Ryan Baker

Ryan Baker Joins Tina Terry Agency

Responsible Agent for the US Northeast and Eastern Canada Territory

Ryan Baker (second from right) joins the Tina Terry Agency

Ryan Baker of Voodoo Music Entertainment, Wichita, KS, joins the Tina Terry Agency as the Agent for all artist bookings in the Northeast US territory and Eastern Canada.

Baker grew up in a family where music is what put food on the table. Baker’s father grew up playing in the Kansas music scene of the 60’s & early 70’s in Topeka, Kansas where The Germs, The Fabulous Flames and Kansas were making a scene for the Midwest.  With the artistic side in his blood he went to college as a Graphic Designer. During that time he kept his ears open listening and spending a great deal of money on CD’s creating a vast multi-genred library of music. Baker read books about music folklore of the great musicians in the past which lead to his desire to know how their music was created and how it stands the test of time. That led to his desires to be a part of the music business himself. It lead to the desire to be his own boss and blaze his own trial. A decade after graduating from college, with music in his heart and business on his brain, Baker decided to jump feet first and joined his first band. They played all original Americana music. This lead to him becoming the band’s Booking Agent. It was the venture where Baker found his passion and he never looked back. Voodoo Music Entertainment was created and has been in existence for 10 solid years. He has worked with rock & blues genres both in Management and Booking. Baker has also served as Talent Buyer for many events, and specifically at times putting on festivals and concert events at multiple venues.  He is the creator of the Kansas Blues Blast Festival now in its 4th year.

With all of Ryan’s experience and talent, we are honored he choose to join the Tina Terry Agency family.

Ryan can be reached directly @ 316-201-5846 and via email at ryan@tinaterryagency.com.

Tina Terry Agency Adds a New Agent: Welcome Amberly Stokes to the Family

Amberly Stokes was raised in the rich musical heritage of Harlan County, KY, in the heart of Appalachia. The well-known economic challenges of her home sent her seeking her fortune in the equally-rich musical environment of Chicago where she first encountered the Blues. Her affinity for the genre was immediate and she gravitated to the high-energy performances and personalities. Tony Mangiullo, of legendary Rosa’s Lounge convinced her to work for the club and this immersion in the world of Chicago Blues has given her an appreciation and perspective, a crash-course in the power of the music. Amberly shares in general management of the venue as well as special events, public relations, promo and takes special pride in her work with support and fund-raising within the Blues Community.   Her work ethics and dedication to the Blues aided in Rosa’s Lounge being awarded the Blues Foundation’s 2015 KBA Recipient for Blues Club of the Year.

Amberly joins our team as the Agent for IL, IN, WI and MI. We are honored she has joined the agency and we are proud to bring her into the next phase of her musical career.

CONTACT:

amberly@tinaterryagency.com / #336-273-0446 (main office) / #630-779-5648 (direct).

Seth Walker to Perform on “Circle of the Song” Tour

Seth joins Ed Jurdi (of Band of Heathens) and Edward David Anderson on the inaugural “Circle of the Song Tour” this winter.

As far back as we can remember, humanity has been compelled to gather around song. Whether as a centerpiece for celebration, a reflection on loss or a calling to inspire community; in the form of ballads, blues, spirituals and countless other variations, timeless songs have been integral to the narrative of their times. With that idea in mind, three of this generation’s most devoted artists to the art of the song: Ed Jurdi, Seth Walker and Edward David Anderson will head out of the road together to perform in the round, share their extensive bodies of work with one another, pick on a few classics and celebrate…The Circle Of The Song.

As a founding member and leader of the Austin, TX rock and roll outfit The Band of Heathens, Ed Jurdi has been an essential element in defining the band’s kaleidoscopic American sound. From festival performances at Bonnaroo, Austin, City Limits and Hardly Strictly Bluegrass to over a thousand one-nighters in clubs and theaters across the United States and Europe, The Band of Heathens have built a reputation as one of today’s hardest working bands. Originally from the Boston area, Jurdi has forged a sound both rooted in the past and pointing toward the future. An ardent student of the masters of American music, he brings the passion of a gospel sermon and juxtaposes it against a gathering of merry pranksters with a soulful delivery and timeless voice.

Seth Walker is pure Southern troubadour. He grew up in North Carolina and came of age in Austin, Texas where he became renowned on the contemporary blues and roots scene. After a stint in Nashville, Walker now resides in New Orleans. All of these geographical influences coalesce on his most recent album, Sky Still Blue. Produced by Oliver Wood of The Wood Brothers, it revels in the devil-on-my-trail gristle, longing blue notes and pop-wise song-craft that has become Walker’s forte. The Vinyl District perhaps summed up Seth best when praising him as “an accomplished guitarist and an even better singer, distilling the soul of Ray Charles, the Southern boy roots charm of Delbert McClinton, and an uptown blues turn of phrase (à la Percy Mayfield) into his own distinct voice.”

Prior to 2014, many knew Edward David Anderson best from his critically acclaimed, vintage American rock band, Backyard Tire Fire. That all changed earlier this year, however, when Anderson struck out on his own with his debut solo release, Lies & Wishes. Produced by Steve Berlin of Los Lobos, it presents Anderson’s most autobiographical material yet, exploring the loss of his mother and the dissolution of his band. It’s a collection of songs that embrace vulnerability, while rooted in Anderson’s working class aesthetic. Performer Magazine declared: “Anderson pulls from the pockets of country, blues and Americana, capturing a different hue as the genres shift, in a juxtaposition of warm-hearted openness and biting self-doubt.” Born and raised in the Midwest, Anderson currently splits his time between Bloomington, Illinois and lower Alabama.

Sugar Blue, Joe Krown Trio and Cassie Taylor join the Tina Terry Agency for Exclusive Representation

It is an honor to rejoin forces with Sugar Blue, Joe Krown Trio, and Cassie Taylor.

sugar, joe, cassieSUGAR BLUE:
Sugar Blue is known as the Jimi Hendrix and Charlie Parker of the harmonica for his astonishing technical mastery. His style is melodically fluid, instantly recognizable for its soaring trills, flamboyant flourishes and swooping glissandos that bring the tiny dynamo’s remarkable sonic and emotional range to life. Blue has made a few appearances on the big screen too: he performed in the Cinemax special, Fats Domino and Friends, (with Ray Charles, Jerry Lee Lewis and others) in the 1987 thriller, Angel Heart starring Robert DeNiro and in the recent years in “The Perfect Age of Rock’n’Roll” along with Pinetop Perkins, Hubert Sumlin, Ruby Dee and Peter Fonda. After a brace of albums, Blue Blazes (1994) and In Your Eyes (1995), on the prestigious Alligator label, Blue took a 12-year hiatus from the studio, returning in 2008 with the highly acclaimed Code Blue., followed by Threshold and his latest work, a powerful live double album “Raw Sugar Live”. Sugar Blue is currently working meticulously on a studio album to release soon.

JOE KROWN TRIO:
Joe Krown (Hammond B-3), Walter Wolfman Washington (guitar & vocals) & Russell Batiste (drums & background vocals) started playing together in March 2007. The trio has been performing every Sunday at a local New Orleans nightclub, the Maple Leaf Bar. The combination of the soulful vocals of Walter with the big sound of the Hammond B-3 (which Joe also plays all of the bass parts on the B-3) and the masterful drumming skills of Russell Batiste Jr. has developed it’s own unique sound. The trio recorded and released a live CD, Live at the Maple Leaf(JK1003) in the fall of 2008. Live at the Maple won a 2009 Offbeat Award for Best R&B/Funk CD. The trio also won a 2009 Big Easy Award in the “Best Rhythm & Blues Band” category. In the fall of 2010, the Trio released Triple Threat (JK1004), the follow up to Live at the Maple Leaf and their first studio CD. The trio’s current release and 3rd CD Soul Understanding (JK1006) was released at the end of April 2013.

CASSIE TAYLOR:
At age 26, Cassie Taylor is already a veteran musician. She’s spent a decade playing bass and singing on stage and in the studio with her father, modern-day blues innovator Otis Taylor. And now, with the May 7, 2013 release of her new album “Out of My Mind” on Yellow Dog Records, Cassie stakes her own claim as an artist of intelligence, power and soul. Overall, the album is a masterful testament to Taylor’s artistic evolution, which began at the tender age of 12 when she picked up a bass and played the iconic line of the blues-rock anthem “Hey Joe” perfectly after being shown the lick just once. Soon after that the young prodigy joined her father’s band as bassist and backing singer. Today she is an outspoken champion of other young budding artists as a member of the Blues Foundation’s Board of Directors. She leads the organization’s Generation Blues initiative, which provides performers under the age of 21 with musical scholarships. “In concert I’ll play Nine Inch Nails’ ‘Closer’ and segue into Muddy Waters’ ‘I Just Want To Make’ Love To You’ to make a point — they’re equally grounded in blues; they both have the same message and the same changes, and prove that this musical tradition is relevant today.”

Dates are currently available; please contact the agency for dates currently available for your market.

Tina Terry Agency: 336-273-0446, info@tinaterryagency.com.

Walter "Wolfman" Washington

Walter “Wolfman” Washington Signs with the Tina Terry Agency

We are proud to announce that Walter “Wolfman” Washington joins the Tina Terry Agency for exclusive representation.  Washington resides in New Orleans and while his roots are in Blues, he blends in the essence of Funk and R&B to create his own unique sound.  He began his career with Lee Dorsey and Johnny Adams.  He spent 20 years touring and recording with Adams.  During those years with Adams, he began his solo career and in 1970 he started the “Roadmasters” band for which he has been touring worldwide with ever since.  You can catch them live every Wednesday at DBA (when not otherwise on tour).  He is also a member of the Joe Krown Trio with organist Joe Krown and drummer Russell Batiste, Jr.  When all three are in town, you can catch them live on Sunday at the Maple Leaf Bar. Celebrate “Walter ‘Wolfman’ Washington Day” the Wednesday between the two weeks of JazzFest.

DMC, Sonix the Mad Scientist & Sugar Blue take it to the Next Level

What happens when you put a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Hip-Hop and Rock Icon with a Grammy Award-Winning Blues legend together on one song? The answer is “NEXT LEVEL” featuring DMC, Sugar Blue and Sonix the Mad Scientist.

Masterminded by Super Producer Sonix The Mad Scientist. The project is the perfect blend of blazing Blues Harmonica, mighty Rap and Sonix’ hard-hitting unique sound.

As Willie Dixon said so well: “…the Blues are the roots, all the rest are the fruits!”

The TTA is proud to bring on board the Next Level for exclusive representation.

Official Website

 

Tina Terry Agency Welcomes Peter Karp & Sue Foley

We are proud to announce that Peter Karp & Sue Foley have joined the TTA family – welcome aboard!

 

Official Website: www.karpfoley.com

“Karp’s a great writer and performer whose songs are driven by verbal word play and insights into the human experience. Like James Taylor and Bob Dylan, Karp embodies Americana music.”

– USA Today

Peter Karp

Gifted singer-songwriter, guitarist, pianist and American troubadour, Peter Karp, is a master songsmith with an art for spinning true-to-life emotions, humor, and candor. With an upbringing that was equal parts southern Alabama and the swamps of New Jersey, Karp¹s music is fueled bythe Yankee-Rebel juxtaposition. He first caught national attention with help from Rolling Stone guitarist Mick Taylor who recorded and toured with Karp on his first label release “The Turning Point.” Karp further established himself on the national scene as a critically acclaimed songwriter, and accomplished guitarist and pianist with the release of his Blind Pig debut entitled “Shadows and Cracks.” On the road across the U.S. and Canada, Karp repeatedly transfixes his live audiences. Critics compare his songwriting to John Hiatt and John Prine, with impressive guitar and slide licks infused by his love of Freddie King and Elmore James. Peter Karp personifies the amorphous Americana sound,seamlessly blending blues and roots music with a high sense of entertainment.

Sue Foley
Sue Foley is considered to be one of the finest blues and roots artists working today. Born to a working class family, Sue spent her early childhood moving from Canadian town to town with her mother. At sixteen, she embarked on her professional career. By twenty-one, she was living in Austin TX and recording for the legendary blues label, Antone¹s Records. Her first release, “Young Girl Blues,” quickly established her unique talents as a blues guitarist and songwriter. Throughout the 90¹s she took to the road with her paisley Telecaster and honed her craft, working and sharing the stage with such artists as BB King, Buddy Guy, Lucinda Williams and Tom Petty. After moving back to Canada, Sue won the prestigious Juno Award for her critically acclaimed CD “Love Coming Down” as well as seventeen Maple Blues Awards.

The Perterson Brothers Join Tina Terry Agency

We are proud to announce that The Peterson Brothers have joined The Tina Terry Agency. Welcome aboard!

Five years ago the late Pinetop Perkins’ manager Pat Morgan gave Glenn and Alex Peterson their first opportunity to play onstage with the legendary bluesman. It became immediately apparent from that debut at Antone’s in Austin, Texas that these two very talented young musicians showed great promise for the future.

Five years on they have lived up to those expectations and The Peterson Brothers Band has appeared in front of thousands of enthusiastic fans at numerous clubs and Blues festivals across the country, including the prestigious Chicago Blues Festival and The King Biscuit Festival in Helena AR. They have also opened shows for such major artists as B.B.King, Los Lonely Boys, Lisa Marie Presley, Michael Burks, Pinetop Perkins & Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Marcia Ball, and The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Buddy Guy invited them to share the stage with him during one of his shows at ACL Live in Austin.

robert taylor-houston-may 29 2014

The two brothers have surprisingly deep musical influences and reference points for such young musicians which have in great part, helped form their styles of playing and performance as they continue to develop and grow.

Glenn, 17 years old, plays guitar and is the lead vocalist and delivers the blues with a heavy influence of funk in his rhythm guitar playing and a smooth, jazz influenced technique combined with a traditional blues approach to his leads. He reaches back for inspiration that runs from more contemporary players like Robert Cray, Carlos Santana, Michael Burks, Stevie Ray and Jimmy Vaughan to jazz icons like Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell to Blues greats like BB King, Albert King and Freddy King, Buddy Guy, Albert Collins, Hubert Sumlin, T-Bone Walker and Lightnin Hopkins.

Alex, 14 years old, plays bass guitar, violin and also sings. He brings the anchor and the feel to the group, often with a funk and jazz style. Like his brother, he is a wealth of knowledge about his instrument and the musicians he studies and who have influenced him. They include Victor Wooten, Marcus Miller, Jaco Pastorius, Larry Graham, Bootsy Collins, Ron Carter, Donald “Duck” Dunn”, Bob Stroger, and James Jamerson.

The Peterson Brothers have solidified their place on the Austin music scene and are becoming recognized across the country as true prodigies with a deep Blues sensibility that belies their years. Fans eagerly await their forthcoming album.

“We have been so blessed to have so many wonderful musicians and professionals guide and mentor us on our musical journey,” says Glenn. “Our goals are to record and tour in the future, but I think the most important goal for every musician is to make sure that the people who listen are enjoying our music.”

Official Website: petersonbrothersband.com

Tour Dates

Tina Terry with Matt Murphy

Facing the Music: Some Straight Talk with Tina Terry

Tina recently had the opportunity to be interviewed by Janet Hansen over at Mary4Music.com  and shared with her some insight from two decades of experience in management, talent buying, and booking.

There’s a lot of talk in the industry on both sides of the fence about what constitutes being a veteran or a legend in the music business. Artists refer to themselves as being a veteran or legendary when they have no business doing so. And so too, on the administrative side, those who’ve dabbled here and there for a few years inflate their influence for appearances which has caused a great deal of distrust between the artists’ camp and those people they need to help achieve solid business goals.

When it comes down to it, there are just a very small few music professionals left who really know what they’re talking about and would be scared to death to overstate what they can do, because they know there are no guarantees in music. They know nothing comes easily even to the seasoned pro. They know what works. They talk the talk, and walk the walk with confidence and no exaggeration.

Pete Lauro introduced me to Tina Terry recently. She is the owner and head of the Tina Terry Agency — dedicated to booking the roots of American music. I have to say quite frankly she is the most honest of professionals I’ve had to pleasure to interview. While others gloss over questions with regard to the change and challenges music faces, Tina meets every question head on with candor and grace.

With more than two decades of experience in management, talent buying, and booking, Tina Terry knows what she’s talking about and has an outstanding business model to prove it. What you read in this interview is information you can take to the bank no matter what level your career has risen to. And if you want my two cents — these are the kinds of answers you should get from anyone in any discipline on the gatekeeper’s side of the business.

Here’s Tina’s take on facing the music.

You’ve spent your career in talent buying, artist management and now booking. How did you decide to continue with booking and start an agency?

It was nothing I planned yet everything I have been training for! I had my own Agency, Sandbox Productions, for 6 years before joining forces with Piedmont Talent. Returning to my own agency after the owner’s untimely death from cancer was the natural course of progression for me. And, because booking is what I did for 10 years while at Piedmont, it only made sense it would be a booking agency. 

What are the highlights of your years at Piedmont Talent?

The entire decade was a highlight. I had an amazing mentor and the honor of focusing strictly on Blues Music. To represent some of the best in the business. Robert Lockwood, Jr, Carey Bell, Nappy Brown, Sean Costello, Johnny Winter, Lonnie Brooks, Eddy Clearwater, Canned Heat, Homemade Jamz, Eden Brent, Mike Zito, Damon Fowler, Cassie Taylor and Samantha Fish to name a few. 

Who are your current clients?

Bart Walker. Billy D & the Hoodoos. Grinder Blues. Heavy Heavy Hearts. James ‘Blood’ Ulmer. The Kinsey Report. Lauren Mitchell Band. The Peterson Brothers. Seth Walker. Zac Harmon. 

What is the biggest misconception artists have about working with a booking agent?

Assuming we have a magic wand. To believe we create better tours instantly and double their money within the first year. In the end, an Agent’s job is to build on what has already been created and depending where the career is will depend on the time for which the progress can take place.

What is on your Top Five List of things artists MUST do?

  1. Have a professional webpage.
  2. Participate and be very active with social networking.
  3. Hire a publicist, especially for tour support.
  4. Have printed posters and marketing materials
  5. Never lose the ‘show must go on’ mentality.

Conceptually getting “the gig” or a string of bookings is what matters most for touring artists. Talk about getting the “right gigs” as opposed to just taking what is offered, and how that fits into the big picture.

Every artist has a room. Every artist deserves the best room. Not every artist sells enough tickets to be in the ‘right’ room. You are either the vibe, the buzz or the ticket seller. Which markets you are what will dictate the room you can be booked in. And, in markets where you are neither, knowing how to maneuver to become one of the three, is intrigual to properly growing or maintaining careers. 

Rock and roll was borne out of the blues over five decades ago. How do you feel about the heavy influence rock has on contemporary blues crossing cultural and genre boundaries? 

The Blues genre created many other genres of music besides Rock-N-Roll. However, Rock-N-Roll is the one that openly credits Blues as the influence. The fact that both stayed true to their art form, both share the same aged fan base, it is no wonder the two are joining forces for its survival. For the first time in history, Blues is embracing the change and allowing it to remain within the genre. It is focusing less on the 1,4,5 structure and more on the songwriter which is ultimately where it all began and why it birthed the many genres it did. And with this change has come a younger generation that is willing to embrace the Blues and for that you are starting to hear it referred to as roots music. 

Shooting straight from the hip, how does social media really influence bookings, when music survived very well without social networks for eons?

People’s attention spans are shorter than ever and the Internet is their source of learning. It gives the ability to be seen and to reach more people faster than ever. 

From your standpoint, explain which of these elements is the most important in an artist’s press kit: The preview, the review, the interview?

The preview. How it is presented matters most. The objective is to say as little as possible while creatively and clearly showcasing the music. 

What are you looking for in an artist’s history that helps you decide to sign a new artist to your roster?

Every agent knows their strength and their buyer base. The artists’ history and music must mold to the specialty of the Agent. 

Everything about the infrastructure of music has changed over the past decade. How has booking changed? Is it for the better?

Due to the Internet and the amount of musical reality TV shows, the world has more bands than it ever had trying to succeed. It has bred a competitive world where in order to get the gigs, those who sell tickets are willing to take less of a guarantee for a a higher percentage against the door/tickets sold while the younger generation with their social networking skills and hunger to perform are willing to play for less. A good thing? Yes and no. No business should be successful without promotions and planning, and if you aren’t a good business person or are able to find solid business people to join forces with, you probably won’t survive. The downfall is music has become more about business and less about the music. The upside is it is pushing the creators of music to be unique and original in order to rise above. Hence, why all forms of music are starting to merge and more venues are opening their doors to forms of music they once turned away. 

You’ve added more personnel to the Tina Terry Agency creating a bi-coastal company. Tell us a bit about who you’re working with and the idea behind covering both sides of the country.

The Agency books worldwide and will continue to add staff to accommodate the ability to focus on the needs of each and every artist we sign. We are dedicated to the roots of American music and the success for all: myself, the staff, the artist.

Seth Walker to Release Sky Still Blue on June 10th via Royal Potato Family

11 Track Collection produced by Oliver Wood of The Wood Brothers

WATCH TEXAS MONTHLY VIDEO PREMIERE OF FIRST SINGLE “TROUBLE (DON’T WANT NO)”

SETH WALKER Sky Still Blue

Watch/Share “Trouble (Don’t Want No)”

Stream/Share “Easy Come, Easy Go”

Stream/Share “Trouble (Don’t Want No)”

“…an accomplished guitarist and an even better singer, distilling the soul of Ray Charles, the Southern boy roots charm of Delbert McClinton, and an uptown blues turn of phrase (à la Percy Mayfield) into his own distinct voice.” – The Vinyl District

Revered roots music troubadour Seth Walker recently took up residency in New Orleans. Upon relocating to the Big Easy, the North Carolina-native completed his rounds of the Holy Trinity of southern U.S. music cities. His journey began in Austin where he fast became a staple of the Texas blues scene. He’d later shuffle off to Nashville where he’d absorb the cosmopolitan twang of its storytelling tradition. Clearly, however, it is the influence of his current NOLA home with its funky melting-pot swagger that inspired the gospel-soaked fervor and gritty guitar burn at the core of his latest album, Sky Still Blue, due June 10 from The Royal Potato Family.

Abetted by producer Oliver Wood (The Wood Brothers), Walker revels in the devil-on-my-trail grit and longing blue notes that make this latest collection of 11 songs resonate so convincingly. Yet, as Walker’s fans have come to expect, there’s always a sweet melody, a turn of phrase wrapped in a wink-and-a-smile or an undeniable hook close at hand.

“All the moves I’ve made have been so that I can be around new influences centered around music,” Walker says. “I’ve always loved New Orleans, and it definitely brought back a bit of the rough edge that got a little spit-shined on the albums that I did in Nashville. This one’s got some gristle on it, some push and pull, some funky stuff, and some of that Caribbean influence that New Orleans has.”

The seed for Sky Still Blue was planted with five songs co-written with Oliver Wood while Walker was on tour with the Wood Brothers. The rough-hewn lover’s lament “Easy Come, Easy Go;” the intimate, inspirational ballad “Grab Ahold;” the shuffling seize-the-day anthem “Tomorrow;” the organ-soaked blues moan “High Wire;” and the hopeful, intimate closing track “Way Too Far.” In their diversity and directness, these tunes served as a template for the album as a whole, fleshed out by the pair’s continued collaboration in the studio.

“Oliver and I both come from a similar place stylistically, which obviously helps when you’re trying to communicate,” Walker says. “I love the fact that his songwriting is not so calculated, and it really worked with where I wanted to go. As a producer he was the perfect combination of having his ears and his heart on the songs while letting things go organically. He didn’t produce with an iron fist; he was just one of us.”

Sky Still Blue was recorded at Zac Brown’s Southern Ground Studios, the Wood Brothers’ home base in Nashville, and fellow Brothers Chris Wood (also of Medeski Martin & Wood) and Jano Rix made crucial contributions, joining Walker’s longtime band-mates, bassist Steve Mackey and drummer Derrek Phillips. “It was essentially the six of us musically roping this thing,” Walker says. “We all worked great together, and the next thing you knew, we had a record.”

While that camaraderie is evident in the songs’ taut grooves and relaxed atmosphere, Walker’s dexterous guitar work seizes the attention with its soulful lines and serrated edge. His commanding fretwork captures the album’s mood of forlorn optimism, encapsulated in its deceptively upbeat title. Sky Still Blue is drawn from the melancholy lyrics of “High Wire”: “If it pours down on you and the sky is still blue / It might be me crying from my high wire.” As Walker admits, “It is optimistic phrase – but it’s kind of a lonesome image.”

Walker didn’t have much opportunity to be lonesome as a child growing up on a two-family commune in rural North Carolina. His parents were both classical musicians, and his first axe was the cello, not the guitar. The tastes of the commune’s other residents ran more to Texas country music, so his youth was filled with the sounds of Mozart and Beethoven coexisting with Jerry Jeff Walker and Willie Nelson.

Walker discovered the guitar in college and never looked back. “I was just eaten up with it, man,” he says, his enthusiasm still evident. “I was just crazy for it. I immediately gravitated to the blues, but as I played I started to lean towards the uptown side, the jazzier side, and I think that probably has something to do with my classical training.”

His uncle Landon Walker was a jazz bassist and blues DJ on Jacksonville, Florida radio station WJCT, and would mail tapes to his nephew on a regular basis. “It covered the whole gamut of blues,” Walker recalls, “from the Piedmont stuff – Reverend Gary Davis, Blind Willie McTell and Blind Blake – to the Chicago stuff – Muddy Waters and Robert Nighthawk – and a lot of Texas stuff – Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, T-Bone Walker, Lightnin’ Hopkins. But the guys in my dorm room were listening to Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton, so that blues-rock sound definitely got my attention. It seemed a lot more interesting than going to school, so there went my education.”

Walker set out for Jacksonville with dreams of stardom (“I ended up playing in a Grateful Dead cover band,” he says ruefully), but before long realized that he needed to relocate to a more music-rich hub. He landed in Austin in 1995 and has remained in legendarily musical metropolises ever since.

The albums he’s made since then have consistently vaulted him into the Top 20 of the Americana charts and gleaned praise from NPR, American Songwriter, No Depression and Blues Revue, among others. He’s toured the world as a headliner as well as opening for The Mavericks, The Wood Brothers, Raul Malo, Paul Thorn and Ruthie Foster, among others. It’s all of these experiences and more that leave their well-traveled traces throughout these 11 songs at hand. Steeped in a rich musical heritage, Sky Still Blue is a masterful work conveyed by means of Walker’s expressive, soul-burnished voice, agile guitar artistry and impeccable southern songwriting, all of which have garnered him a reputation as one of the most acclaimed modern roots artists in the country over the last decade

Sky Still Blue

 

Seth Walker – Sky Still Blue
Available 6/10 on LP, CD & Digitalfrom The Royal Potato Family

Upcoming Tour Dates

5/14 – Kansas City, MO – Knucklehead’s *w/ Bobby Bare Jr.

5/15 – Tulsa, OK – Tulsa Mayfest *w/ Paul Thorn

5/16 – Dallas, TX – The Kessler *w/ Joan Osborne

5/17 – Austin, TX – Strange Brew

5/27 – Des Moines, IA – Flying Mango

5/28 – Evanston, IL – Space

5/30 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark

5/31 – Columbus, OH – Natalie’s

6/01 – Indianapolis, IN – The Jazz Kitchen

6/12 – San Antonio, TX – Sam’s Burger Joint

6/13 – Fredericksburg, TX – Luckenbach TX Concert Series

6/14 – The Woodlands, TX – Dosey Doe

6/20 – New Orleans, LA – Chickie Wah Wah

6/21 – Tallahassee, FL – Bradfordville Blues Club

6/22 – St. Petersburg, FL – Ringside

6/24 – Charlotte, NC – Evening Muse

6/25 – Asheville, NC – Grey Eagle

6/26 – Greensboro, NC – Blind Tiger

6/27 – Chattanooga, TN – Nightfall Concert Series

6/28 – Decatur, GA – Eddie’s Attic

6/29 – Montgomery, AL – Capitol Oyster Bar

7/9 – Beaver, Creek, CO – Beaver Creek Music Exp.

7/10 – Carbondale, CO – Steve’s Guitars

7/11 – Evergreeen, CO – Little Bear Saloon

7/12 – Denver, CO – Tuft Theatre

http://www.sethwalker.com/

https://www.facebook.com/sethwalkermusic

https://twitter.com/sethwalkermusic

http://instagram.com/sethwalkermusic

http://www.royalpotatofamily.com

For more info on Seth Walker,

please contact Kevin Calabro at The Royal Potato Family:

917.838.4613 or royalpotatofamily@gmail.com

Bart Walker Signs with Tina Terry Agency

USA Today highlighted Bart Walker as a top ten must-listen-to artist.  Gibson awarded him with the Blues Guitarist of the Year Award (2012) and, he recently returned from his second, sold-out European tour.  This success has more than doubled his listener base in 2013 and with all this buzz and hard work, Bart has proven he is here to stay.  Big things are soon to come Bart Walker’s way.  Stay tuned for even bigger news.

 

Seth Walker Signed for Exclusive Representation

We are proud to announce Seth’s exclusive representation and welcome him to the Tina Terry Agency.

Time is relative: if you’re just going through the motions, the minutes and hours sluggishly drag on. When you’re doing what you love, the days fly by. In the three years since his last album, Seth Walker moved to Nashville from Austin, wrote songs with friends new and old, and played many, many shows. And just like most people, he thought about life, about love, and about the changes we all experience as you move away (both geographically and philosophically) from those people and places you know so well to try your hand at something new. His latest recording Time Can Change is a culmination of these experiences—the sound of an artist moving beyond his comfort zone and challenging himself to walk new creative ground.

 

“The first time I heard Seth Walker at a small club in Nashville I was impressed like I haven’t been impressed in 30 years, with performance, presence, and great songs.”

— Delbert McClinton

“Seth Walker swings, rocks, boogies, and plays low down blues all in one set, all on one record. He’s a great singer, and authentic performer of real American music, and he’s writing new classics. Don’t miss a chance to hear Seth. In person or on record, he’s the real deal.”

— Marcia Ball

www.sethwalker.com

TTA Signs West Coast Agent

We are excited to bring our first staff member on board. Please welcome Robert Taylor as TTA’s West Coast Agent*.

Although born in Glendale, California, Robert Taylor has resided in Houston, Texas since 1989. Robert didn’t come onto the local music scene until ten years later as a musician. During his tenure as a musician, he gained experience of event planning, fundraising and nightclub promotion.

From 2008 to 2013, Robert was a talent buyer for one of Houston’s historic venues for Blues and Zydeco, called The Shakespeare Pub. During his five year tenure as talent buyer for The Shakespeare Pub, Robert has worked hard to preserve its traditional booking policies and respect the musician must be paid. The philosophy of Shakespeare Pub since 1990. In 2011, with Robert at the helm, Shakespeare’s went from booking local musicians to booking International touring artist, primarily in the Blues/roots genre: Sue Foley & Peter Karp, Samantha Fish, Mike Zito, Candye Kane, to name a few. In 2013, Robert’s hard work earned Shakespeare’s Pub the “Best Blues Club [in] Houston” by the Houston Press.

His dedication to live music and his ability to build relationships makes him a huge asset for the Agency and a wonderful addition to move things forward.

EMAIL: robert@tinaterryagency.com / DIRECT DIAL: 713-409-4264.

Official Agency Website: www.tinaterryagency.com

*TERRITORY: WA, OR, CA, AZ, NM, NV, ID, UT, MT, WY, CO, AK, HI.

 

James “Blood” Ulmer signs with TTA.

Whether as a solo artist, duo, trio or the Memphis Blood Band featuring Vernon Reid (Living Color), James is a purveyor of the true essence of American music.

Blood is among the most distinctive and influential electric guitarists to emerge in the past four decades.  Over time, Blood’s reputation has morphed from that of an avant-garde jazz visionary out of the Ornette Coleman school to elder statesman of the Afircan-American musical vernacular encome – passing jazz, blues, funk and whatever lies beyond.

We are proud to announce Blood’s exclusive representation and welcome him to the Tina Terry Agency.

Official Launch of the Tina Terry Agency

I came to work at Piedmont Talent after having had my own Agency, Sandbox Productions, for nearly 6 years.  February 2014 would mark 10 years with Piedmont Talent.   It was my honor to work with Owner/Creator, Steve Hecht, RIP, my friend, as well as many fine artists and talent buyers as an agent for Piedmont Talent.

It is with great pride and humility that I announce that I will no longer be acting as an agent of Piedmont Talent and instead, I choose to carry forward creating a new agency.  The agency will be dedicated to do the utmost for music and the people who sacrifice so much to bring it to the public.

December 8, 2013 will mark the opening date.  I will put every bit of my well-learned 16 years of experience into the Tina Terry Agency with the goal of bringing innovative music to the buyers/promoters who make this musical world go around.  I plan to return to the philosophies I developed while with Sandbox Productions with the knowledge and experience I have gained as an agent for Piedmont Talent to represent and book interesting artists with all my passion.  The music will always matter.

I will maintain the daily course of what is most trying and at times, a difficult business, as I always have.  I pledge to continue to work hard and maintain the attention to the details that matter while nurturing the relationships with the people behind the music.

My life has been about music, particularly, the Blues, for many years, and I am excited about the new horizons, new opportunities and new musical discoveries.

Thank you to each of you for your part in keeping live music alive.  It is much appreciated.

 

Tina Terry, Owner/Agent
Tina Terry Agency
2820 Selwyn Avenue, Suite 821
Charlotte, North Carolina 28209
336/273.0446, main
336/255.7109, direct