Delivered with a level of passion and soul equal to the legendary singer-guitarist, Madrigal, The Ultimate Carlos Santana Experience, pays tribute to an artist and band that has transcended five decades of chart-topping success and developed one of the largest die-hard fan bases in the world. With such a tough act to follow, Madrigal has pulled out all the stops. Their sincere devotion to replicating the musicianship, sound and full Santana concert experience, is filling venues and rocking people’s socks off!  Madrigal’s attention to that signature blend of Latin-infused rock, jazz, blues, salsa, African rhythms, and the sonic charge of Santana’s guitar has led to sold out concerts.

The band’s frontman, renowned guitarist Jose Madrigal, is often mistaken for Carlos himself. The experience doesn’t stop there. Madrigal, The Ultimate Carlos Santana Experience is a complete festive package. Creating one of the world’s best-known musical signatures, Madrigal has over a half dozen professional musicians and vocalists that more than complete a show for the senses, each with their own distinctive talent. Every show provides a unique and high energy live music experience, featuring melodic blues-based guitar lines set against Latin percussion of timbales and congas, always leaving audiences wanting more!

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Costello’s songs have been recorded by a great number of artists. The list of performers reflects his interest in a wide range of musical styles: George Jones, Chet Baker, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Dusty Springfield, Robert Wyatt, Charles Brown, No Doubt, Solomon Burke, June Tabor, Howard Tate, the gospel vocal group The Fairfield Four and the viol consort Fretwork with the countertenor Michael Chance. In 2003, he began a songwriting partnership with his wife, the jazz pianist and singer Diana Krall, resulting in six songs included in her highly successful album ‘The Girl In The Other Room’.

During his career Costello has received several prestigious honors, including two Ivor Novello Awards for songwriting, a Dutch Edison Award with The Brodsky Quartet for ‘The Juliet Letters’, the Nordoff-Robbins Silver Clef Award, a BAFTA for the music written with Richard Harvey for Alan Bleasdale’s television drama series ‘G.B.H.’ and a Grammy for “I Still Have That Other Girl” from his 1998 collaboration with Burt Bacharach, ‘Painted From Memory’.

Elvis Costello and The Attractions were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003. During the same year he was awarded ASCAP’s prestigious Founder’s Award. There have also been a number of Grammy nominations for his recent albums ‘When I Was Cruel’ and ‘The Delivery Man’.

The late-2003 Deutsche Grammophon release ‘North’ – an album of piano ballads composed, orchestrated and conducted by Costello – retained the number one position on the Billboard Traditional Jazz Chart for five weeks.

In 2004 Costello was nominated for an Oscar for Best Song – “The Scarlet Tide,” sung by Alison Krauss in the motion picture “Cold Mountain.” The song was co-written with T Bone Burnett.

The summer of 2004 saw Costello presenting a series of concerts as part of the Lincoln Center Festival in New York City. Following concerts with the Metropole Orkest and The Imposters, The Brooklyn Philharmonic, conducted by Brad Lubman, gave the premiere concert performance of ‘Il Sogno’, Costello’s first full-length orchestral work.

The music was originally commissioned in 2000 by the Italian Dance Company, Aterballetto, for their adaptation of Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. Following performances in Bologna with the Orchestra del Teatro Communale, the ballet was staged throughout Italy, Germany, France and Russia.

‘Il Sogno’ was subsequently recorded by The London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Michael Tilson-Thomas. The recording was released in the late 2004 by Deutsche Grammophon and stayed at the top of Billboard’s Contemporary Classical Charts for 14 weeks.

Elvis Costello was commissioned by The Royal Danish Opera to compose an opera based on the life of Hans Christian Andersen. “The Secret Songs,” a “work-in-progress” cycle extracted from the opera, was given its first performance in Copenhagen in October 2005 to an appreciative audience response and enthusiastic reviews. Costello sang both of the leading male roles, Andersen and that of the showman P.T. Barnum, while the leading female role of Jenny Lind was taken by Swedish soprano Gisela Stille.

In January 2006, Elvis Costello was a featured artist at the Sydney Festival in Australia, presenting a series of contrasting concerts. The first reunited Costello with the Brodsky Quartet for excerpts from ‘The Juliet Letters’, while in the second half, Steve Nieve, double-bassist Greg Cohen and soprano Antoinette Halloran joined Costello and the Brodsky Quartet for several newly arranged excerpts from “The Secret Songs.” Costello and Nieve then gave a second concert, in which they drew on some of Costello’s rarely performed compositions.

The festival appearances concluded with two concerts with the Sydney Symphony conducted by Alan Broadbent at the Opera House. The program consisted of a suite from ‘Il Sogno’, followed by a number of Costello’s songs arranged for orchestra by Costello, Sy Johnson, Bill Frisell, Vince Mendoza and Steve Nieve. The program also included compositions by Charles Mingus and Billy Strayhorn with Costello’s lyrics and songs written by Costello and Burt Bacharach for the album ‘Painted from Memory’.

Many of these compositions are also featured on ‘My Flame Burns Blue’, the live recording of Costello’s performance with the Metropole Orkest at the 2004 North Sea Jazz Festival that was released in March of 2006 by Deutsche Grammophon coupled with the suite of ‘Il Sogno’ highlights.

Later that spring, Costello, Nieve and conductor Alan Broadbent presented a program similar to their Australian tour throughout the U.S., including appearances with San Francisco, Chicago, Houston, Austin and Baltimore’s symphony orchestras.

2007 saw Costello tour extensively with The Imposters and also with Allen Toussaint throughout the USA and Europe. In autumn 2007 he undertook a highly successful tour, performing solo on “The Bob Dylan Show.”

In late 2007, Costello completed his work on a commission from The Miami City Ballet when he collaborated with world-famous choreographer Twyla Tharp. The work, entitled “NIGHTSPOT,” was premiered in Miami to great critical acclaim in March 2008. A new album with The Imposters entitled ‘Momofuku’ had already been recorded in secrecy in a period of just seven days and was released on April 22, 2008.

In December 2008, Costello launched the inaugural season of his internationally acclaimed music television series Spectacle: Elvis Costello with…. Spectacle is a compelling blend of the best of talk and music television that offers a fly-on-the-wall perspective on the creative process with an extraordinary and eclectic array of guests joining host Elvis Costello to chat, perform and share their passion for all kinds of music. The program’s eclecticism and depth reflect its uniquely qualified host, a songwriter and performer comfortable in almost every genre imaginable; a musicologist of formidable breadth and knowledge; a contributor to Vanity Fair; and a noted wit whose stint as guest host on “The Late Show with David Letterman” won rave reviews.

First season’s guests included: Sir Elton John, Tony Bennett, Lou Reed, Julian Schnabel, Smokey Robinson, The Police (Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers), James Taylor, Herbie Hancock, Rufus Wainwright, Rosanne Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Diana Krall, John Mellencamp, Jakob Dylan, She & Him (Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward), Norah Jones, Jenny Lewis, Renée Fleming and President Bill Clinton.

The second season of Spectacle will begin airing in late 2009 and feature guests including Bono & The Edge, Neko Case, Sheryl Crow, Levon Helm, Ray Lamontagne, Lyle Lovett, Nick Lowe, John Prine, Ron Sexsmith, Bruce Springsteen, Richard Thompson, Allen Toussaint and Jesse Winchester.

On June 2, 2009 Hear Music released Costello’s ‘Secret, Profane & Sugarcane.’ Produced by T Bone Burnett and recorded by Mike Piersante during a three-day session at Nashville’s Sound Emporium Studio, ‘Secret, Profane & Sugarcane’ debuted at #13 on the Billboard 200, Costello’s highest album chart position since 1980′s Get Happy. Following its release, Costello toured extensively with the featured musicians on the album dubbed the Sugarcanes – Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, Mike Compton, Jeff Taylor and Dennis Crouch.

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“My next record will continue to reflect my love of my country, my family’ my faith and the emotional journey I’m on,” he said during a recent interview from a recording studio behind his home that he shares with his wife and three young children. “I moved my family to Nashville six years ago and that change is now reflected in my music.”

“I’ve always been a family man,” Bice continued’ referencing his feelings for his mother’ a gospel singer who infused him with a love of music at an early age. “My mom remarried and moved our family to England when I was just a kid. But before I finished school, I knew I wanted to be in a band and I returned to Alabama to continue that process.”

It was a hard decision to leave his mom in England, and he addressed it in “You Take Yourself With You,” (a song that charted in the Top 20 on GAC’s Video Countdown) from his 2010 release, 3. “D. Scott Miller and I wrote that song when we were just sitting and talking about the first time you leave home,” he said. “He’s older than me, but everyone has that same feeling when they take off.”

The album 3 was Bice’s first brush with the Nashville community, and all its songs were written or co-written by Bice, with production credits by Bice and D. Scott Miller (who’s worked on hits by Trace Adkins, Patty Loveless and Asleep at the Wheel, among others).

“I’m really digging the Nashville scene and where it’s taking me musically,” he said. “It’s a little different than what I was doing on previous albums, but Nashville represents many of the things that are important to me these days.” After a few health scares stemming from life on the road, Bice has changed his lifestyle and enjoyed a clean bill of health for three years. “I’m more into being a good husband and father, and giving back to others, rather than just doing what feels good at the time,” he said.

Now, instead of chasing wild times, Bice spends time helping fellow motorcycle enthusiasts raise money for medical research or supporting the military and their families. “I have a lot of respect for the troops and want to do all I can to create awareness of their needs, and support their families.”

Backing up that claim, Bice found time to perform overseas for the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. “You hear and see first-hand some of the devastating stories, but you also witness the blessing that these men and women are fighting for us,” he said. “I just hope I’m lifting them up somehow.” (Bice suggests checking out www.bobice.com to see how you can contribute). More recently, Bice arranged for all of his proceeds from the song “Long Road Back” to benefit those affected by the 2010 Nashville floods. He also won $50,000 on a special celebrity edition of VH1′s “Don’t Forget The Lyrics,” with proceeds being donated to the NARAS charity organization MusiCares, for use in its recovery efforts. Bice was the first celebrity contestant in the history of the show to win the grand prize.

Bice’s career began to take shape when he worked the Southern club circuit in a number of bands, including Blue Suede Nickel, Purge and Sugar Money. Although the groups made some in-roads, his initial claim to fame came in 2005, when he finished 2nd to Carrie Underwood on FOX television’s American Idol.

His first release following that show, The Real Thing, yielded the chart-topping single “Inside Your Heaven” and helped Bice attain the first of his two gold record awards.

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It’s About Pride is the new album from The Outlaws, a record 4 years in the making and perhaps 20 or more in the waiting. And for original Outlaws vocalist/guitarist Henry Paul, it’s a hard-fought revival whose success can be measured in old fans and new music. “Because The Outlaws have been out of the public eye for so long, it’s almost like starting over,” he explains. “But because of the band’s history, we’re seeing this as a new chapter. We’ve written and recorded this album on our own terms, and we’re out to make a significant impression. What our fans loved then they still love now, but most of all, they recognize the heart and sincerity we put in our music.” For co-founding drummer Monte Yoho, the journey is both bittersweet and jubilant. “I still think about the friends we made when we first came into this industry, how we struggled to define this thing that became known as ‘Southern Rock’,” Yoho says. “This new album embodies all the things we shared musically and personally, as well as the relationships we have with our fans to this day. It’s about where we’ve been, where we’re going, and why we still love to do this.”

History lesson: Formed in Tampa in 1972, The Outlaws – known for their triple-guitar rock attack and three-part country harmonies – became one of the first acts signed by Clive Davis (at the urging of Ronnie Van Zant) to his then-fledgling Arista Records. The band’s first three albums The Outlaws, Lady In Waiting and Hurry Sundown – featuring such rock radio favorites as “There Goes Another Love Song”, “Green Grass & High Tides”, “Knoxville Girl” and “Freeborn Man” – would become worldwide gold and platinum landmarks of the Southern Rock era. Known as ‘The Florida Guitar Army’ by their fans, The Outlaws earned a formidable reputation as an incendiary live act touring with friends The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Marshall Tucker Band and The Charlie Daniels Band as well as The Doobie Brothers, The Who, Eagles and The Rolling Stones. Henry Paul left after the group’s third album to form The Henry Paul Band for Atlantic Records, and later the multi-Platinum country trio Blackhawk. Over the next 20+ years, The Outlaws would experience rampant personnel changes, tonal missteps, ill-fated reunions and bitter trademark battles that left fans – not to mention Paul and Yoho – frustrated and saddened. And with the tragic deaths of co-founding members Frank O’Keefe and Billy Jones in 1995, and especially vocalist/lead guitarist Hughie Thomasson in 2007, it was feared that The Outlaws’ trail had come to an end.

“The Outlaws were the one area of my career where I had regrets,” admits Paul. “More importantly, I think it was the one area in my career where I thought I still have something to prove. I felt compelled to stick my neck out and take a chance of putting this band back together. I knew we would be judged, but I hoped we would be judged on our abilities.” Along with founding members Paul and Yoho, the band features several of Southern Rock’s most respected veterans: Lead guitarist/vocalist Billy Crain first developed a fervent following as an original member of The Henry Paul Band and would later become a hit songwriter for The Dixie Chicks, The Bellamy Brothers, Martina McBride and Poco. Lead guitarist/vocalist and longtime Outlaw Chris Anderson is well known for his collaborations with artists that include Dickey Betts, Lucinda Williams, Hank Williams Jr., and Skynyrd. Keyboardist/vocalist Dave Robbins is a co-founding member of Blackhawk and has written hit songs for artists that include Restless Heart, Kenny Rogers and Eric Clapton. Bassist/vocalist Randy Threet has performed with Pam Tillis, Trisha Yearwood and Blackhawk, and is familiar to TV audiences from USA Network’s ‘Nashville Star’. “From the very beginning, our band had a heart,” Monte Yoho says. “And a lot of people who come out and see this incarnation of the band respond to the exact same things we used to put on that stage in the ‘70s and ‘80s.”

On that stage, the band burns hotter than ever: “The Outlaws helped define Southern Rock for me and for generations of fans,” wrote music journalist Bill Robinson in June 2012 in The Huffington Post. “Seeing them onstage with The Charlie Daniels Band, Marshall Tucker Band, Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd or countless others was, for a long time, one of the best experiences I could have. And so it was again when I saw The Outlaws play recently.” The Outlaws’ live shows – more than 150 per year – are blazing 2+ hour tributes to the band’s rich history and fiery rebirth. Classic tracks and fan favorites from the first three albums – as well as The Henry Paul Band’s definitive “Grey Ghost” – share the spotlight with songs from the new disc that are already being embraced by audiences. “I think the new songs go back to those first three classic albums, when the band was proud of its influences from country, blues and jazz,” says Billy Crain. “Plus, Chris Anderson and I have honored and maybe even stepped up the legacy of the ‘guitar army’. Fans are coming away from shows feeling a part of the Outlaws experience.”

But it’s the new album – produced by Michael Bush and Henry Paul – that brings the experience home. The disc opens with “Tomorrow’s Another Night”, a scorching take on the band’s history complete with monster harmonies and a killer hook. “Hidin’ Out In Tennessee” delivers classic Outlaws country/bluegrass energy. “Born To Be Bad” is badass biker boogie and “Last Ghost Town” is kickass guitar rock. “Nothin’ Main About Main Street” is an affecting Springsteen/Seger style look at lost small-town life. “The Flame” – Hughie Thomasson’s nickname – is a potent tribute to the much-loved late Outlaw. Chris Anderson’s “Trail Of Tears” electrifies via bitter history, intense vocals and searing guitars. “Right Where I Belong”, “Alex’s Song” and “Trouble Rides A Fast Horse” could easily be lost tracks from any of the band’s first three albums. The disc’s closer, “So Long”, is a haunting re-recording of Henry’s 1979 classic. “It was the first song on the first Henry Paul Band album, and it’s the final song on this record,” explains Paul. “I wanted it to be a sort of coda to the new music, but I also want it to be a relevant part of the new Outlaws landscape. I think it’s one of the best songs I’ve ever written, and I think we’ve done an admirable job of giving it a new personality.” But the new album’s true centerpiece is its title track, co-written by Henry Paul and Billy Crain. “It’s About Pride” is both tribute and testimony from a band that has lived it all, played it all, and returns to reclaim it all.

“I’m proud to be a part of something that started long ago,” Henry Paul sings reflectively, “a Southern band of brothers bound together by the road/They came from Florida, Georgia, Carolina and Tennessee/With old guitars, tattoos and scars, straight from the heart of Dixie/And our rebel pride.” From its towering chorus to its searing guitar-onslaught finale, “It’s About Pride” is a fierce first-person anthem to the genre, delivered with the poignancy and power of absolute survivors. “It’s a very emotional song,” Paul says. “Depending on my mood and the night, sometimes it’s all I can do to get the words out without crying. It summons up a lot of images of people who are no longer with us, of times we shared standing tall together for the first time. When I first wrote the end of the second verse – ‘The reason ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ means so much to me/Is it’s about pride’ – I knew that people would feel a lot of those same emotions. It’s about an accumulated experience of separation, loss and success.” Almost instantly, the song – and the entire album – is classic Southern Rock and classic Outlaws.

Right now, The Outlaws are headed back on the road, back on the radio and back into the hearts of fans nationwide. “I’m seeing this thing we’ve had for four decades be exposed to whole new audiences,” Monte Yoho says. “We’re having a second life as a band, and it feels better than ever. Best of all, I’m still doing it with some of the same people I’ve known for most of my life.”

“I want people to hear this album and see our show and realize that The Outlaws are back,” says Henry Paul. “Our goal is to unite the fans and bring the band back into the light. In a way, this is like a second chance at my first love. It’s about finishing what we started.” For Henry, Monte, Billy, Chris, Dave and Randy, it’s about a band of brothers who love playing their own style of rock, and who 40 years ago first got the chance to take it from Florida to the world.

For The Outlaws, it’s still about the music. And now more than ever, it’s about pride.

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The 1992 self-titled debut album went platinum and featured notable rock radio hits like “Down On Me,” “When Will It Rain,” “I Stand Alone” and, most notably, “The Lumberjack,” during which vocalist Jesse James Dupree performed a chain-saw solo. Dupree’s chain-saw escapades on album and in concert became one of many Jackyl trademarks. With the release of ‘Jackyl’ hit the road and barely left it since. Just long enough to record new albums.

Touring mates in those early days included Aerosmith, Kiss, ZZ Top, Ted Nugent and Damn Yankees. 1993 saw “Mental *@%.!” featured on ‘The Beavis & Butt-head Experience,’ a compilation album of songs tied in with MTV’s hit cartoon series; it was eventually certified triple platinum. 1994 was one of the most important years in the band’s career. The second album, ‘Push Comes To Shove,’ hit the streets and went gold. That August, Jackyl turned in one of the most acclaimed performances at Woodstock ’94 in Saugerties, NY, and the resulting double album ‘Woodstock 94′ went platinum and included “Headed For Destruction” (a track from ‘Push Comes To Shove’). The live recording ‘Night Of The Living Dead’ was released exclusively in Europe on Mayhem Records in 1996.

It wasn’t long before Jackyl followed A&R legend John Kalodner (who had signed them to Geffen) to Sony Music’s imprint Epic Records. ‘Cut the Crap’ was released in 1997 and benefited from two industry heavyweights overseeing its recording: producer Mike Fraser (AC/DC, Metallica) and mixer Kevin Shirley (silverchair, Aerosmith). This album spawned the rock radio hit “Locked and Loaded,” which included guest vocals by AC/DC’s Brian Johnson. It was the first time Johnson had ever recorded with any artist but AC/DC since he joined the band 17 years earlier. A collection of B-sides titled ‘Stayin’ Alive’ appeared on Shimmering Tone Records in 1998 but the biggest highlight of the year was Geffen’s release of the best-of collection ‘Choice Cuts’ and the related promotional events Jackyl did to help promote it.

The band earned two Guinness Book of World Records citations and the designation “The Hardest Working Band in Rock ‘N’ Roll” for performing 100 shows in 50 days as well as 21 shows in 24 hours. Dupree says the most grueling of the two was 21 shows in 24 hours; Jackyl completed that task in Texas, and the shows were all done with full lights and sound. The daytime sets were 45 minutes long whereas the ones done at nighttime were between 90 and 120 minutes long. Jackyl released ‘Relentless’ on Humidity Records in 2002. It contained the second collaboration with Brian Johnson, “Kill the Sunshine.” Universal Music/Geffen Records also issued a Jackyl volume as part of its acclaimed ’20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection’ best-of series in 2003. For a band that built its reputation as road warriors, it’s surprising that a full-length live album meant for worldwide release did not appear until 2004 with the separate release of the ‘Live at the Full Throttle Saloon’ CD and DVD on Sanctuary Records. ‘Live at the Full Throttle Saloon’ was recorded and filmed in summer 2003 in Sturgis, South Dakota, as part of the legendary annual biker rally festivities held there.

Staying true to their working band roots, 2008 and 2009 saw Jackyl on the road playing the summer festival circuit. The band is currently in the studio completing a 2010 release titled “My Moonshine Kicks Your Cocaine’s Ass.”

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