Posted on: December 10, 2010 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

2010 has been an amazing year for guitarist LANCE LOPEZ. After a slew of amazing shows across the country, LANCE is celebrating the release of his new album “Salvation From Sundown” on MIG Music with a special CD release party and performance. The party and show will take place on Friday December 17th in Dallas, TX at the famed venue La Grange.

LANCE commented about the show and CD release party:

“I am very excited about the release of what I feel is my best work to date. Salvation from Sundown is a very special CD, and I am very happy that I am able to celebrate the release of it in my hometown of Dallas, Texas in one of Dallas’ newest Texas Music-Based Venues, La Grange. Voted Best Bar in Dallas in 2010 by the Dallas Observer and located in Deep Ellum on Elm Street, La Grange will host the Salvation from Sundown cd release party and the event will be Emcee’d by local Dallas Radio personality Randy James from Lonestar 92.5’s Bo and Jim Morning Show. There is a stellar band put together for the event featuring Eric “Scorch” Scortia (Omar and the Howlers, Delbert McClinton) on Keyboards, Alex Hahn (Don Henley) on Drums, and Rob G. on Bass. We will be playing all the tracks from Salvation. I will also be giving descriptions of each song in detail and the stories behind them. Please come celebrate this unique and once in a lifetime event with us at La Grange in Deep Ellum on December 17 2010.”

LANCE has also posted a new song from “Salvation on Sundown” on his MySpace page. Listen to “So Alone” at http://www.myspace.com/lancelopez

When asked for a description of “So Alone” LANCE said:

“So Alone” is a track that combines elements of R&B, Funk, Latin Music and Rock…The main chord progression I had for quite some time but wasn’t sure where else to go with it. I played it for my Producer Jim Gaines and he came up with the riff in the hook and help me break it into sections .Gaines worked on some of Santana’s biggest hit records and he brought alot of that production style to the table for “So Alone”, he dialed in the same lead guitar tone that Carlos used on a lot of those records. I had never even thought about Jim working with Santana until after the track was finished then it made sense…I told Jim Gaines when we were listening to the playback “this sounds like Santana” and then I said “Oh wait thats because you did Santana (Laughs)” The vocals were cut live in the studio as we were tracking it…it is the only vocal track we kept from the Luminous Sound sessions in Dallas, the rest of the vocals on Salvation were done down in Memphis. I really love this track…whenever we play it live people instantly start dancing…”

There’s no doubt about it, the state of Texas is well known worldwide for its fiery blues guitar players.

Although disco and subsequently new wave lessened blues rock’s influence in the late 70’s, by 1983 it was another native Texan, Dallas born Stevie Ray Vaughan, whose combination of raw blues mixed with Hendrix styled pyrotechnics spearheaded yet another resurrection as the genre rose its evil head once again. A breath of much needed fresh air amongst the synth heavy offerings on MTV and radio airwaves of the time, the guitarist’s massive influence has extended long beyond his untimely, tragic death twenty years ago.

One such player whom Vaughan touched the soul of was young, gifted blues/rock axeslinger LANCE LOPEZ. Although born in Shreveport, Louisiana, at the age of 12, his family moved to Dallas, where with the exception of a spell back in New Orleans and Southwest Florida, the guitarist has called his home ever since.

A professional musician since the age of 14 when he began playing local bars in and around the New Orleans, Louisiana area, at 17 he was hired by soul great Johnnie Taylor, with whom he toured for six months. By 18 he was hired as the band leader of blues legend Lucky Peterson’s band, spending three years touring throughout the world.

It was while with Peterson in Europe that he struck up a close friendship with the larger than life drummer Buddy Miles, subsequently becoming the guitarist for The Buddy Miles Express for a brief time. The former Band Of Gypsys legend would go on to mentor LOPEZ, leading to him co producing his debut album ‘First Things First’, along with Grammy winning producer Jay Newland (Norah Jones) which was released independently in 1998.

From 2003 to 2007 LOPEZ recorded, and released three studio and one live CD for a small independent label, Grooveyard Records – all of which were heavily influenced by another of the guitarist’s main influences – Jimi Hendrix. Despite the hindrance of being released on such a label, the albums are all prime examples of post Hendrix heavy blues, filled to the brim with awe inspiring fretwork, which led to him garnering a cult following amongst guitar fanatics worldwide.

Now after a three year break, LOPEZ is back with a brand new Jim Gaines (Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy, Santana) produced studio album “Salvation From Sundown”. Intentionally conceived as a more traditional Texas blues styled offering, it’s the guitarist’s most mature recording to date, showcasing strong songwriting while still retaining the red-hot fretwork which has elicited none other than guitar god Jeff Beck to call him “A very exciting and intense blues guitarist”. His first release on a major label (MIG) it shows him poised to take his rightful place as one of the finest blues players on the planet.

Check out LANCE LOPEZ Live:

12/10 – Temple TX @ Bum’s Sports Bar and Grill

12/17 – Dallas, TX @ La Grange (CD RELEASE SHOW)

For More Info Please Visit:

http://www.myspace.com/lancelopez

http://www.mig-music.de

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