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Fort Worth Weekly Interview
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Israel Gonzales doesn't mind traveling under the radar. He isn't the type of singer-songwriter who n...Israel Gonzales doesn't mind traveling under the radar. He isn't the type of singer-songwriter who needs attention. In fact, he isn't even the type who asks for money. He may be a Christian and he may have a message, but he's not out to proselytize, either. Gonzales just wants to make music.
The 28-year-old Fort Worthian has been writing and performing songs for nearly a decade. He bought his first guitar at 19, "and it has been green lights ever since," he said. His current catalog hovers at around 15 wonder-tinted originals -- he's not in any hurry to spit out the hits. Expressing the complex factors that make him who he is "sometimes takes time," he said. "I like to change [the songs] every time ... until they are perfect."
At times the music does flow perfectly from note to note, but real life rarely does. Three years ago, Gonzales' younger brother Gilbert succumbed to a congenital heart defect. "It gave me a new perspective," Gonzales said about his brother's passing. "Everything I do is small potatoes. I put it all on the shelf and picked what was important. Music was obviously one of those things."
During that difficult time, Gonzales found shelter in the church. Now an unabashed Christian, he relies on his faith in bad and good times. In his song "Blue Sky," Gonzales sings about the higher power that sustains him. "When I'm falling down / There you are / To help me up / Never let me overflow."
Singing with peaceful clarity, Gonzales directs listeners' attention to his words, delivered in a lullaby-style cadence.
A solid guitarist and subscriber to the Dave Matthews school of acoustic-style playing, Gonzales doesn't crunch his fingers into awkward fret formations or execute flashy solos, but he has a good understanding of how major chords encourage melodies and give way to hooks.
And if his hooks are happy-sounding, well, fine. Gonzales is not not trying to make the often-bleak world a little more colorful. The catchiness of his songs is due mainly to his clear singing style and dedication to streamlined, solid sonic themes. For instance, in his song "Tongue Tied," Gonzales imagines all of the ways in which he could describe the emotion of being overcome to the point of being unable to speak. He uses the verses and the bridge to explain his simple yet effective chorus. There's no doubt what he's singing when he sings, "I get tongue tied / Trying to describe / All the crazy times / That I've had with you / And I've spent days and nights / Only just to find / I'm at a loss for words / To say about you." He's just doing what feels natural to him, however. "I'm not trying to write a hit," he said. "I'm just trying to complete a thought."
When it comes to marketing himself, Gonzales follows the same low-key approach that he takes with his songwriting. "I try not to be bothersome," he said. "It's a blessing when people want to listen."
For his recent EP, Gonzales employed a friend, multi-instrumentalist Brandon Gaines, who has a studio and donated session time in return for Gonzales' playing in their church band. Gonzales also is happy to hand out copies of the disc. He even mailed a burned copy across the country for a fan.
Gonzales also sometimes plays for free. He supports himself by working at a Euless mini-blind company -- paying gigs and tips are nice extras. Lately, Gonzales has been sharing a Tuesday night residency with Stella Rose's Stephen Beatty at the Red Goose Saloon in Sundance Square, and he has been touring coffee shops and pizza joints. He just likes to play. "If you keep a humble heart," he said. "People will listen."
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Interview with JuniorsCave.com April Edition 2009
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Israel Gonzales has a firm grip on what it means to be an acoustical Singer/Songwriter. The way he p...Israel Gonzales has a firm grip on what it means to be an acoustical Singer/Songwriter. The way he performs so effortlessly is amazing. He also happens to be heavily influenced by the great Dave Matthews of the Dave Matthews Band. Add all those ingredients together and you have one super talented musician. In this recent spotlight with our Webzine, Israel Gonzales shares about music, fame, and fortune.
Isaac: How do you sum up 2008 for Israel Gonzales?
Israel: Rather eventful I must say! The past year has been a busy one for me. In addition to playing a lot more shows, I collaborated with Director/Photographer Ryan Brown (ryan@4amproductions.com) to film my first music video for my song "Blue Sky". Despite a budget of zero dollars, no crew and shooting over only two half-days the video turned out great! Watch it here!
http://www.youtube.com/israelgonzalestv
Soon thereafter, I found myself in a Dallas studio working with talented Producer/Artist Dustin Cavazos (myspace.com/dustincavazosmusic) and up and coming Hip-Hop artist Ty City (myspace.com/tycity). I was asked to sing on a track titled "Ghetto Gospel". Our combined efforts prompted performances at Hailey's in Denton, Texas and The Prophet Bar in Dallas, Texas.
Compared to 2007...2008 was a success!
Isaac: Expound a little about growing up in Fort Worth, Texas
Israel: It was a lot of fun growing up here in Ft. Worth, Texas! I grew up in a middle to lower class neighborhood and learned everything the hard way. I'm convinced that if it wasn't for that way of life, I wouldn't be who I am today! Growing up, I had a lot of friends who were very well off but, over the years I have seen that all the money in the world can't make a person happy. I consider myself blessed for my "not so glamorous" upbringing.
Isaac: Describe the music scene in Fort Worth, Texas
Israel: The Fort Worth music scene has it's moments but, not when it comes to the goals I want to achieve. Dallas and Denton seem to be the favorite cities for most serious musician in North Texas. Dallas venues are very inviting to musicians of all genres, as well as a lot of national acts.
Isaac: What do you feel was your biggest accomplishment for 2008?
Israel: The making of my music video "Blue Sky" gets that honor! I learned so much from that experience. Since I do all of my own managing (writing, recording, booking, ect...) working with a professional director like Ryan Brown was very refreshing. I really didn't have to do a thing! Ryan knew exactly what he wanted to see in the video. I got to see video production at it finest! That experience really gave me an idea of what being a "professional" is like!
Isaac: Elaborate a little about whom were your biggest influences in the music industry and why?
Israel: Growing up, I had many favorite musicians but, my biggest influence in the music industry would have to be Dave Matthews! Watching him play his acoustic guitar and sing in front of thousands of people looked like so much fun! I had an almost immediate connection with his style of music and knew I wanted to do the same!
More recently, I've been following a lot of independent artists like Micah Dalton, Caitlin Crosby, Angel Taylor and The Autumn Film. I really respect these artists because they're out doing what I'm striving to do! Seeing these indie artists reach their goals, gives an artist like myself a lot of hope in making it in the music industry.
Isaac: Let's talk about what you feel you will bring to the music industry?
Israel: Well, in a music industry that I feel is searching for something new, I'm looking to be a singer-songwriter for the 21st century music lover. While keeping an acoustic base, I use a wide range of influences to color my songs with that original tone and feel you don't really hear in music anymore. At the same time, I try to write lyrics that stir up hope in a sometimes hopeless world.
Music can be a powerful tool and if my music can put a smile on just one persons face, then all the years of hard work were worth it!
Isaac: If you had an opportunity to work with one artist or group, who would it be and why?
Israel: Wow that's a tough one! There are so many talented musicians out there to pick from! I guess I'll just go back to my original favorite--The Dave Matthews Band. They have such an honest sound in their music that I want achieve myself! I honestly think that if I had a chance to work with them, It wouldn't be a "starstruck" moment, it would be business as usual...ha,ha, I say that but.....
Isaac: How would you describe your music to others?
Israel: I would describe my music to others as imperfect but honest. Complex but, really simple. It's filled with raw emotion, soulful vocals and inspiring lyrics. It's the kind of music that people think they recognize at first but, can't seem to categorize it to other artists.
Isaac: What is your definition for Acoustic Music?
Israel: I define acoustic music as "real". I just love the acoustic style because there is such a rawness there that I can't find in any other genre of music. Acoustic music doesn't need all of the fillers that studios produce, it should be simple. Just sit down and play! Don't get me wrong...the "studio extras" have their place in music, but when it comes to acoustic music, you have to put the "extras" on the shelf!
Isaac: What type of feedback have you received from your 4 song DEMO recorded in Late 2007?
Israel: The feedback I've received from my DEMO CD so far has been awesome! I have gotten hundreds of encouraging comments and messages from people all around the world via MySpace!
I've made quite a bit of money from my DEMOS at shows in the past but, recently I started giving out free copies to who ever asks for one...I'm not on iTunes yet, so I've also mailed out quite a few free copies to some very encouraging fans online!
I feel music should be shared and not be limited to the fans who brought a little extra money to the show.
Isaac: What can fans expect from your latest CD, you are working on currently? What is the inspiration behind the CD?
Israel: On the new EP, fans can expect to hear songs filled with raw emotion, soulful vocals and inspiring lyrics. My hope is to challenge the listener. Challenge them to tilt their heads a little, squint their eyes and try to look at this world in a different way. I believe music can achieve all of those things if given the opportunity.
Writing simple songs about everyday things like love, loss, family, home and even heaven is where the inspiration for my music stems from. We can take a lot of those things in life for granted sometimes but, they too can make all the difference in the world.
Isaac: Where can fans locate you at online?
www.myspace.com/israelgonzalesmusic
Please check me out!
Isaac: What can fans expect from Israel Gonzales in 2009?
Israel: Fans can definitely expect to hear new music and (dare I say it) maybe a tour! ha,ha only time will tell! ! So you guys stay tuned!
Isaac: Time for some shout outs to your family, friends, and fans
Israel: Everything goes to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ...He is my Light in a sometimes dark world...And for that, I am truly thankful!
Isaac: Final words from Israel Gonzales…
The new EP is gonna kick butt, so keep an eye out for it in Fall 2009! I'll also be working on playing some out of town shows soon, so drop by from time to time and check out the show calendar!
I also want to thank juniorscave.com for this terrific opportunity! YOU GUYS ROCK!! Take care and God bless!
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Video interview with DFWreporting.com
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"Deep in the Heart of Fort Worth Texas,Israel Gonzales has been playing his guitar and lately,more a..."Deep in the Heart of Fort Worth Texas,Israel Gonzales has been playing his guitar and lately,more and more people have been listening."
-Kendall Kirkham DFWreporting.com
See Full interview here!
http://dfwreporting.com/2009/02/26/musician-israel-gonzales-from-fort-worth-texas/
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Music Review for "Love and Science" EP
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Singer/Songwriter Israel Gonzales has recently released a 3 song EP titled "Love and Science" that e...Singer/Songwriter Israel Gonzales has recently released a 3 song EP titled "Love and Science" that easily can be called a priceless masterpiece.
What makes this EP a winner is what first made Junior's Cave take notice of this artist; his crisp passionate vocals, meaningful soulful lyrics, and acoustical colorful tunes that will make fans fall in love with this artist's music. One of the best parts to this EP is the peaceful tranquility that one feels when listening to each of the tracks featured on the EP.
Add the romantic and sensual flavor that "Love and Science" produces; fans will become overjoyed in excitement with words that will create an atmosphere of love. For those who want to check out "Love and Science", then Junior's Cave highly recommends this beautifully crafted EP.
"Love and Science" gets a solid A+
-Isaac Davis Jr., MBA (Juniorscave.com)
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Israel's "Blue Sky" Video aired on Music Mix USA!
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"Blue Sky" has recently been aired on Music Mix USA! Music Mix USA features the latest music videos ..."Blue Sky" has recently been aired on Music Mix USA! Music Mix USA features the latest music videos from today’s top artists, and interviews with the hottest bands in the industry.
Music Mix USA, can be seen on over 25 CBS, NBC, FOX, and MyTV affiliates around the country as well as nationally Direct TV (MYX channel 2067) and the AMG Network!
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