Here's a question: what does Nashville, Tn and Philadelphia, Pa have in common? Couldn't be the food they're each known for?! In the south, they rub spices on their chicken to help 'bring-the-heat' (guess it's just not hot enough weather wise in Middle-Tn?!). While up north, in and 'round Phillytown, they seem to put cheese on nearly everything...".chicken cheese steak anyone?"). For Ken Buono (pronounced Boo-No), it's home away from home. That is, the Philly transplant made his way to Music City back in December 2010 (along with his wife Anne Marie and their Black Lab-Stax).
Before the move, Buono cut his teeth in the Philly indie music scene as a founding member/drummer for Flight of Mavis & Buzz Zeemer. The latter venture boasted a 2023 release from start up label MSM Records. The LP/CD is comprised of previously unreleased recordings by the band from 1993-97, aptly named 'Lost & Found'. Since it's release this past September, internet-based radio station Radio Free Americana reported 'Lost & Found' had the most spins each given week for 3-weeks straight, beating out the likes of Jason Isbell, Logan Ledger, Son Volt, Charley Crockett to name a few! It has also hit the traditional airwaves, thanks to University of Pennsylvania public radio station 88.5 fm WXPN who have put into regular rotation "Shelly Don't Mind"! They also showed their support by way of sponsoring our reunion show at Ardmore Music Hall this past March 29th, 2024. I'd be remiss not to thank them too for the invite to play their FREE AT NOON earlier that day! The crowd(s) that made it out to the show(s) were fantastic!! What a BLAST we had!! To capture a glimpse of where the road took Buono's previous endeavors, here are just a few artists that his ex-Philly bandmates (including The Trolleyvox and Grand, who Buono played drums for as well) opened up for over the years: BoDeans, Cheap Trick, Del Amitri, Goo Goo Dolls, Joe Strummer, Lucinda Williams, NRBQ, Roger McGuinn, Sinead O'Connor, Spin Doctors, Squeeze, The Reivers, and many more! All along the way, Buono was enlisted to play drums for some other Philly-based band, ).
Back in Music City, where Buono brought his multi-instrumental abilities, he knew his priority was to pursue songwriting. "The talent in Nashville is massive! It's filled with top-rate musicians and singers, Even though I play a few different instruments, I wasn't about to try and sell myself as some kind of utility player or some hot-shot studio guy. Writing songs, networking into the songwriter community is what I was really striving for". Buono continues, "The Beatles is where it all starts for me. Their vocals, harmonies, ... their songs!". It just blows my mind to think of all the talent they possessed...how timeless the music they were making turned out to be! Something to definitely aspire to as a songwriter/musician".
When first arriving in town, Buono chose to play-it-cool. Get acquainted to his new surroundings, navigate his way through the Nashville writers night networking scene. "I certainly felt like it was a welcoming songwriter community here. It was also a learning experience. You know, finding out that some established writers won't even talk to someone who hasn't been in town for at least a year".
When the pandemic hit, it gave Buono time to reflect on the last 9-years of knocking around town trying to crack the code to Music Row. "The whole idea of getting a break through co-write cut just seemed like playing the powerball lottery". He decided it was time to put his hands back firmly on the wheel of his career.
The Tell Alls
Feeding Frenzy (2006-JR): Playing all instruments (including guest appearances of some musicians/singer friends he came to know from the Philly scene); co-producing with Adam 'Red' Lasus. This 11-track full length debut CD made it out into the world May 5th, 2006 on his own start-up label Journeyman Records. Feeding Frenzy showcased the power pop/americana songs that he was writing, and once completed, he decided to release it under the moniker The Tell Alls (All Music Guide 3-star review: https://www.allmusic.com/album/feeding-frenzy-mw0001444473).
Bright Lights of Christmas (2008-JR): The Tell Alls EP , consisting of 3-original holiday songs. Once again, Buono played all instruments co-producing along with George Manney (and some great added support vocals by Su Teears on the title cut!).
Fast forward to 2020, now firmly rooted in Nashville, Buono resurrected The Tell Alls with the release of single "Won't Come Down"...his first music release in over a decade! "It felt good to get music out into the world again, and over and above that, was a great therapy to be able to express, in song, my personal frustrations on how the whole pandemic was being handled here in the US".
2021-22 brought follow up singles: "Pace The Pesos": a more playful tune (co-written w/ Elizabeth Drake), but with a serious message on surviving in the new modern age, along with "Modern Day Mother Teresa": a song he wrote honoring those in the medical field who worked bravely through the pandemic. Targeting nurses in particular (hence the song's title).
Christmas Originals
The Tell Alls are back with more original holiday music! "It's Christmas Time" (reviews and video link at bottom of this page) features guest musician Jim Hoke, who shines as he masterfully compliments Buono's strumming acoustic guitar-organ-glockenspiel arrangement by contributing ukulele, accordion, toy piano, bass, sleigh bells, wood block percussion.
Ken Buono
Stepping out as a solo artist by name, Buono takes on a re-imagined cover of the Van Morrison classic "Into The Mystic" as his debut single. Catch a preview of his jazzy/folk semi-cosmic interpretation here, or on his bandcamp pagehttps://kenbuono.bandcamp.com (NOTE: this cover song will also appear on a pending full-length acoustic-based release, again under his own name, scheduled for release Fall of 2024.
