Huey and The News welcome Johnnie Bamont!
By debP, HLN.org Co-Editor
07 July 2010: Huey and The News welcome Johnnie Bamont as the newest member of the group. You may already be familiar with Johnnie B. as he's appeared with the News semi-regularly in the past, but we wanted to make special mention of his presence in the horn section, and let him know we're excited to have him as a regular member of the group. Multi-talented Johnnie B is proficient on Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Baritone Saxes, along with the Flute.
As well as being a member of Huey Lewis & The News, Johnnie is an original member of the Greg Adams’ Band “East Bay Soul” (former arranger and trumpet player with The Tower of Power). They recently released their latest CD “East Bay Soul”. He is also in Greg’s studio horn section (Chuck Finley, Lee Thornburg, Nick Lane, Eric Marienthal & Tom Scott). Johnnie spends time both in LA and
the Bay Area performing and recording.
Welcome Johnnie! We look forward to seeing & hearing you up on the stand with Marvin and Rob!!
Read Johnnie's Bio
Huey, Hot in Cleveland!
Posted by debP, HLN.org Co-Editor
17 June 2010: Huey has recently filmed an episode of "Hot in Cleveland," the new TV Land sitcom, co starring Betty White, Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, and Wendie Malick. The series premiered last night, (6.16.10,) and was "Wednesday's #1 Show in All of Cable."
Huey's episode will be the fifth episode of the season, July 7, 2010 - mark your calendars!
A Special Evening with Huey at 142 Throckmorton Theatre
Posted by debP, HLN.org Co-Editor
17 June 2010: Huey has agreed to appear at 142 Throckmorton Theatre, Mill Valley, CA, and be interviewed by Author/ Sports Reporter, Joan Ryan. This special event will be held on Monday, August 9, 2010 and will be part of a series of interviews taking place therein.
"Ask the Band," June, 2010.
We're excited to have Johnny Colla's Q&A's back! Thanks JC! ~dp
Johnny Colla's Q & A's
Q: Hi Johnny! When is your band going to come around again? Thanks, and keep up the great work!!
Johnny: . . . Haven’t had a lot of spare time to trot out my own stuff lately. Actually, I had just started pre-production for another solo effort when the decision was made to pursue a new HLN recording project, so I switched gears and jumped on that; you all should be happily surprised!
Q: Johnny, Did Huey and the News ever play at Farm-Aid II or in any other Farm-Aid concert?
Johnny: No, and I wished we had from the beginning. I support and believe in the cause.
Q: Hi Johnny, Do you and your wife ever collaborate musically? (I know she is talented in her own right as well.)
Johnny: Christie doesn’t compose but she has a beautiful classically trained voice; she’s also a fantastic photographer!
Read JC's entire Q & A.
HLN Play 'M Resort' Las Vegas
Written by Fred & Betty Rothenhausler.
02 June 2010: We went to Henderson to see Huey and the Band at the M Resort Hotel and Casino last Saturday Night. Henderson? NO, it was actually right off the 15 freeway 10 miles west out of Las Vegas. We got tickets about three weeks ago and landed 12th row center seats. I thought 12th row this close to concert time? Maybe the tickets weren't selling and the place would be empty. But no it was packed as usual.
Seating was in front of the stage while all the general admission tickets were behind by the pools and standing only (no chairs). The place opened last year and is beautiful. It reminds me of an old glamorous 50's modern style hotel. It was so inviting.
The weather was just perfect. Just warm, not hot….clear with a little wind. The Sunset was just amazing.
The Concert was great as usual. It didn't get started until 9:18 PM. Of course the fans wanted all the old songs but Huey played 5 new ones in a row right at the start. Jimmy Kimmel was there to introduce the guys and they came out with Huey singing "Don't Fight It, Saturday Night, plus three other new ones including my favorite new song "Never Like This".
The audience took a little time to warm up, but Huey had them in the palm of his hand by the time the show ended 19 songs and 94 minutes later.
I enjoyed this trip a lot and must say the show ranks up there with some of the best we've seen.
Many thanks to Fred R for that glowing show review and to Betty R for the Original Setlist from the show.
Huey Lewis and the News at Ardent Studios
By Daniel J Russo, ArdentStudios.com
HLN at Ardent Studios, January, 2010.L to R: Ralph Arista, Bill Gibson, Johnny Colla, engineer Jim Gaines, 2nd assistant Lydia Gilman (seated), Huey Lewis, assistant Curry Weber, and Sean Hopper.22 January 2010, (posted at hln.org 23 January 2010): Superstar, R&B aficionado, and all-around nice guy Huey Lewis came to Ardent this month to start work on a new record. And yes – he brought the News. Together they were working on a Stax tribute record – yet to be titled – and felt that Memphis and Ardent were the way to go for just such a project. Says Lewis of the record: “…we’re trying to do it right, and I think if you’re down here you’re a little bit more careful.”
Read entire article.
Funk meets pop: Huey Lewis, Devon Allman record at Ardent
By Mark Jordan, GoMemphis.com
18 January 2010, (posted at hln.org 19 January 2010): The scene in Ardent Studios in Midtown last week resembled some strange, never-happened recording session from the distant past: Devon Allman, strongly resembling his father — lead singer and organist in the Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame band the Allman Brothers — was overseeing an overdubbing session with Huey Lewis of Huey Lewis and the News fame.
“We met by the coffee machine,” says Allman of the happenstance that led to Lewis stepping into Ardent’s Studio C Wednesday to lay down a part on “Could Get Dangerous,” a funk-pop track from the upcoming sophomore release from Allman’s band Honeytribe. “He heard the tracks, and we kind of hit it off. We had this track that was just screaming for him, and he came in and blew harp on a song. Nailed it in like one take, too.”
Down the hall...
Lewis and the News are less obviously awe-struck by their first foray into the legendary Ardent Studios, where Bob Dylan, R.E.M., Stevie Ray Vaughan, and numerous others have recorded. The Grammy-winning nine-piece band has recorded eight studio albums over their three decades together. But for the band’s first new record in nine years, a Stax tribute album, the band felt compelled to be as close to the source as possible.
Read entire article.
Band Shares "Your Love is Killin' Me" with Their Fans through HLN.org!
HLN Today Exclusive
24 October 2008: Here you go folks! A vintage rehearsal version of "Your Love Is Killin' Me" for your listening and downloading pleasure! This was recorded at our studio sometime in November of 1995. Nothing new I know, but Huey, Johnny, Sean, J.P., myself and the rest of the cats figured it was time we did something cool like this for our fans. Our old pal Chris Hayes is burning up the guitar solo, and if you listen close you can hear him yelling when the horns come in on the second verse!
Our long-time friend and sound man, Jim Moran, was overseeing the recording with the mix going straight to DAT. These tapes were originally intended for the band to take home and critique, and few people outside the group ever got to hear them. Johnny unearthed this little gem in the process of archiving our back catalogue (who knows what else is in there?), and it kind-of 'shined' and jumped out for all of us . . . . Hope you enjoy it as much as we did 'rediscovering' it!
--Bill Gibson on behalf of Huey Lewis and the News
Download or listen to "Your Love is Killing Me"
Johnny Colla Radio Interview and Three Acoustical Songs with Stef Burns
HLN Today Exclusive
By debP, HLN Today Co-Editor
17 October 2008: While touring with Chicago and promoting his “Lucky Devil” CD a couple of summers back, Johnny Colla took part in an extraordinary thirty minute radio interview with Chad Blake of Jones Radio Network. We’re pleased to announce that Johnny has sent us this interview for our listening pleasure, and it was well worth the wait!
The interview includes the lighthearted Johnny speaking of growing up with parents supportive of his musical talents, his musical influences, and of working with different artists before beginning an accomplished career with Huey and The News.
After getting to know Johnny, we’re treated to three of his songs performed acoustically, on the spot, accompanied by Stef Burns! Hearing these songs “unplugged” is phenomenal – two of them aren’t even on the “Lucky Devil” CD!
More information and play the interview!
Please see the Article Archive for previous NEWS articles.
