Son of Boots Music

Phil Black is a veteran musician par excellence. He has been a professional guitarist for almost 55 years, and a music tutor for nearly 40 years. He performed with bands who had albums released on Imperial  Records/United Artists and Mercury Records, His bands (including Magpie and Great Plains) opened for Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Beach Boys, and others. His group Wichita Fall released an album in 1968 "Life is But A Dream" https://www.discogs.com/master/330764-Wichita-Fall-Life-Is-But-A-Dream that is now considered a psychedelic rock classic. 

Living in the Mid-South area for the last 40 years, he has been a session player at many of the renowned Memphis recording studios. 

As an artist and photographer 

https://philblackartist.wordpress.com/

he is a designer of unique instructional posters for guitar - https://santopub.com/product-category/fingering-charts/spl-phil-black-posters-all/ distributed by Santorella Publications. 

Phil has written two books for guitar "Key and Chords" and "96 Chords" - available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. In the 1990's Phil composed orchestral scores for musical theater.  Along with lyricist/librettist Michael Porter, Phil wrote "The Book of Esther" and "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" for Memphis theater productions. 

Phil continues to teach guitar at several private schools i.e. Memphis University School and Evangelical Christian School, and he tutors private lessons at the Circle Music Center music store in East Memphis. Phil is not only a Christian, but an ordained minister of music. He and his wife Kathy have been married for 52 years, with two daughters and six grandkids.

Wake Eastman  https://wakeeastman.com/ is a self-described "man of few words," but when he gets behind his blonde Gibson guitar, he captivates audiences with his rich and soulful voice. This singer/songwriter's talents are often best showcased by his vividly intense and rugged story songs. 

Eastman grew up in the Pacific Northwest surrounded by music. His grandmother, Alice, played the organ and his granddad, Clarence, played Dixieland jazz piano. Wake picked up the guitar in his early teens, and while most kids were into AC/DC, Wake preferred Boxcar Willie and Jimi Hendrix. But Waylon Jennings was his biggest inspiration. During college, Eastman worked odd jobs - from hot tar roofer to ranch hand -  and ultimately became an electrician. 

He lived a "real workin' man's life" while honing his skills as a songwriter. His first gig was at Bill’s Tavern in Cheney, Washington where he met his wife and frequent co-writer, Jeanine. He formed a band in the early 90’s, hired his pal Kurt Baumer https://www.bandmix.com/kurt-baumer/ on fiddle, and they played beer joints and honky-tonks across the Pacific Northwest. 

Wake spent time in Nashville, where he regularly played the Bluebird Café. He later moved his family to the Austin, TX area where he has built a life and a home. There his style evolved into a combination of traditional country, country rock and - in his own words - his "Waylonesque" flavor. He is now an Americana music fan's favorite.  

Wake has had cuts with Pauline Reese https://www.paulinereese.com/ and The Brady Hulsey Band https://open.spotify.com/artist/1EFe0O0NakJGURfB3DMtPW

As a solo artist, Wake has released three albums - all available on Apple Music. 

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/wake-eastman/364234485

Kathy Robinson https://kathyrobinsonmusic.com/ is a singer/songwriter currently residing in Nacogdoches, TX. She has an extensive performance history, having played with bands, trios, duets, and as a solo artist. Her musical repertoire spans genres such as Americana, Country, Folk-Pop, Pop-Rock, and Worship songs. 

In addition to performing, Kathy is passionate about songwriting. She has been actively writing, co-writing, and recording original works in Country, Americana, Contemporary Christian, and Country Christian music. She also offers her original compositions for licensing and is open to co-writing opportunities. 

Kathy's talents have been recognized in the industry.  She was a runner up for the 2020 Christian Country Songwriter of the Year by the Texas Country Music Association.  

Additionally, her songs "I would Never Change," (co-written with Timothy L. Korber), “Yesterday/Hindsight” (co-written with Tim Sharp) and “Countdown To The Miracle” (solo-write) were featured as top five songs in the SongwriterUniverse "Best Song" contest. 

Beyond her personal artistry, Kathy is the owner of Witty Kat Songworks and Marvelous Light Music publishing companies. She has served as a judge (2 years) for the popular nation-wide songwriting contest by the Dallas Songwriting Association. 

Kathy is available for acoustic performances at restaurants, venues, and events such as weddings and parties. She covers a variety of genres, including Americana, Folk-Pop, Country, Oldies, and Easy Listening, and also showcases her original music. Booking information and performance samples can be found on her official website. 

And please check out Kathy's Reverbnation page at: https://www.reverbnation.com/kathyrobinson

Stephen Haynes

https://www.facebook.com/stephen.haynes.944/ , a native Memphian, has established a pedigree as one of the Who's Who of the Memphis music scene. 

He is a versatile performer both on stage and in studio, a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist (trombone, acoustic/bass guitar, drums-EZD and piano/keyboard), songwriter, publisher and producer. Since his teenage years, he has been a member in many popular local bands (CounterPoint, StreetRock, NightCall, The Memphis Jazz Band A, OIC and Funk Orchestra). 

Stephen has performed with renowned artists such as Wayne Newton, B.B. King, Englebert Humperdinck, Jerry Lee Lewis, Rufus Thomas ("Walk the Dog"), Dickey Lee, Billy Joe Royal, Don Williams, Charlie Pride, Freda Payne ("Band of Gold"), Sam the Sham and Calvin Newborn (legendary jazz guitarist). He has been affiliated with STAX Records, Hi Records, MGM Records and Ardent Studios. One of his prized mentors is Hall of Fame Songwriter David Porter- a STAX Records legend. 

Stephen also recorded commercials for clients including FedEx, AutoZone and Memphis in May.

Please check out his two music videos:

"The Good of the Many (Outweighs the Few)" - A Song for Organ Donation 

https://youtu.be/2VZh4HQqbEw

"Drunker Than Cooter Brown" (Performed by the Wolf River Rednecks)

https://youtu.be/Bq4tRgH-SB4?list=RDBq4tRgH-SB4

Jim Doyle 

https://soundcloud.com/j-p-doyle was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio - where he still lives, He started his music career at age 13 with the drums, playing in bands throughout high school.  

At age 20 he switched his emphasis to piano. His impressive piano skills were self taught, as he honed his craft while raising a family and earning a living in the workplace. Jim was employed in the supply chain division of General Electric, and later became a mechanic for the U.S. Playing Card Company (famous for the "Bicycle Cards.") 

For decades he played drums in rock 'n roll bands, and piano for wedding bands.  Growing tired of performing covers, he began writing music seriously about 30 years ago. Jim had his song "Dark Clouds (It's Gonna Be Alright Now)" in the movie “Corpses are Forever“ in 2003.  Another song, "My Wish For You" was featured on the MTV show “Teen Mom“ in 2012. 

As part of the "The James Doyle Songbook,"  he released the single "Remember Me," (feat. Greg VK) in August 2022. The video, produced by Michael Porter of Son of Boots Music/BMI, received over 80,000 hits on YouTube. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_otbQgWmiuE

The song "Remember Me" is available for streaming and download on Amazon Music, Apple Music and iHeartRadio. 

As a native of New Orleans, Gene Nunez https://soundcloud.com/gene-nunez was raised in a world of music. After playing in numerous bands in and around the Big Easy, he migrated north to Memphis in 1976 to pursue a career in the ever growing recording scene. 

His first studio sessions were with power pop legend Tommy Hoehn, whose first LP received positive national attention. Gene became a staff guitarist at Memphis' Shoe Productions, where he built a name for himself performing on commercials, and national record releases for Memphis vocalist Joyce Cobb (a local legend) and Jimmy Griffin, former member of the mega 70s group Bread. He also played with Debra DeJean in both studio and live gigs. 

He has continued through the ensuing years to work with many of Memphis' best-known artists. Working both live and studio dates, he somehow still finds time to also write and produce original projects in his home studio. His styles range from rock to jazz to pop.  

For Bert (With an "E") Stratton, it's 

always been about the song. The marriage between melody and words has held him spellbound for hours since childhood. His parents had an eclectic album collection, and Bert played every 45 and 78 he could get his hands on. Each song was an incredible journey to an unexplored world! He formerly began piano lessons at age 7 and never looked back. 

Playing and singing along with the piano, and a guitar he picked up at age 13, Bert studied the rhymes and word structures of his favorite hit songs, as well as keys, modulations and tempos.

He attended Ithaca College Music where he studied advanced music theory and sight singing. It was there he composed his first song which was followed by hundreds more! Like most artists, Bert hold his work up to the true masters and it forces him to be relentless in his search for perfection. 

His first major breakthrough came when Pat Boone recorded one of Stratton’s songs "Ready to Rock" and made it the title cut on his album. 

Bert is a signatory writer with ASCAP, who has written scores of Sacred Choral anthems and been published with Shawnee Press, Carl Fischer, Briley, Lorenz and Alfred. 

In addition to his songwriting, Stratton is recognized for his dynamic live performances. For 20 years he entertained audiences worldwide as a performer on Princess Cruise Lines, where he was one of five nominees for their Entertainer of the Year award. His acts were characterized by a blend of musical talent and humor. Travel writers drew comparisons to Victor Borge, Jim Carrey and the Smothers 

Brothers (but without a brother). You can emjoy some of Bert's cruise promotional videos here: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ1l3u1bzaY&list=PL48632E5FAB6013C4

Bert has recorded multiple original CDs, including "One & Only" and "Above & Beyond," which sold thousands of copies globally. His music spans various genres, reflecting his diverse musical interests and talents

Bert recently moved to Nashville, TN with his family to devote full time to his music career.   

Guy Tino 

facebook.com/guytinomusic has had music in his blood for as far back as he can remember. Some of his earliest memories are singing along with his parents’ record collection at the family’s home in Sherman, Connecticut. He began writing songs while a student at New Milford High School, and pursued that craft more seriously while earning while earning his B.A. in English at Kenyon College in Ohio - this included a junior year of study in the U.K. at Exeter College. 

For four years Guy was joining and sometimes fronting bands with names like "Iridescent Radish," "Electric Mud" and "She Plays Rugby." After graduation, he co-founded the Newtown-based blues/rock band "The Providers" in 1994. For eight years, the band released four albums and played extensively across Connecticut, including notable venues like Toad's  Place in New Haven, where they opened for acts such as NRBQ, Johnny  Winter, The Radiators, Roomful of Blues, Eight to the Bar and John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers. They also performed at legendary Big Apple hotspots such as Kenny's Castaways and The Back Fence. Guy returned several times to his alma mater for Kenyon College's Summer Send-Off, sharing the stage with the likes of They Might Be Giants and The Gravel Pit in (1997) and The Slip and De La Soul (1999). 

After The Providers' official breakup in 2002, Guy took a hiatus to refine his guitar and songwriting skills - and concentrate on work and family in Brookfield, CT.    

Guy is a Tier 2 Customer Support at Luminate Data, but still plays regular gigs at local venues where he has a loyal following - including a

weekly residency at Portobello in Brookfield. His solo act features acoustic and electric guitar, and an occasional harmonica lick. His sets include a vast repertoire of covers from the '70s, '80s, and '90s - along with original compositions.  After 30 years of performing live, Mr. Tino knows how to please a crowd! 

He was also a mainstay of Bridgewater’s Roots Rock Revue, participating in multiple concerts with the Revuers as well as a collaborative evening celebrating the music of Pete Seeger with The Short Sisters (Kate Seeger, Kim Wallach, and Fay Baird), Kate’s husband Dean Spencer, and Tony Seeger and his wife Judy. 

Guy is currently beginning the

process of recording his solo material for the first time. Debut single “Left A Candle Burning” is out on all streaming platforms and has received airplay on WXCI, WESU, and Factory Underground Radio. 

Beyond his musical career, he is a husband, father of two college age kids, a NY METS fan and an aficionado of coffee and travel.

Please check out Guy Tino's

SoundCloud and YouTube pages: 

https://soundcloud.com/guy-tino

https://www.youtube.com/gjtino

Bob Driggers https://soundcloud.com/bob-driggers will be the first to tell you he's had more lives than a cat  - maybe two cats! Born in Sylva, NC but growing up on a tobacco farm in the Burlington region, he learned quickly how to excel in the art of storytelling. And he has many stories to tell - the TRUE ones better than the fictional. 

With a family deeply rooted in Appalachian music, Bob took up the flute in the 6th grade. Eventually he  was 1st Flute 2nd Chair of the North Carolina High School Symphony. 

Tired of poverty, Bob dropped out of high school to get into business. With the money he earned from gambling, Bob actually bought a bar before he was of legal age to drink in it. 

Bob's youthful world was now an "unsavory crowd" of disorderly drunks, gamblers and jukebox operators. Seeking a more disciplined - and safer environment - he joined the Army. Once leaving the service, he worked for Coca-Cola for 13 years, then quit to begin a long delayed college education.  

He earned a B.S. in International Business from High Point University. During his 12 years employed at Acucocte, Inc. (a manufacturer of "pressure sensitive adhesive coated products"), he learned anti-counterfeit technology. He left in 2001, and is the founder and CEO of two product authentication corporations: Authentitrace http://authentitrace.com/ and Anthea https://www.antheapro.com/

Bob's life has been a natural transition from hillbilly to farm boy to bar owner to soldier to storyteller to award winning poet and essayist to competitive grill master/cookbook author - and now to songwriter.  

His music is best described as "Southern eclectic," His lyrics tend to reflect his heartfelt belief that God, health, family and friends are what’s really important in life. Beauty surrounds us all, it’s Bob’s prayer that in some small way his music helps you find and share that beauty which is around you. 

He refers to himself as "a little more plow boy than cowboy." Bob is a husband, father and grandfather. 

Check out Bob's songs available on Apple Music:

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/bob-driggers/1747973540

For Bobby Ray Rankin https://youtube.com/@bobbyrayrankin, the love of singing music has always been there! As a Navy brats, he lived in Texas, California, Virginia and eventually Washington, D.C. where his father served at the Pentagon. His first memory of singing in public was in a kindergarten pageant. Since then he has been entertaining audiences.  After graduating from the University of Texas  at Austin - he joined up with friends in various bands and performed in bars, clubs, dance halls, VFW halls - and ultimately the legendary "Home of the Blues" Antone's Blues Club in Austin. He eventually established himself as the "One Man Band" - a versatile solo performer who could sing to tracks of all musical genres. 

During his career, he has been fortunate enough to sing, record or work with such renown musicians as Rick McCray (George Strait's band), Red Volkert (Merle Haggard's band), John Inmon (guitarist for Jerry Jeff Walker), Reuben Ramos (The Mexican Revolution Band), Glen Fukenaga (who has performed with Robert Plant), The Dixie Chicks, Joe Ely and multiple award winning drumming legend, Fred Krc (credited with shaping the smooth rhythm section of Christopher Cross' early hits).

Bobby Ray also opened for show business icon Tony Orlando at a Wounded Warrior fund raiser, sponsored by American Airlines in Scottsdale Arizona in 2011. While backstage, Tony was highly complimentary of Bobby Ray's vocal style and stage presence! 

Bobby Ray's songwriting catalog reflects his love for music in all styles:  Country, Christian, Crooner, Cajun, Blues and Rock 'n Roll.  KPFT radio in Houston TX, currently plays his new Cajun songs, “You’re Cajun Me Baby” and “See Ya While Ago.” 

Bobby Ray credits the Lord for guiding his personal and professional path throughout his life. He is now an ordained minister. 

Manuel Kyslinger  https://www.facebook.com/manuel.kyslinger is an Argentine songwriter with over three decades of experience. In recent years, has crossed borders by collaborating  with songwriters and musicians from around the world.

Restless and curious when it comes to composing, Manuel explores styles ranging from rock, pop, country, folk, ballads and various Latin influences. 

Able to compose in both English and Spanish, his greatest strength lies in  crafting memorable and catchy melodies into well-structured songs, always with one goal in mind: to prosper and grow every day as a  songwriter.