EARLY TIMES & THE HIGH ROLLERS ! * ELECTRIC CITY *
Early Times grew up in Sacramento, CA and lives in New York. While in Sacramento, Early operated Fantasia Music, a record label that had international distribution through Bayside. He released “Society for the Misunderstood” (Best CD in Sac This Week); “Hobo Deluxe” (Best CD nomination Sacramento Area Music Awards); “The Comedown” (Best CD nomination Sacramento Area Music Awards); and “Tickle Your Fancy”.
During his time in Sacramento he received an unprecedented 10 nominations in the Sacramento Area Music Awards (Sammies), more than any other artist in the area. These nominations were for Best Rock Musician/Vocalist (multiple); Best Singer/Songwriter; Best Rock Band; Best Blues Band; Best Local CD (multiple); Early was also the recipient of the Critics’ Choice Award as Sacramento’s Best Guitarist.
Early went on to tour nationally and in Greece with E.C. Scott and played lead guitar on “Hard Act to Follow” and “Masterpiece” for Blind Pig Records. Lee Hildebrand’s (SF Chronicle) 4-star review of Hard Act to Follow declared: “Featured throughout is the scorching guitar work of a Sacramento musician by the name of Early Times. “
In 2001 Early helped usher in a new wave of broadcasting when he debuted on Sirius Satellite Radio. He hosted a daily show on Sirius Blues from the channel’s opening until its closing. During the 7+ year span, he welcomed guests such as Buddy Guy, Elvis Costello, Allen Toussaint, John Hammond, Jonny Lang, and more.
Early Times operates Manhattan Recording and Dealer’s Choice Records out of his New York studio. There, he recorded his latest CD “The Corner” which was produced by Jay Messina. He signed a deal with Vizztone Records who released the album and it is being distributed by Redeye. He also released “Hit & Run” an album that featured the hit “Dogs of Karma” that ran in heavy rotation on SiriusXM.
A video for Early’s original tune “Pistol Under My Pillow” was scripted and directed by Jeremy Lanni of Noble Savage Productions. The video is a cinematic gem and features Early with trouble around every corner.
“Jeremy’s work continues to improve. I am grateful that he has shown an interest in mine as well. His work on the video for “Pistol Under My Pillow” was first-rate.”
Gail George “The Barrio Sessions with Early Times”
Early also produced “The Barrio Sessions with Early Times” for Gail George. This was recorded in the original East Harlem location. It started as a general discussion about some songs Gail was writing. The two started talking about doing some pre-production on an album. After Gail had a change of heart and started to think about scrapping the project, Early talked her into continuing and just recording the whole thing at his place. They got back to work and the eventual album received great praise and plenty of airplay on a few stations. Early played all the instruments.
“Gail’s album was difficult in the sense that it was strictly creative and did not adhere to one style. However, that’s one of the things I liked most about it. She really encouraged me to be a part of the creative process and I think the time spent was very cathartic for us both.”
Jen Houston I Was Told There Would Be Pie
Jen Houston “I Was Told There Would Be Pie”
Early produced “I Was Told There Would Be Pie” for Jen Houston. He played guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards on the disc and helped arrange the music. The video for “No One Here But Us Bones” from this album won the Best Music Video in the Coney Island Film Festival. The album also featured “Let It Begin” and a beautiful video was created for the song.
“Working with Jen was fun. We laughed a lot. I really liked her songs and her personality. She is tough and sensitive at the same time. I don’t know if I always gave her what she wanted in terms of sound or style, but I put a lot of myself into trying to get her approval. In the end, the album creates a great cry-in-your-whiskey soundtrack.”
In 2016, Early was once again asked to return to broadcasting and join the staff of BB. King’s Bluesville on Sirius XM Radio. He hosts a daily program from 3pm-9pm eastern time Monday through Friday and Saturday & Sunday from 6pm to midnight eastern. Among the guests on his show were George Thorogood, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Bobby Rush, Popa Chubby, Jimmie Vaughan, and more.
From the album Electric City on Dealer's Choice Records
copyright 2022
available for download at http://itunes.apple.com/album/id/1617...
CD available at earlytimes.co/shop
please note .co and not .com
Photos
0:15 and 3:08 by Annika Andersson
0:45 by Joe Rosen
3:04 by Bill Steber
3:16 and 3:29 by Arnie Goodman
3:52 by Erika Goldring
Drums: Anton Fig
Bass: Conrad Korsch
Keyboards: Brian Mitchell
Produced by Jay Messina
Backing vocals: Eliza Neals
Saxophone: David Halliday
Trumpet: Tom Young
Early Times & the High Rollers released their latest
album, “Electric City”, on May 6, 2022, on Dealer's
Choice Records. The album features 11 original
songs by Early, and is the follow-up to their 2021
album “The Corner”. The album features Early
Times on guitar and vocals, along with drummer
Anton Fig (Late Night with David Letterman, Kiss,
Cyndi Lauper, Bob Dylan, Madonna, Paul
keyboardist Brian Mitchell (Levon Helm, Bob Dylan, BB
Butterfield, Mick Jagger),King, Dolly Parton, Little Feat), and bassist Conrad Korsch (Rod Stewart, Cyndi
Lauper). Famed recording engineer Jay Messina (Aerosmith, Kiss, Miles Davis,
Cheap Trick) produced the album.
Early Times’ songs combine streetwise lyrics, tough urban rhythms, and the acumen
of a seasoned guitarist who understands what to play and what to leave out. He was
once crowned Best Guitarist by the SAMMIES®, his hometown Sacramento’s music
awards. He has toured the US and Europe and is known nationally as a radio host on
SiriusXM satellite radio.
“Electric City” also features guest vocals by 2-time Grammy® winner and soul/blues
legend Bobby Rush, as well as a duet with Detroit soulstress Eliza Neals. His previous
album, “The Corner” produced 4 songs that received national airplay in heavy
rotation, and “Electric City” now has 3 songs in rotation nationally on SiriusXM.
about Early Times
“With Electric City he’s delivered an album with
grit and soul that you’re really gonna dig!”
- the Rock Doctor
“Early Times is one of the most enigmatic folks
in the blues world” - Blues Blast Magazine
“He is a great guitarist, vocalist and storyteller ”
- MAKING A SCENE
“Truly a star of the underground scene... full of
electrifying ideas and modern sounds”
- Blues21.com
E arly is a skilled and recognized
contemporary blues artist who has accumulated much recognition and a list of noteworthy
collaborations over the years.
In 1997, Early was voted Best Guitarist by the SAMMIES®, his hometown Sacramento’s music
awards, ahead of other local guitarists in local area bands such as Deftones, Cake, Tesla, Little Charlie
and the Nightcats, and other local acts. He then left Sacramento to tour the US and Europe with EC
Scott before settling in NYC in 1998.
It was Early’s guitar work that led him to becoming one of the founding on-air talents for Sirius
Satellite Radio in 2001. The manager of the blues channel was a fan of his work on 2 EC Scott
recordings.
Early has performed with a who’s who of artists including jazz legends Jimmy Smith and Adam
Nussbaum, blues greats Popa Chubby and Tommy Castro, rock musicians Frank Hannon (Tesla) and
Kevin Seconds (7 Seconds).
When approaching his own work, Earl writes his songs in a complete form, with chords and melodies,
often before thinking of how a major guitar solo may fit in. Over the years, he’s proven himself not
only to be a fantastic guitarist, but a consummate, rounded artist and songwriter.
Early has his own signature guitar model from Delaney Guitars, linked here .
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