Spotlight on Walk off the Earth

At the time of this post, this video has already well surpassed 82 million hits. Though they don’t seem like they need my help to succeed, Walk off the Earth is the band that I am spotlighting today. As the video has already gone viral and as they have already appeared on Ellen, what is the purpose for their spotlight? Surly, a brief post in my blog of few viewers will prove inconsequential. This is very true, but as a guitarist, myself, I am amazed with what they did with that guitar and thus the reason for the spotlight.

Not only has the video gone viral, but Somebody that I used to know, a Gotye cover, made it to the top 5 on Billboard. This is truly an amazing feat, for one lady and four guys from Burlington, Ontario. Hovering over a single guitar, this quintet makes this one guitar sound like there is a full band backing up their awesome vocals.

The true test for this quintet is yet to come. There is no argument that this group has both a sound and talent, but will they crash and burn as a one hit wonder? Personally, I hope to hear more from this group, so I hope there is more to follow. While it is true that most groups make it on their own material, artists such as Elvis totally relied on the material of others for success. The next few months will be interesting to see what, if anything, is next for Walk off the Earth. Musically Connected wishes them all the best in their future projects.

Canadian Icon Tommy Hunter Retires

I know that this post is a bit different from what I nominally write, but a Canadian icon is retiring. An icon who should not fly under the radar of Musically Connected. The one and only Tommy Hunter preformed his last show on March 20th, 2012. From his own account, he wanted to stop touring while he was still able to give a good performance and from the reviews, that I've seen, he did not disappoint. Hunter, a perfectionist, appeared to be perfect to the final chord. This may not be my type of music, but I regret not making an effort to catch a Tommy Hunter show. Throughout Hunter's career, he boasts an amazing run of over 30 years with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, 27 of those years were hosting his own television program. In Addition, Hunter received the prestigious Order of Canada award (1986) and the Honorary Citizen of Tennessee award (1987) as well as several other awards.

Few artists exist today who are able to remain scandal free. Tommy Hunter has managed to escape scandal despite the pressures associated with heavy touring schedules and unimaginable demands. Well done and congratulations on a brilliant and enviable career. Musically Connected Wishes Tommy Hunter all the best in his well deserved retirement. You have made Canada proud.

Throw Jann from the Train

I still Love Jann Arden's music, but at the moment I am very disappointed with Jann. Having worked in the service industry myself, and still do, to a point, it is apparent that Miss Arden is all about herself and has little regard for rules or the patron next to her. Yes, I know I haven't talked to Jann, nor do I need to? This needs to be clarified as she has already slammed at least one reporter for openly disagreeing with her actions. These are the facts, not only from what I researched, online, but also from what Jann Arden has said personally according to an article in the Ottawa Citizen. Miss Arden brought a non-service dog on a Via train. The facts are dubious if the dog was in her bag or not. Miss Arden says that the dog was on her lap and in plain view. At the end of the day does that really matter? Miss Arden said that her assistant, when booking the tickets, was not aware that dogs were not permitted on the train. On this point, does that make it anymore correct? If I am picked up for speeding on a road where the limit is 50 Km and I believe it to be 80, am I not still speeding? Her dog is not a child and Jann Arden is not above the rules. Miss Arden, according to the article, was given the option to have Midi go to the luggage department as there was a cage available. To this she refused and chose to disembark.

There are good reasons, in place, why pets are not permitted in with the other passengers. Many people are afraid of dogs, and that includes even tiny ones. Postal carriers will be the first to tell you that they have been attacked by small dogs. Miss Arden, I couldn't care less about how well your dog behaves herself, she is an animal. Animals can attack if startled, a fact that I didn't get from other blogs or twitter and information that doesn't just pertain to this incident. This, unfortunately I learned from personal experience. From the Ottawa Citizen report, Miss Arden made a claim that Midi, her dog, is hypoallergenic. From my research, this is based more on fiction than reality. Any of the reputable sources, including The Dog Guide, indicate that there is no such thing as a truly hypoallergenic animal. In the same Article, Miss Arden also is said to mention that while in Europe, pets are everywhere. I am not sure how to say this in a nice way, but you are not currently in Europe Miss Arden.

I can’t stress enough that I do love animals. That said, if society is to work we must all abide by the same rules. In my opinion, Via rail did everything that was possible to bring resolution to this issue that would have benefited the other passengers as well as Miss Arden, but she refused their solution. In the end, she disembarked in Oshawa and not in the middle of nowhere.

The Peach Kings

Meeting in 2010, Paige MacLean of Texas and Steven Trezevant of L..A., now make up The Peach Kings. Originally collaborating in San Francisco, currently they are based out of Los Angelis. From the moment I heard them, I thought they had a unique but familiar sound, thus earning them a spot light position in Musically Connected.

“Thieves and Kings” was the first video I had the pleasure of viewing. The sensuous, soulful voice of Paige quickly got my attention. Steven brings everything together with his abilities on the guitar and back ground vocals. This is not to under estimate his talent when it comes to lead vocals. After viewing “thieves”, I couldn’t wait to see other videos and I was not disappointed. The Peach Kings definitely have a new fan. To my knowledge, this team is still unsigned. If this is the case, I am sure they will get signed very soon.

The collaboration of Paige and Steven saw the birth of an EP in September, 2011. Due to local air play and the internet, Trip Wop, their EP, was well received. Currently, they are working on a new single as well as doing some performing.

I am expecting great things from The Peach Kings in the future. Whether your genre is Rock, Folk, Soul or R & B, it is a safe bet that you will love Paige and Steven. This team is a must hear and one to watch.