“I am a bridge builder. In a world divided, I use music as a unifying force to bridge the gap between racial, economic, and cultural divides. Music is the common ground. The meeting point. A place to both share who we are, and to put aside who we are.”
— Antonio Lopez
Antonio Lopez is a self described romantic dreamer. It’s true. And his well crafted songs actually put the listener into a magical euphoria. Just reading the heartfelt, quirky lyrics by themselves is a literary experience. My God, who is this man?
Our illustrious publisher, Bill Hudson, sent me over a press release yesterday evening and asked if I’d like to write a music review. I’m usually reluctant – especially if I’d never even heard of the artist – but always give the songs an honest listening. However, by the time I absorbed the first six songs from his new album, Roots and Wings, I found myself in a full fledged dream state. I have to say that I’ve been moved in a way that I haven’t experienced since I first heard Nora Jones’s first album. Antonio is a gifted singer/songwriter, the likes of which come along only on the tail of Haley’s Comet.
You do not simply listen to Antonio’s music, you experience it from the heart. Here’s one of my favorite cuts: “The New Warrior”…
From the first song on, I thought for sure he had borrowed Norah Jones’ rhythm section. But no. These talented musicians are his working band… in my humble opinion, the crème de la crème of Colorado musical royalty. I’ll get back to them later… but first I needed to talk to the artist in person…
I called Antonio at the prearranged time of ten o’clock this cold Tuesday morning, I at my desk gazing out the window at a snowscape featuring stately Chimney Rock; and Antonio Lopez strolling under a cobalt sky, through fresh snow, in his hometown of Longmont. We talked for exactly one hour and at the end I felt as though we were old friends catching up. That’s just the kind of guy he is: a warm, soft spoken, articulate, gentle soul. And these traits — and more — are projected through his soulful songs.
Antonio, 34, youngest of five children, was born in Alamosa, Colorado, into a large, loving Chicano family that inspired him in many ways: Mama gave me roots / Daddy gave me wings / Mama gave me breath / Dad taught me to sing. His proud heritage is a beautifully woven tapestry illustrated with conquistador’s dreams, romance, trials and tribulations, and love and compassion. His birthplace is a spiritual realm in the San Luis Valley under the sacred Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The Latino culture is incredibly vibrant, and Lopez makes good use of his roots within his music.
At a tender age Tonio recorded a few Heavy Metal tracks (sans drummer!) at my friend Don Richmond’s studio, Howlin Dog, in Alamosa. Later he attended Adams State and studied music composition and guitar. He has been working professionally for years, perfecting his compositions, style, lyrics and learning the art of recording, which is sometimes more like alchemy.
He then moved to Longmont, Colorado.
“I was green as they come when I first arrived on The Front Range, full of that naive small-town optimism. The first job I had was as a night janitor in the public schools, trying to hustle my first gigs in a new music scene.”
From one of Antonio’s press releases:
The concept for Roots and Wings was planted in the late summer of 2018 as Antonio and his wife Georgia were flying back from their honeymoon on Vancouver Island in Canada. While there, Lopez picked up a free newspaper called The New Agora with an article about stepping into this new form of masculinity and fatherhood with a quote from Goethe that hit him in the gut.
“There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children, one of these is roots, the other, wings” (The New Angora).
He read these words in the airplane, flying miles above the ground. Tearing up, Lopez reminisced about his childhood and all the sacrifices his parents made in order for him to have a better life than they had.
With three former albums under his belt, Roots and Wings is pure artistry. The recording took nearly two years, but I imagine it was a labor of love for our friends. Antonio crowdfunded through “a wildly successful” Kickstart campaign. Three hundred good-hearted folks contributed $21,000 dollars to finance this noble effort – money well spent!
Here’s another tune from the new album, “Going to the City”:
Kudos to Engineer and co-producer, Mark Venezita at his studio Wind Over the Earth, in Longmont.
Mastered by Jim Wilson Mastering, Longmont, CO. And a round of applause for his full-time band:
Chad E. Mathis ‒ bass and vocals (smooth as silk)
Joshua Thomas – drums (solid and tasty as they come)
Jonathan Sadler ‒ marimba, vibraphone, aux. percussion (a pure joy)
Kyle Donovan ‒ guitar, vocals (par excellence)
Kate Farmer – vocals (lovely)
with special guests:
Enion Tiller ‒ cello
Mark Venezia ‒ lap steel, vocals
Women’s chorus on “Going to the City”: Trish Applegate-Loetz, Liz Berube, Giselle Collazo, Kate Farmer, Pamela Machala, Jeanne McAdara, Laura Paige, Carly Ricks Smith, Lyla Yaner
And of course the amazing Antonio Lopez… vocals, guitars, piano, organ, writer extraordinaire … and the executive director of the non-profit Sound Bridge Music. The first thing that hits you is his mellifluous voice, the timbre being so delightful that it will caress you tenderly. His phrasing is unique and playful, lending to his idiosyncratic lyrics. (It’s the kind of voice I wish I had!) He paints such majestic landscapes with his lyrics and charming vocals. Yes. He is proof that angels walk in our midst.
Roots and Wings is nothing less than a masterpiece from start to finish, not a weak song in the dozen. This is love in the Age of Covid, something to help us all get through it, to remind us that there is hope in this crazy world, that we are all in this together, and that we should appreciate our differences, and join hands and be thankful that we have one another to lean on.
This is Antonio Lopez as Medicine!
Antonio Lopez will be celebrating the Roots and Wings release with Stone Cottage Studios with a livestream event on Saturday, January 9 at 7pm MT. A portion of the ticket proceeds will benefit Sound Bridge Music, an organization that empowers and uplifts local musicians. Tickets can be purchased through Stone Cottage Studios. Happy New Year!
You can learn more at his website: https://www.antoniolopezmusic.com/
DC has been a frustrated musician for over fifty years, and now has decided to become a frustrated writer. Learn more at DCDuncan.com. He’ll keep you posted.