Sonny Boy Mick
Gig Seeker Pro

Sonny Boy Mick

Burlington, Ontario, Canada | Established. Jan 01, 2001 | INDIE | AFM

Burlington, Ontario, Canada | INDIE | AFM
Established on Jan, 2001
Band Rock Singer/Songwriter

Calendar

This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

Music

Press


"Melody Man plays The Harp"



ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

News Arts & Entertainment Sports Business People Police Wheels Editorial & Opinion

Melody Man plays The Harp





By: Mike Beggs

June 24, 2008 02:26 PM -
Melody Man.
That’s the name of the teaching/recording studio owned by Burlington singer/guitarist Steve McPhail, a.k.a. Sonny Boy Mick.
It would also serve as a pretty good indicator of what’s on his new CD, Peace, Love and Sonny Boy.
He and bandmates Tom Lewis (bass) and Owen Durkin (drums) will air it at The Harp, this Friday and Saturday.
The wide-ranging disc reflects McPhail’s involvement in various bands over the past 15 years – Pepper Kat, Dizzy Bites, the hard alternative Fall From Grace, and the acoustic-oriented pop of Sonny Boy Mick. But the common denominators are his strong vocals and a feel-good vibe that wouldn’t be a million miles away from Jack Johnson’s folk-meets-reggae stylings.
“I think that has evolved from the fact I’ve done a lot of acoustic shows with Sonny Boy Mick,” McPhail says. “It comes down to a nice melody and chord structures. I think that has rubbed off. You’re always stripping the songs down, and it’s about the melody after a while.”
He co-produced the disc at his studio; he considers it “a good melting pot” of songs, reflecting influences as broad as The Beatles, Oasis, Prince and Buddy Holly, topped off with cool sonics and sound effects.
“It was a year’s project. I think I’ve just grown as a writer,” he adds. “The songs are a lot more personal. They have meaning to me.”
Lewis agrees it’s an indie record that sort of has it all.
“Steve’s so versatile and so good, he can make anything he sinks his teeth into sound aesthetic,” Lewis offers. “The biggest comment we’ve had is, the whole album flows.”
Sonny Boy Mick’s covers list, likewise, runs deep and wide — Buddy Holly, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, U2, Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana.
“At a lot of the gigs now, if they yell out a tune, we’re playing it,” McPhail says.
Since buying Melody Man five years back, McPhail has seen the student body grow from 100 to 300. He opened the recording studio two years ago, and recently had the chance to co-produce a CD with Nick Blagona (whose credits include Deep Purple, April Wine and Police).
In doing all that, and his new CD, he has “learned a ton.”
His disc is available at sonnyboymick.com, and will soon be on itunes. With the record industry having been stood on its ear, what expectations does he have for it?
“I think, for myself, it would be nice to get airplay for some songs,” he says. “I’ve got some nice responses.
“It’s such a different business now than 10 years ago. I find it’s kind of cool. For me, there’s a lot of different-sounding singles on the CD. As far as singles, I’ve got a broader range of stations I could reach.”
That’s not uncharted territory for him.
“I’ve had 6,000 downloads of one single (the Leonard Cohen masterpiece) Hallelujah; I did it for a Christmas album,” he says. “I did it after Shrek (where it was popularized by Rufus Wainwright), but before 10,000 people did it.”
Showtime is 9:30 p.m. at The Harp, in Port Credit.

- MISSISSAUGA NEWS


"Melody Man plays The Harp"



ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

News Arts & Entertainment Sports Business People Police Wheels Editorial & Opinion

Melody Man plays The Harp





By: Mike Beggs

June 24, 2008 02:26 PM -
Melody Man.
That’s the name of the teaching/recording studio owned by Burlington singer/guitarist Steve McPhail, a.k.a. Sonny Boy Mick.
It would also serve as a pretty good indicator of what’s on his new CD, Peace, Love and Sonny Boy.
He and bandmates Tom Lewis (bass) and Owen Durkin (drums) will air it at The Harp, this Friday and Saturday.
The wide-ranging disc reflects McPhail’s involvement in various bands over the past 15 years – Pepper Kat, Dizzy Bites, the hard alternative Fall From Grace, and the acoustic-oriented pop of Sonny Boy Mick. But the common denominators are his strong vocals and a feel-good vibe that wouldn’t be a million miles away from Jack Johnson’s folk-meets-reggae stylings.
“I think that has evolved from the fact I’ve done a lot of acoustic shows with Sonny Boy Mick,” McPhail says. “It comes down to a nice melody and chord structures. I think that has rubbed off. You’re always stripping the songs down, and it’s about the melody after a while.”
He co-produced the disc at his studio; he considers it “a good melting pot” of songs, reflecting influences as broad as The Beatles, Oasis, Prince and Buddy Holly, topped off with cool sonics and sound effects.
“It was a year’s project. I think I’ve just grown as a writer,” he adds. “The songs are a lot more personal. They have meaning to me.”
Lewis agrees it’s an indie record that sort of has it all.
“Steve’s so versatile and so good, he can make anything he sinks his teeth into sound aesthetic,” Lewis offers. “The biggest comment we’ve had is, the whole album flows.”
Sonny Boy Mick’s covers list, likewise, runs deep and wide — Buddy Holly, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, U2, Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana.
“At a lot of the gigs now, if they yell out a tune, we’re playing it,” McPhail says.
Since buying Melody Man five years back, McPhail has seen the student body grow from 100 to 300. He opened the recording studio two years ago, and recently had the chance to co-produce a CD with Nick Blagona (whose credits include Deep Purple, April Wine and Police).
In doing all that, and his new CD, he has “learned a ton.”
His disc is available at sonnyboymick.com, and will soon be on itunes. With the record industry having been stood on its ear, what expectations does he have for it?
“I think, for myself, it would be nice to get airplay for some songs,” he says. “I’ve got some nice responses.
“It’s such a different business now than 10 years ago. I find it’s kind of cool. For me, there’s a lot of different-sounding singles on the CD. As far as singles, I’ve got a broader range of stations I could reach.”
That’s not uncharted territory for him.
“I’ve had 6,000 downloads of one single (the Leonard Cohen masterpiece) Hallelujah; I did it for a Christmas album,” he says. “I did it after Shrek (where it was popularized by Rufus Wainwright), but before 10,000 people did it.”
Showtime is 9:30 p.m. at The Harp, in Port Credit.

- MISSISSAUGA NEWS


Discography

singles - hallelujah, like - available on - itunes , puretracks thru indiepool
vibe of my acoustic - available itunes , puretracks thru indiepool
peace, love and sonnyboy - brand new cd available june 2008- itunes , thru indiepool

Photos

Bio

 

NOW Available - New Sonny Boy single  on ITunes "Yesterday" - tribute to Paul McCartney/Beatles Nov 11, 2014

NOW Available - New Sonny Boy single ``Make Me Do Anything You Want`` on ITunes Oct 13, 2014   

The Hit Single “ MY FAVOURITE SONG” from Sonny Boy Mick Itunes release date Dec 17, 2013.

 

SONNY BOY MICK

“We all live for those magic moments in life when everything just seems to go right, like a pro athlete who joins the big leagues and wins the cup in his first visit to the finals. Some people spend their whole careers trying to duplicate that success and feeling, they never stop to enjoy the small moments, never savouring them -- waiting for moments of holding the “cup” until later in their career only to find sometimes it never happens at all, usually taking those moments for granted. We need to focus on the small magic moments that happen in our everyday life, be it on the big stage or the small one. Doing it because of what started us out as kids along that path - the love of that magic moment! We never really know how or why special things come along, but when they do, you can’t plan them, they just seem to happen. So don’t let them pass you by - enjoy the ride!”

            “Shine up those dancing shoes”   -- Sonny Boy Mick

  Burlington singer/songwriter Steve McPhail first picked up the guitar at the age of 11. Growing up in the Northern Ontario town of Sault Ste. Marie, he was singing in school festivals, teaching guitar and playing professional gigs by the age of 15. He moved to Burlington Ontario to pursue his love of music, performing with some of Toronto's premier club acts as well as owning and operating Burlington’s Melody Man Studios (teaching and recording studio). Steve has also been writing with and producing several "up and coming" artists in the G.T.A.

 He has also worked as a studio musician making guest appearances as a vocalist and guitarist on several CD projects as well as most recently performed as lead guitarist for such acts as Alan Frew (Glass Tiger), Johnny Reid and Tim Hicks.

  Sonny Boy Mick has received the honour of :

- Finalist in the Annual  2011 Performing Arts Awards in Burlington Ontario

- Finalist in the 2008 UK Songwriting Contest.

- Nominated for "BEST POP ARTIST" in the 2008 Ontario Independant Music Awards.

- Honourable Mention in the 2008 Billboard World Songwriting Contest   ..

- The singles "Today, "Always on my mind", "5am" and "Northern Town" have been featured in TV episodes across Canada.

 



Band Members