THERE AREN’T MANY FAMILIES THAT HAVE HAD
MORE OF AN IMPACT ON SOUL MUSIC
THAN THE LEGENDARY WOMACK FAMILY.
EXCLUSIVE ZOOM INTERVIEW!
He is music royalty, there is no question about that.
And there aren't many families that have had more of an impact on soul music
than the legendary Womack family. And that talented family continues to make an
impact through the emergence of Curtis "Binky" Womack. Binky is
the son of the late Curtis Womack of The Womack Brothers and has made a career
for himself as a top tier session guitarist.
Binky's career transitioned from backing his father
and his uncle, Bobby Womack, to working with stars like Usher and Snoop Dogg.
He has become a SoulTracks favorite, with every album displaying his killer
guitar work and a sound that harkens on the best elements of blues, southern
soul and R&B.
Binky’s latest release is called Mr. Womack 2021 and available
at amazon.com.
CHRONICLES, TRUTHS, CONFESSIONS AND WISDOM FROM THE MUSIC
LEGENDS THAT SET US FREE
…Order yours today on
(Collector edition) Hardcover
or E-book
at bookbaby.com and
amazon.com
Featuring over 45 intimate conversations
with some of
the greatest rock legends
the world will ever know.
CHRIS SQUIRE... DR.
JOHN... GREG LAKE... HENRY MCCULLOUGH... JACK BRUCE … JOE LALA… JOHNNY WINTER... KEITH EMERSON... PAUL
KANTNER... RAY THOMAS... RONNIE
MONTROSE... TONY JOE WHITE... DAVID CLAYTON-THOMAS… MIKE LOVE... TOMMY ROE...
BARRY HAY... CHRIS THOMPSON... JESSE COLIN YOUNG... JOHN KAY... JULIAN
LENNON... MARK LINDSAY... MICKY DOLENZ… PETER RIVERA ...TOMMY JAMES… TODD
RUNDGREN... DAVE MASON... EDGAR WINTER... FRANK MARINO... GREGG ROLIE... IAN
ANDERSON... JIM “DANDY” MANGRUM... JON ANDERSON... LOU GRAMM... MICK BOX...
RANDY BACHMAN… ROBIN TROWER... ROGER
FISHER... STEVE HACKETT... ANNIE HASLAM… ‘MELANIE’ SAFKA... PETULA CLARK...
SUZI QUATRO... COLIN BLUNSTONE… DAVE DAVIES... JIM McCARTY... PETE BEST
THE ROCK STAR CHRONICLES
BOOK TRAILER
BOOK REVIEW
-By Literary Titan (5) STARS
The Rock Star Chronicles, by Ray Shasho, is a
splendid book written by a music enthusiast who has poured their heart and soul
into it. It’s a story of a boy who loved rock music, and his obsessive passion
of it earned himself the name Rock Raymond. He went to school but instead was
schooled in all matters of music while his peers were buried chin-deep in
coursework. He then became a radio DJ and has now compiled a book on all
interviews he held with Rock gods who raided the airwaves back in the 70s and
80s. It’s a compilation of interviews with outstanding vocalists, legendary
guitarists and crazy drummers in the rock music scene. Each interview gives a
reader an in-depth view into their personal lives and the philosophies that
guide their lives which all serve to humanize these great icons. For readers
who are old enough to call themselves baby boomers this book will bring old
memories back to life. Millennials, on the other hand, may think of this book
as a literal work of the Carpool Karaoke show.
The Rock Star Chronicles is a book I didn’t know
I was waiting for. To come across a book that will talk me into trying
something new. One brave enough to incite me to venture into new frontiers.
This book made me a believer- I am now a bona fide Rock and Roll music fan.
Ray Shasho masterfully gets the interviewees talking.
He smartly coaxes answers from them with crafty questions designed to get a
story rolling out of them. The artists talk about diverse issues ranging from
music, politics, and their social engagements. Having been on the music seen
all his life, Ray Shasho knows the buttons to press, how to get them
comfortable about talking about their lives.
The book’s cover is befitting of its subject matter
with the leather look offering a royal background to the golden letter print.
It speaks to how high a level rock music holds in the pecking order- arguably,
modern music as we know it has originated from blues and rock music. The
second noteworthy thing is the use of high-definition pictures to reference the
musician being interviewed in every sub-chapter. This ensures that the book is
for both original rock and roll lovers and aspiring new ones. Together is makes
for a refreshing and consistently enjoyable read.
I recommend this book to rock music enthusiasts,
aspiring musicians wondering what it takes and all readers curious to learn new
things by going back in time.
JOHN OATES & THE GOOD ROAD BAND ‘LIVE IN
NASHVILLE’
IS SET FOR
A SEPTEMBER 18TH RELEASE
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW!
John
Oates is one half of the best-selling duo of all time, Hall & Oates, as
well as an accomplished solo artist. Singing from the time he could talk and
playing the guitar since the age of five, John Oates was destined to be a
musician. Born in New York City, his family moved to a small town outside of
Philadelphia, PA in the early 1950s, a move that would change the course of his
life.
Soaking
up the sounds of the 60s, John was influenced by the nascent folk scene,
bluegrass, delta blues, and ragtime guitar styles, while also immersing himself
in R&B legends such as Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, The Temptations, Curtis
Mayfield, and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. One of his biggest mentors was
his guitar teacher Jerry Ricks, who had spent time on the road with Mississippi
John Hurt and Son House, and introduced John to the music of Doc Watson and
Reverend Gary Davis, passing down their signature finger and flatpicking
styles.
John
Oates met Daryl Hall while attending Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. The
two began collaborating and playing music together, marking the beginning of
their historic partnership. Since their formation in the early 70s, Daryl Hall
& John Oates have gone on to record 21 albums, which have sold over 80
million units, making them the most successful duo in rock history. They have
scored 10 number one records, over 20 Top 40 hits, and have toured the world
for decades.
In
addition to their numerous American Music, MTV awards, and multiple Grammy
nominations, in 2005 they were inducted into the American Songwriters Hall of
Fame and in May of 2008 were presented the prestigious BMI Icon Award for their
outstanding career achievement in songwriting. In April 2014, Hall & Oates
were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Since
embarking on a long awaited solo career in 1999, John has recorded six solo
albums: Phunk Shui, 100 Miles of Life, Mississippi Mile, a live
album called The Bluesville Sessions, and Good Road To Follow, (which
featured collaborations with Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic, Vince Gill, Nathan
Chapman, Jim Lauderdale, and Jerry Douglas).
John’s most recent record album:
JOHN OATES & THE GOOD ROAD BAND ‘LIVE IN
NASHVILLE’
IS SET FOR
A SEPTEMBER 18TH RELEASE
John
went on the road with the “ Good Road Band “ the very same musicians that
played on the album and developed a critically acclaimed show which he captured
during a live performance at thegendary Station Inn in Nashville in June of
2020. The recording, to be released in September 2020 displays the amazing
talent of these world class players and captures the energy of not only the
music of “Arkansas” but introduces new original songs as well. “This is
the culmination of two years of touring and you can hear the players
interacting and working together in a way that is astounding. "
John
Oates was born at the perfect time, paralleling the birth of rock ‘n roll.
Raised in a small Pennsylvania town, he was exposed to folk, blues, soul, and
R&B. Meeting and teaming up with Daryl Hall in the late 1960s, they
developed a style of music that was uniquely their own but never abandoned
their roots. John uncovers the grit and struggle it took to secure a recording
contract with the legendary Atlantic Records and chronicles the artistic twists
and turns that resulted in a DJ discovering an obscure album track that would
become their first hit record. This is not your typical rock and roll story.
John was focused creating great music. Along the way he achieved incredible
success, battling the ever-changing pop music landscape and coming to terms with
complex managerial, business, and personal challenges.
Daryl
Hall and John Oates have over 20 albums together, more than 60 million records
sold, and 29 Top 40 hits. They are the most successful pop duo in the world and
members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And yet John’s story has never been
told. Relying on his many hand-written journals, he brings to light many
fascinating stories spanning his entire life with a journalist’s eye and a
poet’s heart.
In Change
of Seasons, John shares his highs, lows, triumphs, and failures. He takes
the reader on a wild ride through all the eras, personalities and music that
has shaped him into what he is.
JOHN OATES APPEARS OCTOBER 6TH 2020 7 PM PACIFIC/10 PM EASTERN on INTERVIEWING THE LEGENDS with RAY SHASHO BBS RADIO ONE www.bbsradio.com
MY NEW BOOK IS FINALLY OUT!
ENTITLED
THE
ROCK STAR CHRONICLES
SERIES ONE
CHRONICLES, TRUTHS,
CONFESSIONS AND WISDOM FROM THE MUSIC LEGENDS THAT SET US FREE
…Order yours today on
Hardcover or E-book at bookbaby.com
Featuring over 45
intimate conversations with some of the greatest rock
legends the world will ever know.
CHRIS SQUIRE... DR.
JOHN... GREG LAKE... HENRY MCCULLOUGH... JACK BRUCE … JOE LALA… JOHNNY WINTER... KEITH EMERSON... PAUL
KANTNER... RAY THOMAS... RONNIE
MONTROSE... TONY JOE WHITE... DAVID CLAYTON-THOMAS… MIKE LOVE... TOMMY ROE...
BARRY HAY... CHRIS THOMPSON... JESSE COLIN YOUNG... JOHN KAY... JULIAN
LENNON... MARK LINDSAY... MICKY DOLENZ… PETER RIVERA ...TOMMY JAMES… TODD
RUNDGREN... DAVE MASON... EDGAR WINTER... FRANK MARINO... GREGG ROLIE... IAN
ANDERSON... JIM “DANDY” MANGRUM... JON ANDERSON... LOU GRAMM... MICK BOX...
RANDY BACHMAN… ROBIN TROWER... ROGER
FISHER... STEVE HACKETT... ANNIE HASLAM… ‘MELANIE’ SAFKA... PETULA CLARK...
SUZI QUATRO... COLIN BLUNSTONE… DAVE DAVIES... JIM McCARTY... PETE BEST
THE ROCK STAR CHRONICLES BOOK TRAILER BOOK REVIEW
-By Literary Titan (5) STARS
The Rock Star Chronicles, by Ray
Shasho, is a splendid book written by a music enthusiast who has poured their
heart and soul into it. It’s a story of a boy who loved rock music, and his
obsessive passion of it earned himself the name Rock Raymond. He went to school
but instead was schooled in all matters of music while his peers were buried
chin-deep in coursework. He then became a radio DJ and has now compiled a book
on all interviews he held with Rock gods who raided the airwaves back in the
70s and 80s. It’s a compilation of interviews with outstanding vocalists,
legendary guitarists and crazy drummers in the rock music scene. Each interview
gives a reader an in-depth view into their personal lives and the philosophies
that guide their lives which all serve to humanize these great icons. For
readers who are old enough to call themselves baby boomers this book will bring
old memories back to life. Millennials, on the other hand, may think of this
book as a literal work of the Carpool Karaoke show.
The Rock Star Chronicles is a book I
didn’t know I was waiting for. To come across a book that will talk me into
trying something new. One brave enough to incite me to venture into new
frontiers. This book made me a believer- I am now a bona fide Rock and Roll
music fan.
Ray Shasho masterfully gets the
interviewees talking. He smartly coaxes answers from them with crafty questions
designed to get a story rolling out of them. The artists talk about diverse
issues ranging from music, politics, and their social engagements. Having been
on the music seen all his life, Ray Shasho knows the buttons to press, how to
get them comfortable about talking about their lives.
The book’s cover is befitting of its
subject matter with the leather look offering a royal background to the golden
letter print. It speaks to how high a level rock music holds in the pecking
order- arguably, modern music as we know it has originated from blues and rock
music. The second noteworthy thing is the use of high definition pictures
to reference the musician being interviewed in every sub-chapter. This ensures
that the book is for both original rock and roll lovers and aspiring new ones.
Together is makes for a refreshing and consistently enjoyable read.
I recommend this book to rock music
enthusiasts, aspiring musicians wondering what it takes and all readers curious
to learn new things by going back in time.
The Rock Star Chronicles uses your interviews with
rock legends to humanize them and preserve their contribution to the genre. Why
was this an important book for you to write?
I was fortunate to have lived through two of the
greatest decades for music. It was a time when radio played incredible music
and rock concerts were a bargain and a happening thing to do. Rock groups
featured incredibly talented musicians with guitarists and lead singers in the
spotlight. There has never been a generation to match that period of music
expertise and staying power. I wanted the reader to understand and realize how
great a talent they really were and still are. Especially to wannabe musicians
and the young. Many of the artists I have interviewed have passed on and others
nearing retirement. It was important to me to tell their stories at a
vulnerable period in their lives and be recognized as the greatest music legends
the world will ever know.
What is one interview in this book that stands out
as the most exciting one you had?
Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull has always been a rock
hero to me. He has written and performed complex music and always had an
incredible stage presence. Going to a Tull concert back in the day was a huge
event. I will admit the first time I interviewed Ian Anderson I was quite
nervous. I remember when the phone rang for the interview, I thought, that’s
Jethro Tull calling me! During the second interview I got him to chat about
politics, religion, ancestry, and world events. I tried not to ask the same
mundane music questions that have been asked of him many hundreds of times. He
was intellectual and I was on my best game that day.
What do you think is one thing modern musicians
have to learn from the icons of the rock and roll genre?
Bands must perform live. All the legends started
performing at school dances, bars, clubs, and anywhere they could be seen by an
audience big or small. If they are talented eventually someone will give them a
break, but it will not be easy. Having a You Tube video with a lot of page
views is a start, but it will never have the impact of playing in front of live
audiences.
What do you find is a common misconception people
have about music?
People that pay big money to watch an artist lip
sync on stage and still call it a great show. Music lovers who go see a
legendary rock band and there are no original members in the band. Ringo Starr
would never bill himself as The Beatles, instead he created an All-Starr band.
All generations need to do a little homework before purchasing expensive
tickets to concerts nowadays. My book will certainly help identify who the real
legends are.
Music is a universal language that we all share
and cherish.
Larry McCray's heart and soul are in the blues. Of that,
there's no question. It's been 25 years -- award-winning ones at that --
of scalding-hot and tasteful blues from the Arkansas-born, Michigan-based
singer, guitarist, bandleader, songwriter and heir apparent to a lineage that
includes personal influences and heroes such as B.B. King, Freddie King, Albert
King, all of whom he's had the chance to meet and play with. McCray's eight
albums have blended reverence for that tradition with his own soulful spin on
the form, and those achievements have been noted with an Orville H. Gibson Male
Blues Guitarist of the Year award as well as the Top Guitarist prize in
International Blues Matters' 2014 writer's poll.
But there's a part of McCray here that has a rock
'n' roll beat too, and he's following that on
his latest release,
THE GIBSON SESSIONS, a 12-song set featuring some of his
personal favorites by Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bob Seger, ZZ Top, Gregg Allman, the
Doobie Brothers, the Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival and others,
with help from six-string brethren such as Allman Brothers Band co-founder
Dickey Betts, Derek Trucks (Allman Brothers Band, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Eric
Clapton), Los Lobos' David Hidalgo and Jimmy Herring (Aquarium Rescue Unit,
Allman Brothers Band, The Dead, Phil Lesh & Friends). "The blues
is my favorite, for sure. I get more out of it, feeling-wise, but I've always
been a rock 'n' roll fan and I've always tried to write music that was rock 'n'
roll friendly," McCray explains.
Larry with the legendary Buddy Guy
He adds, THE
GIBSON SESSIONS is as much a Larry McCray album as the 1990 or
91 debut AMBITION or any of the others that followed in its wake. "I
always try to move forward and remember where I came from," McCray says.
This album is a way to do these songs I love and maybe get them heard by people
who like that music already, but do it in my own way so I can have some of my
personality and self-identity within the music."
LARRY McCRAY APPEARS AUGUST 18TH 2020 7PM PACIFIC/10PM EASTERN on INTERVIEWING THE LEGENDS with RAY SHASHO BBS RADIO ONE www.bbsradio.com
MY NEW BOOK IS FINALLY OUT!
ENTITLED
THE
ROCK STAR CHRONICLES
SERIES ONE
CHRONICLES, TRUTHS,
CONFESSIONS AND WISDOM FROM THE MUSIC LEGENDS THAT SET US FREE
…Order yours today on
Hardcover or E-book
at bookbaby.com
Featuring over 45
intimate conversations with some of
the greatest rock
legends the world will ever know.
CHRIS SQUIRE... DR.
JOHN... GREG LAKE... HENRY MCCULLOUGH... JACK BRUCE … JOE LALA… JOHNNY WINTER... KEITH EMERSON... PAUL
KANTNER... RAY THOMAS... RONNIE
MONTROSE... TONY JOE WHITE... DAVID CLAYTON-THOMAS… MIKE LOVE... TOMMY ROE...
BARRY HAY... CHRIS THOMPSON... JESSE COLIN YOUNG... JOHN KAY... JULIAN
LENNON... MARK LINDSAY... MICKY DOLENZ… PETER RIVERA ...TOMMY JAMES… TODD
RUNDGREN... DAVE MASON... EDGAR WINTER... FRANK MARINO... GREGG ROLIE... IAN
ANDERSON... JIM “DANDY” MANGRUM... JON ANDERSON... LOU GRAMM... MICK BOX...
RANDY BACHMAN… ROBIN TROWER... ROGER
FISHER... STEVE HACKETT... ANNIE HASLAM… ‘MELANIE’ SAFKA... PETULA CLARK...
SUZI QUATRO... COLIN BLUNSTONE… DAVE DAVIES... JIM McCARTY...
PETE BEST
THE ROCK STAR CHRONICLES BOOK TRAILER
BOOK REVIEW
-By Literary Titan (5) STARS
The Rock Star Chronicles, by Ray
Shasho, is a splendid book written by a music enthusiast who has poured their
heart and soul into it. It’s a story of a boy who loved rock music, and his
obsessive passion of it earned himself the name Rock Raymond. He went to school
but instead was schooled in all matters of music while his peers were buried
chin-deep in coursework. He then became a radio DJ and has now compiled a book
on all interviews he held with Rock gods who raided the airwaves back in the
70s and 80s. It’s a compilation of interviews with outstanding vocalists,
legendary guitarists and crazy drummers in the rock music scene. Each interview
gives a reader an in-depth view into their personal lives and the philosophies
that guide their lives which all serve to humanize these great icons. For
readers who are old enough to call themselves baby boomers this book will bring
old memories back to life. Millennials, on the other hand, may think of this
book as a literal work of the Carpool Karaoke show.
The Rock Star Chronicles is a book I
didn’t know I was waiting for. To come across a book that will talk me into
trying something new. One brave enough to incite me to venture into new
frontiers. This book made me a believer- I am now a bona fide Rock and Roll music
fan.
Ray Shasho masterfully gets the
interviewees talking. He smartly coaxes answers from them with crafty questions
designed to get a story rolling out of them. The artists talk about diverse
issues ranging from music, politics, and their social engagements. Having been
on the music seen all his life, Ray Shasho knows the buttons to press, how to
get them comfortable about talking about their lives.
The book’s cover is befitting of its
subject matter with the leather look offering a royal background to the golden
letter print. It speaks to how high a level rock music holds in the pecking
order- arguably, modern music as we know it has originated from blues and rock
music. The second noteworthy thing is the use of high definition pictures
to reference the musician being interviewed in every sub-chapter. This ensures
that the book is for both original rock and roll lovers and aspiring new ones.
Together is makes for a refreshing and consistently enjoyable read.
I recommend this book to rock music enthusiasts,
aspiring musicians wondering what it takes and all readers curious to learn new
things by going back in time.
The Rock Star Chronicles uses your interviews with
rock legends to humanize them and preserve their contribution to the genre. Why
was this an important book for you to write?
I was fortunate to have lived through two of the
greatest decades for music. It was a time when radio played incredible music
and rock concerts were a bargain and a happening thing to do. Rock groups
featured incredibly talented musicians with guitarists and lead singers in the
spotlight. There has never been a generation to match that period of music
expertise and staying power. I wanted the reader to understand and realize how
great a talent they really were and still are. Especially to wannabe musicians
and the young. Many of the artists I have interviewed have passed on and others
nearing retirement. It was important to me to tell their stories at a
vulnerable period in their lives and be recognized as the greatest music
legends the world will ever know.
What is one interview in this book that stands out
as the most exciting one you had?
Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull has always been a rock
hero to me. He has written and performed complex music and always had an
incredible stage presence. Going to a Tull concert back in the day was a huge
event. I will admit the first time I interviewed Ian Anderson I was quite
nervous. I remember when the phone rang for the interview, I thought, that’s
Jethro Tull calling me! During the second interview I got him to chat about
politics, religion, ancestry, and world events. I tried not to ask the same
mundane music questions that have been asked of him many hundreds of times. He
was intellectual and I was on my best game that day.
What do you think is one thing modern musicians
have to learn from the icons of the rock and roll genre?
Bands must perform live. All the legends started
performing at school dances, bars, clubs, and anywhere they could be seen by an
audience big or small. If they are talented eventually someone will give them a
break, but it will not be easy. Having a You Tube video with a lot of page
views is a start, but it will never have the impact of playing in front of live
audiences.
What do you find is a common misconception people
have about music?
People that pay big money to watch an artist lip
sync on stage and still call it a great show. Music lovers who go see a
legendary rock band and there are no original members in the band. Ringo Starr
would never bill himself as The Beatles, instead he created an All-Starr band.
All generations need to do a little homework before purchasing expensive
tickets to concerts nowadays. My book will certainly help identify who the real
legends are.
Music is a universal language that we all share
and cherish.