Check Out Anthony Black’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anthony Black.

Hi Anthony, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Growing up in a military family, we moved around a lot, my father was U.S. Army/Secret Service on the Presidential Campaigns, so changing schools and making new friends was a challenge I started journaling thoughts about missing friends and family, which makes for great country music. Musically, almost every student starts out with a wind instrument “recorder”. My father (Robert) would always play old vinyl records since it was the ’70s-’80s era and would throw on a set of Kenwood headphones and sing. He also was fluent on the organ which was fun to watch how music as a kid came together from hitting a bunch of keys.

My mother (Pam) liked to sing in the kitchen while preparing our dinners. She also sang in church (Moland Lutheran Church) just outside of Owatonna Minnesota (my hometown). In 1996, I entered my first competition for writing lyrics and receiving a contract to collaborate with Country Music U.S.A. with label owner Ronnie James at the same time Tim McGraw released “Don’t Take the Girl” I’m not going to lie, I was intimidated and had doubts (star struck) I guess you could say.

So just as a personal goal, I kept entertaining competitions around the world, and to my surprise, I kept receiving contract after contract but being just in my early ’20s the fees were a lot back then for a kid making $3.85 hr. Life got busy and I went on to college graduating from Pine Technical College in Pine City, MN, and becoming a top structural/pipe welder, moving to Florida to work for a construction company JR. Davis Construction in Kissimmee with my passion for music still burning deep, I kept writing lyric after lyric, only to keep them in a file, my mother loved reading what I would write, so each time I would write another she would read them and smile. In 2016, she had (FTD) front temporal dementia and couldn’t remember reading what I’d written. In 2018, her illness progressed into full Alzheimer’s, to the point my family suggested that I move back home and help my father take care of our farm, I would sit by my mother’s bed and still read my lyrics to her.

Without my mom, I can honestly say I would probably still be writing and filing my lyrics…. However, in late September 2020, she grabbed onto my hand asking me to promise her that I would, in fact, follow through with my music…… “yes ma’am”. In October 2020, I released my single “No Class” with producer Donny Hammonds from Cartersville Georgia at The After Dark Studio. My mother loved it hearing: See I hate it when. I hear them say, that I ain’t got no class…cause it’s going to be hard…to keep me on the bottom…when I’m pushing down that gas…. The chorus from that release, mainly because I was always so competitive in sports, football, and wrestling……she was my number 1 fan. So, I wanted to emphasize a point with a message to the world in verse 2 of this release…when my life is through, the whole world won’t forget my name…because I never switched up the tracks…I keep riding these same lanes…

So, I continued releasing my lyrics with Donny Hammonds back to back we were on our 11th release by December 31, 2020. Well, on January 10th, 2021 my mother passed away, I stopped writing briefly my father started pushing me to keep going, he was a tough one to impress, and he would tell others before me that I was good. Until I in a funny way caught him listening to the music, I’d given my mother boxed up after she passed away. Sadly, just a year later my father passed away from a massive heart attack while I was at work, and at that point, I lost everything that I’ve ever loved and known…. I released “You’re Gone” with producer Donny Hammonds, and we haven’t let off the gas ever since.

In 2021, I was a 3-time nominee in the International Singers and Songwriters Association. As well as a 3-time nominee in the Josie Music Awards. In 2022, I won Bronze Songwriter of the Year in the International Singers and Songwriters Association. I was nominated (6) times and won “Songwriter of the Year at the Holland Red Carpet Music Awards. I won the: World Songwriters Award (WSA) in Australia. Nominated as: Songwriter of the Year “Who’s Who Music Awards in Indiana”. Won 3rd place in the (WSA) Modern Country for my release “I ain’t going nowhere”.

Won 4th place for Traditional Country for my release “Lock You Down” (WSA). 12 nominations for the 2023 Holland Red Carpet Awards results in (August 2023). 2023 Nominee for “Songwriter of the Year” Josie Music Awards being held at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville on October 22nd, 2023. And I just entered the Texas Music Association Awards being held in Ft. Worth Texas November 2023.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Independent musicians probably have the hardest road to travel because they are looked at like Junior Varsity trying to make the Varsity squad…I love the independent route because you have the freedom to push as hard as you want because you don’t yet have a board to approve what you do. You are in control of how you want your music done.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’ve written for many different artists and one of my favorites happened because I heard her voice on Facebook so I sent her a message “Emma Sophie Taylor”. Who actually located in Georgia, so after a few months of conversation back and forth, we decided to go to the studio and record “I’m Leaving”.

As the date got set, I told my producer Donny Hammonds I need a studio date, “I found an amazing girl with a phenomenal voice to record “ I told him who it was and he said, “Do you know who she is?” I said no but we’ve been talking quite awhile. Donny then said. That’s Mick Taylor’s daughter (original guitarist from The Rolling Stones)”.

I just said well Emma has an amazing voice and I didn’t know that in August 2022 we recorded that single and released it on all platforms, she sent it to her father Mick and he loved it.

I reside in East Texas with my wife Lona, who’s been not only great support of my passion for music, as well as inspiration to some of my latest releases such as “Lock you down“.

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Never stop believing in yourself or your goals, don’t let anyone ever tell you you’re not good enough. Always be proud of the person looking back at you in the mirror.

Contact Info:

• Website: Anthonyblackmusic.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/tattoogiver73?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anthony.black.96780671?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@tonyblack151
• SoundCloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/bhbkLGFzPQaSmykp6
• Other: Check Out Tony Black on ReverbNation! http://www.reverbnation.com/open_graph/artist/7104572

Image Credits
Lona Maxted