Anthony Orio
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Anthony Orio has come a long way since bursting onto the Nashville scene as an up and coming singer/songwriter featured by ASCAP’s “Hot On The Row Series.” His unique blend of country mixes the traditional qualities of the genre with progressive contemporary vocals and production creating a fresh new sound. Known for his electrifying live performances and strong ability to connect with the crowds, his talent has led him to perform at The Grand Ole Opry, Ryman Auditorium, and become a top draw at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge in both Nashville and Panama City Beach, Florida. He’s had the privilege to perform alongside some of the industry greats including Kris Kristofferson, Randy Houser, Jamey Johnson and many more. With influences that range from George Strait to The Rolling Stones, Orio’s music is what keeps fans coming back again and again.
Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, music was instilled in him at a young age by his family. Orio would borrow his great grandmother’s cane to belt out his rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” while dancing around the living room. At age 7, his father bought him his first 33” vinyl of George Strait’s “Beyond The Blue Neon,” and he became hooked. Orio received his first guitar for Christmas and he never looked back.
With his parents blessing, Orio made the big move to Nashville at the age of 18. Once he arrived, he knew he needed to focus his time on developing his songwriting craft. He made it a priority to attend writer’s nights all over town to observe and learn from some of the best writers. During this time, he witnessed the talents of Keith Anderson, Chris Wallin and Anthony Smith long before they had any hits. Orio fell in love with their energy and it inspired him as he worked himself up from ‘open mic’ nights to organizing his own writer rounds. After several years of honing his craft and connecting with publishers, Orio began to be recognized for the quality and uniqueness of the music he was creating.
In addition to releasing his first independent project in 2010, Orio has enjoyed success with cuts by Grammy award-winning country comedy legend Ray Stevens as well as former RCA recording artist Andy Griggs. In addition to these tracks that have attracted national radio airplay, Orio’s songs have been published by Sony Music, Universal Music, RPM Music and Major Bob Music.
Orio spends most of his time on the stage, averaging over 200 shows per year. These concerts have taken this road warrior to stages throughout North America, from Georgia to Canada and beyond, playing venues that range from crowd-packed clubs to casino show rooms.
“For me, there is no place I would rather be than on stage, sharing music with an audience,” says Orio. “The energy that comes from a live show is the ultimate high.” A highlight of his year is headlining the Thunder Beach Bike Rally and Spring Break in Panama City Beach, a tradition he’s been proud to be a part of for 3 years.
The past year has proven to be an exciting one for this gifted singer-songwriter with a steadily growing social media fan base and nearly 1 Million website hits. Orio and his band, The Goodfellers, were recognized by the community with the honor of best local band in The Tenneesean’s 2012 and 2013 Toast Of Music City. This annual event, now in its 5th year, celebrates the best of the best in Nashville and calls upon readers from across Middle Tennessee to vote and honor who they believe is top notch in town. The Tennessean declared: “Orio may not wear a cowboy hat, but he’s still country. His voice is strong, clear and controlled.”
The year also brought upon a slew of television appearances nationwide. Highlights include: WSMV NBC Nashville (Top 30 Market), WMBB ABC Panama City Beach, WLTZ NBC’s The Dee Armstrong Show, ABC’s CT Style and Fox Connecticut.
Continuing the momentum, Orio’s self-released sophomore album, “Between Home & The Bright Lights,” has been met with rave reviews by press and fans alike. The album was selected by editors of Roughstock as one of the Top 40 Albums of 2012 in addition to landing in the #2 slot of their fan voted Best Albums of 2012 list.
Roughstock declares “There’s just something about Between Home & The Bright Lights that just hits me…this is a record made to be an extension of Orio’s successful live shows. It also showcases that an artist can be successful without having big ole radio hits (or any radio hits for that matter).Between Home & The Bright Lights showcases an artist with all the talent and moxie of the big labels and the production on this record is equally as strong. Orio’s voice recalls Keith Urban at times and could probably be a good comparison for overall artistic presentation but don’t think of Orio as a copycat as he’s clearly his own artist with downright strong mid-tempo tracks.”
Links:
Website: www.anthonyorio.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/AnthonyOrio
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AnthonyOrioMusic
Reverbnation: www.reverbnation.com/anthonyorioandthegoodfellers
Video: http://youtu.be/DJp_kUC0dFc
