| GOMES RELEASES NEW SINGLE ‘PRAYING FOR RAIN’ |
| Full Length Album out on October 16, 2020 |
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| ST. LOUIS, MO– Anthony Gomes, a #1 Billboard Blues Artist, is thrilled to announce the release of the third single, Praying For Rain, from his upcoming album Containment Blues. Gomes discusses his latest single ‘Praying For Rain’ and the influence his grandfather had while Gomes was writing this song. “My Grandfather was my first superhero. I would spend the summers with him in Quebec City. He would take me to the Plains of Abraham, hold my hand tightly, and tell me stories about life. My Grandfather’s world was so different from ours today but those lessons still resonate.” Reminiscing about the advice his grandfather had given him, Gomes shared that wisdom in this latest release ‘Praying For Rain.’ “Never judge a person unless you walk a mile in their shoes,” he said, “And, the road to redemption is paved with a little blues.” Containment Blues follows Gomes’ latest award winning album Peace, Love & Loud Guitars released in October of 2018 which was named Blues Rock Review’s #1 Album of the Year and was named one of Top 20 Albums of 2018 by Rock and Blues Muse. The full length album will be released internationally on October 16, 2020 and is available for pre-order at www.AnthonyGomes.com ### |
| RADIO PLAY SINGLE DOWNLOAD AVAILABLE FOR PROFESSIONAL USE ONLY *Please do not publish this link* *New Singles will be added to this folder weekly up until album release* Available on Dropbox: https://bit.ly/2ZkWWUz Available on AirPlay Direct: https://bit.ly/3hd423D |
| PRAYING FOR RAIN VIDEO https://youtu.be/WTKHC7fiiXM |
| HELL AND HALF OF GEORGIA VIDEO https://youtu.be/L1HG0ewoNBQ |
| RECOMMENDED TWEET @AnthonyGomes releases new single ‘Praying For Rain’ along with the video premier for this track from his upcoming album, Containment Blues. Pre-order your copy at www.AnthonyGomes.com #ContainmentBlues #Blues |
| CONTAINMENT BLUES ALBUM NOTES Anthony Discusses Containment Blues We wanted to do something different with this album. We were living in strange days and we wanted the music to reflect the times we were living in. We weren’t certain on how to achieve this exactly but we agreed to start the journey. Originally, the concept for the record was a singer songwriter approach with just one microphone, one acoustic guitar and one voice. All the songs were demoed this way and the song arrangements were created with this in mind. I would write a song in the morning and then bring it to the studio in the afternoon. By the end of the day we would have a song. After a few weeks of doing this we had enough material for an album. Things quickly evolved and soon other instruments were added to the vocal and acoustic guitar. The Covid pandemic had an obvious effect on the album. For us it was a global phenomenon. It was something the whole world was going through. For this reason we wanted to represent the world on this album. We have contributions from Brazil, Russia, Venezuela, Sweden, China, Canada and the United States of America. 4 Continents on 11 songs. It has brought a different flavor to the music, a more global sound, to our brand of blues and classic roots rock. The goal was to push our scope and range with the new music. We weren’t interested in making a guitar hero album. We wanted the guitar to be an extension of the voice as opposed to it being a feature of speed or technique. Having demoed the songs with a singer songwriter approach there wasn’t the typical spot for a guitar solo. The guitar was made to serve the song as opposed to the song serving the guitar. We feel like the music is another shade of the same color. Everything is different on this album without feeling forced or out of place with our past releases. Even the artwork reflects this shift. We shifted the focus from having the artist on the cover to making an artistic statement of the times. CONTAINMENT BLUES TRACK LISTING 1. MAKE A GOOD MAN (WANNA BE BAD) – (03:12) Songwriters: Anthony Gomes Your Mama raised you right. You know better. You shouldn’t. Your head says no but your heart says go. You just can’t resist and now you are in love with the wrong kind of person. “Like a match to gasoline, she lit me up and I’m burning on fire. Mama warned me about her and now I know Mama ain’t no liar.” This ZZ Top/John Lee Hooker on steroids boogie features a fat guitar groove that is just plain nasty. 2. HELL AND HALF OF GEORGIA – (3:12) Songwriters: Anthony Gomes Everyone has been in a bad relationship. Somebody does somebody wrong and there’s no escaping the blues. In this true to life tale, the cheating partner believes that she is being ‘so undercover’ with her deception. But she’s not as clever as she thinks. He’s known all along. In fact, Hell and half of Georgia know she’s doing him wrong. This story is put to a sticky must dance groove that echoes the blues rock strut of classic 70s bands like the Faces, T-Rex and the Rolling Stones. Have mercy! 3. THIS BROKEN HEART OF MINE – (3:14) Songwriters: Anthony Gomes A broken heart hurts like hell. When it keeps taking blows without a chance to heal the pain feels terminal. The song is portrayed as a relationship song between a couple. The emotion behind the song is actually inspired by my mother’s lifelong battle with mental illness. It is so hard to see someone trying to fight to survive their delusions. When I was growing up every few months she would be admitted to the hospital. It was heartbreaking for a 12 year old and I dreaded going to the hospital to see her on heavy medication. It was like she was somewhere or someone else. “You keep on looking at me with those far away eyes and you say, you say we tried.” 4. PRAYING FOR RAIN – (3:26) Songwriters: Anthony Gomes My Grandfather was my first superhero. I would spend the summers with him in Quebec City. He would take me to the Plains of Abraham, hold my hand tightly, and tell me stories about life. My Grandfather’s world was so different from ours today but those lessons still resonate. “Never judge a person unless you walk a mile in their shoes,” he said, “And, the road to redemption is paved with a little blues.” 5. NO KINDA LOVE – (3:40) Songwriters: Anthony Gomes When it comes to love, talk is cheap. You have to deliver the goods. The love interest in this story is willing to practice what they preach but it comes stock filled with exceptions and conditions. “She said she’d walk a mile for me but she ain’t got no shoes, sing me a love song but the girl would rather cry the blues.” This is a real blues groover with some exceptional harmonica from a South American musician. The blues is a worldwide phenomenon. 6. LET LOVE TAKE CARE OF LOVE – (3:48) Songwriters: Anthony Gomes & Billy Falcon This song is a lesson in letting go. Especially in these times. There is so much uncertainty. How am I going to pay my bills? What is there so much division in our world? Why can’t we all have basic human rights? What is happening to the environment and our planet? Never give up but sometimes it takes courage to have faith that things will all work out for the best. “I’m gonna let money take care of money, gonna let the bees take care of the honey, gonna let the angels sing up above, gonna let love take care of love.” 7. STOP CALLING WOMEN HOES AND BITCHES – (3:24) Songwriters: Anthony Gomes Enough is enough. Do I really need to say more? This is a downright nasty delta blues groover with an important message. It’s a sonic punch to the kisser that’s aimed at those who treat women with no respect. “Your Mama changed your diapers because she thought you were precious. Stop calling women hoes and bitches.” It’s time to stop the cycle. 8. UNTIL THE END OF TIME – (4:11) Songwriters: Anthony Gomes This was written for one of my best friends who lost his wife too early in life. It’s a love song that moves beyond space and time. The love these two people share is eternal. They were together before the beginning and they will be together after the end. Here or in the hereafter their love will bring them together time after time after time. 9. TELL SOMEBODY – (3:07) Songwriters: Anthony Gomes Is it the end of the world? It sure feels like it sometimes. How are future generations going to look at us today? It’s hard to know what is true these days. Opinions are not facts but no one seems to be held accountable. We need somebody to tell us without bias. We need to get our faces out of our smartphones and take a look at what’s going on. 10. THE GREATEST 4 LETTER WORD – (3:01) Songwriters: Anthony Gomes Some have it all but want more because they don’t know what they’re searching for. There is nothing more precious than the greatest 4 letter word. The Beatles sang about it and we are still singing about it today because the message needs to be heard. One voice, one guitar, one cello and the message is loud and clear. L-O-V-E. 11. CONTAINMENT BLUES – (2:53) Songwriters: Anthony Gomes This is a tale of dealing with 2020 and having your mother in law move in. With all the stress of these crazy times a little laughter goes a long way. “Ain’t no fighting it or putting up resistance, I really wish my mother-in-law would practice some social distance.” I apologize to all the mother in laws out there but it’s all in good clean fun! CAST OF CHARACTERS Anthony Gomes – Guitar and Vocals – Canada Jacob Mreen – Bass & Backing Vocals – USA Chris Whited – Drums & Backing Vocals – USA Bobby Stone Jr. – Drums & Percussion – Sweden Gabriel Crespo – Keyboards – Brazil Hector Ruano – Harmonica – Venezuela Paul Tooley – Banjo, Mandolin & Fiddle – USA Margarita Chernova – Violin – Russia Carolina Teruel – Cello – Venezuela Produced by: Peter Carson & Anthony Gomes Engineered by: Peter Carson Label: Up 2 Zero Mixed by: Kyle Lehning & Peter Carson Mastered by: Ted Jensen Label: Up 2 Zero Art Direction & Design: Anthony Gomes Photography: Jordan Gelencir, Luke Stackpoole, Caleb Jones Illustrations: Stokkete (Shutterstock), Ollyy (Shutterstock), Anthony Gomes |
| ABOUT ANTHONY GOMESAnthony Gomes, #1 Billboard Blues Artist, is a triple threat force as a guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. This, along with his high-energy shows and dynamic stage presence, make him one of the top draws on the Rock/Blues circuit today. Gomes’ latest album Peace, Love & Loud Guitars, named Best Blues Album of 2018 by Blues Rock Review and SoundGuardian Magazine, is the culmination of a life spent honoring Blues traditions while never losing sight of his own identity. The Toronto born guitar slinger stands his ground as a creative artist, not a derivative history lesson, and is eager to push the Blues back into the mainstream. “My goal is to keep the Blues fresh, exciting and even dangerous,” says Gomes. “I want to bring back the thrill longtime Bluesmen created in their day. At the same time, I think it’s very important for the music to grow and evolve.” Born in Toronto, Canada to a Portuguese father and a French-Canadian mother, Gomes began playing guitar in his early teens and was drawn to the blues sounds of B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. He relocated to Chicago in the late ’90s to learn from the blues masters. During his brief stint as a sideman for Magic Slim and the Teardrops, Gomes put together his own group and won the first annual Buddy Guy’s Legends “Best Unsigned Blues Band” competition in 1998. Later that year, Gomes released his debut CD, “Blues in Technicolor,” which introduced him as a guitar-slinger loaded with impressive firepower. On 2002’s “Unity”, he accomplished the album’s title with a heavy mix of styles leading Bandit Blues Radio to name it one of the “Top 30 Essential Blues Albums” of all time. Gomes was elevated to the top of the blues field just one year later when BluesWax Magazine named him “Artist of the Year,” a nomination he would claim for several years in a row due to his endless commitment and touring. “Music Is the Medicine” (2006) peaked at number four on the Billboard Top Blues Albums chart, only to be outdone by LIVE (2008) debuting at number one. The accolades continued, with “Up 2 Zero” (2012), “…Before The Begining” (2013) and Electric Field Holler (2015) all claiming real estate on Billboard’s Top 10 Album chart and critics ‘best of’ lists. He has performed with the likes of B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Robert Plant, Heart, Sammy Hagar, Joe Bonamassa, .38 Special, Jonny Lang, Robert Cray and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Gomes recalled a conversation he had years ago with one of those legends. “B.B. King told me the Blues are like the laws of the land. They need to be amended to the times we live in,” Gomes said. “As an artist, it’s very exciting to think that the Blues can be just as ground-breaking today as it ever was.” Not content to only contribute to the Blues as a musician, Gomes is also an award-winning scholar of Blues history. He earned the University of Toronto’s C.P. Stacey Prize for the highest overall GPA by a history student, completed his Master’s Degree thesis on the racial and cultural evolution of Blues music, and graduated with high distinction. His thesis, The Black and White of Blues, was published in 2014 and was nominated for Best Blues Book of the Year by Blues 411. Believing that music can inspire the human spirit, Anthony founded the Music Is the Medicine Foundation in 2010. This non-profit organization is dedicated to changing the lives of others through the healing power of music. Through private donations and winning sizable grants from State Farm Insurance and CVS Pharmacy, the foundation has funded songwriting scholarships, offered music education programs, and donated musical instruments to those in need. Anthony Gomes has nothing left to prove while leaving all his passion on the table. Nonetheless, he continues striving to not only find the legendary “lost chord,” but the ultimate combinations of words, notes and performance. We are fortunate to accompany him on his journey. You can get a free album download featuring his hit song “Come Down” and other hit songs from throughout his career at: www.FreeGomesAlbum.com |
| MORE INFORMATION For more information on Anthony Gomes, visit his website at www.anthonygomes.com or to schedule an interview contact Kat Goodenow at kat@anthonygomes.com |