LIVE FROM OUR STUDIOS AT ALTERNATIVE PUBLIC RADIO INTERNATIONAL
IN THE GREAT NORTHWEST. ENJOY OUR MARCH LINEUP.
Klassika Trio (Clint Shepherd, Jolanda Nel, Chris Romeo) - March 5, 2015; Matt Farris - March 9th, 2015; James Robert Webb - March 12th, 2015; Bernie Nelson - March 16th, 2015; Morgan Riley - March 19th, 2015; Kacey Smith - March 23rd, 2015; Sean Patrick McGraw - March 26th, 2015. All showtimes are from 7 pm pacific to 9 pm pacific. Show information for each show is listed below with pictures for each interview. Direct links for shows to follow.
March 5th, 2015: Kiler Davenport Live: Interview with Klassika Trio
Klassika combines the two genres of pop music and
opera. Three classically trained voices form a harmonious
blend of unique sound and style that is known as Popera or
Classical Crossover. Performing favorites in classical
crossover style such as: Unchained Melody, Bridge
Over Troubled Water, The Prayer, Don’t Want To Miss A Thing
and My Heart Will Go On. The trio performs a stunning variety
of songs while singing in English, Italian, Spanish and French.
Klassika has three members: Jolanda Nel, Clint
Shepherd, and Chris Romeo.
Clint Shepherd – Tenor
Clint previously directed the comedies
LOVE SEX AND THE IRS, FOREIGNER, A LITTLE MURDER NEVER HURT ANYBODY
and DON’T DRESS FOR DINNER. Credits include SHARPLESS (Madame
Butterfly), GERMONT (La Traviata), Silvio (I Pagliacci), Warden/
FRANK (Die Fledermaus), FATHER (Hansel and Gretel) and ZUNIGA
(Carmen). His roles in musical theatre include TONY, West Side
Story; JESUS, Jesus Christ Superstar; CURLY, Oklahoma; LUMIERE,
Beauty and the Beast; COWARDLY LION, Wizard of OZ, CHARLIE,
Brigadoon; RICHIE, A Chorus Line; Voice of AUDRY II, Little Shop of
Horrors; DAVID, Godspell and RALPH in Reefer Madness. Clint has
joined forces with the very talented and beautiful Jolanda Nel to
produce a dream that they both share: A concert with
classically trained singers performing popular songs and classic
favorites.
Jolanda Nel – Soprano
Jolanda Nel was born and raised in
South Africa and graduated from the Pretoria School of Performing
Arts. She performed the roles of: CONSTANZE,
Dialogues of the Carmelites; DESPINA, Cosi fan Tutte; RITA, Rita;
LAURETTA, Gianni Schicchi. She received two achievement
scholarships and graduated with honors. In Denver, Colorado she
appeared as LUISA in The Fantastics with The Augustana Institute of
Music and as MADAME GOLDENTRILL in The Impresario. She sang the role
of ZERLINA , Don Giovanni in Rome, Italy with the International
Lyric Academy of Rome. She also performed VIOLETTA in La Traviata
with the Sunstate Opera under Maestro Mario Laurenti. In stage
comedy productions Jolanda has perfomed the roles of JULIA (A Little
Murder Never Hurt Anybody) and JACQUELINE (Don’t Dress For
Dinner). Jolanda recently became co-owner of M.D.H.F.
Productions, LLC. and is very excited to join forces with the very
creative Clint Shepherd.
Chris Romeo – Tenor
Chris can often
be seen performing with the St. Petersburg Opera Company. Roles
include: DON CURZIO (Marriage of Figaro), FIRST PHILISTINE
(Samson and Delilah (Saint-Saens) as well as unnamed roles and Chorus
in Die Fledermaus and Madama Butterfly. Chris received his
Master’s in Vocal Performance from the University of South Florida
where he performed the roles of FERRANDO (Cosi fan Tutte),
Haute-contre roles in King Arthur, DON JOSE (Carmen) and EDDIE, The
Rocky Horror Show for which he was nominated for the Irene Ryan
Acting Award. Other performances include Sweeney Todd with the
St. Petersburg Opera Company and Iphigenie en Aulide with New Century
Opera. When Chris is not performing his second passion is
helping people with his music. Working closely with the non-profit
organization, Creative Clay, Chris is able to bring music to
patients, families and caregivers in healthcare communities in the
Greater Tampa Bay area
.
March 9th, 2015: Kiler Davenport Live: Interview with Matt Farris
With an unparalleled passion for country music, it comes as no
surprise that Skytone Entertainment artist Matt Farris's career has
gotten off to a promising start. A heart for helping those in need
paired with an incredible talent and positive energy has allowed for
the early and natural growth of a significant fan base. All of these
characteristics have given Farris a strong foundation on which to
build his career – one that, at the hands of another, was
almost
instantaneously taken away.
Entertaining family and friends from the moment he spoke his first
word, Farris's passion for
entertainment has always been apparent.
With an early exchange of lullabies for classic country tunes sung by
his mother Sandra, the Lake Havasu City, Arizonanative has ever
since gravitated toward the genre.
After graduating high school, Farris
moved to Flagstaff to attend Northern Arizona University and later to
Phoenix where he became an emergency medical technician and certified
fire fighter through The Glendale Community College Fire Academy –
all the while continuing to work on his music. His plight for country
music stardom, however, nearly came to a tragic end when an
altercation with two strangers trying to steal his father's truck
left both Farris and his father shot. "There were a few men
looking to steal my dad's truck. We tried to stop them... At one
point, one of the men pulled out a gun and shot. My dad stepped in
front of me and the bullet went through him and into me. We were both
extremely fortunate our injuries weren't more serious."
The incident put the importance of
family and music into perspective for Farris, who formed a band with
his father and grandfather – both musicians themselves. Eager to
get back to his music, Farris began playing out around Phoenix,
continuing to build his career and fan base. In 2010, he surprised
the band by entering the Colgate Country Showdown, making it into the
Arizona State Finals. Encouraged by his success, Farris made the move
to Nashville to further his career in 2011.
In late 2011, Farris came to the
attention of Skytone Entertainment owner and veteran producer Frank
Green. His first single, Redneck Radio, saw placement in both the
Billboard Indicator (peak #56) and Music Row (peak #) charts, as well
as holding a position at #1 on the Indie World Country chart four
weeks in a row. His current single, Resident Redneck, continues to
ascend and was recently nominated for industry trade New Music
Weekly's New Music Country Single of the Year Award. Radio and
industry trades aren't the only ones that have taken notice – on
February 1st, the cast of Country Music Television's (CMT) My Big
Redneck Family sported Matt Farris shirts on an all new episode.
Farris continues to play live as much
as possible, sharing the stage with Darryl Worley, Trent Tomlinson,
Adam Gregory, Keith Anderson and Colt Ford. This summer he opened for
Jason Aldean, Tyler Farr, Joe Diffie, and Gord Bamford on the main
stage at Country Thunder in Florence, Arizona. Despite a full
schedule, Farris still finds time to give back, supporting both the
Make a Wish Foundation and the American Cancer Society – focusing
on Breast Cancer Awareness. After losing friend Denise to the
disease, he started Denise's Day – an annual benefit in his
hometown which can be seen at
www.denisesday.org.
"Giving back is extremely
important to me. I love everything about what I do. But, more than
anything, I love that it allows me a platform to better help those
that need it. My music gives others a voice... I love my job."
March 12th, 2015: Kiler Davenport Live: Interview with James Robert Webb
James Robert Webb is heads and
shoulders above other country artists, and that isn’t just
figurative either! At 6 foot 5 inches tall, the phrase holds true
literally as well.
With all that height, one would have
expected Webb to be pursuing some sort of athletic career, but music
had a greater calling on his life. Growing up in rural Oklahoma in a
small town called Kellyville, Webb quickly started experimenting with
music. At 7, he began to teach himself how to play piano. In his
teens, he added guitar to his instrumental repertoire. He learned
both instruments by ear, giving him the skills necessary to excel at
jazz music later on, becoming an Oklahoma All-State Jazz pianist in
high school. He also applied his ear training to other
improvisational genres such as Western swing.
In 2010, Webb
began to pursue songwriting. Drawing inspiration from his favorite
artists, including Garth Brooks, The Rolling Stones, Merle Haggard,
Johnny Cash, B.B. King, Miranda Lambert, Vince Gill and more, Webb’s
music gives a modern take on traditional country. He blends the best
of the music genres to create a unique country flavor.
"I
listen to virtually every kind of music there is, but when it comes
to country music, I am mostly moved by the traditional country music
and honky tonk, as well as the vocal stylists. Garth Brooks, Ronnie
Dunn, Miranda Lambert, Willie Nelson, Vince Gill—these are the
kinds of artists that I relate to the most. In my personal opinion,
that’s what’s missing from country radio today—country music.
Namely, fiddle and steel.”
March 16th, 2015: Kiler Davenport Live: Interview with Bernie Nelson
Like new strings on a well-traveled
guitar, Bernie Nelson is both timely and timeless. Bernie's rich
country vocals and well-crafted lyrics comfortably draw you in at his
sellout shows.
With his roots seated deep in the
truest form of country music, Bernie attributes his selection and
conviction with his songs to his closeness with Country's best like
Guy Clark, Rodney Crowell, Townes Van Zant and the more modern Garth
Brooks and Chris Ledoux.
A favorite at the world famous Bluebird
Café. Bernie has also graced the stages along side his legendary
friends like Darryl Worley, Tracy Lawrence, Leroy Parnell and many
others.
If he's not performing or writing, he
can be found teaching his craft at his log home west of Nashville.
That's right, he shares his expertise with aspiring songwriters at
his infamous “Weekend At Bernie's” Songwriters Camp.
Bernie has been blessed with a
successful career both as a songwriter and entertainer. His songs
have sold over 25 million copies with multi-platinum cuts on the
works of major artists such as Conway Twitty, Ricky Van Shelton,
Kenny Chesney, Wynona, Colin Raye, Confederate Railroad, Chris
Ledoux, Kris Kristofferson, John Anderson and many more.
Bernie achieved 'million-airplay'
status on his #1 hit, “Daddy Never Was The Cadillac Kind” with
Confederate Railroad. Most recently he's enjoyed success with cuts on
Mark Wills' “Looking For America”, Montgomery Gentry's “Damn
Baby” and Tracy Lawrence's “ 'The Ride' and 'Heaven For A
While'”.
March 19th, 2015: Kiler Davenport Live: Interview with Morgan Riley
With an unbiased passion for music – regardless of genre –
it’s clear that Skytone Entertainment artist Morgan Riley offers
something new to country listeners. Her soon-to-be-released album
Collage is just that… A melting pot of genres with an
ever-so-slight country dominance. While the road to this release
hasn’t always been smooth, Riley has handled each curve with hope
and exuberance – all the while finding her sound and writing to
connect with her fans. “I’m a firm believer in everything
happening for a reason – everything that’s happened throughout my
life has led to my relationship with Skytone and the release of this
album. I couldn’t be happier.”
A Maryland native, Riley knew she was destined to be a singer from
the start. “One day when I was younger, I started singing a Mariah
Carey song… My brother heard, grabbed my parents and said, ‘you’ve
got to hear this!’” Impressed by their daughter’s obvious
talents, Riley’s parents quickly became the greatest support in her
pursuit of a career in music – a dream inherited by her
grandmother, who also sang. At five, Riley began performing at
weddings and anniversary parties and by 15, she was recording at a
local studio. Confident in years of practice and experience gained in
live and studio performance, she made the move to New York City at
18.
In New York City, Riley found herself regularly performing with a
pop-R&B group and recording at the city’s legendary Hit Factory
Studio. In a struggle to find her true sound, she moved back south to
Greenville, South Carolina and began to perfect her country edge.
“I’m generally undeterred by any type of hardship or roadblock.
My dad has been a huge inspiration when it comes to this. He won’t
let me give up…” Auditioning for the Pride of Carolinas, she beat
out 4,300 people and received single placement on the competition’s
compilation album by Koch New York, featuring the best artists in
North and South Carolina. Shortly after, she began working with
producer Chris Clay (TLC) on her album Affinity. “Chris has always
been such an incredible supporter of me and what I do and, of course,
is an incredible talent. I so enjoyed working with him on Affinity.
The album really represented where I was at the time… Still, I felt
I had a bit more country in me that needed to come out.”
Affinity landed in the lap of veteran producer and engineer Frank
Green, whose track record includes multiple #1’s and just as many
gold and platinum albums. Riley met with Green, performed a few of
her originals and was quickly signed to his label, Skytone
Entertainment. “My whole life I’ve dreamed of being signed to a
label by someone that believes in me and all I do. I’ve certainly
found that in Skytone and Frank.” The deal was made sweeter
yet when Riley and Green began writing together for Collage material
– a writing relationship whose chemistry she describes as “off
the chart”. Drawing inspiration from her top musical influences –
everyone from Carrie Underwood to Alanis Morrisette, Evanescence to
Jewel – has given her unparalleled flexibility when it comes to
writing. “I find I can write any kind of genre. I’ve also taken
bits and pieces from different genres and pulled them into my
writing. Collage is very much a product of that.”
Until the album’s release – set for early spring – Riley
continues to write, perform and work with children aged two through
five at New Springs Church. “I’m really blessed to be where I’m
at in life. I have no doubt given the team I’ve surrounded myself
with that this release has the potential for great success. I feel
like Collage is me – the first project I’ve done that truly
represents my voice. While all other genres play a part in this
album, my dad always encouraged my country side. Now that I’ve
found it, I can’t wait to share it with fans.”
March 23rd, 2015: Kiler Davenport Live: Interview with Kacey Smith
Kacey Smith is a small town country
girl with big music dreams. She is no “stylist’s gimmick!”
She was born and raised in a rural Tennessee home, where she
developed her singing abilities while she pursued other activities
such as riding horses and coon hunting.
Currently Kacey is a
full time student majoring in Music Business at Middle Tennessee
State University. She has already completed her
Associates Degree at Motlow Community College, Lynchburg TN.
She is taking her music abilities to the next level by
writing songs, recording in the studio and performing often. In
December of 2010, Kacey signed a publishing and management contract
with Banner Music of Shelbyville/Nashville. Since that time,
Kacey has performed in OK, MO, AR, MS, TX and AL. And for
events/venues such as, Jack Daniel’s International BBQ Competition,
Texas Songwriter’s Cruise, St. Jude Radio/Cablethon, The Billy
Block Show, Nashville Humane’s Dog Days Festival, World Famous
Bluebird Café.
From children to the more mature audience
member, Kacey’s performances are a hit because she tries to fashion
her performance set list to best approach her audience. Whether it is
a county fair or a private house concert, the audience finds
themselves drawn into Kacey’s show and feels a real connection with
her as a person and an artist. Kacey is putting herself out
there working toward accomplishing her goals in making a big music
dream a reality.
March 26th, 2015: Kiler Davenport Live: Interview with Sean Patrick McGraw
Amid the two-day mainstream country, bluegrass, folk, roots rock
and alt-country bonanza that was the third annual Stagecoach Festival
in Indio, California, the unlikely last-minute addition of Sean
Patrick McGraw (“Not related to Tim, so I didn’t pull any strings
to be here”) to The Mane Stage line-up proved a surprise high point
of the weekend. “Letting his freak flag fly” with the psychobilly
swagger of a true country rocker, McGraw caught the attention of the
record-setting crowd, industry insiders, and media heavyweights
alike.
According to August Brown of the Los Angeles Times, “His early
contender of a hit, ‘A Dollar Ain’t Worth a Dime,’ is one of
the first of what will surely be many recession themed laments, but
unlike John Rich’s ‘Shutting Detroit Down,’ McGraw keeps his
sociology enticingly vague, warning that ‘People do desperate
things in desperate times/ if a man don’t turn to Jesus, he’ll
turn to crime,’ but it doesn’t feel like Christian proselytizing
— more an acknowledgment that neither course of action is likely to
help in the long run.”
Indeed, McGraw handles the subject of
recession with the earnest understanding of a man who’s been on the
front lines. “Last summer just clobbered me,” McGraw explains.
“Between the poor exchange rate with Canada, where we did a bunch
of shows, and gas being almost $5 a gallon, by the time I got off a
West Coast run I was losing money on the road.” The resulting
stress and frustration inspired “Dollar Ain’t Worth A Dime,”
equal parts simmering rage and quiet resignation, as much an
invitation to commiserate as a celebration of the American worker’s
unfailing fortitude.
While McGraw’s performance proved to be an unexpected hit at
Stagecaoch this year, an overnight success he is not. This road
warrior and his “band of brothers” have spent the last few years
playing upwards of 150 dates a year, last year alone racking up
80,000 miles on his new SUV (not bus, as McGraw is quick to point
out). Though he’s well seasoned as an opening act, sharing the
stage with Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Patty Loveless, Pat Green, and
Miranda Lambert, he’s not above gratis gigs in grungy clubs along
the way, playing for nothing more than the hope of selling five CDs
or winning a handful of new fans.
“For all the good days I ever had working in a factory,”
McGraw says, “I’d rather have a lousy day in the middle of
nowhere singing ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ anytime. Not out of
laziness—” he adds, “I’m all about hard work. I just want
that hard work done with a guitar in my hand as opposed to a hammer
or a shovel.” Hard work it is, and not just up on stage. Whether
behind the wheel or on the phone booking gigs, McGraw creates his own
success with the tenacity to never give up.
Call it Irish grit. “If you grew up where I grew up,” McGraw
recalls, “you were automatically hyphenated either Irish, Polish,
or Italian, and your dad worked in the mill, that was a given.”
Hailing from a small steel industry town about 50 miles outside of
Buffalo, New York, McGraw was raised on Hee-Haw (“We loved Conway
Twitty, or at least his haircut”) and rough games of hockey and
football. Small for his age and showing little athletic promise, he
gravitated towards music, and good thing: “If I’d have stuck with
the sports I liked any longer I might have ended up getting my head
taken off. We never wore pads, let alone helmets.” Instead, McGraw
grew out his hair, picked up a cheap Japanese guitar, and at 13
started a rock band with friends, playing in bars a couple of nights
a week—with a note from his mother in hand, in case the cops asked
any questions.
As soon as he finished high school, McGraw hightailed it to Los
Angeles with rock star dreams and a country sensibility. Wearing out
records by Dwight Yoakam and Steve Earle, and “digging through
stacks of junk at the Pasadena flea market looking for old Buck Owens
and Johnny Cash on vinyl,” he developed his own unique hard-core
hillbilly sound. His van at the time got only two AM radio stations,
classic country and R&B, “So besides being a little too
familiar with some old Cat Stevens songs, I got a heavy dose of Vern
Gosdin long after he was happening, not to mention the Chi-lites and
the Stylistics. I love that stuff.”
It soon became evident that Nashville was where McGraw belonged,
so after a two-week trip and a couple nights at The Bluebird Café,
McGraw made the move to Music City and hit the ground running. He
soon signed a publishing deal with Liz Rose, and went on to write for
Curb Magnatone. Despite some disappointments, including a
blink-and-you’ll-miss-it stint on Nashville Star and as a member of
the Brett Beavers band The Unforgiven (“We had some buzz for about
a minute”), McGraw always found a way to pay the bills with music,
impersonating Glenn Frye in an Eagles tribute band, taking sideman
gigs with Dean Miller and Steve Holy, doing session work and
continuing to write songs.
This “whatever it takes” mentality stands front and center in
“Dollar Ain’t Worth A Dime,” and it’s what eventually got him
his chance at Stagecoach, where McGraw began to gain traction on the
national stage. His performance there earned him a spot on the summer
2009 Toby Keith tour, and his debut album has been picked up for
release later this year by Little Engine Records and their partner,
CMT. Previously recorded with producer Nathan Chapman (Taylor Swift’s
go-to guy), and remixed and remastered by Spencer Proffer, the album
reflects the hurdles and highs of a musician’s existence with
gritty realism and good fun.
It’s a crazy life, and McGraw looks upon it with bemused
satisfaction in “My So Called Life,” reflecting, “Some days I
own this town, other days it shoots me down/Always I’m still
hanging round, holdin’ on to hope.” Expertly depicting the
driving pace of his “Honky Tonk Life,” McGraw stubbornly
continues to hope: “I could quit all this road stuff, go back to my
real job, put in a straight 9 to 5/But I love the neon, I love the
people, and I love the Honky Tonk Life.” For Sean Patrick McGraw,
the honky tonk life is the only life. “I never gave myself a plan
B,” he says. “I never decided to grow up. I never got anything
the easy way, and I’m proud of that.”
