Greg Sover
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2015 | SELF
Music
Press
On the opening track of Greg Sover’s debut CD “Songs of a Renegade,” Sover sings “This is my moment.”
It is a moment that Sover has been working toward for over a decade. Finally all the pieces have fallen into place and the long awaited “Songs of a Renegade” is ready to be unleashed to the public.
Sover says his music doesn’t fit into one particular genre. It includes elements of “blues and rock with a dash of everything else.” He has been influenced by artists in multiple genres including Bob Marley, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Dwight Yoakam, Jay-Z, Gary Moore (Thin Lizzy and others) and Jimi Hendrix.
Sover has quietly begun to amass a fan base. He has been performing a limited number of live shows in the Philadelphia area while focusing on completing the CD. Winning the Philadelphia Hard Rock Rising competition at Hard Rock Cafe in 2015 put him on the map. And dynamic live performances at venues such as Sellersville Theater, where he received a standing ovation, are creating more fans.
Sover was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. and his parents are Haitian immigrants. The family moved to Philadelphia when he was 10 and music was always all around him. Members of both sides of his family were musicians.
“I had uncles who were live performers. I always admired how they (played to) packed crowds. They are still known in the Haitian community.”
Sover’s initial foray into music came when he played snare drums in the 4th grade. And he is grateful for that experience because at that young age he learned how important it was to learn to read music.
“Playing snare drums… I was able to see what the music notes look like, the quarter notes, the eighth (notes), the sixteenth (notes), the triplet,” said Sover.
But it was his fascination with and love for the guitar that caused him to take music seriously. He is completely self-taught on guitar.
“My dad got me into guitar because (he) was the first person I had ever seen with a guitar. When I was about 16… I said ‘I want to do this. I want to take it seriously.’ I just didn’t know how to go about it then.”
Sover put together different bands and also began performing at open mics, including the old Grape Street Pub when it was located on Main Street in Manayunk.
“J.D. Malone [the open mic host] (is) the one who opened it all up for me,” explained Sover. “I used to go to the open mic and I probably played there a year. He comes to me and he says, ‘Greg, it’s time to go and get shows and make some money for this.’ I said ‘You can get shows and make money for this?’ I did not even know that.”
Slowly, Sover began to develop. Though initially he just wanted to be a guitarist and songwriter he has become a solid vocalist. It has been a team effort to make him a contender in the oh-so-competitive music business, where having talent is sometimes secondary to having good luck.
The first step for Sover to get to the next level was to find an experienced team that could help him refine his sound, improve his live performances and guide him through the recording process. Sover enlisted Garry Lee, a respected member of the Philadelphia music community. Lee is currently the bassist in the Deb Callahan Band and over the years has performed with June Rich, the Rhythm Cats Revue, The Daves and many others. Lee is not only Sover’s bassist, he co-produced “Songs of a Renegade.”
Lee assembled the band, which includes his long-time bandmates in the Deb Callahan Band – Allen James (guitar) and Tom Walling (drums). The three are among the most experienced and most talented in Philadelphia.
“With Garry, the whole structure (changed),” said Sover. “Garry definitely upgraded the game so much for me, from the music, to the shows, to the sound. It’s been amazing working with Garry.”
He added: “I needed pro-level musicians. They definitely added the Philly touch that I wanted. They brought my edge down a little bit. I definitely learned control more than anything. I used to play with no dimensions, no dynamics. It was always straight up, straight loud guitar. With these guys I learned dynamics.”
The Greg Sover Band made a memorable Steel City debut last December in a co-bill with The Peace Creeps. The Steel City patrons gave the band an overwhelmingly positive response and eagerly snatched up promotional CD samplers that were given away at the show. Sover and his bandmates are excited to return to Steel City, now under new ownership, to celebrate the album’s release and to continue to solidify a following in the Phoenixville area. They are also looking forward to once again sharing the stage with The Peace Creeps, which features Philadelphia’s legendary front man, Richard Bush, formerly of the A’s. - Ticket
Philadelphia may be home to guitar ace Greg Sover but he’ll be spending time in Chester County over the next few days.
On August 13, Sover will have a “CD Release Party” at the Steel City Coffee House (203 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, 610-933-4043, www.steelcitycoffeehouse.com). Then, he will be back in the area August 16 to headline a show at the Eagleview Summer Concerts on the Square at Eagleview Town Center (Wharton Boulevard, Exton, www.ineagleview.com).
Sover, who grew up in Philly and attended William Penn High, has been making music for awhile. But, it has only been recently that he has started taking his career to a higher level. His show at Steel City marks the release of his debut album “Songs for a Renegade.”
“Right now, I’m only doing one-off shows,” said Sover, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from his home in Philadelphia. “Now that the album is out, we are planning a tour.
“We opened for Peace Creeps at Steel City back in November. This time, they’re opening for me. The show Saturday night will be my CD release party — and the day the album is officially released.”
Sover became fascinated with the guitar at age 13. His father taught him the French song “La Maladie d’Amour” and Sover took it from there. He taught himself how to play guitar, how to write songs and, eventually, how to sing.
“I was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. and my family moved to Philadelphia when I was 10,” said Sover. “I was exposed to music when I was really young. I had musicians on both sides of my family. My whole life I’ve had access to the guitar. With guitar, I started really knowing what I was doing when I was around 15. At the same time, I was playing electric bass at my church.”
Sover says his music doesn’t fit into one particular genre. It includes elements of “blues and rock with a dash of everything else.”
He has been influenced by artists in multiple genres including Bob Marley, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Dwight Yoakam, Jay-Z, Gary Moore (Thin Lizzy and others) and Jimi Hendrix. Songwriting has been an outlet for him to express his struggles and passions and he believes that his songs resonate with his fans.
Sover first attracted serious attention when he won the 2015 Hard Rock Rising competition at Philadelphia’s Hard Rock Cafe. His development is due in large part to his band, which is comprised of three Philly veterans with extensive resumes – bassist and album co-producer Garry Lee, guitarist Allen James and drummer Tom Walling.
Lee, who has played with June Rich and The Rhythm Cats Revue, is currently the bassist in the Deb Callahan Band. Lee assembled the band for Sover — enlisting James and Walling, his long-time band mates in the Deb Callahan Band. Their cohesiveness as a unit enabled Sover to develop as an artist and take his music to the next level.
“The band all started with Gary Allen,” said Sover. “I played an open mic at the Grape Room and Gary was doing sound that night. Garry really helped me get my career going. I needed top level musicians and he brought them. It’s been amazing working with Garry and I’ve really learned lot from these guys. Allen is one of my favorite guitarists ever.”
Sover’s favorite guitarist is a player who tops many musicians’ “favorite guitarist” list — Jimi Hendrix.
“Jimi Hendrix is one of my major influences,” said Sover. “I’m really influenced by a lot of the music from that era. The music of the 60s spoke about things. It was very political.”
Those influences can definitely be heard on “Songs for a Renegade.”
“We recorded the album at two studios — one in Center City Philadelphia and one in Mount Airy,” said Sover.
“We worked on it last November and stopped recording at the beginning of this year. When we finished, we had nine originals and one cover. The cover I did was ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ by Bill Withers.” - Unionville Times
Even if I hadn’t already been aware of Greg Sover the cover of this CD caught my attention before I’d even
heard a note; and opening track Emotional genuinely justified my choice to slip it into the Hi-Fi on a day
when I received albums from several household names.
The Blues comes in many, many variants and we will each have our favourite format; but the slick voiced
singer and red hot guitarist easily straddles the Soulful Rhythm and Blues style that I’ve loved for 40+
years. Think a pumped up George Benson or Robert Cray and you will understand why I swiftly turned the
dial up to 9 that first and subsequent days.
Sover slows things down and dirty on the next track Jubilee; which features his awesome slide guitar and
sizzling harmonica from Mikey Junior; and the song itself is pretty damn fine too. The Philly native really
shows his Soulful side on the sweet and tender Hand on my Heart which is the type of crossover song that
not only wins fans of all ages; but wins awards too.
I Give My Love is a bit of a left of centre surprise as it’s a little bit Reggae and a little bit Blues-Lite but
features some spellbinding guitar playing on a very danceable tune; especially if you’ve had a bellyful of
rum. Oddly enough for a 7 track EP JUBILEE manages to feature an edited version of Hand on My Heart as
a closer; possibly for radio consumption, albeit a minute and a half shorter there’s not a lot of difference
between the two versions.
Also there’s a live track Temptation; slow and sultry at heart but with guitar breaks that will blow any
cobwebs out of your head; and boy does it showcase Greg Sover’s amazing voice and songwriting too.
Which then brings me to my ‘favourite track’ As The Years Go Passing By, the type of sensual yet cool Blues
that you’d expect from Albert Collins or Robert Cray (whom I mentioned earlier) but ooh, ooh, ooooh is this
the perfect accompaniment to a late night liaison with the love of your life; or perhaps that’s just the
romantic in me. - Rocking Magpie
Discography
Songs of a Renegade - 2016
- My Moment
- Heroes
- Preacher
- Quick Sand
- (Make me) Say Yeah
- After Me
- Deja Vu
- Ain't No Sunshine
- Superman
- Cherie
Photos
Bio
While Greg Sover’s friends in his Philadelphia neighborhood,
where he grew up, were listening to local rappers he was immersed in classic
rock, country and the blues ever since he first picked up a guitar at the age
of five.
“From the beginning, it’s been the greats that have
intrigued me,” says Sover, naming Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric
Clapton, Jeff Beck, Duane Allman, Dwight Yoakam guitarist Pete Anderson and, of
course, all three Kings – B.B., Freddie and Albert as early influences. “Hearing those first few notes of ‘Purple
Haze’ changed my life.”
On his fourth and latest album to be released by his
own independent Grounded Soul Records label in July 2023, Sover’s musical career
has come full circle, as he’s joined on two songs by legendary Jimi Hendrix
Experience and Band of Gypsies bassist Billy Cox, a cover of “Manic Depression”
and a rare track from the great guitarist, “Remember,” originally recorded for
the international version of Jimi’s first album, but never available in the
U.S.
“It was such an honor and privilege to play with him,”
says Sover. “I had to keep pinching myself that it was Jimi Hendrix’s bass
player, but I got to know and respect him as his own man, too. He and his wife
were so supportive. They just want to pass it on.”
Sover and Cox hit it off right away, and after working
remotely on the two tracks, they got together in Billy’s hometown of Nashville
to collaborate on a live video for “Remember,” a song that starts with a reggae
lilt and ends with a funky jam straight out of James Brown by way of Archie
Bell and the Drells’ “Tighten Up.” Cox, who also co-produced the track with
Sover, recalled how he and Jimi were on the way to re-record the song before he
passed away, and that Billy wanted to do it with Greg as a form of homage,
impressed with Sovers’ “humility” and dedication to his craft.
“I listened to the original track quite a few times,
but I had to come up with my own version of the guitar solo at the end, because
it was so underplayed, I could hardly make it out,” acknowledges Sover.
Recorded at Cambridge Studios in south Philadelphia, the
new album turns the spotlight on Sover as a true triple-threat – already known
for his world-class guitar work, he is now blossoming as both a soul/R&B
singer (listen to his come-hither croon on the atmospheric “Tonight”) and a
songwriter (from the heavy metal psychedelic blues of “Psalm 28” to the rousing
“Gimme Shelter” gospel shout of “Freedom”), with 8 of the 10 self-produced
tracks original compositions. Other
standouts include the delta blues and AC/DC Angus Young histrionics of the
title track, the slinky blues of “Stuck in the Rain,” which could be about either
a broken romance or overcoming career obstacles (“I’m trying to keep the flame
from going out/But I’m stuck in the rain”) and the chugging locomotive riffs of
“One Way Train,” about the inevitable call of the road and music taking one
away from their loved ones. Sover’s fourth album shows remarkable growth... he
is not just a blues performer but a true purveyor of rock n’ roll/Americana music,
ready to both accept the torch from those who came before and pass it on to
those following him.
The self-declared Brooklyn-born guitar ‘slinger was “mesmerized”
by the feminine curves of the acoustic instrument owned by his father, a
Haitian immigrant who moved the family to a one-bedroom apartment in the Crown
Heights section. That’s where his dad would play Kompa tunes for his son – a
rhythmic native music from his homeland described by Greg as most resembling
salsa. The first English-language songs he remembers hearing as a child were
Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” and Bob Marley’s “Get Up, Stand Up,” when his
father gifted him with his own instrument, not a toy, but a real guitar, small
enough for a kid to use.
“I stuck with it,” he says about teaching himself how
to tune to the open E-chord and eventually play. “It was something I loved to
do and still love to do.”
Sover soon became an integral part of the local
Philadelphia music scene, releasing two full-length albums, 2016’s Songs of
a Renegade (S.O.A.R.) and 2018’s Jubilee, and 2020’s Parade six-song
EP, performing locally and at festivals with the likes of the David
Uosikkinen's In The Pocket, Yardbirds, Jeffrey Gaines, Jimmy Vivino, Tommy
Conwell & the Young Rumblers, Walter Trout, Sonny Landreth, Popa Chubby and
the Marcus King Band. Sover and his band made the semifinals for two
consecutive years at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis.
Band Members
Links
