NUNEZ AKA Linda Nuñez

CROSSING BORDERS - Linda Nuñez brings her wide-reaching repertoire to Lilish Fair in Orlando Oct. 16 - by Beth A. Long

ORLANDO - Linda Nuñez (pronounced NEW-nyez, as manager Melissa Foxx would have you know) is one of the hardest-working performers in the area. Doing as many as 15 gigs per month, this singer-songwriter has a fan base that includes hip young soccer moms at Borders Café as well as hundreds of lusting lesbians lined up at Hard Rock.

Nuñez moves seamlessly from gig to gig and audience to audience - including the Lilish Fair at Faces in Orlando Oct. 16.

Her partner and manager, Melissa Foxx, is a popular radio personality for Clear Channel. Foxx is a one-woman managerial staff who handles everything: booking all Nuñez’ performances, making travel arrangements, coordinating promotions, updating her Web site (LindaNunez.com), and sometimes even running the soundboard.

Foxx said that she believes that a musician should only have to worry about the music, the band and the night’s performance.

And Nuñez has plenty of performances. With a powerhouse voice that rings like a bell and a strong solo guitar style, Nuñez plays about half her gigs as a stand-alone performer. The rest of the time she’s backed by a full band that has to work to keep up with her fierce vocals.

ABSOLUTELY DIVERSE

Nuñez writes Latin-flavored rock and roll and fills out her concert set lists with cover songs ranging from Tom Jones to the Goo Goo Dolls. Her sets usually consist of 80% original material, which is unique for a musician who plays so frequently and at such a variety of venues. "My first band never had a name. We never played anywhere past my living room," Nuñez said. She joined Sterling Road in Fort Lauderdale and the rest is history.

The performers she names as her major musical influences are as diverse as Nuñez own repertoire: Nancy and Ann Wilson of Heart, Live, Pat Benatar and Barry Manilow.

"My biggest thrill was singing Freebird with the Artimus Pyle Band," Nuñez recalled. "He had me vamp on the chorus. When the song was finished, Artimus took the mike and said, ‘I think Ronnie Van Zant would have liked that!’"

The typical up-and-coming songwriter books a few gigs each month, often finding a niche in one type of establishment. Lesbian acoustic performers in particular tend to be pigeon-holed as "dykes on a mike," playing almost exclusively to gay or gay-friendly cafes, bars and coffee shops. Not so with Nuñez, who also plays throughout Florida, from the straightest sports bar to the largest of pride events and even major venues like Universal’s Hard Rock Café.

SEXUALITY ISN’T AN ISSUE

So how do Nuñez’ straight audiences handle her sexual orientation?

"They respect her for what she puts out there without tagging the sexuality," Foxx said. "If the straight audiences recognize she’s a lesbian, they don’t make an issue of it."

When she plays gay venues, about 10% of the audience is straight, and vice versa: Ten percent of an audience at a straight venue is usually lesbian. Her straight fans that follow her to gay establishments do seem uncomfortable at first, but they quickly relax and enjoy the music.

Ironically, Nuñez has had more difficulty gaining acceptance from gay audiences because she does not play strictly gay venues or overtly gay-themed music. Nor does she present a radically anti-establishment image (a la Bev McClellan), instead embracing her pretty girl-next-door looks.

Lesbians have grown to love her, though, which was apparent at a recent Hard Rock performance where almost 200 of them trucked out to Universal Studios City Walk to hear Nuñez play a full band performance. For obvious reasons, much of her lesbian following can feel uncomfortable in the over-the-top straight bars where a large proportion of the audience is testosterone-driven young guys.

According to Foxx, she and Nuñez choose not to overbook gay bars, avoiding over-saturation so that she can generate more excitement and pack the house when she does perform.

Her largest crossover may be at the Borders Cafés she plays throughout the state. Lesbians of all ages feel comfortable at Borders, where anything goes, sitting next to straight hipster couples and snowbird retirees. When asked if all this mixing is making a difference in the relationship between the gay and straight communities, Foxx said, "We’re making little teeny dents."

No matter who she’s playing to, Nuñez seems to be doing things right. She’s got a new CD, Cry Mercy, on sale at Borders Books & Music. She plans multiple-CD release parties set in both gay and straight venues so that her entire fan base can celebrate with her. Until now, she has produced her own albums, and she is the only unsigned musician (male or female) to be sponsored by Gibson Guitars - an impressive credential.

Is Nuñez going to remain unsigned? If the right deal comes along, she and Foxx would consider it. For now, they’re doing things thei - Watermark - Issue #1220

BY JEFF NALL FOR FLORIDA TODAY

Tonight, Orlando's popular throwback/modern rock band Nunez will perform at the Metro Cinema in West Melbourne. The concert is free and open to all.

Fronted by vocal-powerhouse and songwriter Linda Nunez, the band has performed at several Pride Celebrations throughout the Southeast, as well as numerous music festivals like Brevard's Earth Awareness Fest and Orlando's major concert event, the Florida Music Festival.

Nunez also has received airplay from radio stations across Florida.
One month after its release, Nunez has sold several hundred copies of its new album, "Cry Mercy." With songs like "Love In Pieces," In which Linda Nunez projects a vocal prowess reminiscent of Linda Perry, formerly of the 4 Non Blondes, it's no wonder the group has made such a splash.

**Shake, Rattle & Know talked with Linda Nunez about the new album, her songwriting process and the importance of owning a decent speaker phone.

SRK: Describe your music.

Nunez: We call it genuine rock, good rock. I would say that I'm a mixture between an old Bryan Adams with a little bit of (Red Hot) Chili Peppers mixed in, maybe a little Lenny Kravitz. And vocally, obviously compares to the Ann Wilson's of the '70s.
We're not yelling and screaming; we're definitely more melodic. I guess you could say we're taking it back to what rock used to be, but adding the modern elements of today's rock.

SRK: Talk about one of your favorite songs from your latest CD, "Cry Mercy."

Nunez: Wow. That's tough. That's like asking which one is your favorite child. But I definitely do have a couple that stick out. From a songwriting, crafting point-of-view, I was very pleased with the way "Cry Mercy" came out. My guitar player, Chuck Dorris, and I co-wrote that song. We did it basically over the telephone, which was really interesting.
I learned that technique in Nashville. Sometimes you just don't have time to get together, so you pull out the speakerphone and do it there. I like that song. We made a DVD out of that song. And I really enjoy the message from that: The situation may not be the way that you want it to be, whether it be in a relationship or life, but you can change it. So it's a very empowering song to me. And I really enjoy that message and it makes that song fun to sing.
From a songwriting standpoint, "Either Way" has got to be one of my favorites. It's a very personal song to me. It was one of the last songs I wrote when I was living in Nashville. I was at a crossroads when I wrote the song. The way it came together musically, it was just my little baby. I spent probably more time on that song than the others. I wanted to make sure I got it right, and I really feel like I did. Every time I listen to it, it moves me, so hopefully it will hit the same resounding chord with the fans.

SRK: Is there a line or two in "Either Way" that can give us a glimpse at the emotive power of the song?

Nunez: Yeah. It would be the line at the end of the chorus: "And if I never do, will you love me either way?" And to me that was: Listen I'm doing my best, but if I don't achieve all the goals in life that I said I would, would that be OK? Would you just love me for me?

SRK: What's the songwriting experience like over a speaker phone?


Nunez: Well it's difficult if you don't have the right phone, I'll tell you that. You have to try harder; you have to work harder to convey the message to the other person. You can't just say, "OK, well, let me show you." But basically what we did with ("Cry Mercy"), he came to me with this music idea. He had lyrics, but he didn't put them on there because he just wanted me to feel the music and see if I was digging it.

Well, at the time I was actually teaching an SAT course for this school called Princeton Review. At the end of the class, you always have to have them take practice tests and the exams are 31/2 hours long. So I just took a copy of the music with me and listened to it on a headset over and over and over again and just started hearing a melody. I wrote the lyrics in that 31/2-hour SAT test.
Then I went back to Chuck, and he dug that so much more than what he was doing melodically, and lyrically he said, "Run with it, it's your baby."
- Florida Today

From the opening chords, Cry Mercy leaves you in no doubt as to the genre involved. It is a tribute to the energy and enthusiasm of the performers and true wake-up call for latent and outright rockers.
The band opens with the title track, "Cry Mercy," and if you have a musical bone in your body, you will feel the pulse race and the blood pound in rhythm to the music.

Linda Nuñez is not only a great performer, but a glance at her credits reveal a writer of prolific output and enduring quality. Like all good songs, they come from the fount of experience, whether good or bad. The songs speak to the hearts of listeners because of their source in real life.

A favorite of mine is "That's Where I Went Wrong." "Red Headed Woman" follows closely.
A common trend in current recordings is the different versions of a song. On this album we hear two sides on NUÑEZ with "Yea." Initially we get the full-rock version but later we hear it anew as an acoustic track. "Havana" also gets two outings on the album. In some ways this may seem like a bit of a shortchange by getting only eight actual songs, but the re-working of "Yea" in particular makes it a new song.

Much is made in publicity of the campaigning of NUÑEZ. Forget that as you listen to the album. It's the music, the lyrics and the performance that counts when we buy a CD.
Nicky Rossiter
Rambles.NET
4 March 2006 http://www.rambles.net/nunez_crymercy05.html
- Nicky Rossiter - Rambles.NET

WRLT 101.1 FM Live Broadcast, 3rd & Lindsley/Heineken Beer – Nashville, TN
Lilish Fair to benefit Breast Cancer Research – Orlando, FL
Bluebird Café – Nashville, TN
NEA Extravaganza Music Conference - Nashville, TN
Jammin' for Change to benefit Healthcare for the Homeless – Orlando, FL
Summer Lights Festival, Budweiser Stage – Nashville, TN
Chet Atkins Musicians Days – Nashville, TN
Comix Comedy Club – Nashville, TN
River Stages – Nashville, TN
Gibson Guitar Annual Company Picnic – Nashville, TN
The Bitter End of Manhattan – New York, NY
Justin’s Tavern – Los Angeles, CA
Border’s Books and Music – Orlando, FL
Florida Music Festival 2003, 2004 - Orlando, FL
Orlando Fringe Fest 2003, 2004 – Orlando, FL
Hard Rock Live “Livewire” WOCL/O-ROCK 105.9 – Orlando, FL
Slingapour’s “Stripped Down” WJRR/Real Rock 101.1 – Orlando, FL
“Live” WTKS/Real Radio 104.1 – Orlando, FL
House of Blues “Local Chronic” – Orlando, FL
Hard Rock Café – Miami, FL
Tobacco Road – Miami, FL
Florida Band Showcase – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Earth Awareness Fest - Melbourne, FL (appearing w/ Artimus Pyle of Lynyrd Skynyrd)
Central Florida Mental Health’s “Rock Your Blues Away” – Orlando, FL
The Blue Martini – Deland, FL
ROCK 104.1 Music Showcase, Eddie's C's – Gainesville, FL
Calliope Fest 3 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Southern Womyn’s Festival – Bowden, GA
Millennium Music Conference 8 – Harrisburg, PA
Fishstock Festival– Miami, FL

Opened For/Shared the Stage with:
Sophie B. Hawkins
Courtney Love & Hole
Hootie & The Blowfish
Cheap Trick
Roberto Perrera
Pat Travers
The Nields
Alix Olsen
Pamela Means
Michelle Malone
Halcyon
(Comedian) Suzanne Westenhoefer
The Original Broadway cast of BEATLEMANIA

- Melissa Foxx

Nuñez, Cry Mercy

Linda Nuñez and her band make unabashed power-rock. Inspired as much by 70’s icons Pat Benatar and Heart as by 90’s alternative bands like Live and Soundgarden, Nuñez sings in an unstoppable belt that’s very refreshing in this age of little-girl voices.

And it’s not just her singing style and ballsy harmonies that evoke 70’s arena rock, it’s also her dramatic, sometimes deliciously over-the-top songwriting. A touch of Latin flavor (as in “Havana”), a soft underbelly (“Either Way”) and a proud but not heavy-handed gay identification give this artist plenty of crossover juice, too.

The best songs are up front: “Cry Mercy” is a monster jam, and it’s hard to get the chorus of “Love In Pieces” out of your head once you’ve heard it. “Yea” is a headbanger’s delight that Beavis and Butthead would surely have labeled cool, and “That’s Where I Went Wrong” is a solid power-pop anthem. The songs on the second half of the CD have less hit potential, but the power never lets up, and if you like one Nuñez song, you’ll probably like the whole album. It has depth, and it rocks: two for two in my book.

Jon Sobel
- Jon Sobel - Blogcritics.Org

Judging by the cover of this CD I didn't think I'd love it. I'm not usually into hard rock. But I listen to everything I get even the gangsta rap (yes, people do send that, not everyone reads my submission policy). So I put it in. Wow.

Yes, it's hard rock, but Linda Nunez has such an appealing voice that I was immediately drawn in. At times I am reminded of Ann & Nancy Wilson on Heart's more rockin tracks. Nunez' voice is a perfect match for this genre. It's strong, solid, gutsy, yet crystal clear and can play soft just as nicely.

"Love in Pieces" really shows her vocal skill. So does "That's Where I Went Wrong" which might be my favorite here.

Since I'm not a musician I won't comment too much on the instrumentation except to say that it sounds great. Very together, very professional. Judging by the photos on their site they're a blast to see live as well.

If you like your rock harder and gutsier then you should give Nunez a spin. I doubt you'll be disappointed.

Posted on March 22, 2006 - Amy Lotsberg

"WOW, what a voice! I just have to say....'That's Where I Went Wrong' will be getting a lot of airplay from us!"

-May 25th Radio Muse Broadcast/Podcast - Jodi Krangle