BLOWING TREES SET TO RELEASE THEIR SELF-TITLED DEBUT ON GLASSNOTE RECORDS MARCH 18TH.

Taking a Front Seat at This Year's Festival, Blowing Trees Gears Up to Take South by Southwest by Storm

February 27, 2008 (Austin, Texas) - San Antonio's Blowing Trees is scheduled to release their national self-titled debut on Glassnote Records March 18th, 2008. Discovered on Myspace by Glassnote A&R Executive Diane Passage, Blowing Trees signed with the label in early 2007. The yet to be released and highly anticipated indie-rock debut was recorded at San Antonio’s Melody Ranch Studio under the direction of platinum producer Dave Castell (Blue October's Foiled and South FM).

Blowing Trees, comprised of lifelong friends Chris Maddin (vocals, keys, guitar), Edwin Stephens (lead guitar), Drew Pierce (drums), and bassist Roy Scavone, collectively possess a strong conviction in the belief that anything of lasting value needs a strong foundation from which to build. Rather than setting their focus on extensive touring, Blowing Trees chose to remain close to their Central Texas base allowing the band to fully concentrate on honing their distinctive sound as well as developing an intense live performance and dedicated local following. With influences ranging from The Flaming Lips to Bob Dylan, San Antonio's hidden gem has also managed to find that rare delicate balance of intelligent lyricism and an explosive sound.

With the CD release date falling smack on the heels of this year's South by Southwest Music Conference, the festival provides a fitting landscape for the San Antonio indie-rockers to preview their material and introduce themselves to the world. Both badge holders and the general public alike will have the opportunity to experience Blowing Trees live as they will be performing at two of the festival's highlighted showcases that week. Blowing Trees will perform live and can be seen by all at The Tiniest Bar in Texas on Friday, March 14^th at 6:00 p.m. during the CD Fuse Showcase. Following that, they take the stage at 8pm on Saturday March 15th for the much anticipated Official South by Southwest Pure Volume Showcase held at The Habana Annex Backyard on 6th Street. Topping off the furious frenzy of this year's festival, Blowing Trees has been chosen as a Featured Emerging Artist in the Dr. Pepper's/ Wendy's SXSW Sweepstakes promotion.

Buzzing the airwaves, XM radio’s Ethel is set to air a feature on the band some time in March. Additionally, ClearChannel.com recently named Blowing Tress one of the "NEW!" featured artists for February 2008 and the single is holding steadily at the #2 position on the site's alternative chart.

Sirius Radio's Matt Pinfield (formerly of MTV) was so blown away by the band's unique sound he flew to Texas to oversee the making of the group's EPK and later debuted the band's breakout single "The Day The World Left Me" on his radio show. "Their songs are intimate and personal, yet at the same time their songs are majestic and massive and so I could see them filling small clubs or arenas," remarks Pinfield.

Primed and poised to branch beyond their Texas roots, Blowing Trees under the direction of their management T.E.G., are gearing up to deliver the band's intrinsically ethereal sound to audiences everywhere with a national tour scheduled for later this year.

For more information, please visit:

www.myspace.com/blowingtreestx

www.glassnotemusic.com

www.sxsw.com

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Los Lonely Boys Pay Tribute to San Angelo's Steel Penny

By Chelsea Schmidt

Staff Writer who is Special to LIVE!

March 2, 2008

The jig is up. Friday night at the Steel Penny (2412 College Hills, San Angelo), Los Lonely Boys (billed under the name the “Garza Brothers”), played to a crowd of about 200 in celebration of the Pub’s 10 year anniversary. And celebration was in the air, the Penny was so poppin’ I had to wade through a sea of alcohol-induced hormones to make my way to the stage—yes, people were having a good time. They even ran out of Bud Light.

Originally from San Angelo, the Lonely Boys got their start at the Penny all those years back; playing open mic nights and performing in the Pub on the weekends.

“It’s great that a quality band that knows their roots would do this…” said Dewey Weaver after the Boys finished playing their first set. Having won a Grammy for their hit single “Heaven,” the Lonely Boys are indeed a band of a high caliber that are still down-to-earth enough to remember where they came from.

A lot of well-known faces in the community showed up to celebrate the Penny’s 10th year, including Chef Henry and the Mayor J.W. Lown with his sister.

“We love the Lonely Boys,” Mayor J.W. Lown said, admitting that the quote was a bit trite. “Music will save the world,” his sister Alicia Lown cut in. “Music is a universal language: everyone can relate.”

And relate they did Friday night when the Lonely Boys took the stage.

“I really like it—I like the music; I like the mood and everything,” French exchange student Jamila Boutemeur said.

Blending together the virtuoso styles of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Carlos Santana and their own personal flair, the Lonely Boys rocked hometown San Angelo like the stars they are, while simultaneously playing on the same level as their fans and friends at the foot of the stage.

CHRIS DUARTE TAKES HIS SIGNATURE STYLE ON THE ROAD IN SUPPORT OF HIS LATEST ALBUM “BLUE VELOCITY”

Chris Duarte Storms Back Stateside, Tearing the Doors off Venues From Florida to California and Leaving the Country Swimming in a Sea of Blues.

February 13, 2008 (Austin, TX) – Atlanta-based blues guitarist/bandleader Chris Duarte will be performing throughout the country from February 14^th to the end of March for his 2008 U.S, tour. The stateside dates begin upon his return from Russia, where he was rocking the Moscow Performing Arts Center earlier this month, and end with Chris’ return to Europe in April.

Duarte will be touring non-stop throughout the US and Europe in support of his latest CD release “Blue Velocity” (Shrapnel/ Blues Bureau International Records) which was recorded last April at Sun Prairie Studios in Cotati, California. Produced by Shrapnel Records Founder and Hard Rock impresario Mike Varney (Yngwie Malmsteen, Richie Kotzen, Vinnie Moore, Jason Becker) “Blue Velocity” marks Chris Duarte’s fifth album release. This album was the swan song for band members Dustin Sargent (bass) and Damien Lewis (drums) who left the group shortly after this album was recorded.

Like Duarte’s previous effort “Romp”, his most recent 11 track endeavor showcases his eclectic taste in music and desire to incorporate multi-cultural influences, many of which are derived from Duarte’s real life experiences throughout his career. His recent tour with famed Japanese blues artists Bluestone Co. left an indelible mark on Duarte, who welcomed writing contributions from the band’s Toshihiro Sumitomo and Monji Kadowaki on two of the tracks “Out in the Rain” and “I’ll Never Know”. These bluesy rock numbers, while adding a unique flavor, manage to blend seamlessly into the record and add the perfect complement to Duarte’s original tracks.

“Blue Velocity” debuted to cheers from critics and radio alike, receiving rave reviews in Hittin’ That Note Magazine and Blues Revue, as well as charting on XM’s Bluesville and being featured on the nationally syndicated Blues Wax. As an appropriate follow-up, Duarte busts out of the gate hitting the road fast with furious nightly performances nightly across the Southeastern U.S., before heading off to a prestigious appearance in Russia. After that, he’s back to the States with shows across Florida and westward through Texas, Arizona, Utah, Californaia, and beyond.

One thing is for certain, whichever the city, no matter the venue, and whatever the season, Chris Duarte live is an experience you won’t soon forget.

Chris Duarte leaves his own calling card with a fulsome tone, lightning licks, and intense grooves wrapped in a familiar Texas rock blues style.

-Pete Feenstra on the website "Get Ready to ROCK!"

… if you like your blues-rock loud and heavy but still staying on the blues side of the equation, this CD is for you.

-Norman Darwen, Blues Art Journal

Blue Velocity, Duarte's first release since 2003's Romp, is where it all comes together. With Dustin Sargent on bass and Damien Lewis pounding drums, Duarte emerges here as more of a total artist than in the past — the guitar brilliance serves the songs, rather than the other way around.

-Jeff Tamarkin, AllMusic.com

2008 “Blue Velocity” Tour

MARCH

1 Eureka Springs, AR All New Chris Duarte Weekend

2 Tulsa, OK Exit 6C

5 Phoenix, AZ Rhythm Room

6 Las Vegas, NV Boulder Station Casino

7 San Clement, CA OC Tavern

8 San Diego, CA Humphrey’s

9 Malibou, CA Malibou Inn

11 San Francisco, CA Biscuits n’ Blues

13 Crystal Bay, NV Crystal Bay Casino

14 Bakersfield, CA Doubletree

18 Salt Lake City, UT Sun & Moon Café

19 Jackson Hole, WY Mangy Moose

20 Denver, CO Quixote’s

21 Lyons, CO Oskar Blues

22 Rollinsville, CO Stage Stop

APRIL

1-27 European Dates Specific dates TBA

MAY

3 Carrboro, NC Carrboro Arts Center

August

22 Thief River Falls, MN Seven Clans Casino

All dates are Chris Duarte Group unless specified.

An * denotes that Chris will be backed by Japanese Band “Bluestone.”

* Billed as Chris Duarte & Bluestone