Optimism permeates throughout Days to Recall, Justin Hines U.S. debut album to be released August 2^nd on Decca. The Canadian singer/songwriter’s collection of heartfelt songs about life and love showcase his considerable talents, and his will to overcome insurmountable obstacles.  The CD coincides with a PBS special of Hines in concert -- taped at Toronto’s Royal Cinema with special guests Ron Sexsmith, Natalie MacMaster, Donnell Leahy, Sierra Noble and The Canadian Tenors -- slated to air multiple times across the U.S. during Public Television’s August pledge drive.

Justin Hines has thrived all his life against odds that would daunt someone with a less indomitable spirit.  Hines has Larsen Syndrome, a joint dislocation condition that confines him to a wheelchair.   He admits his condition has provided challenges, but primarily sees the good it has brought him and the inspiration he can provide others.  “There have been so many blessings. It’s afforded me so many other opportunities. It’s a bit of an attention grabber,” he says. “But then my job is to keep people interested, and keep their attention with my music.”

Highlights on Days To Recall include the first single, the instantly catchy “Tell Me I’m Wrong,” a duet with fellow Canadian/actress Jill Hennessy on the plaintive, “Why Not Love Me” and the uplifting “Say What You Will.”  The latter track took on a life of its own after a South African video featuring the Most Rev. Dr. Desmond Tutu was used as part of a campaign to build 20 schools in 11 days.  Hines performed in South Africa this spring and saw the schools that will educate more than 22,000 students.

To hear “Tell Me I’m Wrong,” click here.

Music was integral throughout Justin’s young life.  He doesn’t remember it, but his mom tells him he wrote his first song when he was seven. In his late teens, he decided to teach himself how to play piano as a way to better express himself.  “I’d done a lot of writing with other people. The most frustrating thing was I could hear the song in my head, but I was relying on other people to write chords since I didn’t play anything,” he says.

Even though Justin grew up singing in church, the realization of pursuing his musical dreams happened at the most unlikely of places— at a Toronto Raptors’ basketball game in his hometown 15 years ago.  A then 14-year-old Justin won a vocal competition to sing the National Anthem at the game — both the Canadian and American -- and his world opened up before him. “In that moment, it all seemed possible,” he recalls. Thrown in the deep end, Hines has performed professionally ever since and realized he could not only survive, but succeed.

To watch the Justin Hines EPK click here.

Jon Dee Graham, Freedy Johnston and Susan Cowsill have united to form the Hobart Brothers & Lil’ Sis Hobart. The trio, backed by drummer Russ Broussard and bassist Andrew Duplantis, will make their live debut during SXSW week in a series of Austin appearances.

Susan, Jon Dee and Freedy found themselves huddled at last year’s SXSW to write a couple of songs reflecting on their early days washing dishes for a living, which all three had done (joining the ranks of such former dish-washing rock legends as Alex Chilton). The band name refers to the commercial dishwasher known to all aspiring songwriters.

The three members quickly realized that the Hobart Brothers was a good outlet in which to write songs about things they otherwise would not. From the initial summit came a collection of songs of joy and heartbreak that range from the sublime to the silly. Cowsill’s vocals, described by Rolling Stone as “a supple survivor’s alto,” blend beautifully with the roughhewn quality of Jon’s voice and Freedy’s sad tenor.

In May 2010 they recorded a CD, At Least We Have Each Other, at Top Hat Studios in Austin. The recording was cut in the lounge and kitchen area of the studio. The band was already rehearsing there, so engineer John Harvey set up the mikes around them and started recording. The finished album provides a rare glimpse of what three very unique and talented artists might come up with when they think no one else is listening. While the songs were recorded live with one or two takes, there is a resonant honesty and completeness to them. This CD is scheduled for release later in 2011....but only with the help from their friends and fans.

The Hobart Brothers will self-fund the release of At Least We Have Each Other through a creative kickstarter.com campaign. The money raised will pay for production, promotion, publicists, publicity materials, artwork and more. To learn more about the campaign, which has a goal of raising $10,000, and the rewards received for donating to the project, click here.

About the Hobart Brothers & Lil’ Sis Hobart:

Jon Dee Graham was named Austin Musician of the Year during SXSW in 2006. He was inducted into the Austin Music Hall of Fame three times: as a solo artist in 2000, again in 2008 as a member of the Skunks,  and again in 2009 as a member of the True Believers. Graham has released seven albums and was the subject of a DVD called Big Sweet Life: The Songs of Jon Dee Graham. In August 2008, Graham underwent emergency surgery after being injured in a one-car accident. His current album is aptly titled It’s Not As Bad As It Looks.

The New Yorker cited Freedy Johnston’s “finely wrought, melancholy character studies” as one of the calling cards of last year’s critically acclaimed Rain on the City album, his twelfth. According to SPIN, “Johnston’s characters always make a deep impression.” He has been recording since 1990’s debut The Trouble Tree on Bar/None. In 1994 he hit with “Bad Reputation” from his Elektra album This Perfect World, and Rolling Stone named him “Songwriter of the Year.”

Susan Cowsill was born into show business as a member of the Cowsills, who hit with “The Rain, The Park & Other Things” and “Hair” in the late ’60s. In the ’90s, she joined forces with Peter Holsapple and Vicki Peterson to form the Continental Drifters, and migrated from Los Angeles to New Orleans. In 2005 she released her first solo album, Just Believe It, concurrent with losing her brother Barry and her house to Hurricane Katrina. Her current album Lighthouse, called “an earthy, often crunchy folk-pop gem” by Rolling Stone, reflects upon these experiences and features guest spots from Peterson, Jackson Browne, and former Cowsills session player Waddy Wachtel.

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Hobart Brothers & Lil’ Sis Hobart SXSW week schedule:

Wed., March 16, 2 p.m. —Guitartown/Conqueroo Kickoff Party, The Dogwood, 715 West 6th St.
Wed., March 16, 1 a.m. —Official SXSW Showcase, Speakeasy, 412D Congress Ave.  
Thurs., March 17, 3 p.m. —Jovita’s Twangfest, 1619 South First St.  
Fri., March 18, 4 p.m. — Bug Music Day Party, The Continental Club, 1315 S. Congress Ave.  
Sun., March 20, 5:15 p.m. Olivia South Austin Fried Chicken Revival, 2043 S. Lamar Blvd.  
Sun., March 20, 10:30 p.m. —G&S Lounge North Coast Music, 2420 South 1st St.

The centuries-old story of their country and culture has been the foundation of the a cappella singing group Ladysmith Black Mambazo since its beginnings, almost fifty years ago. On 'Songs From A Zulu Farm,' out January 25, 2011 (Listen 2 Entertainment Group), the nine-man group returns to their origins in the open fields of Zulu country to recreate the idyllic world in which they once lived by singing traditional folk tunes sung by mothers and fathers to children throughout the generations.

"These are songs from the earliest time in our lives," says Ladysmith Black Mambazo founder and frontman Joseph Shabalala. "When we sing these songs, we're singing from our personal history. It is such a joy for us to put these stories and songs together for our fans to enjoy too."

'Songs From A Zulu Farm' speaks to the universal joys of childhood. "Whether you are in Ladysmith, Virginia, or Ladysmith, South Africa, children are hearing songs they will carry with them for the rest of their lives and share with their own children," Shabalala says. "We hope that these songs sung to South African children can be enjoyed by families in many other places in the world."

Among the 16 tracks on 'Songs From A Zulu Farm' is "Old McDonald… Zulu Style," the classic children's song reworked in ways never before imagined as it's piped through the language and culture of the Zulu people.

Listen to "Old MacDonald" here.

Shabalala professes his love and longing for the times and places of his youth in “Thalaza,” a song he composed to encourage Zulus – and people of every nation and culture – to reconnect to the innocence of their younger years. “Your roots are who you are,” says Shabalala, who revisits the farmland of his youth every month. “I go home to see the sights I’ve known since I was a baby. When I see a field there, I see my father and mother standing with me as a little boy. I love going home because it is just that…home.”

Check out some Grateful Web coverage of Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

MARCO BENEVENTO
Two Nights at DAZZLE in DENVER, CO
Thursday, AUGUST 12 & Friday, AUGUST 13
Sets at 7PM & 9PM
Buy Advance Tickets Here

Also appearing in Colorado....

SURPRISE ME MR. DAVIS
Nathan Moore, Brad Barr, Marco Friedman, Marco Benevento & Andrew Barr

August 19 | The Fox Theater | Boulder, CO (buy tickets)
August 20 | Three 20 South | Breckenridge, CO (buy tickets)
August 21 | Newhoma Music & Mountain Festival | Florissant, CO (buy tickets)

Now in its 10th year, The Songwriter's Beat is New York's premiere performing songwriter series. Hosted and founded by singer-songwriter Valerie Ghent, four up-and-coming songwriters perform new material in a supportive and intimate atmosphere.

This month's Songwriter's Beat features Rebecca Hart, Valerie Ghent, Danny Ross and Randi Driscoll.

Every third Wednesday of the month, four songwriters of varying musical styles perform original songs and are encouraged to try out their newest material and arrangements. The series culminates in a week-long festival each July, featuring performers from throughout the years.

Founded in 2000, The Songwriter's Beat has presented over 290 songwriters from the Tri-State area as well as visiting songwriters from other parts of the United States, Canada, France, the UK, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, Cuba and Japan.

The Songwriter's Beat is honored to receive support from The ASCAP Foundation.

http://www.songwritersbeat.com

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