|
As many of you already know, the definition of the "Construction Zone" has adapted to changing times, growing interest and the spirit of open collaboration. We consider any songwriter coming to Sturgeon Bay June 7-14 wanting to participate to be part of the Construction Zone. That being said, it is simply IMPOSSIBLE to list everyone here! We have SO MANY returing writers from previous years and literally 100s of new writers coming to our city to donate their talents to the cause (we are SO THANKFUL!!!) ANNOUNCING
THESE FIRST-TIME STEEL BRIDGE WRITERS: DELANEY DAVIDSON  Delaney Davidson; born northern island of New Zealand,1972, age 0. Shipped down to Christchurch in a shoe box at 5 months old, after seeing the Rolling Stones play at 2 months old. Voted "Biggest Dreamer" in primary school, until he went to Special Dreamers School. Asked to leave Special Dreamers School after being suspended four times at the ripe old age of 14. Left New Zealand and migrated over the ditch to Australia to fail last year of school. Moved back to New Zealand and began his career in the Catering Industry, with training at the Rangiora Training Prison (R.T.P.), learnt to drink Whisky, and was fired from his first job as 2nd chef for urinating on the bar. Moved back to Australia, after this eventful year, and started playing music in Bars. "Doghouse" with Nique Needles, Stu Thomas and Mark Di Marzio, soon morphed into the Groundbreaking "the Brass Bed". 2002 found him married and living in Bern Switzerland, where he met with "the Dead Brothers" and signed up. After enjoying the various successes of being a voodoo rhythm artist and other projects (Delemmis Caravan Basement Band, the OTIACS, and Alpine Cretins) aswell as 7 years of swiss life, Delaney now lives in his homeland of New Zealand in Wellington. He has released his first solo album "Rough Diamond" and plans the release of his second album within the next 6 months, with his Rough Diamond Ghost Orchestra. He also tours Solo with his Phantom Band,and has toured and played with "the Mysterious Tapeman", "the Reverend Beatman", "Posessed by Paul James", "G.Rag and los Hermanos Patchekos" and plans to tour the United States in October/November with Holly Go Lightly and the Brokeoffs. ----------------------------- WALLY INGRAM  Wisconsin-born percussionist Wally Ingram is the rock world's version of Kevin Bacon & there aren't too many degrees of separation between him and just about every star on stage over the past decade or so. A frightening battle with cancer forced Wally to step away from a magical time on the road with Eric Burdon and the Animals but he's back, healthy, happy and soaring after a massive outpouring of love and support from family, fans and friends and again playing percussion with longtime friend Sheryl Crow on the world tour in support of her incredible new Detours CD. If ever there were a drummer in demand enough to be cloned, it would be Wally! He's been a favorite of everyone from Sheryl and Eric Burdon to Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, David Lindley (with whom he and fans alike enjoyed a long collaboration), James Taylor, Warren Zevon, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Bruce Hornsby, Shawn Colvin, Jennifer Wanres, John Trudell, Tracy Chapman, Crowded House and was one of the members of the popular Grammy-nominated band Timbuk3. When not on tour with any one (or two!) of those legendary artists, Wally revels in playing with his good friends Dave Schools, Jerry Joseph and Danny Dziuck in Stockholm Syndrome and also with his Alektrophobia partner Eric McFadden. ---------------------------------- LOREN WOLLERMAN  FACT: Loren attended Music School at Viterbo College. FACT: Loren is a founding member of Whore du Jour. FACT: Loren holds a degree in Audio Engineering and Recording from Madison Media Institute. FACT: Loren is a member of Jane Wiedlin’s “Lady Robotika”. FACT: Jane Wiedlin is producing Whore du Jour’s debut. FACT: Loren sings and plays keyboards, guitar and trumpet. RECENT SHOWS: Whore du Jour -Madison Area Music Awards (2009) Whore du Jour/Go Go’s-House of Blues-Chicago (2008) Lady Robotika-Steelbridge Songfest (2008) My life has been centered around music ever since I can remember. I started piano lessons at a young age, and I quickly started skipping the lessons to compose my own little numbers and performing them for my family. I also was fortunate enough to have a school that got us involved in instrumental music at a young age. I started playing the trumpet and later joined the marching and pep bands at school. I was also very involved with choir. When it was time to pick a major, I went to Viterbo College in LaCrosse, WI. on a vocal music scholarship. After a year I chose to relocate to Madison and pursue a degree in Audio Engineering and Recording at Madison Media Institute. I soon started working on all sorts of different projects with local musicians in genres ranging from jazz to techno, eventually meeting and working with members of my first real band Whore du Jour. --------------------------- LANTZ LAZWELL  Lantz Lazwell, grew up in Sacramento California where he started his career playing with rock bands in High school. His first band ( Pimptations) was discovered by local legend, Frank Hannon of Tesla. (One of the first rock bands to make big out of Sacramento). However, the band was young and unwilling to sign a contract and soon after they went their separate ways. Lantz then went on to become one of the driving forces in the Sacramento music scene. Through the support of fans and critics he received several Sacramento Music Award nominations. After separating from several successful bands, (Freakza Nature, Defy, Pimptations) Lantz was given the opportunity to work with John Phillips from the Mama’s and the Papa’s. John recognized Lantz’s strong song writing ability and original vocal style and offered him time at his studio to record with the producer that was responsible for John’s album with the Rolling Stones. Unfortunately Lantz was the last artist ever to record at John’s studio. During Lantz’s session John Phillips passed away. Through grievance for his lost mentor, Lantz knew he could not return to Sacramento; it was time to move on to a bigger pond. Moving to Los Angeles has spawned a whole new approach to Lantz’s success. Now focusing on a solo career, Lantz has become an accomplished singer song writer as well as a producer of R&B and Hip Hop music for other up and coming artists. In the first few months of living in LA Lantz he had landed a position as musical/vocal arranger with former vice president of Motown Records, Jeffrey Bowen. Now, After winning an LA Music Award for 2007's Best Rock Vocalist, Lantz has focused ..ing his debut album, due out in Feb. of 2008. Lantz’s sound and persona has been described as Hendrix meets Jack Johnson: Billy Joel times Stevie Wonder, a tasteful blend of Rock, Hip Hop and soul. His diverse talent is spread among several instruments. It is not uncommon to see Lantz change from keyboards to guitar or even base within one performance. Lantz’s style is innovative and exciting. His performance is animated and entertaining with songs that are truly insightful and original. Lantz will continue his efforts to spread his love for life through music……… --------------------------- Laura "Too Loud" Schultz  Sometimes I write songs. Sometimes I know what I'm writing about, but most of the time I don't. I like it better that way. Some people said some nice things about me. Here's some of those nice things. From a review of Jeremiah Nelson's Work and Worry album... "Favorite Chair has me clinging to backing vocalist Laura Schultz's soft, sweet, serenade." Joshua James | Dane 101 (8.13.08) "From the second I first heard her sing that day, I couldn’t wait to see her band, the curiously named Love Badgers, that night. A unique and unexpectedly powerful voice, it was perfect her originals and for the covers they chose..." Kiki Schueller | Punk Rock Skunk (12.13.08) "[She] mesmerizes... audiences with both...talent and...style, owning the night on stage, commanding silent attention! [The Love Badgers] bring soul and allure. [They] bring power and attraction." Benjamin Cloyd | The Scene (5.09) ------------------------------- Christine Flores Cozza  As with her more recognizable visual artistic creations, the music of Christine Cozza is an examination, in stark contrast, of the light and dark sides of human emotion. A Siren's call to our inner demons, Cozza’s songs vary in perspective from morose introspection to playful antagonism, but frequently recall a challenge to sit very closely with, even embrace, our most disturbing selves. A lifelong and natural poet, Cozza’s guitar work is unassuming - her vocal stylings are distinguished by simplicity and accessibility. The effect is an ‘unobstructed view’ of the dynamic at play, between strength and vulnerability that rumble for territory in the bared-wide soul of the songwriter. While pride in femininity is evident, Cozza’s sound has a broad and androgynous appeal that escapes many of the similarly cathartic and emotional singers of the folk and alt-country genres, to which she draws comparison. With words and music, Cozza deftly and fearlessly manipulates the sensations attendant to self-scrutinization. Confronting the unspeakable, inviting the awkward and wrestling complacency and denial from their nests, to be viewed in full daylight, all seem the means to a kinder end… one of facilitating collective-improvement through self-awareness, forgiveness and love for even the lowliest among us. -Casey Scott, Highway Key -------------------------- BOBBY BRYAN  For the past 20 years, Bobby Bryan has been captivating audiences with his brand of "urban blues". He is a well seasoned guitarist who has both chops and amazing feel. His playing and vocal style is often compared to that of Robert Cray, one of the many artists who have influenced him. Bobby was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, where he developed a passion for gut bucket blues. He honed his skills working in clubs throughout Southern California. Bobby got his start in the blues when a friend took him to the world renowned and oldest blues club in Los Angeles, Babe's & Ricky's Inn. The owner and operator of Babe's & Ricky's, "Mama" Laura Mae Gross, is known for cultivating blues talent. After hearing Bobby play, Mama Laura took an immediate liking to Bobby and gave him the name, "Bobby 'Soul Man' Bryan". Bobby subsequently became a member of the house band at Babe's & Ricky's, The Mighty Balls of Fire. For more than three years, Bobby played five sets per night, five nights per week with the Mighty Balls of Fire. Babe's & Ricky's served as a testing ground and launching pad for Bobby. It was at Babe's that Bobby met Grammy winning blues artist, “Arkansas” Larry Davis. Larry took Bobby under his wing prior to his death and took Bobby on his first professional tours in the U.S. Larry also gave Bobby a few vocal lessons. Other well known blues artist Bobby played with during his tutelage at Babe's, include Keb Mo’, Lowell Fulsom, King Ernest, Louie Bluey, Mickey Champion, Ray Bailey, Joe Houston, Zac Harmon, Deacon Jones, Finis Tasby, and Guitar Shorty. ---------------------------------------------JARED JOHNSON  Jared Johnson is a seventeen year old native of Kansas City, Kansas. Jared’s love and interest for music catapulted at age fourteen after receiving an electric guitar as a Christmas gift. Guitar lessons followed, under the direction of Aaron Sizemore (Music House, School of Music) where he progressed quickly. Learning guitar involved hard work and dedication, but in the process it became apparent he has the gift of music.. Over the past three years he has developed a strong style of his own. At age seventeen he doesn’t have a lot of life experience to draw from, although he does have strong convictions which he uses in his writing. “Causes” seem to be a consistent theme in his music. Jared has performed in both rock and jazz bands in the Kansas City area. He has also performed as a solo. He has also been chosen to perform his music to a choreographed dance in a regional and national competition this summer. Jared had the opportunity to attend the 2008 Steel bridge Music Festival where he was able to meet one of his strong musical influences, Jackson Browne. He was also able to perform at one of the venues during the festival. Jared feels honored to be a part of the 2009 Steel Bridge Festival and is looking forward to this amazing experience. Jane Wiedlin Eric McFadden Kim Manning James Hall Landon Capelle Anna Sacks David Cox Geri X Craig Greenberg Jentri Colello Robbie Schiller and BLUEHEELS Pete Ress Tony Brown Jeremiah Nelson Dustin Welch Charlie Cheney Bruce Reaves Chris Aaron Adam Mackintosh Lumberjack Cash Mike Bleck Dixie Jacobs Todd Carey Sigmund Snopek Sid Brown Rick Younglove... If you're a returning writer who's going to be here for the Construction Zone and you don't see your name on this list, please let us know! Thanks!!! IN MEMORIAM We regret to announce the loss of a treasured friend and family member of Steel Bridge SongFest. Paulie Rocco passed away on March 19th, 2009. Please click here to read more about Paulie and please leave your comments.  |
