Garry Manuel

Singer-songwriter, guitarist, offering music crafted through years of experience, personal journeys, wrapped in skilled vocal and instrumental musicianship.

Garry’s musical influences are vast and diverse, often sprouting up in the songs he has written and continues to write. While some tunes bear the marks of rock or country, the others border on pop or jazz. Some songs feature prolific lyrics with memorable hooks and others are more folk-like in nature, with an emphasis on storytelling and his acoustic guitar work. One of his more notable attributes is writing romantic ballads that typically showcase his vocal talent. There are also a number of uplifting pop songs and occasionally he ventures into political commentary.

Long before he picked up his first guitar, Garry was singing along with a transistor radio and albums like Ray Charles’ “In Person” (live in Atlanta). It’s the music that fueled his fire and paved the way for future influences of the Beatles and Crosby, Stills and Nash. About the time when Garry learned to strum his first two chords, he was already crafting lyrics and jotting them in a spiral notebook.

Garry’s professional career launched in high school in the late ‘60’s with the band playing dances in high schools around the Rochester, NY regional area. Shortly after high school the rock band formed that eventually recorded under the name “Meadow” and scored one local hit record, You Don’t Know the Pain, which was penned and sung by Garry. 

During his early college years, he teamed up with James Wilson to create Sunup, which started out as a guitar/vocal, songwriting duo, then soon after added a bass player. The first bassist was Charlie Castilano (long-time friend) and after he left the band, Kerry Peterson was the bassist throughout a few decades.

It wasn’t long before Sunup was recording with renowned engineer, Mick Guzauski, and adding other instruments into the mix as the music textures suggested to their ears. They performed at colleges, clubs and coffee houses, and opened shows for major recording acts like Jackson Browne & Linda Ronstadt, Jimmy Cliff, The James Gang and others.

In the late ‘70s, James moved to Connecticut to pursue a career in communications, while Garry continued to record and perform in New York. He began writing jingles, playing guitar on some recording sessions and performing top 40 hits with a band in nightclubs and hotels.

In the early ‘80’s Garry reassembled Sunup and once again found himself writing, performing and recording, as well as opening a music studio and teaching guitar. The group played on and off for another decade plus and adding keyboardist, Brian Soule. They began work on the Saratoga Sunrise album, which included many guests who had played with Sunup over the years. 

Garry’s musical influences are vast and diverse, often sprouting up in the songs he has written and continues to write. While one bears the marks of mainstream country, the next border on rock, pop or jazz. Some songs feature great verses with memorable hooks and others are more folk-like in nature, with an emphasis on storytelling and acoustic guitar work. His songwriting ranges from romantic ballads to uplifting pop songs and occasionally ventures into political commentary. But the main focus has almost always been on writing, recording and producing. Performing was secondary, though he has done plenty of gigs throughout his career.

Garry commented, “I’ve always enjoyed taking a bare bones song and building the song in production to more accurately paint the picture and represent the emotion intended for the tune.”

In 2002 he also founded a non-profit named Project URGE, Inc., that was focused on working on efforts to alleviate poverty and racism. These are strong passions that began in his early college days and continue today.

For Garry, the bottom line is this: musicality and great performances never stop evolving. In the end, it’s the music that speaks with power and to the sensitivity of our lives.

Contact:
Sunflare Songs
Email: mmssunflare@aol.com
31 W. Church St. - Fairport, NY 14450
585.223.2310