If there were any of you listening on the radio last night, which would have been Thursday night the 29th of this glorious beginning of the New Year 2009, you would have heard a brand new song called: ‘If you were mine again’ by Henry Gross.
It was early in the morning that I had received an e-mail from Henry who is recording in Naples, Florida and said, “Mason, thanks for all of the encouragement, and remember you cannot do it alone.”
Although some very sage advice to me, Henry was also referring to his collaboration with one of his dearest friends, Garry Tallent who is best known for being the long time bass player in Bruce Springsteen’s, E Street Band who will be performing in the Super Bowl this weekend.
Henry was up until the wee hours of the morning working on that new CD, after Garry suggested a change in a line on one song called “Hope Springs Eternally” because Garry didn’t feel as if it worked, and so Henry took that advice and completed the song, which he says turned out great.
In light of ‘Our’ up coming special on my interview with Henry, I had been listening and editing the special, and felt compelled to send a message to Henry because … I kept hearing the passion arising from those segments, and hearing him talk about the business of being in music, and sometimes how hard the pitfalls can be … but, I kept hearing about the friends who he counted on and who really believed in him. It felt as if he were a kindred spirit, knowing it was just as likely to be radio / broadcasting that he was talking about.
There is something about this guy, Henry Gross who doesn’t stop making music because the record execs won’t let him in, or is easily deterred about the business of entertainment, because he already knows what it is going on … and he’s going to “break on through to the other side” no matter what.
It isn’t that Henry Gross hasn’t already made his Bones, because he has. I already KNOW and feel that Henry has SO much MORE to offer that ‘this Corporate America’ is not picking up on … and that is GOSPEL.
And there are so many other talented artist that are being ‘Type casted’ because the business side of America is so afraid of change. It’s the same about radio … so it feels to me as if they are intertwined. It’s what I’ve BEEN WHINING ABOUT in RADIO. I’m a Baby Boomer too and “I LOVE THIS STUFF” and the CLASSICS! C’MON!
As a token of his gracious and generous personality, Henry sent me ONE of his brand new songs, ‘If You Were Mine Again’ that my administrative assistant Christine Daniel, who immediately picked up on my enthusiasm … gleamed a ’bit’ line from a Mike Meyer’s movie, saying, “Well Mason Ramsey, I think Henry Gross just gave you a little bit of that MO JO back to you!”
And brother did he EVER! Henry sent me a copy of an original song that has NEVER BEEN heard on any radio station or the Internet, and WE were able to play it FIRST. To me that is exciting stuff!
Let me tell you exactly how it made me feel: Just LIKE the Days of when a Disc Jockey had the opportunity of being the first one in America to ‘Break’ a record into the mainstream … and BOY DID THAT FEEL LIKE … I WAS THE S**T! And it didn’t stop there … the ballad made me think of the soundtrack for the Movie project that I have been forever and a day wanting to complete, based on the story I wrote those many years ago called Bodies in the Bay. Music and Movies just go together and it only makes sense, and if I ever had an opportunity of using great music to tell a story, I know what I would do … no doubt.
Let me wrap this up by saying; Henry Gross is a very talented and gifted singer and songwriter … and deserves as much credit to be a part of the “New Cultural Mainstream” as do the others, who have put in their time and are still working the ‘Oldies’ circuit doing the material they’ve become known and famous for, but have also been writing and creating NEW stuff that needs a starter home, before it becomes a NEW COMPLEX of radio stations who will finally be catching on to the New Fever … I want to think it started here on JSTKLSX and https://rockandrollheaven.net/ with this NEW philosophy. Sure there are hundreds and thousands of Internet radio stations, but I really believe we’re going to be at least the ONE who may make a difference. Henry Gross said, “Mason, you can’t do it alone.”
Amen Brother! I’m on the “Revolutionary Road” and I need soldiers, without a doubt who have been already freezing without their shoes in the Valley of the Forge. (I know … it’s Valley Forge … but think about it) We’re being hammered into the MOLD HERE!
Mason Ramsey