For Immediate Release – Sacramento, CA – Set to release his new LOVE SONGS & LOW PASS FILTERS EP on November 12, 2021, CJ WASHINGTON is a Sacramento-based pop, R&B, and soul singer-songwriter and guitarist. Inspired by John Mayer, Chris Brown, Stevie Wonder, and R&B singer Joe, Cj Washington began playing guitar as a young kid and has gone on to work with talented and influential artists including P. Diddy. Cj has previously released two EPs, Soulacoustic and Spend the Night, and has also landed credits with Berner &B-Real on their Los Meros album, as well as with Capolow on the track “Lately.”
LOVE SONGS & LOW PASS FILTERS EP brings together elements of guitar and hip-hop drums in an up-tempo collection of pop and R&B songs performed entirely by Cj Washington. Co-written with his producing partner Vidal Garcia and friend Devin Wright, the EP was recorded at the WAV Lounge throughout 2020 and into 2021. LOVE SONGS & LOW PASS FILTERS EP is full of catchy tracks that get the head nodding while conveying the ups and downs of life and relationships as Cj sees them, such as on the track “Upside Down” about the love-hate relationship between an addict and their addiction, or on the track “Him” about missed opportunities and seeing someone you love with somebody else.
Cj Washington is a talented producer who has worked with several notable artists. In 2020, he contributed production and instrumentation for the track “Live Your Life” from the Berner & B-Real album Los Meros, and also for two songs from the Berner and Cozmo album Respect the Connect, “Mind Racin’” and “What It Came To.” In 2020 Cj Washington also provided production and instrumentation to the Capolow track “Lately” from the album Kid Next Door.
Cj Washington’s music career began at a young age in 2007. His father was incredibly influential in this phase of Cj’s journey, uploading talent show and cover performances to YouTube and helping him to develop his talent as the views came pouring in. They began talking to different labels and in 2009 heard about auditions for a new show called MTV’s P. Diddy’s Starmaker. Cj (then known as Christopherjohn) starred as a contestant on the show that reached millions of viewers worldwide. Filmed in a mansion in Los Angeles, the whole experience was profound for Cj, who learned personally from P. Diddy and gained real world music business experience. Ten years later Cj Washington was also featured on NBC’s The Voice Season 17.
Prior to filming for The Voice in 2019, Cj Washington released his debut Soulacoustic EP. Recorded mostly at home studios, with four of the tracks self-produced by Cj and another three tracks produced by Vidal Garcia, this remarkable debut introduced Cj to the music scene as a fully formed artist with a sound all his own. Soon after his appearance on The Voice in 2020, Cj Washington released his second EP titled Spend the Night. Recorded at the WAV Lounge in Vallejo, CA, where Cj was able to put more time and effort into the production, the Spend the Night EP was a more polished effort that was written and produced with Vidal Garcia and featured A-Wax on the track “Playin’ With Fire.”
Cj Washington currently performs live 3-5 nights a week around the greater Sacramento area. Check out his website for more information and keep an eye out for more material coming soon!
For more information about CJ WASHINGTON and his new LOVE SONGS & LOW PASS FILTERS EP please visit: www.cjwashingtonmusic.com
To order or stream LOVE SONGS & LOW PASS FILTERS EP please visit:
“In a singer – songwriter style, Stoner parades 9 moments of emotion being here and there helped by his daughter Lily Stoner in some duets. Also invaluable contributors are Maya Elise, percussionist Mike Stevens, and Ben Bernstein, which contributes a fabulous guitar solo in the title theme, a track that ends this record in a brilliant way and remembers the Eagles.”
This episode of Big Blend Radio features Berkley, California singer-songwriter Robert Stoner, who has just released his debut album YEAR OF PAIN. He has written and performed music for many years, and now with the help of producer Ben Bernstein, wrote and recorded YEAR OF PAIN over the last year. This impressively strong debut showcases his personal and nuanced grappling with issues ranging from the specific challenges of children growing up and keeping a marriage fresh, to the trials and tribulations of our modern times. More: https://robertstoner.bandcamp.com
ROBERT STONER is a singer-songwriter from Berkeley, CA. He has written and performed music for many years, and now with the help of producer Ben Bernstein has released his debut album YEAR OF PAIN on July 9, 2021. ROBERT STONER, who also goes by Bob, wrote and recorded YEAR OF PAIN over the last year. This impressively strong debut showcases his personal and nuanced grappling with issues ranging from the specific challenges of children growing up and keeping a marriage fresh, to the trials and tribulations of our modern times.
The brother of a professional violinist in New York City, ROBERT STONER comes from a very musical family (one of his cousins even won the Tchaikovsky Competition in the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War, to great national acclaim). Despite the fact YEAR OF PAIN is his debut release, Bob Stoner is a prolific songwriter who has been writing songs his whole life, and he is already hard at work on his next release. “My songs seem to come in a pretty constant stream,” says Bob. “Songwriting to me is an ongoing process of listening, discovery, fleshing out of ideas, honing and sharpening, and trying to maintain or enhance the original creative energy through the production phase.”
Maintaining a day job as an economist means the songwriting process has not always been straightforward for Bob, but the left and right sides of his brain have fully coalesced on YEAR OF PAIN, resulting in a musical experience that is both provocative and enjoyable for the listener. He worked with Ben Bernstein at Ben Bernstein Music to produce the album, and Ben also contributed lead and electric guitar to the songs. YEAR OF PAIN also features vocal and instrumental contributions from singer-songwriter Maya Elise, and drums and percussion from Mike Stevens. Adding to the personal nature of the album is the artwork painted by Bob’s daughter Lily Stoner, who also contributed vocals on the release.
The songs on YEAR OF PAIN run the gamut from personal reflections on kids moving on in life (“Just a Riverboat”) or relationship difficulties (“Wait Until the Morning”) to commentary on the present state of ethics in the political realm (“The Principle”) and the difficulties that have become engrained in our modern era (“Year of Pain”). The song that leads off the album (“Just a Riverboat”) and the song that ends it (the title track “Year of Pain”) each hold special significance for Bob. “Just a Riverboat” reflects on the time his daughter Lily went off to college back East by way of a trip to New Orleans with friends. It was an exciting moment and an important milestone in her (and Bob’s!) life, and the New Orleans imagery provided the perfect backdrop for the song. “Year of Pain” is a song that sums up the difficult times we live in, with political dysfunction, gun deaths, and growing intolerance leading the list.
ROBERT STONER has many influences in his songwriting, but his sound is uniquely his own. This comes from his eclectic taste in music (which includes everything from classical to showtunes to folk and blues), as well as a relatively long period of time spent amalgamating these influences before his debut album. People have said his songs have echoes of Leonard Cohen, Van Morrison, and Bob Dylan – “I don’t know about that, but I will take the compliment!” says Bob. YEAR OF PAIN showcases Bob Stoner’s writing in the singer-songwriter genre, but he also composes fully instrumental music for the piano and has plans to release an album of that music as well.
“Year of Pain from Robert Stoner [is] a reflective, folksy, rural collection of ballads. Opening with Just a Riverboat, a cool folk ballad duet with vocal and violin accompaniment by May Elise, Stoner shows clear songwriting talent and good balance between vocal and accompaniment. Nicely crafted, Holy Grail, is one of my favorite tracks on the release with a haunting melody, nicely blended vocals and guitar work. Another solid track is Hear Their Voices with a strong melody and subtle backing vocals behind Stoner’s lead vocal and guitar. Wrapping the release is title track, Year of Pain a solid ballad and it’s reflection on today’s issues.”
“Californian dreamer gets down to earth to suffer and sympathize to the sound of a hypnotic melody. Not for nothing Bob’s been one of America’s best-kept secrets, and his mature handling of regular matters seems well out of ordinary. Hopefully, with the year of pain crossing over into timelessness, this artist won’t stop being inspired to come up with new themes and tunes.”
“The nine tracks that make up the album have a very personal, vulnerable sound, as most of the songs only feature Robert’s vocals and an acoustic guitar with some occasional harmonies from fellow singer, songwriter Mary Elise. The album begins with the autobiographical tale of “Just A Riverboat” and the beautiful graceful ballad “Holy Grail.” The delivery of the poetic lyrics of “Out Of Time” and “Wait Until The Morning” demand your attention, as Robert sings about the struggles with personal relationships. He finishes his new album with the quiet, relaxed tone of “Hear Your Voices” and recollections of his past trials of life with “Year Of Pain.”“
“This rather delightful new album opens with the magnificently dulcet, seamlessly flowing Just a Riverboat and the reflective The Principle and backs those up with the Simon & Garfunkel-esque Holy Grail, the gently upbeat Out of Time and then the beautiful summers breeze of Head in the Sand.
Next up is the psych-imbed gossamer of Wait Until the Morning, which is itself followed by the low key ballad Rain Wash Away, and then comes one of my own personal favorites, the lo-fi storytelling of Hear Their Voices, with the album coming to a close on the recounting of difficulties we have all felt recently within Year of Pain.”
“A solid set of songs for aging children come, the economist that comes from a musical background pulls it all together nicely here. Pure recidivist coffeehouse folkie stuff from a sincere folkie singer/songwriter that has taken the long way around to get here.”
“This nine track album showcases his amazing talent as a songwriter and a performer with Ben Bernstein on lead and electric guitar, drums and percussion from Mike Stevens, additional vocals by Robert’s daughter Lily Stoner and vocal and instrumental contributions from singer-songwriter Maya Elise on such tracks as Just A Riverboat, The Principle, Out of Time, Wait Until The Morning, the title track Year Of Pain and much more. This album was well recorded and produced and I am looking forward to see what is next in his career as a songwriter/performer.”
“I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Out There, by Dan Ashley and it’s packed full of likely radio tracks. With hints of John Cougar and straight up radio rockers, Ashley is joined by Bill Bentley on guitar, bass and keys, Mike Vanderhule on drums and Cornell CC Carter, Angela Ashley and Angeline Bentley.”
“This quite stunningly opulent new album opens on the free wheelin’ River City and the AOR rocker Redbud Road and backs those up seamlessly with the mid-tempo pairing of both Nothing Now and What Really Matters and then we get the sweepingly beautiful, lo-fi guitar and piano ballad Lucky Stars.
Next up is one of my own personal favorites on this new album, the raucous rock ’n’ roll of Da Na Na Na Na which is in turn followed by the storytelling of Better Life, and then we get the foot-tapping melodies of the title track Out There, the rhythmic rock of Feel the Heat, with the album rounding out on the AOR of We Stayed Home, closing on the mid-tempo balladry of Now and Then.”
“This SF anchor rocks out as a very credible AOR bombast singer that knows how to rock out. You could give this set a blind fold test. You would place it firmly in the 70s but you’d place it a lot closer to Y&T than you would Ted Baxter. It’s clear he knows how to make news as well as report it.”
For Immediate Release – San Francisco, CA – Accomplished singer DAN ASHLEY brings a distinctive voice and his unique life experience to the Bay Area music scene with his exceptional blend of Americana and rock and roll. With the release of his remarkable new album OUT THERE on October 15, 2021, DAN ASHLEY shares in the joy, heartbreak, love, and loss that are part of our common humanity. Backed by a group of extraordinary musicians who have played and toured with an impressive list of major artists, Dan is thrilled to share his new music with his fans.
As a vocalist, DAN ASHLEY has led his highly acclaimed band for many years, headlining notable venues and opening for such great artists as REO Speedwagon, Rick Springfield, Cheap Trick, Eddie Money, Patti LaBelle, Melissa Etheridge and more. He has also shared the stage with many other consummate performers over the years including Dionne Warwick, Neal Schon (Journey), Brad Gillis (Night Ranger), and multiple Grammy winner Narada Michael Walden, among many others. Dan is regularly asked to perform the National Anthem at a variety of events, including for the NBA, MLB, NCAA, and NHL.
The new DAN ASHLEY album OUT THERE is the result of a powerful collaboration with his long-time friend, music producer, and writing partner Bill Bentley. The pair worked seamlessly together with a shared vision for what the album could be. Also contributing to OUT THERE are well respected musicians such as internationally acclaimed soul artist Cornell “CC” Carter and longtime Y&T drummer Mike Vanderhule. Both were so pleased upon hearing the initial tracks for OUT THERE that they offered to contribute to the material, and as a result elevated the album to a whole new level.
From upbeat and driving rockers to gentle ballads, all with a classic Americana and rock music sensibility, listeners will find a variety of songs on this new release. The title track “Out There” is a reflection on DAN ASHLEY’S lifelong fascination with the mystery and enormity of the universe, asking a basic question: if there is other life out there somewhere, do they suffer the same challenges that we all do? Dan sings, “Out there, is there war, is there pain? Is there even much to gain by tearing each other down, like this theater in the round?” He sings about life’s formative experiences and endless summer days at his childhood home on “Redbud Road,” and salutes Americans across the country for doing what we had to do to protect ourselves and our communities from this pandemic with “We Stayed Home.” And he doesn’t forget to thank his “Lucky Stars” for the undeniable feeling of love, connection, and gratitude that comes with being with the perfect person for you, and the sense of gratefulness all of us should have for the many blessings in our lives.
DAN ASHLEY has been around music and passionate about it his entire life, starting as a child with guitar and piano lessons, and then singing in the junior choir at his church in North Carolina. Always the storyteller, Dan Ashley is also a journalist and news anchor for ABC7 – KGO Bay Area TV, and in his 35 years on television he has reported on a wide range of issues and events that affect our lives. Dan has covered stories all over the Bay Area, the country, and the world, and has received many industry awards including the prestigious DuPont Columbia Award, two Edward R. Murrow Awards for excellence in journalism, and numerous Emmy Awards for Best Newscast and Individual Reporting.
Dan Ashley also created the non-profit Rock the CASA Foundation to raise money through an annual concert to benefit the CASA organization and other charities, and over the years the event has featured several internationally known bands and artists. Dan is also performing alongside headliner Foghat at the Ojai Nest Fest Veterans Benefit in Ventura, CA, on October 2, 2021!
For more information about DAN ASHLEY and his new album OUT THERE please visit: www.danashleymusic.com
To order or stream the new DAN ASHLEY album OUT THERE please visit:
MISHA SEEFF is a teenage singer-songwriter who grew up in Canada, the US, and South Africa. His music has a classic acoustic pop sound, and he uses pictographic lyrics to tell stories both fictional and true. Now, a mere nine months after writing his first song, MISHA SEEFF introduces a world of fictional love stories, poetic lyrics, and lush melodies with his debut album DREAMHAVEN, set for release September 17, 2021. Featuring instrumentals reminiscent of classic 2000s bands and innovative vocal engineering, DREAMHAVEN feels like a perfect mix of the old and new. To coincide with the September 17 release, MISHA SEEFF will also broadcast a live performance virtual event online featuring songs from the album!
For MISHA SEEFF, music is an escape. It’s how he makes sense of the world around him, and how he deals with and expresses his emotions. He particularly loves telling stories through song. The first song that Misha ever wrote was called “apart,” a ballad that conveys the pain and longing of being far away from someone you love. Misha knew this was a universal experience for people around the world, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, and he understood that music could be one of the most powerful ways of sharing that experience.
DREAMHAVEN includes the first songs the teenage singer-songwriter ever wrote, such as “apart” and “valentine’s day,” and more recent work such as “april haze” and “your eyes.” The album was produced, recorded, and mixed by Ben Bernstein at Soniczen Records and Petting Zoo Studio in Oakland, CA, with additional vocal recording by Mark Ambrosino at The Madhouse in Queens, NY. DREAMHAVEN also features guitar work by Dave Shul, bass by Ben Bernstein, and drums and percussion from Andrew Griffin.
Misha says, “Telling fictional stories and turning them into music is one of the ways I process things happening in my life.” In his opinion, an amazing album has a song for everyone, so whether you’re enjoying love, stuck in heartbreak, or moving on, this album is for you. “If nothing else, producing the record was a massive growth experience,” says Misha. “I learned that one of the things people appreciate most about music is vulnerability, that magical moment where you can think deeper than the music and see what the artist was going through when they wrote the song. I wanted to reflect that.” Whether you’re listening to the calm heartbreak ballad “boardwalk” or the feel-good “dream,” MISHA SEEFF’s lyrics shine deeper than the surface-level message.
From a young age MISHA SEEFF had a passion for music and spent much of his childhood participating in community musical theater, taking violin lessons, and teaching himself how to play the piano. Misha began to experiment with writing his own original songs when the theaters went dark during the Covid-19 pandemic. He taught himself how to record and produce tracks and wrote most of his songs in his room on guitar and piano, with no idea he would ever professionally produce or release his material. The title track “dreamhaven” says it all in terms of what the album is about: thoughts and ideas collecting over time and being kept safe in a small corner of the mind.
MISHA SEEFF loves performing live and looks forward to playing some shows in his new home of New York in the coming months, and returning to San Francisco to perform as well.
For more information please visit the MISHA SEEFF website:
“This quite stunningly opulent new album opens on the free wheelin’ River City and the AOR rocker Redbud Road and backs those up seamlessly with the mid-tempo pairing of both Nothing Now and What Really Matters and then we get the sweepingly beautiful, lo-fi guitar and piano ballad Lucky Stars.
Next up is one of my own personal favorites on this new album, the raucous rock ’n’ roll of Da Na Na Na Na which is in turn followed by the storytelling of Better Life, and then we get the foot-tapping melodies of the title track Out There, the rhythmic rock of Feel the Heat, with the album rounding out on the AOR of We Stayed Home, closing on the mid-tempo balladry of Now and Then.”
“This SF anchor rocks out as a very credible AOR bombast singer that knows how to rock out. You could give this set a blind fold test. You would place it firmly in the 70s but you’d place it a lot closer to Y&T than you would Ted Baxter. It’s clear he knows how to make news as well as report it.”
For Immediate Release – San Francisco, CA – Accomplished singer DAN ASHLEY brings a distinctive voice and his unique life experience to the Bay Area music scene with his exceptional blend of Americana and rock and roll. With the release of his remarkable new album OUT THERE on October 15, 2021, DAN ASHLEY shares in the joy, heartbreak, love, and loss that are part of our common humanity. Backed by a group of extraordinary musicians who have played and toured with an impressive list of major artists, Dan is thrilled to share his new music with his fans.
As a vocalist, DAN ASHLEY has led his highly acclaimed band for many years, headlining notable venues and opening for such great artists as REO Speedwagon, Rick Springfield, Cheap Trick, Eddie Money, Patti LaBelle, Melissa Etheridge and more. He has also shared the stage with many other consummate performers over the years including Dionne Warwick, Neal Schon (Journey), Brad Gillis (Night Ranger), and multiple Grammy winner Narada Michael Walden, among many others. Dan is regularly asked to perform the National Anthem at a variety of events, including for the NBA, MLB, NCAA, and NHL.
The new DAN ASHLEY album OUT THERE is the result of a powerful collaboration with his long-time friend, music producer, and writing partner Bill Bentley. The pair worked seamlessly together with a shared vision for what the album could be. Also contributing to OUT THERE are well respected musicians such as internationally acclaimed soul artist Cornell “CC” Carter and longtime Y&T drummer Mike Vanderhule. Both were so pleased upon hearing the initial tracks for OUT THERE that they offered to contribute to the material, and as a result elevated the album to a whole new level.
From upbeat and driving rockers to gentle ballads, all with a classic Americana and rock music sensibility, listeners will find a variety of songs on this new release. The title track “Out There” is a reflection on DAN ASHLEY’S lifelong fascination with the mystery and enormity of the universe, asking a basic question: if there is other life out there somewhere, do they suffer the same challenges that we all do? Dan sings, “Out there, is there war, is there pain? Is there even much to gain by tearing each other down, like this theater in the round?” He sings about life’s formative experiences and endless summer days at his childhood home on “Redbud Road,” and salutes Americans across the country for doing what we had to do to protect ourselves and our communities from this pandemic with “We Stayed Home.” And he doesn’t forget to thank his “Lucky Stars” for the undeniable feeling of love, connection, and gratitude that comes with being with the perfect person for you, and the sense of gratefulness all of us should have for the many blessings in our lives.
DAN ASHLEY has been around music and passionate about it his entire life, starting as a child with guitar and piano lessons, and then singing in the junior choir at his church in North Carolina. Always the storyteller, Dan Ashley is also a journalist and news anchor for ABC7 – KGO Bay Area TV, and in his 35 years on television he has reported on a wide range of issues and events that affect our lives. Dan has covered stories all over the Bay Area, the country, and the world, and has received many industry awards including the prestigious DuPont Columbia Award, two Edward R. Murrow Awards for excellence in journalism, and numerous Emmy Awards for Best Newscast and Individual Reporting.
Dan Ashley also created the non-profit Rock the CASA Foundation to raise money through an annual concert to benefit the CASA organization and other charities, and over the years the event has featured several internationally known bands and artists. Dan is also performing alongside headliner Foghat at the Ojai Nest Fest Veterans Benefit in Ventura, CA, on October 2, 2021!
For more information about DAN ASHLEY and his new album OUT THERE please visit: www.danashleymusic.com
To order or stream the new DAN ASHLEY album OUT THERE please visit:
This episode of Big Blend Radio features Berkley, California singer-songwriter Robert Stoner, who has just released his debut album YEAR OF PAIN. He has written and performed music for many years, and now with the help of producer Ben Bernstein, wrote and recorded YEAR OF PAIN over the last year. This impressively strong debut showcases his personal and nuanced grappling with issues ranging from the specific challenges of children growing up and keeping a marriage fresh, to the trials and tribulations of our modern times. More: https://robertstoner.bandcamp.com
ROBERT STONER is a singer-songwriter from Berkeley, CA. He has written and performed music for many years, and now with the help of producer Ben Bernstein has released his debut album YEAR OF PAIN on July 9, 2021. ROBERT STONER, who also goes by Bob, wrote and recorded YEAR OF PAIN over the last year. This impressively strong debut showcases his personal and nuanced grappling with issues ranging from the specific challenges of children growing up and keeping a marriage fresh, to the trials and tribulations of our modern times.
The brother of a professional violinist in New York City, ROBERT STONER comes from a very musical family (one of his cousins even won the Tchaikovsky Competition in the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War, to great national acclaim). Despite the fact YEAR OF PAIN is his debut release, Bob Stoner is a prolific songwriter who has been writing songs his whole life, and he is already hard at work on his next release. “My songs seem to come in a pretty constant stream,” says Bob. “Songwriting to me is an ongoing process of listening, discovery, fleshing out of ideas, honing and sharpening, and trying to maintain or enhance the original creative energy through the production phase.”
Maintaining a day job as an economist means the songwriting process has not always been straightforward for Bob, but the left and right sides of his brain have fully coalesced on YEAR OF PAIN, resulting in a musical experience that is both provocative and enjoyable for the listener. He worked with Ben Bernstein at Ben Bernstein Music to produce the album, and Ben also contributed lead and electric guitar to the songs. YEAR OF PAIN also features vocal and instrumental contributions from singer-songwriter Maya Elise, and drums and percussion from Mike Stevens. Adding to the personal nature of the album is the artwork painted by Bob’s daughter Lily Stoner, who also contributed vocals on the release.
The songs on YEAR OF PAIN run the gamut from personal reflections on kids moving on in life (“Just a Riverboat”) or relationship difficulties (“Wait Until the Morning”) to commentary on the present state of ethics in the political realm (“The Principle”) and the difficulties that have become engrained in our modern era (“Year of Pain”). The song that leads off the album (“Just a Riverboat”) and the song that ends it (the title track “Year of Pain”) each hold special significance for Bob. “Just a Riverboat” reflects on the time his daughter Lily went off to college back East by way of a trip to New Orleans with friends. It was an exciting moment and an important milestone in her (and Bob’s!) life, and the New Orleans imagery provided the perfect backdrop for the song. “Year of Pain” is a song that sums up the difficult times we live in, with political dysfunction, gun deaths, and growing intolerance leading the list.
ROBERT STONER has many influences in his songwriting, but his sound is uniquely his own. This comes from his eclectic taste in music (which includes everything from classical to showtunes to folk and blues), as well as a relatively long period of time spent amalgamating these influences before his debut album. People have said his songs have echoes of Leonard Cohen, Van Morrison, and Bob Dylan – “I don’t know about that, but I will take the compliment!” says Bob. YEAR OF PAIN showcases Bob Stoner’s writing in the singer-songwriter genre, but he also composes fully instrumental music for the piano and has plans to release an album of that music as well.
“Year of Pain from Robert Stoner [is] a reflective, folksy, rural collection of ballads. Opening with Just a Riverboat, a cool folk ballad duet with vocal and violin accompaniment by May Elise, Stoner shows clear songwriting talent and good balance between vocal and accompaniment. Nicely crafted, Holy Grail, is one of my favorite tracks on the release with a haunting melody, nicely blended vocals and guitar work. Another solid track is Hear Their Voices with a strong melody and subtle backing vocals behind Stoner’s lead vocal and guitar. Wrapping the release is title track, Year of Pain a solid ballad and it’s reflection on today’s issues.”
“Californian dreamer gets down to earth to suffer and sympathize to the sound of a hypnotic melody. Not for nothing Bob’s been one of America’s best-kept secrets, and his mature handling of regular matters seems well out of ordinary. Hopefully, with the year of pain crossing over into timelessness, this artist won’t stop being inspired to come up with new themes and tunes.”
“The nine tracks that make up the album have a very personal, vulnerable sound, as most of the songs only feature Robert’s vocals and an acoustic guitar with some occasional harmonies from fellow singer, songwriter Mary Elise. The album begins with the autobiographical tale of “Just A Riverboat” and the beautiful graceful ballad “Holy Grail.” The delivery of the poetic lyrics of “Out Of Time” and “Wait Until The Morning” demand your attention, as Robert sings about the struggles with personal relationships. He finishes his new album with the quiet, relaxed tone of “Hear Your Voices” and recollections of his past trials of life with “Year Of Pain.”“
“This rather delightful new album opens with the magnificently dulcet, seamlessly flowing Just a Riverboat and the reflective The Principle and backs those up with the Simon & Garfunkel-esque Holy Grail, the gently upbeat Out of Time and then the beautiful summers breeze of Head in the Sand.
Next up is the psych-imbed gossamer of Wait Until the Morning, which is itself followed by the low key ballad Rain Wash Away, and then comes one of my own personal favorites, the lo-fi storytelling of Hear Their Voices, with the album coming to a close on the recounting of difficulties we have all felt recently within Year of Pain.”
“A solid set of songs for aging children come, the economist that comes from a musical background pulls it all together nicely here. Pure recidivist coffeehouse folkie stuff from a sincere folkie singer/songwriter that has taken the long way around to get here.”
“This nine track album showcases his amazing talent as a songwriter and a performer with Ben Bernstein on lead and electric guitar, drums and percussion from Mike Stevens, additional vocals by Robert’s daughter Lily Stoner and vocal and instrumental contributions from singer-songwriter Maya Elise on such tracks as Just A Riverboat, The Principle, Out of Time, Wait Until The Morning, the title track Year Of Pain and much more. This album was well recorded and produced and I am looking forward to see what is next in his career as a songwriter/performer.”
“From the instrumental lines to the vocals section, Sheridan’s “On Myself” exudes emotion. While the rhythmic tempo is dynamic, and perhaps accelerated, the overall climate is smooth, relaxed, mature. The same maturity that is noticed in the feelings that are manifested from the flowing and relaxed bars.”
A unique visual experience featuring music from the release along with some old favorites and special guests, the SHERIDAN “ON MYSELF” IDC Virtual Event was broadcast on YouTube July 2, 2021!
“‘On Myself’ is easily the most stunning hip hop track I’ve heard this year. The cinematically arresting title single is the perfect introduction to the prolific artist’s soulfully evocative style. The tender piano keys which pick up jazz and neo-classical sensibilities in their progressions give ‘On Myself’ a stunning ambience, while the indie feel to the production allows SHERIDAN’s deeply resonant vocals to hit even harder.”
“Opening on the one-two dubstep of Wheres The Ref? and the laid back, late night ambiance of The Don (feat. Don Pablo & Drae V), they are backed by the beautiful, free flowing majesty of Rewinds and the near acoustic rap-pop bounce of Hell. Next up is the rap-rocker Like You Did and the finger-snapppin Actin Funny, with this new EP rounding out on the swarthy Walk Away (feat. Anthony Kannon), closing on the quietly rhythmic R&B of the title track On Myself.”
“On Myself features eight tracks, beginning with Sheridan rolling through the poetic hip-hop-style lyrics of “Where’s The Ref?” without missing a beat. The album then moves toward an R&B direction with the smooth sounds of “Hell,” while “Like You Did” finds Sheridan stepping outside his comfort zone for this addictive alternative-pop melody. He wraps up his new album with strong, repetitive chorus of “Walk Away,” which is unforgettable, along with the mellow vibe of the album closer “On Myself.”“
For Immediate Release – San Francisco, CA – Independent artist and music producer SHERIDAN (aka Sheridan Carter Crane) has recorded and released over 20 songs in the last two years, setting the stage for his new EP release ON MYSELF that drops worldwide in stores and online June 18, 2021. The ON MYSELF EP also features BDT Don Pablo and Drae V on the powerful and commanding track “The Don” and Anthony Kannon on the heartfelt and introspective “Walk Away.” The first single “Where’s the Ref?” releases online May 28, and SHERIDAN will also broadcast an ON MYSELF VIRTUAL EVENT release show via YouTube on July 2. The virtual event will be a unique visual experience featuring music from the release along with some old favorites and special guests.
Born in Boulder, CO, but raised a few hundred miles north of New York City in Cortland, Upstate New York, SHERIDAN is 22 years old and has spent the last four years writing, recording, and compiling a vast assortment of hip hop and pop musical compositions. All the songs from the ON MYSELF EP were recorded within a year of being written back at his home studio in Cortland, allowing you to hear exactly where SHERIDAN’s mind has been lately and what he has been dealing with throughout this crazy time in the world. He now works from his own home studio in San Francisco where he has recorded hundreds of tracks and continues to develop new material.
Exposed to many styles of music growing up, SHERIDAN is an artist with many life experiences that continue to influence his music. When he first began writing and recording sometime during his junior year of high school in 2016, he never imagined he would be releasing his own original music and songs. His first true passion was basketball, and his heart was set on playing in college and eventually the NBA. “Making music my life wasn’t something I ever planned to do,” says SHERIDAN, “but music was something my life showed me I needed.”
After the tragic loss of his mom in 2019, he decided it was finally time to put out his self-titled Sheridan Carter Crane. With a surplus of tracks to pick from, he chose a select few, including his mom’s favorites that would add to the story he was trying to tell, and filled in the blanks with new ideas inspired by the emotions he felt from her passing. Released on December 23, 2019, Sheridan Carter Crane is available worldwide on all digital platforms and has received incredible response from blogs and reviewers including Upstate Aesthetic and Not Ya Manz.
Over the last few years SHERIDAN has had multiple close friends pass away and has endured an unfortunate amount of heartbreak. In 2020, less than a month after moving to San Francisco to attend the production school Pyramind, he also had all his music equipment stolen in the moving process. Despite these setbacks, he has since rebuilt his home studio and kept his focus on family, honoring his mother, and sharing his music with the world.
SHERIDAN also continues to work on multiple other projects and for the first time ever is releasing tracks with other producers. He is also co-host of a local music podcast run by Upstate Aesthetic. The release of the new ON MYSELF EP marks an exciting milestone for SHERIDAN. Expect much more from this sensational new artist in the months and years to come.
“Overall, I just want to be seen as unapologetically being me. So whether you love it or hate it, shove it or break it…I just hope it made you feel.” -Sheridan
To purchase or stream the new ON MYSELF EP please visit:
MISHA SEEFF is a teenage singer-songwriter who grew up in Canada, the US, and South Africa. His music has a classic acoustic pop sound, and he uses pictographic lyrics to tell stories both fictional and true. Now, a mere nine months after writing his first song, MISHA SEEFF introduces a world of fictional love stories, poetic lyrics, and lush melodies with his debut album DREAMHAVEN, set for release September 17, 2021. Featuring instrumentals reminiscent of classic 2000s bands and innovative vocal engineering, DREAMHAVEN feels like a perfect mix of the old and new. To coincide with the September 17 release, MISHA SEEFF will also broadcast a live performance virtual event online featuring songs from the album!
For MISHA SEEFF, music is an escape. It’s how he makes sense of the world around him, and how he deals with and expresses his emotions. He particularly loves telling stories through song. The first song that Misha ever wrote was called “apart,” a ballad that conveys the pain and longing of being far away from someone you love. Misha knew this was a universal experience for people around the world, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, and he understood that music could be one of the most powerful ways of sharing that experience.
DREAMHAVEN includes the first songs the teenage singer-songwriter ever wrote, such as “apart” and “valentine’s day,” and more recent work such as “april haze” and “your eyes.” The album was produced, recorded, and mixed by Ben Bernstein at Soniczen Records and Petting Zoo Studio in Oakland, CA, with additional vocal recording by Mark Ambrosino at The Madhouse in Queens, NY. DREAMHAVEN also features guitar work by Dave Shul, bass by Ben Bernstein, and drums and percussion from Andrew Griffin.
Misha says, “Telling fictional stories and turning them into music is one of the ways I process things happening in my life.” In his opinion, an amazing album has a song for everyone, so whether you’re enjoying love, stuck in heartbreak, or moving on, this album is for you. “If nothing else, producing the record was a massive growth experience,” says Misha. “I learned that one of the things people appreciate most about music is vulnerability, that magical moment where you can think deeper than the music and see what the artist was going through when they wrote the song. I wanted to reflect that.” Whether you’re listening to the calm heartbreak ballad “boardwalk” or the feel-good “dream,” MISHA SEEFF’s lyrics shine deeper than the surface-level message.
From a young age MISHA SEEFF had a passion for music and spent much of his childhood participating in community musical theater, taking violin lessons, and teaching himself how to play the piano. Misha began to experiment with writing his own original songs when the theaters went dark during the Covid-19 pandemic. He taught himself how to record and produce tracks and wrote most of his songs in his room on guitar and piano, with no idea he would ever professionally produce or release his material. The title track “dreamhaven” says it all in terms of what the album is about: thoughts and ideas collecting over time and being kept safe in a small corner of the mind.
MISHA SEEFF loves performing live and looks forward to playing some shows in his new home of New York in the coming months, and returning to San Francisco to perform as well.
For more information please visit the MISHA SEEFF website:
“I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Out There, by Dan Ashley and it’s packed full of likely radio tracks. With hints of John Cougar and straight up radio rockers, Ashley is joined by Bill Bentley on guitar, bass and keys, Mike Vanderhule on drums and Cornell CC Carter, Angela Ashley and Angeline Bentley.”
“This SF anchor rocks out as a very credible AOR bombast singer that knows how to rock out. You could give this set a blind fold test. You would place it firmly in the 70s but you’d place it a lot closer to Y&T than you would Ted Baxter. It’s clear he knows how to make news as well as report it.”
For Immediate Release – San Francisco, CA – Accomplished singer DAN ASHLEY brings a distinctive voice and his unique life experience to the Bay Area music scene with his exceptional blend of Americana and rock and roll. With the release of his remarkable new album OUT THERE on October 15, 2021, DAN ASHLEY shares in the joy, heartbreak, love, and loss that are part of our common humanity. Backed by a group of extraordinary musicians who have played and toured with an impressive list of major artists, Dan is thrilled to share his new music with his fans.
As a vocalist, DAN ASHLEY has led his highly acclaimed band for many years, headlining notable venues and opening for such great artists as REO Speedwagon, Rick Springfield, Cheap Trick, Eddie Money, Patti LaBelle, Melissa Etheridge and more. He has also shared the stage with many other consummate performers over the years including Dionne Warwick, Neal Schon (Journey), Brad Gillis (Night Ranger), and multiple Grammy winner Narada Michael Walden, among many others. Dan is regularly asked to perform the National Anthem at a variety of events, including for the NBA, MLB, NCAA, and NHL.
The new DAN ASHLEY album OUT THERE is the result of a powerful collaboration with his long-time friend, music producer, and writing partner Bill Bentley. The pair worked seamlessly together with a shared vision for what the album could be. Also contributing to OUT THERE are well respected musicians such as internationally acclaimed soul artist Cornell “CC” Carter and longtime Y&T drummer Mike Vanderhule. Both were so pleased upon hearing the initial tracks for OUT THERE that they offered to contribute to the material, and as a result elevated the album to a whole new level.
From upbeat and driving rockers to gentle ballads, all with a classic Americana and rock music sensibility, listeners will find a variety of songs on this new release. The title track “Out There” is a reflection on DAN ASHLEY’S lifelong fascination with the mystery and enormity of the universe, asking a basic question: if there is other life out there somewhere, do they suffer the same challenges that we all do? Dan sings, “Out there, is there war, is there pain? Is there even much to gain by tearing each other down, like this theater in the round?” He sings about life’s formative experiences and endless summer days at his childhood home on “Redbud Road,” and salutes Americans across the country for doing what we had to do to protect ourselves and our communities from this pandemic with “We Stayed Home.” And he doesn’t forget to thank his “Lucky Stars” for the undeniable feeling of love, connection, and gratitude that comes with being with the perfect person for you, and the sense of gratefulness all of us should have for the many blessings in our lives.
DAN ASHLEY has been around music and passionate about it his entire life, starting as a child with guitar and piano lessons, and then singing in the junior choir at his church in North Carolina. Always the storyteller, Dan Ashley is also a journalist and news anchor for ABC7 – KGO Bay Area TV, and in his 35 years on television he has reported on a wide range of issues and events that affect our lives. Dan has covered stories all over the Bay Area, the country, and the world, and has received many industry awards including the prestigious DuPont Columbia Award, two Edward R. Murrow Awards for excellence in journalism, and numerous Emmy Awards for Best Newscast and Individual Reporting.
Dan Ashley also created the non-profit Rock the CASA Foundation to raise money through an annual concert to benefit the CASA organization and other charities, and over the years the event has featured several internationally known bands and artists. Dan is also performing alongside headliner Foghat at the Ojai Nest Fest Veterans Benefit in Ventura, CA, on October 2, 2021!
For more information about DAN ASHLEY and his new album OUT THERE please visit: www.danashleymusic.com
To order or stream the new DAN ASHLEY album OUT THERE please visit:
“This SF anchor rocks out as a very credible AOR bombast singer that knows how to rock out. You could give this set a blind fold test. You would place it firmly in the 70s but you’d place it a lot closer to Y&T than you would Ted Baxter. It’s clear he knows how to make news as well as report it.”
For Immediate Release – San Francisco, CA – Accomplished singer DAN ASHLEY brings a distinctive voice and his unique life experience to the Bay Area music scene with his exceptional blend of Americana and rock and roll. With the release of his remarkable new album OUT THERE on October 15, 2021, DAN ASHLEY shares in the joy, heartbreak, love, and loss that are part of our common humanity. Backed by a group of extraordinary musicians who have played and toured with an impressive list of major artists, Dan is thrilled to share his new music with his fans.
As a vocalist, DAN ASHLEY has led his highly acclaimed band for many years, headlining notable venues and opening for such great artists as REO Speedwagon, Rick Springfield, Cheap Trick, Eddie Money, Patti LaBelle, Melissa Etheridge and more. He has also shared the stage with many other consummate performers over the years including Dionne Warwick, Neal Schon (Journey), Brad Gillis (Night Ranger), and multiple Grammy winner Narada Michael Walden, among many others. Dan is regularly asked to perform the National Anthem at a variety of events, including for the NBA, MLB, NCAA, and NHL.
The new DAN ASHLEY album OUT THERE is the result of a powerful collaboration with his long-time friend, music producer, and writing partner Bill Bentley. The pair worked seamlessly together with a shared vision for what the album could be. Also contributing to OUT THERE are well respected musicians such as internationally acclaimed soul artist Cornell “CC” Carter and longtime Y&T drummer Mike Vanderhule. Both were so pleased upon hearing the initial tracks for OUT THERE that they offered to contribute to the material, and as a result elevated the album to a whole new level.
From upbeat and driving rockers to gentle ballads, all with a classic Americana and rock music sensibility, listeners will find a variety of songs on this new release. The title track “Out There” is a reflection on DAN ASHLEY’S lifelong fascination with the mystery and enormity of the universe, asking a basic question: if there is other life out there somewhere, do they suffer the same challenges that we all do? Dan sings, “Out there, is there war, is there pain? Is there even much to gain by tearing each other down, like this theater in the round?” He sings about life’s formative experiences and endless summer days at his childhood home on “Redbud Road,” and salutes Americans across the country for doing what we had to do to protect ourselves and our communities from this pandemic with “We Stayed Home.” And he doesn’t forget to thank his “Lucky Stars” for the undeniable feeling of love, connection, and gratitude that comes with being with the perfect person for you, and the sense of gratefulness all of us should have for the many blessings in our lives.
DAN ASHLEY has been around music and passionate about it his entire life, starting as a child with guitar and piano lessons, and then singing in the junior choir at his church in North Carolina. Always the storyteller, Dan Ashley is also a journalist and news anchor for ABC7 – KGO Bay Area TV, and in his 35 years on television he has reported on a wide range of issues and events that affect our lives. Dan has covered stories all over the Bay Area, the country, and the world, and has received many industry awards including the prestigious DuPont Columbia Award, two Edward R. Murrow Awards for excellence in journalism, and numerous Emmy Awards for Best Newscast and Individual Reporting.
Dan Ashley also created the non-profit Rock the CASA Foundation to raise money through an annual concert to benefit the CASA organization and other charities, and over the years the event has featured several internationally known bands and artists. Dan is also performing alongside headliner Foghat at the Ojai Nest Fest Veterans Benefit in Ventura, CA, on October 2, 2021!
For more information about DAN ASHLEY and his new album OUT THERE please visit: www.danashleymusic.com
To order or stream the new DAN ASHLEY album OUT THERE please visit: