THE KEY IS LOVE - SUNUP's 50th Anniversary Album!

Some Notes & Facts About the Album

At the 50 year mark Sunup began to record The Key Is Love album, with Garry Manuel leading the charge of organizing and producing the recording. The music pays homage to early Sunup followers with the inclusion of a number of songs from their set list in the early 70’s, which crosses into Americana, folk-rock, singer-songwriter genres. The album also builds in some freshly penned songs, like the title track, and a rare original by James Wilson from ‘74, that was never previously recorded. You’ll also find a few covers ( 2 by John Prine) the group played for years. The Sunup brand of vocal harmonies and acoustic instrumentation remain prominent throughout. They’ve brought an uplifting vibe to this recording; however, a few songs do reach in to touch on some of the raw emotions of life’s upheavals.

Sunup has enlisted some incredibly talented guests for their recording. Drummer, Billy Goodness, who played in a group with Garry and Kerry 40 + years ago, also performed with country artist, Ricky van Shelton, and currently performs with a Steely Dan cover band, Bad Sneakers, adds his tasteful playing and experience to these tracks.

Also on drums is Ben Gramm, who has played with a number of top artists, including his brother, Lou Gramm, for the past 25 years. He also played on the song Back To My Soul, recorded from a live broadcast on WCMF, in Rochester, NY, back in 1974! Ben also played with Sunup on several special dates both live and in the recording studio. In fact, you’ll hear him on the bonus track!

Other guests include the very talented, Aaron Lipp, who is a multi-instrumentalist that performs solo and with bluegrass groups in the Finger Lakes area of NY, as well as touring with the Sam Grisman Project. You’ll hear him tearing it up on the dobro, electric lap steel and fiddle. He provided the perfect ingredients to add the spice to these tunes. Bernie Heveron, a gifted musical talent and former school music teacher, lent his support by playing banjo and dobro on the song Early Life Jangle.

Sunup was also fortunate to have the wonderfully gifted cellist, Genevieve Tabby, from the all-female string quartet, Atlys, grace the recording of the song, Someday. This piece, written by Garry, is a call to express your feelings to people before that chance slips away. The cello puts an exquisite touch on the song’s expression.

Laura Wilson happens to be the sister-in-law of James and good friends with Garry. They had done some songs together at church in the past and asked her if she’d be kind enough to sing harmonies on Standing At the Edge of Life.

The icing on the cake has been having Garry’s son, Marshall, Manuel, who is also an accomplished musician, instuctor, producer and recording engineer be an integral part of the entire recording process from beginning to end.

Let the music shine!

MUSIC GUESTS: Marshall Manuel, Genevieve Tabby (Atlys), Ben Gramm (Lou Gramm & others, Laura Wilson, Aaron Lipp (Sam Grisman Project & others, Billy Goodness (Bad Sneakers & others, John McNeill (formerly with Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and Sunup (90’s), Bernie Heveron (solo artist & P V Nunes Band, former basist for Bat McGrath.

BONUS TRACK - FRIENDLY EASTBOUND TRAIN - TRIBUTE TO KERRY PETERSON

KERRY PETERSON

In 2007 Sunup played a reunion show in Victor NY. It was a wonderful evening of music, greeting Sunup followers, family and friends. In addition, Garry and Goon’s sons were part of the musical night making it even more special.

Some logistics and dealing with the club almost scrapped the plans, but thankfully that was not the case. We could not have anticipated that two years later Kerry would be taken from us with a bout from cancer. Garry states, “It’s difficult to put into words how much that evening has meant to us. Unfortunately, it would be the last real gig that we would play with Kerry. I will always remember our conversations nearing the final days of his life on earth - they were deep and meaningful.

After Charlie left Sunup in 1974, Kerry became the bassist. You can hear his stellar bass performances on so many Sunup recordings. For this special recording of our 50th Anniversary of playing and recording music we pulled out this song, “Friendly Eastbound Train” which was recorded at PCI Studios in Rochester, NY, with Mick Guzauski. While this is a pretty straightforward country tune, you can hear the genius of Kerry’s bass playing.

Also on the track, besides Garry, Goon and Kerry are: Jimmy Duvall on pedal steel and Ben Gramm on drums. This song was sidelined for a couple reasons: 1) it was country and Sunup was not a country band, 2) the lyrics of the song were a little off the beaten path, being a song about being enamored as a kid with trains and engineers, while your family traveled to buy fresh eggs, and 3) the band was told they didn’t have an '“identifiable sound”, so this track further obscured what the band was about.

Kerry contributed so much to Sunup. He was a staunch supporter of our original tunes and provided both a critical ear for the group’s songs, as well as, a witty and dry sense of humor that was so prevalent in the rehearsals. He can also be found on a number of Garry’s solo recordings.

Who knew that nearly 50 years later “Friendly Eastbound Train” would provide a showcase for an uplifting, fun and well-played track that would be a tribute to Kerry?!

Garry recently reconnected with Jimmy Duvall, who absolutely hits it outta the park on this tune, playing some dazzling pedal steel. Explaining the reconnection, “I became friends with Ryan Duvall and his wife in our hometown, and I happened to ask him if he was any relation to Jimmy Duvall?” That is how the reconnection transpired.

Ben Gramm played drums on those 1975 recording sessions with Sunup and many other special shows as well. Consequently, the bonus track supplies a perfect closer that will bring a few smiles and joy to listeners.

At this point in Sunup’s journey having to cater of a specific genre or music style is not a worry or consideratiion,

Ben Gramm - drums and Jimmy Duvall - pedal stell guitar

WARM 101-FM INTERVIEW with Goon and Garry

While in the Adirondack Mountains at the Great Sacandaga Lake, Goon and Garry were interviewed one morning by Jon Goehring for station WARM 101 in Rochester, NY. Here is a link to that interview: