Hello Everyone,
Here is the recap of the September 21 edition of “The Homegrown Rocker,” which airs every Sunday night from 8 to 10 PM on Q94 Classic Rock (www.q94classicrock.com), and from 10 PM to midnight on 107.1 and 101.3 Jack FM (www.1071jack.fm)!
Joining us in the studio on this week’s program was Johnstown area singer and songwriter Dan Stonerook! Dan recently issued his third EP, called “Almost Famous”; he recorded the EP in Nashville late last year, and worked with members of ‘East Bound and Down,’ “the Ultimate Smokey and the Bandit Tribute.” We discussed Dan’s experiences in Nashville, along with the evolution of his music and style, his live show and more! Along the way, we debuted new songs from The Sorters, Kevin Briggs, Screech Owl and Adam & the Armadillos; plus updated “Local Music News,” dug out a 1998 number from Altoona’s Mudbone for this week’s “Local Music Flashback,” and stepped “Across State Lines” to hear a song from Ithaca, New York-based folk rock group ‘Cielle On Solid Ground!’ (For those who missed the program, a four-part podcast of this show is available for listening or download from Q94’s website, www.q94classicrock.com. Click on “The Professor’s Classroom,” and then scroll down to “Homegrown Rocker Podcast” and look for the four show segments marked with the date, 092125.)
Here is this week’s playlist:
HOUR ONE:
THE RUSTY SHACKLES – “Joyland”
THE SORTERS – “Materialistic Me” (new)
DAN STONEROOK – “East Bound and Down”
KEVIN BRIGGS – “Rain Pourin’ Down” (new)
DAN STONEROOK – “Tennessee Hannah”
SCREECH OWL – “Bottles Long Dry” (new)
DAN STONEROOK – “Highway 11” (performed live in the studio)
COLTT WINTER LEPLEY – “Sunflower Creek”
DEVIN SHERMAN – “The Village News” (performed live in the studio on 11/26/23)
HOUR TWO:
STONEMAN – “I Like It”
NICK MILLER PROJECT – “The Hand That Bites”
DAN STONEROOK – “I Hear You Knockin'”
ADAM & THE ARMADILLOS – “Cowgirl Like Mine” (new)
DAN STONEROOK – “Against Me”
MUDBONE – “Someday Knock on Wood” (1999, Local Music Flashback)
DAN STONEROOK – “Our Old Town” (performed live in the studio)
CIELLE ON SOLID GROUND – “Ghost Town” (Across State Lines)
LITTLE JIMMY MELONBALLER – “Stink Bugs”
And the guests keep on coming! On our next program, we’ll be joined by members of Pittsburgh-based indie/alternative rock group Dream The Heavy! We’ll get acquainted with the group and learn about their innovative style of rock, and hear tracks from their award-winning album “Into the Unknown!” We’ll also update “Local Music News,” dig a “Local Music Flashback” song from the archive and more! Listen to the “Homegrown Rocker” this Sunday night (September 28) on Q94 Classic Rock – 94.3 FM and online at www.q94classicrock.com, and on 107.1 and 101.3 Jack FM, online at www.1071jack.fm!
UPCOMING GUESTS AND SPECIALS:
OCT. 5 – Alex Shumaker
OCT. 12 – Gonto
OCT. 26 – Halloween Special
NOV. 23 – All-Request Special
NOV. 30 – Local Music on Vinyl Special
DEC. 14 – Dr. Barry Atticks (Lilla Jul Rockeband)
DEC. 21 – Christmas Special
DEC. 28 – 2025 Year in Review
(All dates are subject to changes as circumstances warrant.)
Bands and artists wanting to submit news items for “Local Music News” may email their news to homegrownrocker@gmail.com. Indicate “MUSIC NEWS” in the subject heading!
Bands and artists interested in having music aired on the show are invited to send their broadcast-quality recordings to: The Homegrown Rocker, 2513 6th Avenue, Altoona, PA 16602 (ATTN: Jim Price). You can also email digital song files or inquiries about the show to homegrownrocker@gmail.com; and submit digital song files through the link on “The Professor’s Classroom” page. And bands and musicians interested in being guests on the program can email their interest to homegrownrocker@gmail.com as well!
Jim Price
In Local Music News…
Cambria County rockers Stacy & the Rejects no longer need a new bass player, as Tom Yannitelli is staying on after all. The group decided on a few adjustments that will enable Tom to continue to work with the group. Stacy & the Rejects thank all the bass players who reached out and showed interest in the vacancy.
An area band that will soon be losing their bass player is Toy the Band. The group’s current bassist, Adela, will be leaving the group soon to attend graduate school and continue her studies in the field of mental health.
And in another personnel move, western PA rockers ConTagious have parted ways with singer Paul Hearn.
Two new band projects have formed in the Altoona area. Night on the Sun is a new trio that will focus on 1990s-era alternative and indie rock with a slight emphasis on Modest Mouse, where the group got their name. The group – Sascha Frost on guitar and some vocals, “Philly Grooves” Wagner on bass and vocals, and Luke McCloskey on drums will also be developing some original songs.
Another new area funk band is coming together. Called 81Funk, this group features Andrae Holsey on vocals and guitar, Matthew Markham on lead guitar, Wes Shriner on rhythm guitar, Zach Hepner on drums, and Kevin Neely on bass. Born out of the 8-1-4, the band will fuse bluesy roots, gospel fire, and hard-driving rock into a heavy-hitting and grooving sound.
And we report sad news from the Pittsburgh music scene with the recent passing of Harry Bottoms. Originally from the Clearfield area, Harry played in a number of bands before becoming the longtime bass player with Pittsburgh rocker Norman Nardini’s band. We’ll have more details about Harry’s passing and career as they become available.
