RUSS BONAGURA NEWS -April, 2006 - www.russbonagura.com
*New 3-song sampler CD from "The Nashville Sessions" is now complete!
*Russ Bonagura's songs "Angel By My Side", and music video for the hit single "Take A Minute", have been featured on ABCs daytime drama All My Children and One Life To Live, VH1 and Fuse.
*Russ Bonagura's band on VH1! Check it out!
*Check out the top 30 hit single AC/40 (#24 peak) "Take A Minute".
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And The Critics Say...
"Bonagura's voice is a classic pop-rock instrument that is well suited to his original material" -Music Connection Magazine
"Stellar vocals!" -Herald News
"New Jersey just may have a new prodigal son in music. Russ Bonagura's 'Pieces' is an exceptional, contemporary pop-rock offering that is shamefully missing from most CD collections in the country. Edgy and dynamic - this is an artist to watch for". -Bobby Bensley CMAP Music International
" Great songs & awesome Vocals. This is pop music with power and passion and lyrically it hits home strong. This is a CD that that I will listen to for a long time!" -Kerry, CD Smash.com
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RUSS BONAGURA -Bio 2006 - www.russbonagura.com
A child prodigy who was singing, learned to play bass, guitar, and drums all by age 10 and formed his first band (Hot Ice) at age 13, Russ Bonagura has been on the road to establishing himself as a career-oriented singer/songwriter since the early days of his teens.
Russ grew up in the working-class city of Paterson, New Jersey listening to his favorite music from The Beatles, Kenny Loggins, Eagles, and Stevie Wonder while dreaming that one day music lovers would "Take A Minute" to listen to his songs. That came true, in a big way, with his last independent release titled “Pieces†in 2003. The successful national launch of his first single from the “Pieces†CD, "Take A Minute", debuted as the #1 most added single on the AC40 chart in the prestigious trade publication Friday Morning Quarterback on March 3, 2003. Following, 'Take A Minute' spent 12 weeks in the top 30 (peaking at #24) sharing the chart with such artists as; Train, Maroon 5, Norah Jones and John Mayer. Supported by legendary radio promoter Jerry Lembo who has worked dozens of chart-topping artists’ singles including Shania Twain, James Taylor, and Faith Hill, Lembo says; “This song appeals to the sentiments of the masses who, now more than ever, are learning to live in the present momentâ€.
A staple on the East Coast music scene, performing over 100 live gigs per year, Russ has independently released 6 recordings (‘Pieces’ being #6) and 1 music video including; 4 full-length CDs and 2 EP/Singles and, he has penned more than 300 songs to date. Russ’ songs have been used as spots on NY’s WPLJ Scott & Todd In The Morning, The Howard Stern Radio Show and he has also lent his voice and face to many radio and tv jingles including 2004’s "Visa and The Grinch" commercial starring Jim Carrey. Other songs from his catalog have gained national audio and video exposure on ABC’s All My Children, One Life To Live, VH1 and Fuse. Russ' musical reach has even extended outside the United States; his song "Daydreamin'" (the title track from his 1997 CD release) was a signature tune for the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan and appeared on the CBS Music Library that year.
Fast forward to the winter of 2005. Russ has a business meeting with longtime friend and tv producer, Fred Vanore of Blue Moon Studios in NJ. Fred, being a fan of Russ’ music, comes on board as an advisor for Russ and visualizes hearing his new material with more of an “earthy and southern†type of production than on his previous mainstream releases. Russ calls his cousin, musician/producer/songwriter Michael Bonagura (of Country’s Baillie and The Boys fame) in Nashville, TN for some advice. Michael and Russ had met online 7 years earlier after Michael did an online search (on “Bonaguraâ€) and came across Russ’ website accidentally. After chatting online, the 2 Bonagura’s figure out that they are long, lost cousins (both from NJ) coming from a musical family originating in Naples, Italy. Their grandfathers (who were cousins) actually traveled on the same boat together from Italy to NYC around 1900! Well, as fate would have it, Michael is now at the wheel producing Russ’ new CD in Nashville with some of Tennessee’s finest session players including Mike Brignardello, Howard Duck, Pat Buchanan, Stuart Duncan and Lance Hoppen. A 3-song CD sampler of this musical pairing is due in April 2006.
Whether you live in Paterson or Peoria, Atlantic City or Atlanta, the raw emotion in RUSS BONAGURA’s music will touch your heart and tantalize your ears.
Contact: Fred Vanore 973-812-2282
Contact: Michael Bonagura 615-405-8926
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RUSS TALKS ABOUT HIS MUSIC: "PIECES" SONG BY SONG
1. "Little Bird" - is about a sad friend who never finds the right love in life
2. "Bad News" - Since I was a kid, I've always said "why don't they call the 5pm news, "Bad News?" It's a shame, but it's reality.
3. "Take A Minute" - This is a special song for me. It deals with the facts that everyone faces, at some point in their lives...getting caught up in work and distractions. Not spending enough time with the ones we love. I've lost some very close people in recent years. The song includes the pain encountered and lessons learned about this all too familiar subject.
4. "Sometimes" - I wrote this song about losing focus of your dreams, especially when times get rough.
5. "Angel By My Side" - Ahh, this song is for my beautiful daughter, Micaila.
6. "Pieces" - A very angry song about a broken relationship.
7. "Inordinary Pain" - Keith, who plays guitar on the CD, and I wrote this song in the studio while we worked on Pieces. It's got a very cool, heavy vibe to it.
8. "Our Love" - A celebration and triumph of true love.
9. "Daydreamin" - Put the top down and groove! A funky song about forgetting everything except chillin' out.
10. " Please Understand" - A self-proclaimed plea and admission that there is a "little boy" inside every man.
11. " Time Alone" - Everybody needs some.
12. "Afraid Sometimes" - My epic. No matter who you are, Everyone's Afraid (sometimes).
13. "Don't Waste My Time" - Ever been cornered in a room by someone babbling on and on about stuff you don't care about? You can't get away. Here's a song for you.
14. "Neglected" - A song I wrote about an issue I am very passionate about- preventing child abuse. This song focuses on a girl who was abused as a child and then, marries an abusive husband.
Check out the artist's website:
http://www.russonline.comTrack List:
1. Little Bird
2. Bad News
3. Take a Minute
4. Sometimes
5. Angel by my Side
6. Pieces
7. Inordinary Pain
8. Our Love
9. Daydreamin'
10. Please Understand
11. Time Alone
12. Afraid Sometimes
13. Don't Waste my Time
14. Neglected
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