JOEY SONTZ
It All Begins With A Song
Just A Little Two Step – I Melt – It All
Begins With A Song – What’s The Use In Even Trying – Go Uncle John – I
Thought Heaven Was A Place – My Picture Of You – Lucky Star – One Breath
Away – I’m Lost Empty And Blue
Begins With A Song – What’s The Use In Even Trying – Go Uncle John – I
Thought Heaven Was A Place – My Picture Of You – Lucky Star – One Breath
Away – I’m Lost Empty And Blue
Perfect day for record reviewing, and a near perfect record
is first on the list. Joey Sontz is super good singer from Albany, New
York, who is working closely with writer Jeff DeBusk whose names
appears on six of the ten songs on this CD. The song “It All Begins
With A Song’ is the main attraction of this session. Jeff co-writes with
several other composers, on this song it’s R J Smola. To be truthful
and honest, it’s a beautiful song, but traditional country it is not.
However, when we look at Joey Sontz’s entertainment life, he has a 3-5
octave range in his voice, and he has performed with the NYC Opera
Company while attending classes at the Juilliard School of Music
(probably the best in the world) which however isn’t the ‘start’ place
for ordinary country music….BUT….Joey Sontz has an incredibly
beautiful voice. And, like the song (like life) it begins with a
song. This gifted entertainer is following the road that the
entertainment world is taking him on. I really liked the opening song
best, “Just A Little Two Step” is typical western-swing, and very well
done. Joe’s mother was a singer in the big-band era, and I can hear
that rubbing off on this young man a little. We don’t know who the
backing musicians are, but the steel is nicely pronounced on both “Go
Uncle John” and “I Thought Heaven Was A Place,” a nicely done slow, very
sweet, song written by Jeff DeBusk by himself. Joey is doing ‘country’
music as a chart-stopper this could be in ‘today’s’ country music
world, however not so much in the world of Hank Williams, Merle Haggard,
and Bill Monroe, still the ‘teachers’ of what country music is all
about. I’d really like to hear Joey do some of those older ‘etched in
stone’ songs from any of those great teachers. Keep in mind too, Joey
Sontz has had an acting career, appearing in more than 100 films and
television shows. Joey knows the road to success in country isn’t easy,
but he also knows he wants to ‘share’ his gift with as many as he can.
So Joey, try to be a little more ‘country’ than what country music is
today. You could very well be the singular artist that brings country
music BACK to what country music has been through the years. Good job
well done Joey, give it a try you have a great voice.
is first on the list. Joey Sontz is super good singer from Albany, New
York, who is working closely with writer Jeff DeBusk whose names
appears on six of the ten songs on this CD. The song “It All Begins
With A Song’ is the main attraction of this session. Jeff co-writes with
several other composers, on this song it’s R J Smola. To be truthful
and honest, it’s a beautiful song, but traditional country it is not.
However, when we look at Joey Sontz’s entertainment life, he has a 3-5
octave range in his voice, and he has performed with the NYC Opera
Company while attending classes at the Juilliard School of Music
(probably the best in the world) which however isn’t the ‘start’ place
for ordinary country music….BUT….Joey Sontz has an incredibly
beautiful voice. And, like the song (like life) it begins with a
song. This gifted entertainer is following the road that the
entertainment world is taking him on. I really liked the opening song
best, “Just A Little Two Step” is typical western-swing, and very well
done. Joe’s mother was a singer in the big-band era, and I can hear
that rubbing off on this young man a little. We don’t know who the
backing musicians are, but the steel is nicely pronounced on both “Go
Uncle John” and “I Thought Heaven Was A Place,” a nicely done slow, very
sweet, song written by Jeff DeBusk by himself. Joey is doing ‘country’
music as a chart-stopper this could be in ‘today’s’ country music
world, however not so much in the world of Hank Williams, Merle Haggard,
and Bill Monroe, still the ‘teachers’ of what country music is all
about. I’d really like to hear Joey do some of those older ‘etched in
stone’ songs from any of those great teachers. Keep in mind too, Joey
Sontz has had an acting career, appearing in more than 100 films and
television shows. Joey knows the road to success in country isn’t easy,
but he also knows he wants to ‘share’ his gift with as many as he can.
So Joey, try to be a little more ‘country’ than what country music is
today. You could very well be the singular artist that brings country
music BACK to what country music has been through the years. Good job
well done Joey, give it a try you have a great voice.
MUSIC REVIEW BY BOB EVERHART, President NTCMA – www.ntcma.net
for Country Music News International