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“One of the year‘s best roots rock releases.” - The Washington Post “Exquisite.” - Performing Songwriter “His own compelling musical voice.” - Acoustic Guitar “Concise guitar driven power pop...
Fans of Gin Blossoms and Wilco will swoon.” - Rolling Stone “One of the Top 12 Debut Records of the Year.” - Paste
I’m the son of a preacher man. I was born in Philadelphia, raised in New Jersey and now Northern Virginia (where I moved to run a music venue with my brothers jamminjava.com) is where I call home.
I grew up in a family that valued and encouraged music and it most definitely had a huge effect on me. I decided early on that making music was all I wanted to do and I set out to do just that. Life up to this point might have been easier had I never picked up a guitar or written a song. There was certainly more money and security to be found in other ways but that was never why I chose this path. To be anything but would mean being somebody else. Difficult as it can be, this is who I am.
Along the way I took a lot of “interesting” jobs to keep the lights turned on. I packed aquarium gravel in a factory in Lyndhurst, NJ, pumped gas, delivered sandwiches (once to Jimmy Webb’s
house!), worked at record company, a record store, as a painter, a carpenter, a photographer, a guitar effects pedal tester, and in an orphanage in Brazil. I’ve traveled widely: West Africa, Brazil, Eastern Europe and the UK but want to see and perform in so many more places.
I’ve released a handful of solo records and a few with a band my brother Daniel and I had called the Brindley Brothers - including one on the short-lived Paste Records.
I got married very young and recently adopted a drug exposed baby from Newark, NJ, giving our family a chance to change a life and redeem a tragic situation through real love and hard work. This incredible experience has wound its way into many of the songs I’ve written since we brought her into our lives.
My musical influences are broader than most musicians and singer/songwriters I meet. Sometimes I’m not sure exactly where my music and I fit in with the rest of the world. I studied guitar formally at Rutgers with free jazz pioneer Ornette Coleman’s guitarist. I grew up on skate rock/punk and 80’s pop but I love West African guitar, early soul and R&B. Ultimately, I am drawn to any kind of music that is honest and heartfelt and played with passion.
My life plays out in my songs and every so often I go into a studio and put pieces of my story in a record. Maybe one day some of my great-great grandkids will listen back and get to know me long after I’ve left this earth. For that matter, It’s a great way to get to know me right now because I really don’t talk too much.
My new record just came out this week on I-Tunes and CD Baby. I have included a video talking about the record, hope you enjoy it! Please leave us some feedback to let us know what you think! Thanks for your support.
-Ray Stephenson
PS: This album would make a great stocking stuffer ;)
Hey register to our website!!! We need some activity and you can get some free stuff out of it!!! http://seeyousunday.webs.com/ We would really appreciate it !!
hoping to catcha at club cafe or jammin java....tours are intersecting!! big ups re:your recent bloggage about the tunage. keep on rocking in the free world!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~sk~
TAE SEANS NEW SINGLEs IS HERE NOW "A+ SHORTY" and "MY RIDE" YOU can now add to your playlist.. YOU CAN ALSO DOWNLOAD on snocap or soundclick..RINGtones on thumb play .. THANKS 4 Da support.. ANY REQUEST ?? JUST GET AT ME..
This is Mike Watert -- the Chief Engineer at Studio 8121 (www.studio8121.com). Just wanted to thank you for your support. Also wanted to let you know that in your search for a studio for your next project, here is one thing you need to remember that sets us apart from all the rest:
VIBE
Whether recording music, editing sound for picture, working on post-production, doing foley, recording ADR, or recording an audiobook -- the mood, feel, and flow of a session can have a tremendous influence over the success of a project.
The sleek and inviting design of Studio 8121 gives our sessions a very comfortable feel and creative tone. Instead of feeling trapped or isolated in the studio, the atmosphere created at Studio 8121 allows our clients to open up feeling liberated and inspired while they work. We also provide our clients with the care and attention that they need, which allows them to focus on performing, channel inspiration and function at their highest potential.
Hope to be working with you soon.
Mike Watert Chief Engineer Studio 8121 - Where Sound and Inspiration Meet! www.studio8121.com
KEEP UP THE GOODWORK THANKS 4 DA SUPPORT KING D ROYALTY THE KING OF RAPSOUL&POPSOUL A NEW ERA&GENRE OF MUSIC KEEP N CONTACT 1 LUV RAPSOULMUSIC.COM&POPSOULMUSIC.COM "DONT LET THEM HATERS STOP U AT THE END OF THE DAY THEY WANNA BE U"...
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