LISTEN TO NEW MUSIC! R&B Band Al McKay Allstars Releases New Single “Heed The Message”
R&B Band Al McKay Allstars Releases New Single “Heed The Message” – Available NOW!
Veteran, Grammy Award winning and multi-platinum recording artist Al McKay has a long history of creating songs that feel good to the body and soul. The former Earth, Wind & Fire guitarist teamed with group founder Maurice White to pen the band’s seminal hits “September” and “Sing A Song” and honed his chops playing with Ike & Tina Turner and Sammy Davis Jr.
McKay continues in this tradition with “Heed the Message,” his latest offering from his band Al McKay Allstars. In the spirit of McKay’s eight years in Earth, Wind & Fire from 1973 to 1981, “Heed the Message” is rich with impressive harmonic backing vocals, ample moving saxophone runs, driving funk bass grooves and uplifting lyrics: “Don’t think twice when your feeling is right,” “Try meditation,” and “Love is the calling.”
“The song’s message is Do the best you can,” McKay explains. “Be true to yourself. Don’t let anything get in your way. Whatever you consider being successful, don’t let it stop you from doing what you do, what you’re here for.” McKay has a personal connection to the song’s theme.
McKay credits the late Maurice White with encouraging him to become a songwriter. White would begin writing lyrics as he listened to McKay improvising on his guitar. “In the dressing room, we used to have a tuning guitar room. After I would tune, I would start playing these tunes and I could hear [Maurice] singing. That’s how we wrote ‘Sing A Song.’ That’s how we wrote The Emotion’s ‘Best of My Love.'”
McKay is working on a new album. In addition to working with some of his bandmates, he’s also in talks to collaborate with a few of the music business’ hit making, award-winning songwriters and producers. “I have some exciting things in the works,” McKay explains. “It’s just too early to share the names.”
One of McKay’s recent works is a feel good, dance song “Everybody Get Up” that the band has been playing during their European concert dates. “They love it in Europe,” he says.
The tour set pays homage to Earth, Wind & Fire. When the band went on an extended hiatus in the 1980s, McKay created Al McKay Allstars and reunited many original Earth, Wind & Fire band members, including Verdine White, to resume playing together. “I had damn near the whole band,” McKay says with a laugh. “I’d like to continue in Earth, Wind & Fire’s tradition.”
The Al McKay Allstars lineup includes: McKay (leader, guitar), Tim Owens (vocals), DeVere Duckett (vocals), Claude Woods (vocals), Freddie Flewelen (bass guitar), Ben Dowling (keyboards), Dean Gant (keyboards), Rayford Griffin (drums), David Leach (percussion), Ed Wynne (saxophone), Luis Gonzales (trumpet), Omar Peralta (trumpet) & Justin Kirk (trombone)
Read more at their official website: http://www.almckay.com/
