R. Barry Knox
aka Robert Barry Knox, aka Songfather, aka Shon'Soro, The Music Avenue band.
I am a songwriter, producer and publisher of original songs about love, life and relationships. Love of music is and always has been my motivation. I am music. I hope you find my work original, creative, and most of all - entertaining. If you are a performer, media or radio personality, perhaps the following information will assist you in commenting about my creative work.
I was born in Oklahoma, the home state of many well known American singer/songwriters such as, Garth Brooks, Vince Gill, Ty England, Toby Keith, Reba McIntyre, B. J. Thomas, Roger Miller, Hank Thompson, Wanda Jackson, Spade Coolie, Woody Guthrie and many, many others. During my early years I developed a love of music in singing with relatives, friends and church members. Both my mother, grandfather and many of my relatives of Scottish and Irish descent had great voices and influenced my early interest in music.
When I first started singing I enjoyed imitating the popular singers of the times and creating various kinds of voices to amuse my family and friends. I appeared twice on television shows. It was during these years that I discovered I had natural talent for music and creativity. Although I was not interested in formal training in music I was influenced by all of the recording artist of contemporary music.
After graduating high school I enlisted in the Air Force for four years. While in the Air Force I pursued my music as much as possible. After my discharge from active duty I moved to California to pursue a career in music. Upon arriving in California I could not find any profitable opportunity in music to work, so I found employment in the retail business, and later, civil service to support myself, my new wife and two young sons. During these years I attended college in the evenings and worked on my music as time permitted. I graduated from the College of San Mateo, California and then returned to the Los Angeles area continuing with my education, graduating from the Antelope Valley College, and working on my music as much as possible.
Over the years I lived and worked at various jobs across the United States, and as time permitted, I continued to write songs and perform where ever I had an opportunity. It was during this time I adopted the pseudonym of Shon'Soro and organized The Desert Man's Band with a few friends, playing where ever we had an apportunity.
Always looking for a way to achieve recognition for my music, I decided to followed the examples of some successful songwriter/performers with four track recordings and purchased a four track recorder for my home studio. I self-produced my first and second LP albums featuring me, my guitars and harmonicas. I released both LP albums on my own Desert Morning Records. My songs "Big Mama", "Don't Shoot Me Woman", "Love With Me Today"and "Sweet Peace of Mind" created the most interest and got me my first magazine reviews.
I expanded my project studio with a Tascam eight track recorder, a Carvin 16 track mixing board, and several types of new audio processors for sound enhancement. With the help of some terrific musician friends I recorded my newest songs as eight track productions. Around the same time I organized my House of Knox Publishing Company for the administration, licensing and printing of my music as an independent publisher with ASCAP.
Luckily my efforts caught the attention of a motion picture producer and director. I was hired to write all the songs for their picture, have a part in the film, and produce the sound track. Unfortunately, six months later, and shortly before the filming commenced, the movie project was canceled because of administration and management conflicts.
After this unfortunate situation I was frustrated, burned out and near to a nervous breakdown. I then retreated into a very private mode in my life. For the next couple of years I did nothing but write new songs and search for a defining musical style and identity.
In 1998 I released my first CD Trying To Get The Most Out of Life, that contained ten of my recordings in various genres. I put this CD on the Internet with MP3.
In 2001 I released another CD titled Rough Cuts which contained a collection of rough mixdowns, in various genres, of some songs I had been working for several years. I also put this CD on MP3.
In 2002, I expanded my project studio with a personal computer, various music programs, audio recorders, a 24 track Carvin Mixing Board, various type of audio processors to create loop based productions , i.e., The Kiss, Hanging Out, Take A Chance, Hola Tijuana, Screaming Latin Things and There Comes Lucy, all of which are included on my last two CDs.
In 2004 and 2005 I was busy writing. recording and producing a collections of new songs for the Cabaret and Broadway crowds on a new CD called "Bayou To Broadway". The CD songs are in various genres with some blues with lots of horns, a little urban two-step, some country shuffel and a little of pop and easy listening. My good friend Paula Pena joined me vocally on several of the songs. This CD became available on the Internet for streaming and pay-for-downloads from www.cdbaby.com/rbarryknox , www.itunes.com/rbarryknox , www.payplay.fm/rbarryknox and various other Internet music stores in June, 2006.
In 2007 I completed a new CD - Music In The Pocket, full of songs of various genres recorded at the Club Music Avenue and Audio Quest Studio in San Diego. All selections were written by me and produced by myself and studio owner, Douglas Stephens. This collection of songs was directed at the Baby Boomer Generation.
The CD can be purchased on the Internet sites shown above.
For 2010 I will be finishing a new CD - Live At The Cabaret Music Avenue, with The Music Avenue Band. Free downloads for a few of the songs will be available after the first month or so of 2010. Check them out in downloads on this site.
Robert Knox and The Music Avenue Band are available to create original music for cabaret, broadway stage, film, commercial and multi-media projects. You can find a list of my exisiting songs on the ACE Index at ASCAP.COM under Robert B. Knox dba House of Knox Publishing.
As for the future, I remain here on Music Avenue doing what I do love best. Any comments you care to make about my musical endeavors will be appreciated. Please send me any printed copies or email them to me at songfather@yahoo.com. Any AM-FM, Internet Radio or other media representives wanting promo copies of my CDs, send me a email request from your station's URL.
Listen, I Am The Music.
(last updated February, 2010)
