www.myspace.com/gunboatms
These guys are to dancing what Viagra is to...well you get the idea. Gunboat is a rock outfit hailing from the depths of the Mississippi Delta. Being from Greenwood, MS, these boys have been brought up in the roots of the Blues. After being together for a few years now, their musical bond with each other has cemented. With intense live shows and a great following of fans, they have been known to throw in a few surprises here and there. Gunboat is a high-powered good time. The four members of Gunboat are: Will Freeman (Guitar), Jonbob Wise (Keys), Harrison Smith (Drums), and Bubba McCabe (Bass). Gunboat has shared the stage with members of: The Kudzu Kings, Boombox, Lord T and Eloise, and Mayhem String Band. The band currently resides between Mississippi and Georgia and continues to tour, write new music, and is working on a new record.

www.myspace.com/weedapeoples

www.myspace.com/passengerjones

Two priests, a teacher, an architect, a web applications designer, and an oil land-man have collectively created the cello-driven roots rock band otherwise known as Jackson, Mississippi's own PASSENGER JONES.

Eight years ago John Bondurant (cello, architect), Taylor Hildebrand (singer/songwriter, guitar, teacher), and Patrick Sanders (singer/songwriter, guitar, Episcopal priest) began the quest many musicians embark upon-to simply make good music. The three spent two summers pooling their influences which range from Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Classical, Hip Hop, Widespread Panic, and the pantheon of singer/songwriters in order to refine themselves as serious and insightful song craftsmen.

After two years of basically living together, Patrick, Taylor, and John sent a demo to Chris Hudson, cousin of Blue Mountain's Cary Hudson, at Black Dog Records in Monticello, MS. Chris happily took the trio under his wing and guided them through recording their first EP, PEOPLE. PEOPLE was a rarity: a concept album with a concept that worked. The narrator, a listless writer named Passenger, observes the lives of those around him. Having little grasp on his own identity, Passenger steals the biographies he gleans and makes them his own through his words. "The character is aptly named," says music critic J. Lawrence Richardson. "Passenger has no drive of his own. He rides on the currents that other create."

Even though PEOPLE was produced at Route 1 Recording Studio (Black Dog's studio), the EP was independently promoted. In fact, the band's entire career to date has been self promoted. With their own money and help from their families, the band members pressed, assembled, and sold around 500 copies of PEOPLE while playing at local Jackson venues, such as Martin's and Hal & Mal's throughout most of 2002.

The following year-and-a-half saw the band grow in all directions. Taylor, Patrick, and John agreed that the sound of PASSENGER JONES needed more depth, so they enlisted bass player and longtime musical colleague Morgan Bondurant (web app. designer/brother to John). The sonic depth solidified the sound and allowed the songwriting to expand, too. Patrick and Taylor began writing songs geared towards a band that was performance-oriented. Maturing past glorified acoustic sets for friends and local fans, PASSENGER JONES grew into a complex electric-roots-rock group creating a textured Southern musical landscape.

Playing shows on regional stages, the distance traveled increased. This, of course, saw an increase in time commitments. While still holding down jobs, the band solidified it's commitment to itself and the cause of spreading their gospel of good music.

Other growth, though, was not as painful. The addition of drummer Dave Hutchison (oil land-man) and keyboardist extraordinaire Walton Jones (priest) saw the next step of the metamorphosis into the band in it's current incarnation.

With the help of their longtime friend and Producer Byron Knight and private investor David Selby, the band began starting it's own record label and production company, Sneaky B records. Recorded in Mississippi Delta Churches, mother's houses, and finally their own Victorian-house-turned studio (shared with 2 other bands), PASSENGER JONES' yet-untitled-CD is their most enlightened, personal, and honest to date.

www.myspace.com/goodenoughforgoodtimes

www.myspace.com/thebaileybros

Call him a troubadour, soul-searcher or a journeyman, but there’s no denying that Australian born singer/songwriter Pete Ross is living the dream of touring the world and playing his music. Since packing his guitar and relocating to Europe in 2008, the former guitarist from highly popular country alt-rockers, Dan Brodie & The Broken Arrows, has been touring extensively across the globe.

It seems Ross has inherited his wandering spirit from his Italian born father, Peter Ciani. An iconic 1950s pop star, Ciani emigrated to Australia in 1963 and made history when he released his first Australian disc, sung in Italian and exported worldwide through EMI records. Now mirroring his father’s footsteps, Ross has completed the passage back to Italy and in 2009 released his debut album, Six String Suicide, through Halidon Music.

Ross’s songwriting has a brooding contemplative tone, which combines powerful storytelling and dark rich vocals, encased in an extraordinarily well-produced folk/country/rock styling. The inspiration to record Six String Suicide (released in Australia through MGM) and later relocate to Italy first came in 2005 when Ross spent three months in Sicily discovering his roots, to which he pays respect by recording the traditional Sicilian folk song Sciuri Sciuri. The album includes versions of Bob Dylan’s “Man In The Long Black Coat ”and Lee Hazlewood’s “Forget Marie” as well as a collaboration with his father on the track “A Thousand Miles Away”.

In 2008 at the Tamworth Country Music Festival (Australia), Ross was one of two finalists nominated for the Aristocrat Country Entertainer of the Year, as well as a finalist at the 42nd annual CCMA song-writing awards. In 2009 he made 3 appearances on Italy’s RAI TV (International) and was awarded runner-up for album of the year on Byron Bay’s Bay Fm Radio.

Whether on stage with his Paesanos or just as one man with one guitar, Pete Ross consistently delivers a strong performance, winning new fans wherever he plays. He will make his debut performance in July this year at Mirande, France’s largest country music festival, which will coincide with the release of a new album recorded on French label, Beast Records.