Cd Release Party ReviewLost in Boston with Joe MerrickIt was raining on June 5th, but inside Rick's Music in Raynham, where Joe Merrick launched his fourth album, Lost in Boston, the sun was shining. With a three-man backup (drums, guitar and bass), Joe, who moved between playing both the acoustic guitar and keyboard, kept the dreary Friday night upbeat with a mix of songs from his new album, a few favorites from previous albums, and some fantastic covers. He started the evening playing "Just In Case" off of his new album - a song from the point of view of a soldier overseas writing home to his family, just in case he doesn't come home. He played songs he's written for each of his girls (wife Chrisann and daughters Elizabeth and Grace) and covers of songs like Marc Cohen's "Walking in Memphis", Jim Croce's "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" and the best cover of Joni Mitchell's "Case of You" that I've heard. (I recently reviewed Warner Brother's 50th Anniversary album Covered, in which the same Joni Mitchell song was covered by Michelle Branch. I liked Joe's version better).The best thing about the evening, for me, wasn't the food or the company (though I enjoyed both): it was the kind of music Joe Merrick plays. I've heard several of his albums and this is my favorite. While starting out intending to make a country album that ended up much more like a rock album, Joe did something wonderful: he took rock and roll back to its roots. Rock evolved from Jazz and Country music (After all, Elvis and the Beatles took much of their inspiration from artists like James Brown and Chuck Berry, they were some of the artists who really started the movement called rock music), and Joe's album takes you back to that original rock and roll sound. And it's not just great to listen to; it's refreshing. Especially in a world where rock music is sounding significantly less and less like rock music everyday. (Since when is Kelly Clarkson rock music, Kiss 108?). So even if you weren't with the lucky few of us in Rick's Music, you can still get Lost in Boston with Joe Merrick and rediscover what rock is supposed to sound like. Tricia Nesti
Contact: Joe Merrick Phone:617-512-4637 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JOE MERRICK Owner, Guilty Dog Studios Email:jhmerrick@hotmail.com “IT’S LOVE” FOR SONGWRITER JOE MERRICK AS HIS SONG WINS SUBARU CONTEST. TV, Radio Exposure are the Latest Milestones of a Remarkable Twelve Month Stretch. When singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/producer Joe Merrick moved his Guilty Dog recording studio from Hanson to Marshfield, Massachusetts in 2012, he had no idea how quickly his professional life would be on the move, as well. Take the past twelve months. Along with writing and producing songs for musicians. Joe has had brushes with classic rock royalty. Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler shared a mic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGdm2JwzOHE with Joe as he joined Merrick’s band onstage for two songs at a charity event. “I used to sing his songs in high school, then suddenly I’m singing harmonies with him? Crazy!” said Joe. And Merrick also enjoyed two well-received performances opening up for Steve Miller over the summer at the Cape Cod Melody Tent and South Shore Music Circus. But perhaps Joe’s greatest accomplishment was winning the “Ooh It’s Love” contest sponsored by Ernie Boch Jr., local philanthropist and owner of auto dealerships including of Boch Subaru. Joe wrote the winning jingle https://w ww.youtube.com/watch?v=k_wyw7U2Xuk and has enjoyed six weeks of media exposure on the TV and radio airwaves of New England. “Every day, I get a Facebook message from someone new who sees or hears my song in a Subaru commercial. The exposure has been amazing,” said Joe. Merrick has also formed a strategic partnership with video producer Michael Carroll to offer expanded services providing increased exposure to area performers. “This is a visual world we’re living in. Musicians need more than just audio to spread the word – they need videos to reach social media. Guilty Dog is a one-stop shop to give them the media tools they need.” With all that’s been going on with his career, the Guilty Dog owner is quite the busy dog as well. And that’s just the way Joe Merrick likes it. ABOUT JOE MERRICK Joe Merrick is an award winning singer/songwriter who has worked in the Boston area for over twenty years. As the owner of Guilty Dog Studios, he has worked with the likes of Kevin Barry (guitarist for Paula Cole and Mary Chapin Carpenter), Keith Harris (Drummer for Black Eyed Peas), Dan Kenny (Keyboardist for Britney Spears) and produced local favorites such as Two Ton Shoe, Junction 18 and A Loss For Words. A Guilty Dog recording was included on the the HBO series "The Sopranos". He has received songwriting awards from "ABET", "The Great American Song Contest", "Song of the year", and "Billboard". His songwriting style has been compared to Rob Thomas (Matchbox 20), James Taylor, Marc Cohn and the Allman Brothers. Joe has also recently signed a deal with Pen Publishing, The Music Library, and Audiosparx. Joe Merrick's song, "Good Feeling For A Change," was licensed to use in an upcoming television show on Lifetime Television, as well as three MTV network shows. Last September he was featured on ABC's affiliate WCVB Channel Five's Chronicle. In 2011, he was featured on Fox 25's Zip Trip in Yarmouth, MA performing the summertime favorite "Goodnight Cape Cod". Fox 25 also featured him performing his Christmas song "Santa is alive and well" on the"Fox Rocks" show in December. Joe recently finished a live concert film documentary entitled "Live at Korzec's Barn. If you’d like to learn more or schedule an interview with Joe Merrick, he can be reached at 617-512-4637 ”