midway between Tabler
and the Dibble “y” – just inside the Grady County Line of the great state of
Oklahoma. You guessed it – a real red-clay okie. Steve always wanted to
be a song writer, but the practical side of surviving the Oklahoma
red-hill economy and weather kept Steve busy and his dream would have
to wait. Finally, after years of “doing the right things” with school,
work, and family, Steve got a break. In 1998, Steve founded
Rock-A-Bye Records in Casa Grande, Arizona. As soon as the word got
out about a record label in Casa Grande, Arizona, the musicians poured in.
After years of producing, editing, promoting, and distributing other
folks music, Steve got his chance. Steve’s first cd “Ride The Wind”
is of an Americana/Rock/Blues/Country flavor. With “Born And Raised In
Oklahoma” Steve got the chance to be pure country.

Ron Gallagher
born and raised in Lansing Michigan then onto Los Angeles. Currently
providing Creative Production services in Phoenix Arizona. Ron plays bass
guitar, various forms of lead and rhythm guitar, seom keyboards and
vocals. He is a full time musician. Ron also has a passion for
audio/video engineering and creative production and specializes in
artist development and location recording. Ron has been influenced by
a wide variety of musicians, but lists his main influences as Jimi
Hendrix, Eva Cassidy and Felix Pappalardi. Ron is unabashed when asked
about his postings of covers, “its all music to me” he says. His
instrumental renditions are also wonderful!

Jim Pipkin
calls his my music “Sour Mash for the Soul”, because a friend once
described it as the sound of a cork popping out of a jug of old,
strong moonshine. Jim grew up on a small self-supporting farm in
North Carolina, part of a musical family (the Pipkins) that have lived there
since the 1600s. He played at family reunions, bluegrass festivals, and
almost any other place from an early age. Jim has also played the World
Folk Showcase in WashingtonDC, the Rig Six Club in Oklahoma, won a
ribbon at the Four Corner States Bluegrass Festival in Wickenburg. He
has lived in Arizona since 1985, playing and recording with artists like Barry
McGuire, Joe Bethancourt, Doc Rolland, and Kay Peper. I have released three
CDs of original music over the past four years and has just completed
“Rebel Souvenirs” at Talmage Sound, with Jason Barney producing. We
brought in Barry McGuire (still touring after fifty years!) on harmonica for
“Fireline”, and Joe Bethancourt sat in on the title track.

Scott Beck
grew up in California on the music of the great songwriters of the
60′s & 70′s. Through their inspiration, he has learned to tap into the
soul essence of a song and bring it through his heart in a way that allows
his listeners to resonate with the stories and messages. Beginning in 1967,
Scott performed off and on for 20 years in various rock bands and folk
groups (including bands in Rio de Janeiro and Okinawa). He moved to
Sedona in 1990, and has spent the past 5 years performing throughout the
Southwest at various folk and spiritual venues. In August he completed a
successful 5 week tour of the Pacific Northwest with his wife, Sarena.
In October he released a new CD of his folk songs and fairytales, called
“Singing You Home.” This is your perfect “prairie home companion” CD -
with just Scott on guitar, bass and vocals. Scott’s songs might be
considered “inspirational contemporary folk,” and he offers them to those who
appreciate an artist who always delivers from his heart.

11-16-2008

Pandy Raye and
Rhonda Hitchcock
started AZ Chicks with Picks
exactly one year ago November 23rd. Since we couldn’t go to their
anniversary party, we invited them to come on the show and bring some of
the members along so we could meet them and hear some great music as well.
Joining us on the show will be Veronica Birdsong Hodges, who will be
bringing her bass player Patrick Hershey along to back her up!
Also 15 year old Sara Robinson joined us to perform along with
Haven James!

11-09-08

Our Veteran’s Day Show was dedicated
to our Veterans and Service men and women. We had a special segment
devoted to
Snowball Express a fantastic organization dedicated to creating
a network of hope for children of our fallen heroes. And lots of great
guests and music!

CTS
is a Phoenix based alternative rock band that delivers
modern rock music that leave every audience enthralled and wanting to
come back for more. This band has received National acclaim from audio
charts to letters from President Bush for their music contribution for
our Military heroes serving this country. Singer/songwriter, Jeff
Senour started the band over 6 years ago with the idea to touch people of
all ages with great rock music and be an inspiration for everyone to live
their dreams.

Bob Villa,
the “Desert Man” (not the “Dessert Man” as he is careful to point out) will
be on the program sharing some of his great songs and talent. Bob is a
Phoenix favorite and a very talented singer and songwriter. Its always a
treat to have him on the program!

Chava Cannon
(Pronounced Ha-Vah) has been writing since she was about 9 or 10 years old
with just a few breaks in between. She loves all genres of music, however
the music that comes most naturally to her is generally country, folk,
and religious. Her songs are ones that fill the heart, tell a story and all
come from life’s experience. Chava has also written songs for artists
in the valley. Chava is also hosting an Open Mic night at
Cup O’ Karma
coffee house in Mesa, our newest sponsor! She shared two brand new songs
with us!

MacIntyre Family Singers
return to share two wonderful songs from their self-titled debut album that
features beautiful vocal arrangements in styles spanning from four-part
a’cappella jazz to classical to Southern gospel and Broadway show tunes.
The music speaks of hope, offers encouragement, and will make you smile and
lift your heart. We will be joined live in studio by two of the family
members, Todd MacIntyre and Katelyn MacIntyre shared their time
with us on this Veterans Day special program.

11-02-2008

Duet on the Road
is a joint concept and creation of two old friends, Alan Harkrader and
Bob Henke. The two started playing together in Williams, AZ in
1997 at Miss Kitty’s Steakhouse. By the end of the season they reluctantly
went their separate ways. Alan decided to give a larger town a try so
he started playing at Manuel’s Mexican Food in Scottsdale AZ. One
fine night Bob came by just to have a drink and sit in. Well, three years
later they are still playing there four nights a week to the delight of
many devoted fans who love to listen to or sing along with this well
matched musical duo. Check out their website for the REST of the story.
It sufficeth it to say, that these two have been there and done that!

Playground Legends
officially formed in 2006 with guitarists Jimmy Hong and J.P. Coughlin,
drummer Grant Allen. The group had a breakout with the addition of
singer/songwriter Kevin Wilson in March 2007, and with the
addition of Teddy on Bass, they are primed to take over the Valley
music scene. With the recent release of their debut album, “Rewind”,
Playground Legends are becoming a major force in the Arizona modern rock.
Featuring an upbeat, hard-hitting style combining the classic styles of
Soundgarden and Alice in Chains with the modern edge of Foo Fighters and
Incubus they have quickly risen from the bars of Tempe to showcase the
best venues the valley has to offer.

We Are They
is a Mesa band that is finding their stride and carving out their own
sound. Self described as Rock, Chinese Pop and Ghettotech, but in
spite of being a young band they have created a bit of buzz in the
Southwest. They have just come off of a tour of the area. Just listen to
Fade and pMp for a sense of their breadth. And for fun check out the
Swashuckling Rum Run of T (the Pirate song).

Todd Baio
has been a working musician for over 20 years. His passion is
for playing simple acoustic music that is interactive and fun!
Todd’s song choices have a fresh feel while being routed in the acoustic
folk tradition of the past. Todd plays a variety of instruments including
guitar, ukulele, harmonica, banjo and even the kazoo. He includes all of
them in his presentations, making his performances varied and extremely
entertaining.

Kip Fox
is back! Our new segment “Anatomy of an Album” will showcase the
fantastic new CD from Kip called “Astronaut” and will go a layer deeper
to take you on a journey from the inception of the concept of the
album to the songwriting, music, and production, in order to give you a
sense of what it took to put this together. “Astronaut” is an amazing
body of work and destined to make a lot of music lovers pay attention.

10-26-2008

THE ARIZONA TRIO‘s
fun, family-style of entertainment covers a wide variety of genres
including tunes from the early 50′s and 60′s,
The Kingston Trio and the Everly Brothers. They put on an energetic show
and will be guests on the Arizona Music Café program talking
about their influences and their upcoming performance schedule.
This group features
Mike Chamberlin,
long time local sports personality.

Chris Burton Jacome
was born and raised in Tucson, AZ. After graduating from the U of A with
a degree in Classical Guitar Performance and Spanish Literature, Chris
moved to Seville, Spain to follow his dream of learning to play flamenco
guitar. Upon his return home, he decided to move to the Phoenix area and
has been a professional flamenco guitarist now for nearly 10 years.
Chris just returned from an extended performance trip that took him to Alaska.

10/19/08

Pandy Raye
and
Rhonda Hitchcock
are co-founders of
AZ Chicks With Picks
and musicians and performers
in their own right. They will both be on the program sharing some of
their music and a lot about the organization Chicks with Picks and where
great female talent can be found around the valley. “We are a couple of
chicks with a vision! We want to provide a platform that showcases “up and
coming” female singer songwriters.” You won’t want to miss them!

MacIntyre Family Singers
are a family of very talented singers, songwriters and performers
who are comfortable in a variety of genres. The group consists of brothers
Scott and Todd who sing bass and tenor, sister Katelyn, who sings soprano,
and mom Carole who sings alto. They perform acapella, classical opera and
show tunes. Each of them have extensive musical backgrounds and are
amazingly gifted. They perform all over the country and make their home
right here in the valley. You won’t want to miss this rare treat.

Jeff Dayton’s
songwriting has
roots deep in the rich history of classic country writers like Bob McDill,
Merle Haggard and Roger Miller. His rock and pop influences include James
Taylor, the Beatles, Jimmy Webb, the Byrds and Jackson Browne. Toss in a
taste of his guitar heroes like Jerry Reed, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and
Albert Lee and you have an idea how diverse Jeff’s songs are.
Jeff has earned platinum and gold awards as well as a platinum video award
for his George Strait cut “Any Old Time” included on the CMA and ACM Album
of the Year, “Does Ft. Worth Ever Cross Your Mind?”
Jeff is back in Phoenix for the Songwriters Association event as Guest
Speaker at Fiddler’s Dream on Saturday October 18th. We are glad to have
Jeff on the show!

10/12/08

Roof Rats
is a bluegrass group featuring Doug Fletcher on banjo, guitar and vocals,
Jim Bolek on mandolin and vocals, and Tony DiGiovine on bass guitar.
This trio plays a blend of original bluegrass and country songs,
mixed in with unique reworkings of some older pop tunes. First formed
around the beginning of 2005, they play regularly at Mama Java’s and
Copper Star Coffee. They’ve also played at other local venues,
including Mighty Cup and Spoon in Glendale, Fiddler’s Dream, the
Ben Johnson Days in Apache Junction, as well as numerous private events.

Dalton and Rich
are George Dalton and Ozzie Rich, a dynamic duo if there ever was one!
George Dalton has over 30 years or writing and performing experience and
Ozzie Rich is a stand up singer with credits in theater as well
as commercials, in addition to his musical performing, and other talents.
Together, Dalton and Rich have created a dynamic sound that includes
rock and roll, jazz, funk and soul stylings.

Mark Burrell
has been in the music business all of his life. Also
known as Harmonica Woody, he grew up in Mesa, Arizona. When he was
just 6 years of age, inspired by greats of 60′s and 70′s, he began his
long history with percussion and was self taught. He performed and
toured with locals in Mesa, and at the age of 17 he picked up harmonica
and has been playing venues ever since. Today he is a recording artist as
well as entertainer.

10/05/2008

Linda Bilque
is one of Arizona’s most captivating songwriters and performers.
From a long tradition of Arizona storytellers, Linda’s roots are in the
stuff that John Prine and Guy Clark have mined over the years. They are
real people with real stories, humorous and tragic, wry and fascinating.
Her songs are compelling, her delivery is straightforward and the music
just puts you in a place where you want to stay and watch a while.

Jonathon Oden
makes his living doing what he loves! He is a music
therapist, performing for children with disabilities. Recently transplanted
from Texas, he has a fresh voice and a growing talent and shares two
of his original songs with us on the show. Hope you didn’t miss
“The Other Side”, a new take on a familiar theme. Great fun!

Rick Smith is a wordsmith, a songwriter with a fine sensibility for
rhythm and rhyme. He is a performer whose developing chops allow us to
get to hear it from the horse’s mouth! We enjoyed his hilarious story about
moving here from Montana, in “Meltdown Mama” and a poignant story of a
child caught in the familiar throes of two parents’ youth and
inexperience and the forces pulling them apart in “Turning Page”.

Dave Greer
is an original. Rooted in the sounds of Merle Haggard, George Strait and
Tracy Lawrence, Dave has written 65 songs of his own including a brand
new one that he will debut live on the program this week, and a very clever
adaptation of a popular line “Get R Done”, into a wonderful song.
Dave has a very easy to listen to voice that you just can’t get enough of.
Together with his wife, Mary, they are working on finishing their CD
in Nashville. Locally, you’ll find him at the El Paso Barbecue in
Scottsdale!

9/28/2008

Bob Ryan
should be a national treasure and most certainly Arizona is
blessed to call him our own. With a voice and style that defy easy
classification, lyrics that are both unambiguous and poetic,
and a gift for memorable melody, Bob Ryan’s songs explore moments of
faith, doubt, love, and regret. His CD “Spirit of Andy Devine” is a
panorama of stories, characters, roadside taverns and long,
unbending highways, freight trains, dusty farms and life on the Mississippi.

Greg Shelden,
whose Blues Dinosaur iteration appeared on AZ Music Café
a few months ago, he joined us again, but this time as just Greg Shelden,
singer, guitar player and songwriter. We enjoyed the opportunity to hear
a sample of Greg’s music. Greg is a great
guitarist, pianist and vocalist, and is a true entertainer’s entertainer!

Jon Iger
joined us for the first time as a guest and performer,
after having introduced us to one of his favorite local performers a
few weeks ago, Finch Williams. Jon shared some of his
music and some of the goings on of the
Arizona Songwriter’s Association,
for which he is the President! Jon is a longtime valley resident and
music aficionado and had much to share with us about the
local music community and the art of songwriting!

9/21/2008

Sandy Hathaway’s
music reflects a varied background and colorful interests. Raised in
strong folk music tradition her own music is drenched with raw emotion,
with elements of jazz, funk, Celtic music and rock infusing her songs
and bare intimate thoughts. She has built her fan base through friendship
with her audience and with many local artists in Arizona. This performer
has a good sense of what the audience wants to hear. Sandy.s awards include
Top Ten Finalist 2005 & Honorable Mention 2006: Tucson Folk Festival National
Songwriting Competition

Gregg Myers
has roots going back to childhood with a musical family. As he says
“Every Sunday it seemed we were at my Grandmother’s, she at the organ,
my Uncles hunched over their electrics, while my Father attempted to
keep up, both in tempo as well as volume, with his nylon acoustic. And
when we weren’t there, everybody was at our house in similar configuratioan,
but singing at the tops of our lungs regardless of the musical selection.”
Well, the tradition continues and you can find Gregg all over the valley
and at Songwriter’s Challenges, continuing the beat and the music!

CTS
is a Phoenix based alternative rock band that delivers modern rock music
that leave every audience enthralled and wanting to come back for more.
This band has received National acclaim from adio charts to letters from
President Bush for their music contribution for our Military heroes
serving this country. CTS is a Phoenix based alternative rock band that
delivers modern rock music that leave every audience enthralled and
wanting to come back for more. Singer/songwriter, Jeff Senour
started the band over 6 years ago with the idea to touch people of all
ages with great rock music and be an inspiration for everyone to
live their dreams.

9/14/2008

The Glutes With
engaging lyrics and inescapable hooks,
The Glutes bring a fresh and unique sound to the punk/power-pop genre.
Featuring aggressive arrangements and emotional vocal performances,
their 2008 album “Ripped” is already gaining popularity among fans.
Brothers Todd and Scott MacIntyre and Steven Stipech comprise the songwriting,
production, and performance powerhouse this band is. Between them, 6
full-length CD’s in genres ranging from pop to rock to classical
have been independently recorded and released.

Daisy Mallory is
from Cave Creek, Arizona. Playing guitar since she
was 9 years old, Daisy is now the youngest member of the Arizona
Songwriters Association. She has written 30 songs and is no
stranger to performing. She plays at local clubs, restaurants and
weddings in and around Cave Creek, and was Junior AZ Idol in
the spring of 2007. Daisy has also performed with Arizona Chicks with
Picks and hopes to have a CD in the near future!

Rhonda Towns
is actively pursuing her dream to become a major singing presence
in the Country Music industry. Rhonda’s motivation is moved by her
genuine love for traditional country music and spiritual guidance.
And for her, there is a definite relationship between the two.
In 2003, Rhonda performed at Country Thunder USA and caught the
eye and the ear of renowned producer Norro Wilson
(Kenny Chesney/Reba McEntire/Sara Evans/Shania
Twain/Tammy Wynette/George Jones) who ended up producing four songs
for her debut country music album. I Wanna Be Loved By You will
prove to be quintessential. Delivering a modern feel with the
authenticity of traditional country music, Rhonda reveals her
distinct, smooth vocals mixed with a traditional country sound.

9/7/2008

It was just six short years ago that
Finch Williams, starting out new,
found himself faced with some challenges in life. The gigs started
coming after some tough early days, and his following grew. Doors began
to open and offers for upscale outdoor events started rolling in. Finch
jumped on the opportunity, often armed with no more than his six string
flattop. Fate again was with Finch when he was introduced to
multi-talented hit producer Johnny Mulhair (producer of Leann Rimes,
Blue and Unchained Melody albums). Johnny and Finch clicked right off the
bat. The result is a brand new CD My Life’s Road that will be
released soon.

Don Maloney is a
gifted and innovative guitarist whose style goes from
funk to jazz in very creative, melodic pieces. A master of the 7 and 8
string guitar, Don’s melodies and harmonies performed simultaneously
give him a rich, full sound that often sounds like more than one guitar!
Don is an engaging and popular performer who has found a unique style
that pleases the ear and the spirit. Don’s First CD, “Eight Rivers” was
released in December of 2006 and showcases Don’s song-writing,
and musical diversity.

Patricia Silverberg
is an Arizona based folk/rock singer and songwriter. She has an
energetic and diverse style that has been described as “raw and intelligent”.
Her debut CD, As Simple as it Seems has been well received,
including radio play across the country. She has performed several times on
Flagstaff’s premiere artist showcase Heritage Square and has also
appeared at folk festivals and coffee houses. She regularly appears
at Desert Ridge Marketplace, Borders and Fiddler’s Dream.

8/31/2008

Palmer Howard
has been writing and performing music since the early 1970s. He
was on the road touring for ten years in bands called Silverwolf and Rage. He
performed in the duo Wildlife, playing casinos and clubs on the Jersey Shore
for the next ten years. He arrived in Arizona in 1994 and has been working
as a solo artist for the Mastro Group at several of their restaurants located
in Scottsdale and Beverly Hills. He is a multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar,
saxophone, flute, and keyboards, along with vocals. He has been influenced by
many styles of music, including the Beatles, Elton John, Sting,
Steely Dan, and many others.

Kip Fox
and his Takamine 6-string birds-eye Maplewood guitar met at age 17.
What he couldn’t make happen with three chords on a $200 guitar he made up
for in God-given vocal chords. After attending college in Irvine, CA, he
lived in Houston and Las Vegas before settling in Anthem, AZ in July 2006.
His latest album, Astronaut, was released at the beginning of 2008. Kip
can be seen throughout the valley and around the country performing both solo
and with his band.

Richard Hart
is a very talented guitarist who has been seen around town in
various venues, performing at open mics, opening for various performers,
and perfecting his craft. Once you hear his crisp guitar licks and
proficiency on the slide, you will be impressed. Richard has also
participated in the Songwriters Challenges put on by Chris Frazer
(a previous guest and avid local music supporter) from
AZOpenMic.
Check out the YouTube video in the link!

Smoot Mahooty
is Tom Bertling on vocal and guitar and Kevin Mauch on bass
and vocal. They are a working duo that has been creating music together
since the mid 80′s. Tom and Kevin can be seen performing at venues all
over town, and also in Prescott. With two CD’s under their belts, they
continue to be among the hardest working bands in Arizona.

8/24/2008

Sage Gentle-Wing
is a gifted Guitarist /Singer/Songwriter who continues to
develop his craft into his 4th decade as a professional musician/performing
artist. As the former lead/rhythm guitarist for Kansas City’s Legendary
“City Light Orchestra”, he has been in over 20 professional bands, toured
extensively throughout the United States, New Zealand, Hawaii, Japan, Korea
etc. He has recorded both as an artist in his own right and as a sideman
to others for 30 + years

Brian De Marco is back in Phoenix after an
absence that took him to Austin and other places. Since discovering
blues at age 21, he has learned harmonica, guitar and piano. Brian has
also produced 6 albums and now writes poems and short stories. Brian
has a brand new album and can heard all over over Arizona.

Tim Juillet
is originally from Huntington Beach, California, and now lives in
Surprise, AZ with his beautiful wife Nichole and 2 children
(Victoria & Elizabeth). Tim is a classically trained singer who has a
background in opera as a working operatic baritone. While Tim recently
began writing Christian songs, he continues to sing classically. This
past Christmas, he made an appearance with the Sun City Chamber Orchestra
singing two of the bass solos in Handel’s Messiah.

Andrew Brown
is a newcomer to Arizona and has been playing and writing
songs for the past 5 or 6 years. He is a regular participant of open
stages as well as performing his own shows for the past 3 or 4 years.

8/17/2008

Chuck Bené was on
the program this week. Chuck is not
only an inductee into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, but his career has included
writing songs for Ricky Nelson and the Hullabaloo Television show,
being a studio musician for powerhouse songwriters Lieber and Stoller,
performing with the Gadabouts and the Bobby Lane Trio, and now his own recently
released studio CD and performances here in Arizona.

This week’s final guest was,
A Boy Named Sioux, a hard-working band filled with talent and
determination. They are
equally proficient on stage or in the recording studio. With new, original
material, and some well-covered classics continuously being added to their
set list, they keep a fresh and current perspective on the ever-changing
face of country-rock music. Robert Toner, the lead singer, Dave Brummer,
the lead guitarist and Rob Chanez “Smootchie, the newest member, all
joined us in studio!

8/10/2008

Chris Smudde is
originally from Chicago but moved here last year from St. Louis. He has
been playing and writing music for 15 years both in bands, and as a solo
singer/songwriter act. Chris is currently playing in a band called “Cougar Preserve.”

Terry Arthur is a 38
year old Singer/Songwriter, originally from Indiana, but has been in
Phoenix since high school. He began playing guitar when he was about
12 years old and started writing seriously a few years ago. He recently
performed in the Colgate Country Showdown.

Al Berry has lived here in the valley for just a couple of
years. He moved here from Oklahoma. Al began as a drummer in local bands
and then switched over to guitar as a young teenager. (He decided a
guitar was easier to carry!)

Pete Christensen and Ian Calvin are the
Blackjack Brothers, a musical and
comedy duo. They do clean, satirical, and original songs and have a
great sense of humor!

8/3/2008

Channel 3′s Steve Bodinet visited the AZ Music Cafe for a story featured
on the August 4th evening broadcast.
We had some wonderful guests on this show. Arizona’s talented musicians. Laurie
Fagen joined us from Chandler with her classic Jazz sound.
Laurie has been singing professionally in musical theater, pop, and now jazz.

Also on the program, Harley Jay who does music he calls “City Country.”,
which he says is more than music about “living in a trailer and having
your girlfriend walk out on you with your truck and brother.”
Who can argue with that?

We also welcomed
Cliff Johnson
and the Joshua Crenshaw band, Josh is an Arizona native and
has been playing the coffee shop scene for the last 3 years. In 2007,
he was runner up in the Alice Cooper Xmas Pudding contest.

–> Earlier Guests