“Bloody Brilliant” – John Mayall (The Godfather of British Blues)
“If Bruce Springsteen ever gets the blues, I reckon he’s gonna sound just like Bryan Russo” ——the Marshall Tucker Band–(after BR opened for them in 2015)
In a world where people are either “following the money” or “chasing the dollar”, it could be said that Maryland-based singer/songwriter Bryan Russo has done a awful lot of things for $200… many of those things being musical.
He may also be one of the better songwriters you’ve never heard of.
The multi-award winning journalist has spent close to 20 years working diligently as a singer/songwriter in the Mid-Atlantic region of the US sharing the stage with more than 30 national recording artists and receiving high praise from critics and listeners on his six independent releases: (The Next Big Thing EP (2008), Sound the Alarms (2012), Here for the Show (2014), Burden of Proof (2016), and Pennsyltucky (2018) and In the Key of WTF (2022).
Known for his strong lyrical prowess, his big soulful voice, and ruthlessly human approach to his songs, Russo is a true “songwriter’s songwriter” grinding hard in the minor leagues of the music world like Kevin Costner’s character in “Bull Durham” yearning for a shot in the big leagues that probably isn’t coming.
Yet, if you love a good underdog story and respect folks who have the audacity to punch well above their weight class because they love the process more than the pain that comes at the inevitable end, then Russo is an artist you need to get to know.
In an industry where people are chasing fame, streaming royalties, low-paying gigs, social media followers, crowd-funding campaigns, and their own proverbial tails, Bryan Russo is happiest chasing a song, and then singing those songs to other people. He also hopes you will consider his songs the next time you listen to new music.
Russo’s new musical collaboration JOURNOS with punk-rock standout Ryan Abbott is currently spinning on over 100 radio stations across the US and Canada and spent more than 16 weeks on the AMA and College Radio charts.
Some of the acts BR has shared the stage with include:
The Steve Miller Band, The War and Treaty, Low Cut Connie, Vintage Trouble, Lukas Nelson and POTR, Trombone Shorty, John Mayall, Shooter Jennings, Lucero, Marshall Tucker Band, Los Lonely Boys, G Love and Special Sauce, Donavon Frankenreiter, Rusted Root, Gin Blossoms, J Roddy Walston and the Business, Marc Broussard, Corb Lund, Eric Lindell, Heritage Blues Orchestra, Trevor Hall, The Dean Ween Group, and on one night in Philadelphia in 2011, he was chosen out of hundreds of acts to warm up thousands of fans for the Black Keys and Arctic Monkeys at the Wells Fargo Center.
JOURNOS makes a statement with ambitious critically-acclaimed debut effort
Playing the role of the court jester whose job was to remind the monarchy of its inescapable mortality, Journos’ clever witticisms coupled with their chaotic musical pulse produce a terrific collection of deep-thinking hard-drinking songs. A scathing editorial, Journos’ debut full-length album In the Key of WTF is a sonic statement that neither buries the lead nor misses the point. The album spent 16 weeks on the College and AMA radio charts reaching as high as #128 and charting in the Top 25 of the Relix Magazine/Jambase Top 30 in November 2022. Journos scored a coveted opening slot for the legendary Steve Miller Band in June 2023.
Visit wearejounos.com for more.
Boys Called Susan album “Pennsyltucky” turns a few heads in heartfelt debut
In 2018, Russo teamed up with his first cousin Christopher Shearer and recorded the highly acclaimed debut album “Pennsyltucky” released as the band “Boys Called Susan”, which was named in homage of Shearer’s late mother Susan, who passed away from cancer in 2013. Her dying wish was for the boys to make music together, so they crowdfunded their way to Nashville to record at the legendary Butcher Shoppe recording studio with members of Emmylou Harris’ Red Dirt Boys as the studio band. The album, which was produced by Phil Madeira, has been spun on more than 60 radio stations across the US and Canada and received high critical marks both domestically and internationally. (www.boyscalledsusan.com for more info.)
Russo’s big bluesy voice wallops audiences with soulful lyrics that bite, but listeners and audiences have always been drawn to the depth in his lyrics, the hopefulness in the blues, and the way he can make a thinking song sound like a drinking song by blending smarts with satire. Russo’s song “Rodeo Cool”, which was released on the “Pennsyltucky” album was named as a top 5 finalist (out of more than 2000 domestic and international entries) in the ‘Country’ category of the 2019 Great American Song Contest, while his song from the same album “Unfinished Symphony” received honorable mention in the Folk/Americana category.
Notable Quotes:
“You might be the best songwriter I’ve never heard of. Where the hell did you come from?”
— Actor Luke Wilson (whom BR met after sharing the stage with Shooter Jennings in 2014)
CONTACT: bryandrusso1@gmail.com or 215.880.4616 for booking
Additional Quotes:
“Journos has that rare ability to make a statement while at the same time remaining entertaining and musically engaging…Journos stands up and counts for something.” – Malcolm Burn, Grammy Award-winning producer, and radio host of “The Long Way Around” Radio Kingston 107.9 FM (Kingston, NY)
“As Journos, they’ve created a fascinating, socially conscious world apart from all previous history, driven by Russo’s insanely insightful, bitingly provocative lyrics (which read as fascinating as they sing) and perhaps the industry’s only dusty Americana vibe informed by defiant, edgy punk sensibilities. ” – Jonathan Widran, Entertainment journalist (L.A. Times, Billboard.com, et.al)
“Boys Called Susan have truly captured the essence of Americana with “Pennsyltucky”–Bruce Warren (WXPN Program Director and Executive Producer of NPR’s World Cafe)
“Russo sounds like the blues stomping on pop melodies. He’s got a soulful voice, and lyrics that bite”—Maryland Coast Dispatch
“Russo is like if Johnny Depp and Tom Waits ate Bill Withers”—Joe Harkum of the band Pasadena
“Bryan Russo is bluesy as hell, like a young Tom Waits or Billy Joel”—David Ivory, Grammy Nominated Producer
“Soulful, Powerful, Heartfelt and Satirical. His talent is undeniable, so to ignore it would be total blasphemy.”—Slade Vegas, Las Vegas Freelance Rock Writer
