Toni Melton

2012 EXCITEMENT!

Toni Melton — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 04:08:23 +0000

Oh, hi there!

Did you have a good New Year Celebration? I did. I welcome 2012 with open arms! I’ve got several of the proverbial irons on the fire and I’m excited to share them with, in bullet form no less!

MUSIC! Love In You Favor EP, my debut release is finished being recorded, mixed and the artwork has been designed! So now all that’s left is getting it mastered and printed. It’s so close I can almost taste it! Sign up for my email newsletter here and you’ll be the first to know all the details!
SHOWS! My first show of 2012 will be Jan. 21st, 2012 at Taylor Books in Charleston, WV w/my handsome, trusty companion Todd Melton. Feb. 3rd, 2012 I’ll be playing a set with Rus Powell opening for and performing with a great bluegrass/Americana/jam band from Winchester, KY, Velvet Water at The Attic in Lexington, KY. For more details check out my shows page.
COLLABORATIONS! As I mentioned, I’ll be performing with Rus Powell in February with will be a first for us. We met at an open mic night and bonded over our mutual love of the amazing Americana/roots band The Civil Wars. Also, I’ll be collaborating and recording with another great local musician, Jason Burton lending my vocal harmonies to his dark, swampy and beautiful folk recordings for his new release. Lastly I’m trying my hand at putting together a all-female band! It’s well underway and I’m extremely excited about it and all my new musical projects! Start 2012 with a bang!
OTHER STUFF! I wrote a blog that got published on a popular website, I started booking for an amazing band The Greatest Of These, and I’m looking for more bands and venues to book live music performances for.

That’s about it, not too shabby. 2012 is shaping up nicely or nice and busily at least… Take care and I hope you’re having the best year ever!

Fabulous Fall!

Toni Melton — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:58:05 +0000

Hello out there! It has been a while since I have last posted. I have been busy, working, recording, playing, living, etc.!

I’m still working on my debut 7 song EP, which is going to be called Love In Your Favor (instead of Shades of Gray). I’ve been working on it now for about 10 months, but I don’t want to rush the tweaking, mixing and mastering though I’m really anxious to get it finished! When I do get it finished up I will have a big CD release party so stay tuned!

I have a show coming up on November 12th, 2011 at Main Street Cafe in Berea, KY from 6 to 8PM. Hope you can make it! It’s FREE!

Take care and have a fabulous fall!

Amazing Shows & Updates

Toni Melton — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 02:46:31 +0000

I’ve had a crazy busy week…Last Saturday I played at Main Street Cafe in Berea, KY with the lovely Amber Melton and the incredible Todd Melton. We had a great crowd and it was great to see everyone’s beautiful faces. Later MSC owner, Sune Fredericksen, gave the 3 of us a tour of his gallery and auditorium, Berea Center for the Arts which, if you’re in Berea, it’s really worth checking out. Some beautiful artwork and unique crafts in there.

photo by Marie Wilson

Tuesday night, was wonderful as well! Todd Melton and I played at Natasha’s Bistro in downtown Lexington, KY with a touring band from Charleston, SC, Megan Jean & The KFB. They put on an awesome show! And the crowd was so attentive! That room was a true listening room, which I hadn’t really experienced so much as of yet. I play coffee shops a lot which is a lot like a listening room but there are always bean grinders going in the background and it never seems totally quiet.

I’ve working non-stop in between all those things in my various other jobs, projects, and household chore obligations but I’m going to be getting back in the studio next week to get some mixing done on some songs, which is really exciting. Getting any progress done on the upcoming EP, which I’ve decided to call Shades of Gray, is really exciting. Thanks for reading!

Oh, one more thing, I’m going to be playing a show at The Paddy Wagon Irish Pub in Richmond, KY on June 30th with the brand-spankin’-new band, The Beuze and then the next day I’m making my out-of-state debut in Charleston, WV, at Taylor Books, which will be an entirely SOLO show, which is rare for me. So if you know anyone near those parts, please let them know.

Inspired!

Toni Melton — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 17:54:27 +0000

I’m feeling so inspired today! I read a few great online music blogs from the guys at www.musicianwages.com. They write so well and have so many great tips and ideas for DIY musicians, I highly recommend their site. Yesterday I was able to spend a few more hours in the studio and I started recording the last song, called Sparrow, that is going to go on my new EP, Shades of Gray. Pretty exciting! I thought I wanted to do a full length album through this whole process but now I feel that time constraints have really decided for me that this needs to be a shorter endeavor. Also, yesterday, I got to participate in a really fun Open Mic Night at The Paddy Wagon Irish Pub in Richmond, KY, I met some great folks and everyone was encouraging, really great listeners, and super talented! So, if you’re near Richmond, KY on a Wednesday Night, come listen and/or participate in Open Mic Night at The PW, you won’t regret it. Oh, and not to mention it was out on the Paddy-o and the weather and the sound were great!

Also, just a reminder, I have a few shows coming up really soon:

Saturday, June 11th, 2011 – Main Street Cafe – Berea, KY (by Boone Tavern on Berea College’s campus) – 6:00PM to 8:00PM w/Todd & Amber Melton – FREE!

Tuesday, June 14th, 2011 – Natasha’s Bistro – Lexington, KY (Downtown just off Main St. on Esplanade) – 8:00PM w/Megan Jean & The Klay Family Band

I hope everyone gets to come out and celebrate the new music of the Shades of Gray EP!

Mother’s Day/Derby Weekend

Toni Melton — Mon, 09 May 2011 17:22:43 +0000

I had a great Mother’s Day/Derby Weekend. I played at Al’s Bar in Lexington, KY for the first time. That bar has a cool vibe and even cooler people. My boss even came out to watch Todd Melton and I play. Velvet Water did a fabulous job as always and I appreciate them inviting me to come play with them.

I don’t have another show coming up until Saturday, May 28th at Common Grounds Coffeehouse in Lexington, KY which is one of my favorite places to play. So, I’m going to try to take this time to get some more writing and recording done. I’m still really excited and happy about the recording project and am very anxious to get it out there for all to hear.

Welcome to Toni Melton’s new website!

Toni Melton — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 02:12:40 +0000

Hello all you beautiful people! I am working on about a million things right now, one of which is my new website (you’re looking at it). I hope to have it finished for the big CD

Dustin and I working in the studio.

release! That’s right, I’m working on my debut-yet-to-be-named album. For now let’s call it Toni Melton courtesy of Toni Melton... (just kidding) I saw that today on my Elvis Costello’s National Ransom CD in the album credits. It said something like, “Vince Gill courtesy of Such-And-Such Records”. I just find it interesting that once you’re a part of a record label all your art is considered their property. I have mixed feelings about it. Labels are good because they have all the experience in the biz and they have the money to help you get your music out there. On the other hand, you lose your rights to certain things, you don’t get 100% profits from your work, and you have to say things like, “Presenting Me courtesy of Answer-To-Us Records”. Just a point to ponder.

Come back soon and check for updates! In the meantime, visit me elsewhere: www.facebook.com/tonimeltonmusic www.tonimelton.com www.youtube.com