Meet Singer-Songwriter Doctor Fish

Former College Professor/Sideman Debut Album “The Last Troubadour”

“When I was younger, I had it figured out. I clearly understood what life was all about. But life, of course, knew better and had its way with me. You know that I’m still standing, just not where I thought I’d be.” So sings Doctor Fish in “Tuesday Morning,” from his debut with Renaissance Records, The Last Troubadour.

Doctor Fish’s songs reveal a proud musical throwback—a guitar-wielding, storytelling, folk-rock singer-songwriter. No fake retro act: he is one of the last surviving purveyors of that style from the era of its originators, Jim Croce, Harry Chapin, James Taylor, and Cat Stevens.

Vents Magazine heralds The Last Troubadour as “One of the best albums we’ve heard in ages.” “Rock History Music” Vlogger John Beaudin thanks Doctor Fish “for making me stare at the speaker for the first time in years. We need more music that makes us stop in our tracks. Top shelf.”

Produced by multi-platinum veteran David Kershenbaum, the album features bassist Leland Sklar (James Taylor, Jackson Browne, and Carole King) and drummer Denny Fongheiser (Heart, Counting Crows, and Shawn Colvin), along with other top studio musicians from around the world.

Doctor Fish’s music reveals a particular affinity to that of Harry Chapin. The late singer-songwriter inspired one of his most popular songs, “Harry Chapin (Every Monday Night)." Harry’s son Jason has called it “a great tribute to my father,” and Fish has given several interviews with Jen Chapin about her father’s legacy.

Doctor Fish pens story songs in a folk-rock style like the late activist songwriters, but his syncopated melodies and rich chord progressions also reveal his background as a jazz musician.

He grew up playing saxophone and backed legends, including Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra. “But I wound up taking a sharp left turn,” he laughs. “I picked up a guitar and began writing and singing songs.” He continued songwriting and earned his Ph.D. in ethnomusicology from the University of Michigan. He went to Japan to conduct doctoral fieldwork for three years by studying with the 4th generation master of Shinto music and returned to live in the country, working as a translator and editor.

Fish’s journey brought him to North Carolina, where he built a music education program for popular music studies at Catawba College. He helped students advance to successful careers in many parts of the music industry, from performance to major talent agencies. Now living in Durham, NC, he is pursuing his own interrupted goals as a performer.

Renaissance Records US, the label that's released his newest album, "The Last Troubadour," is extremely enthusiastic about the collaboration. John Edwards, President of Renaissance Records US, stated, "We are proud to welcome Doctor Fish to our roster of exceptional artists. Doctor Fish's musical talent and unique perspective make him an extraordinary addition to the label. We look forward to supporting his artistic journey and sharing his music with the world."

“Arizona Skies” and the other songs from Doctor Fish’s Renaissance Records debut, The Last Troubadour, are available on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and his website, https://doctor.fish as well as Doctor Fish - The Last Troubadour CD – RenaissanceRecordsUS.

 

Orleans Celebrates Christmas With New Album, “New Star Shining” On Sunset Blvd. Records

Orleans is releasing their first and only Christmas album.  Subconsciously, the group—which is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2022—must have been working on the holiday collection for decades. 

Orleans co-founder Lance Hoppen says, "The material comes from various sources, most written internally and some by friends from other bands. Some had previously recorded lives elsewhere and were remastered, others had previous starts but underwent major revisions and upgrades. Some were cut from scratch in isolation. Some are purely secular, while others center around the Christmas story.”

John and Johanna Hall co-wrote the title track, “New Star Shining” which the band recorded in 1994 for a “Woodstock Holidays” CD released only in Japan. The group’s only Christmas song until now, it was also cut as a duet by Ricky Skaggs and James Taylor. This version features shared lead vocals by John, Larry Hoppen, Lance and Bob Leinbach. The acclaimed songwriting duo also co-wrote “Snowed In With You,”  “I Wish I Could’ve Been There” with Tad Richards, and "Quiet Place" with Jonell Mosser.  “I Wish” features Little Feat’s Bill Payne on piano and multi-instrumentalist John Jorgenson (the Desert Rose Band and The Hellecasters) playing mandolin. "Snowed In" shines with Dan Dugmore's pedal steel and Andrea Zonn's fiddle.

Two more historical recordings came from the Hoppen family.  Lance found his late brother Larry’s version of “Winter Wonderland” on YouTube, which was recorded for a 2010 Rock Xmas Foundation charity.  Larry, Lance, brother Lane and sister Lynda sang the introduction of the traditional song “Mary Had a Baby” around 1985 at a Hoppen Family holiday gathering; Lance found the tape, a snippet of which was digitized and included.  The band then recreated the entire four-part harmony arrangement during the pandemic.

Fly Amero contributed three songs: "Jinglin' In New England" was written with his wife Donna. Other Fly songs include “Ballad of the Christmas Day Cowboy” (a collaboration with platinum country writer Robert Ellis Orrall) and “I Wish I Could Fly”, written with Allen Estes, featuring Beaver Brown Band’s keyboardist, Steve Burke.

Other songs include “Mary’s Christmas,” originally recorded by The Little River Band, and “I’m Coming Home for Christmas” originally recorded by Ambrosia's Joe Puerta.  “The Sound of Christmas” came from Orleans alumnus Chip Martin, who’s written for Billy Paul and Randy Meisner.

Orleans’ “New Star Shining” will be on all digital platforms and available in music stores and holiday catalogs.

 The band went from club and college shows in the Northeast to worldwide acclaim with their top ten singles "Still the One," Dance With Me," and "Love Takes Time.”  Orleans has produced a body of work spanning 16 albums and several DVDs. The band’s music is still streamed millions of times a week and featured in TV, movie and commercial productions.

Band members on Album:

John Hall: Guitars & Vocals

Lance Hoppen: Bass & Vocals

Fly Amero: Guitars & Vocals

Lane Hoppen: Keyboards & Vocals

Brady Spencer: Drums & Vocals

 

Historical contributions from former members Bob Leinbach, Larry Hoppen.

 

Songs:

1. New Star Shining (written by John & Johanna Hall)

2. Quiet Place (John Hall, Jonell Mosser, Johanna Hall)

3. Jinglin’ in New England (Fly Amero, Donna Amero)

4. Mary’s Christmas (Roger Helton, Tony Elenburg, John Swaim)

5. I Wish I Could’ve Been There (John Hall, Johanna Hall, Tad Richards)

6. The Sound of Christmas (Daniel “Chip” Martin, John Cirillo)

7. Mary Had a Baby (Traditional)

8. Snowed in With You (John & Johanna Hall)

9. I’m Comin’ Home for Christmas (Bill Pfotdresher)

10. I Wish I Could Fly (Fly Amero & Allen Estes)

 11. Winter Wonderland (Felix Bernard, Richard Bernard Smith)

 12. Ballad of the Christmas Day Cowboy (Fly Amero & Robert Ellis Orrall)

 

RECLAIMING MY TIME, New Album by John Hall, Due May 28 on Sunset Blvd.

"Reclaiming My Time” is John Hall’s sixth solo record, in addition to the 18 albums he recorded with his band Orleans. The title is a phrase used in Congress (where Hall spent 4 years) after being interrupted. It’s also an allusion to the music he might have written and played during ten years in elective office.

Supporting musicians include John Cowan(New Grass Revival, The Doobie Brothers), Andrea Zonn (James Taylor, Vince Gill), Sean Paddock (Kenny Chesney), Steve Wariner, Jay Collins (Dukes of September, Allmans), songwriting partner John Paul Daniel and steel guitar legend Dan Dugmore. Dar Williams and Wariner sing duets with John, the latter on a song they wrote together, “Another Sunset.”

The album’s opening track, “I Think of You,” was written with Songwriters' Hall of Fame member Sharon Vaughn. “Now More Than Ever” reunites for the first time in twenty-five years the songwriting team of John and Johanna Hall, who penned the Orleans hits “Still The One” and “Dance With Me.” Recorded in New York’s Hudson Valley and Nashville, TN, Reclaiming My Time spans Hall’s usual range of love songs, blues, topical tunes and rockin’ good time music. Hall’s trademark acoustic and electric guitar playing--that graced records by Jackson Browne, Little Feat and Bonnie Raitt--ties it all together.

The first single and video, “Alone Too Long” was written for a friend who lost his wife and was wondering when it was okay to start dating again. As the pandemic year ground on, it became a commentary on isolation and loneliness. 

The whole project was started well before any lockdown, but then relied on home recording and remote mixing and mastering. Now we are all reclaiming the time and lives that were shut down for over a year. “Reclaiming My Time” celebrates that.

John Hall has written songs for Janis Joplin, Bonnie Raitt, Ricky Skaggs, Steve Wariner, and James Taylor. He’s played guitar on tours and records for Little Feat, Taj Mahal, Jackson Browne, and Seals and Crofts. His music and environmental activism led him to 10 years in elective office, and co-founding MUSE (Musicians United for Safe Energy). Now, back to music full time, he writes songs and performs solo and with Orleans, the group he co-founded in the 1970s. Their biggest hits “Still the One” and "Dance With Me" continue to garner hundereds of thousands of streams per week, and to appear in mass media from commercials to movies and even political campaigns. The former is also in the title of John’s memoir, “Still The One: A Rock’n’Roll Journey To Congress and Back.”        

 John Hall's "Alone Too Long" Music Video

Track listing

1)  I Think of You  (co-write w/ Sharon Vaughn)

2)  Alone Too Long  (co-write w/ John Paul Daniel and Tad Richards)

3)  Mystic Blue  (co-write w/ John Paul Daniel)

4)  Lessons (co-write with Jonell Mosser and Johanna Hall)

5)  Islamorada  (pronounced: “I-la-mo-ra-da”

6)  Somebody  (co-write with John Paul Daniel)

7)  Another Sunset (w/ Steve Wariner)  (co-write w/ Steve)

8)  Now More than Ever  (co-write with Johanna Hall)

9)  Save the Monarch (w/ Dar Williams)

10)  All Up and Down From Here   (co-write w/ John Paul Daniel)

11)  World on Fire   (co-write with John Paul Daniel and Tad Richards)

12)  Future Ex-Wife  (co-write with John Paul Daniel)

13)  Welcome Home