Playing For Change | Song Around The World “Stand By Me” from Concord Music Group on Vimeo.

“This cover of Stand By Me was recorded by completely unknown artists in a street virtual studio all around the world. It all started with a base track—vocals and guitar—recorded on the streets of Santa Monica, California, by a street musician called Roger Ridley. The base track was then taken to New Orleans, Louisiana, where Grandpa Elliott—a blind singer from the French Quarter—added vocals and harmonica while listening to Ridley’s base track on headphones. In the same city, Washboard Chaz’s added some metal percussion to it.

And from there, it just gets rock ‘n’ rolling bananas: The producers took the resulting mix all through Europe, Africa, and South America, adding new tracks with multiple instruments and vocals that were assembled in the final version you are seeing in this video. All done with a simple laptop and some microphones.

I don’t know about you, but it blew me away. Best version of Ben E. King’s classic I’ve ever heard in my life. And I’ve probably heard between five and two billion of them. [Thanks to my friend Fernando]”

Posted By Jesus Diaz, 12:10 PM on Tue Apr 28 2009
gizmodo.com.

Hey everybody,

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who made it out last friday. If you didn’t make it out, you can still get the EP online through the website

.
And we’re taking pre-order sales for the full length here.

I hope to have some video footage of the concert up by the end of the week.

-dolson

Hey, check it out. An article was posted on Cleveland Scene’s blog today about Dolson’s return to the Ohio music scene. Check it out.

The Return of Dolson

POSTED BY MICHAEL GALLUCCI ON THU, APR 23, 2009 AT 12:00 PM

Those who became fans of Andy Dolson’s rocked-up singer-songwriter music when he released his debut EP Tide in December in 2005 and wonder where he’s been for the past two years, rejoice.

The Akron-based musician celebrates the release of a new five-song EP, The Last Thing You Want, at 8:30 p.m. tomorrow at Musica in Akron. He’ll be sharing the bill with fellow Akron singer-songwriter Pete Nischt. Tickets are $10.

Shortly after the release of his last effort, the EP Whisper, in November 2007, and shortly before graduating from college, Dolson took a break from music to get his bearings on real life. But music drew him back, and he’s been working in his home studio with Akron guitarist Jonathan Penn on material for a new album, Eightynine.

That album is scheduled for release in the fall, but to reconnect with his fans, Dolson’s put five of those songs on this EP. They include the title track — whose anthemic melody, surging piano and urgent vocal suggest Bruce Springsteen — and “I’ll Never Be,” which has a pop-funkier vibe and showcases Dolson’s plaintive, heartfelt singing.

You can preview the music or get more information here and here. —Anastasia Pantsios

You can read the post on scene’s page here.

Tune into www.blacksquirrelradio.com tomorrow between 4 and 6pm for your chance to win two tickets to Dolson’s EP Release show in Akron. The show is tomorrow, Friday, April 24, 8:30pm at Muscia, 51 E Market St, Akron, OH.

If you’re on the University of Akron Campus tomorrow, grab yourself a copy of the Buchtelite and read the article about Dolson’s EP Release this Friday at Musica in Akron.

UA alum releases EP at Musica

Kevin Curwin

Issue date: 4/23/09 Section: Arts & Life

Friday night at Musica in downtown Akron, university alumni and area native Andy Dolson will perform and release his newest work, a five song EP entitled The Last Thing You Want. The record features tracks from his upcoming full-length album, Eightynine.

Dolson isn’t new to the Akron music scene, and will be joined by another local artist, Pete Nischt, on Friday night.

In fact, Dolson has been playing music in Akron for over five years, and most of his upcoming album was written when he was a student here at UA.

As Dolson tells it, “a majority of this new album came from the songs I wrote while living in the dingy basement of a house on Carroll street.” Nearing his graduation and during an emotional time in his life, Dolson wrote songs ranging from feelings of disappointment with the “real world” to love and romance.

According to him, the “album is really a story the whole way through of my struggle to reconcile the way that I once saw the world as a starry eyed naive kid with the harsh reality that is life.”

Certainly, most people can relate with the feelings Dolson expresses.

He enjoys performing piano-driven pieces, and his new album reflects that. He names one of his greatest influences as Ben Folds.

As for Musica, this isn’t the first time that Dolson has played there, either.

“Musica is my favorite place to play in Akron, maybe even Northeast Ohio. It just has such a cool vibe, and I’ve been around the place for so long it feels like home. In the past few months Musica has really risen in stature as far as clubs go,” Dolson said. “They’ve been bringing some great shows to the area, and it’s right down the street.”

Dolson doesn’t spend all of his time in Akron, though, and his EP was produced and recorded between studios in Nashville and here.

In the future, Dolson plans to move to Nashville to continue pursuing his solo career in music. His goals include putting together a permanent band and focusing on new material.

“I have plans to begin writing my next album starting this summer,” Dolson said. “I definitely need to sit down and work on new material. I’m really excited because I haven’t had a chance to write in so long.”

The EP release show kicks off a tour of the east coast for Dolson, who plays in Tennessee and North Carolina before returning to Ohio for a show in Dundee May 23.

Dolson has plans to tour over the summer, and his full-length album is set to be released in September.

He plays Friday night at Musica at 10 p.m. and advance tickets are $10.

P.S. The show starts at 8:30pm

Hey ya’ll.

I hope you’re having a great week. I wish it weren’t so cold today. It was so nice a few days ago, and then it’s gone. Oh, well.

So the EP is getting delivered tomorrow! and I’ve been workin on getting the final details ready for the show on Friday night.

The website is up and working. In fact, right at this very moment, you can order the EP directly through the site. Just go to www.dolsonmusic.com and click the “buy now” button to get a copy of the EP mailed to your house. Remember, everyone who comes Friday night gets the EP for FREE, but for those of you who can’t make it out, this is the next best thing.

If you’re going to be in Ohio on Friday, I would love to see you at the show. My good friend Pete Nischt will be opening the show. You can check his stuff out at www.petenischt.com.

I will have the pleasure of sharing the stage with Patty Hawkins and Evan Lewis of the Speedbumps during my set. We’ve got a few tricks up our sleeves. This’ll be a show you don’t want to miss.

-dolson

Check out this article that ran in Record Publishing papers this weekend.

Stowite makes return to music with new recording

by April Helms

Special Products Editor

The last few years have taken Andy Dolson, musician and Stow resident, on paths he had not anticipated.

When last Dolson talked with Record Publishing Co. in 2005, he had just returned from Nashville after recording his first professional release. He kept up with music, writing songs and participating in a band for about a year, until “we parted ways” in 2007. Dolson said he decided to concentrate on school. After he graduated, he landed a full-time job, which he stayed in for seven months.

“I really didn’t do much at all with my music,” Dolson said.

In the next year, he started working part time so he could concentrate more on writing music, and working on recording a new release.

“Where I’m at now, I’m definitely OK with,” Dolson said. “But it was an unexpected road for me.”

Fans of Dolson’s music may say he’s back on track, with a new five-song release, “The Last Thing You Want,” which will be showcased April 24 at Musica, 51 E. Market St. in Akron. The event starts at 8 p.m. For details, call Musica at 330-374-1114, or visit http://dolsonmusic.com online. Those attending the Musica launch will get the recording for free; it also will be available through Dolson’s Web site.

Dolson, 24, said he also has been working with Kent-based band, The Speedbumps, including going on a two-week tour with them in January.

“We’ve always known each other,” Dolson said. “We moved in the same circles, but we had never worked together. We recently decided to start a record label to help connect the great music that we keep hearing with the network that we’ve built over the years.”

Half of his latest CD was recorded in his basement, and the other half in Tennessee, Dolson said.

“I think I’ve developed a lot as a songwriter,” he said. “I was able to bring more experience into making this CD.”

The music on “The Last Thing You Want” has “more of a piano rock feel,” Dolson said.

“I think I’m settling into more piano keyboard-driven music, just because it’s been the songs that I enjoy performing the most,” Dolson said. “I feel like that might begin to define the sound of Dolson, but I want to be adaptable. I’d rather let the songs dictate the style and not vice-versa, but that’s some of the freedom I have with not having a permanent band, which won’t always be the case.

“Music has a unique way of communicating emotions at a deeper level more naturally than most other media. When you read a great poem, or look at a beautiful painting the meaning sometimes can take a lot of work for the observer. People connect with music naturally. They hear it and it evokes emotions that they may not have been to experience on their own. Great music can have a profound impact on people’s lives. Songs become mile markers in our lives. We listen to different music when we want to feel uplifted, or we just want to be melancholy. A great song has the ability to draw people in universally and connect them with a common experience, yet they still can make it their own. I hope to make music that draws something deeper out of people that they didn’t know was there.. . .and just have a good time.”

Dolson said his favorite song on the new CD was “Can’t Keep on Running.”

“It’s an older song I wrote,” Dolson said. “When I first wrote it, it was more of a pop song. I changed it around, adjusted the beat and it took on a whole different sound. It’s a lot darker.”

What has been invaluable to his recordings, and his music career, have been the contacts and friends he has made in Tennessee, Dolson said.

“I’m lucky to have the friends I have in Nashville,” Dolson said. “Especially with the budget I’ve had.”

Dolson said that he hopes to continue working with The Speedbumps and Erik Urycki on their label, LETA, and to start performing at colleges. He added that he would like to move to Tennessee, but “right now, that’s not practical.”

Ultimately, Dolson said he would like to make music “a self-sufficient career.”

“That is a viable goal,” he said.

E-mail: ahelms@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3153

You can view the article on it’s original site here.

Apparently Dolson is a truly royal name. Check out this add from back in the early parts of last centure.

Hey ya’ll.

So the EP is coming in just over a week! I’m so pumped. I hope any and all of you who are near Akron next Friday, April 24, will come out. My buddy Pete Nischt is opening the show, and everyone who comes gets the 5 song CD for FREE!

But yeah, I’m gonna be on Black Squirrel Radio’s “Here and Now” program, this Friday to promote the show with a live acoustic performance and interview. The show is from 4-6pm on Friday, April 17! Tomorrow! All you have to do to listen in is go to www.blacksquirrelradio.com to listen, and… I would love it if you would call in to the show to be on the air with me. Just call 330 672 7700 and ask for Cait.

I hear that everyone who goes on the program has a blast, so listen in. It’s gonna be a good time, and I’ll see you next Friday night at Musica.

Join Dolson on Friday, April 24, at Musica for the release of his newest EP “The Last Thing You Want”. The 5 song record will feature tracks from the much anticipated debut full length album “Eightynine”, and is FREE with admission to the show.

Tickets are available through ticketweb here.

www.dolsonmusic.com
www.akronmusica.com