The Chris & Sandy Show

We had a great conversation with Kenny Foster on The Chris & Sandy Show. This one went deep and we LOVE that! Kenny is a very open guy on how he feels on things and you'll see that side of him in this conversation. We talked about many things from family, music, passion, sacrifices, he told some really amazing stories to a whole lot more1

Kenny Foster is a singer-songwriter and we're going to talk about his latest release, "Somewhere In Middle America". The title track off his upcoming album (due out early summer 2022) explores Kenny's childhood growing up in Joplin, Missouri and the lessons learned by a simple upbringing.

We had an amazing conversation with Producer / Mixer Brian Riordan on The Chris & Sandy Show. We talked about so many things from family, business, music, mixing, sacrifices, he told some really cool stories to a whole lot more!. What a raw & fun conversation we had!

Brian Riordan is a re-recording mixer, music mixer and producer, musician, entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Levels Audio. Before starting the post-sound house, Riordan studied composition at the Berklee College of Music. He cut his teeth in audio engineering as a music mixer and producer, eventually making his way to commercials and feature animation films. In 1999, he founded Levels Audio in response to a shortage of independently owned and operated post-audio facilities. Since then, the sound house has worked with every major network and received numerous accolades for its post-production work in TV and film. Riordan is a two-time Grammy award winner, four-time Emmy award recipient and has received a staggering 20 Primetime Emmy nominations. Levels Audio embodies his life’s dream to facilitate the absolute best in audio post in an unmatched atmosphere of luxury.

When Riordan isn’t in the studio, he works with his nonprofit organization, Hollywood Compassion Coalition (HCC), which he co-founded with award-winning actress, director and producer Natalie Conneely. The collective is a group of Hollywood professionals and leading social scientists dedicated to bringing greater awareness to this industry’s psychological and emotional influence on audiences.

For more information, visit hollywoodcompassioncoalition.org.

We had a great conversation with Actress Diandra Lyle on The Chris & Sandy Show. We talked about so many things from family, acting, sacrifices, she told some amazing stories to a whole lot more/. As always, this was a very raw conversation on many fronts and we loved it!

Diandra returns as ‘Jess Dunn’ in Disney Channel’s time-traveling mystery-adventure series Secrets of Sulphur Springs – new episodes of Season 2 air Fridays at 8pm ET/PT on Disney Channel. In addition, both seasons are now available to stream on Disney+. ‘Secrets Of Sulphur Springs’: Diandra Lyle Upped To Series Regular For Season 2 Of Disney Channel Series [Deadline]

Premise: Secrets of Sulphur Springs centers around 12-year-old Griffin Campbell (Preston Oliver), whose family has just uprooted their lives to take ownership of an abandoned hotel in hopes of restoring it back to a lively vacation destination. Griffin’s father, Ben, (Josh Braaten) is an old summer camp crush of Lyle’s character, Jess. Season two will take a deeper look into Harper’s family history and their connection to The Tremont hotel. What will start as a fact-finding mission will soon turn into a high-stakes adventure that could forever change her friendship with Griffin.

Diandra recently starred in Apple TV’s Beauty and the Baller, recurred on Paramount Network’s American Woman and on NCIS, and has had roles in Shameless, Bones, A24’s Moonbase 8 and General Hospital, among other shows. On the film front, she has appeared in Foster Boy, starring Matthew Modine and Always A Bridesmaid, among others.

We had a great conversation with Eli Young Band on The Chris & Sandy Show. We talked about many things from their song Lucky For Me, family, music, sacrifices, they told some great stories to a whole lot more!

With momentum still high following their fourth career #1, MULTI-PLATINUM hitmakers​ ELI YOUNG BAND​ are releasing an introspective new single with “​Break It In​” via The Valory Music Co. Under producer Dann Huff, the tune explores lessons in life and love that are only learned over time well spent. As showcased through vivid Benjy Davis, Brandon Day, Daniel Ross, and Michael Whitworth-penned lyrics, EYB further delivers a booming chorus: ​“Like these dusty boots that walked me through / The work that got me here / And these faded jeans with Skoal can rings / I’ve worn out all these years / When the shine wears off, when you lose that gloss / There’s so much more underneath it all / You think that good is good as it can get / Then you break it in.”

“We definitely didn't just start a band and have instant success. We’ve continued to build it up over the years — we broke it in,” shares EYB. "We’ve been blessed to have had our moments of being able to sit back and soak it all in. ‘Break It In’ carries a message you learn with time, and we’re so excited for these lyrics to be heard far and wide!”

“Break It In” closely follows ​THIS IS ELI YOUNG BAND: GREATEST HITS​, which features chart-toppers – “Love Ain’t,” PLATINUM "Drunk Last Night,” 2X PLATINUM “Even If It Breaks Your Heart,” and 3X PLATINUM “Crazy Girl.” EYB has always been unique in modern Country music as a true band of brothers who cling fast to their Texas roots and has maintained an impressive trajectory with singles earning ​Billboard​'s #1 ​Country Song of the Year​ and ACM Awards ​Song of the Year​. They have previously earned multiple nominations from GRAMMY, CMA, CMT, ACA and Teen Choice Awards.

While selling out venues as a headliner from coast-to-coast, EYB has toured with Jason Aldean, Dave Matthews Band, Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, and Darius Rucker. They will continue to bring these fan-favorites and more on the road this summer with several festival appearances. More details on tour stops are available at ​https://eliyoungband.com, ​Facebook​, ​Twitter​ ​and ​Instagram​.

We had a great conversation with producer, engineer, remixer and singer / songwriter Robert Eibach on The Chris & Sandy Show. This was a very raw conversation about the music industry! We talked about so many things from family, music, engineering, LA, he told some really amazing stories to a whole lot more!

Robert Eibach is a GRAMMY®-nominated and Latin GRAMMY®-nominated artist (as a member of Lucky Diaz and The Family Jam Band), Billboard-charting producer, engineer, remixer and songwriter. Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and growing up playing guitar and bass with a desire to learn more about music production, Eibach enrolled at Temple University in Philadelphia. It was there he learned piano and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcasting, Telecommunications and Mass Media with a concentration in Music Production. While in Philadelphia, Robert also worked at legendary Third Story Recording Studios as a recording engineer. The experience of working with such artists as Korn and Swizz Beatz, and learning from producers/engineers Mark Sarisky, Scott Herzog, Jack Klotz and Phil Nowlan gave Robert the confidence and motivation to move out west to Los Angeles and pursue a career in the music industry.

After arriving in Los Angeles, Robert was hired by Del Oro Music, where he worked his way up the ranks from assistant engineer, to engineer to head engineer and eventually to producer. He has enjoyed working on recordings by many top artists including Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lopez, Camila Cabello, Mark Ronson, Normani, Miley Cyrus, David Longoria, Kesha, Chris Standring, Barbara Morrison, Selena Gomez, Poncho Sanchez, Lucky Diaz and The Family Jam Band, Baby Bash, Sabrina Carpenter, Alan Walker, Marshmello, Smash Mouth and many others across many genres.

As a producer and remixer Robert has experienced much success on the Billboard Charts. His remixes for Ariana Grande (No Tears Left To Cry, 7 Rings, etc), Mark Ronson and Camila Cabello (Find U Again) and Jennifer Lopez (Baila Conmigo) all reached the level of #1. Robert's productions and songwriting for David Longoria featuring Dallas Lovato (Playground, etc.), Ani (Dance The Night Away, Confession) among others also scored top 20s and top 15 success on Billboard. Robert has also contributed work to GRAMMY®-Winning Albums for Ariana Grande (Sweetener), Wouter Kellerman and Ricky Kej (Winds of Samsara), and the Latin GRAMMY®-Winning Album by The Lucky Band (Buenos Diaz), as well as GRAMMY®-Nominated works for Ariana Grande (Thank U, Next), Taylor Swift (Lover), Wouter Kellerman (Love Language) and Latin GRAMMY®-Nominated albums by Lucky Diaz and The Family Jam Band (Adelante, Paseo Lunar).

Robert Eibach is a member of Lucky Diaz and The Family Jam Band, who is a 2022 GRAMMY® Nominee in the Best Children’s Album category for the album “Crayon Kids”, and a 2020 Latin-GRAMMY® Nominee for the album “Paseo Lunar” also in the Best Children’s Album category. As a solo artist, Robert Eibach released his first single “Play With You” featuring Elle Dubleu in August of 2020 and received a Hollywood Music In Media Award Nomination for Best EDM Song of 2020.

Interested in expanding his creativity to visual arts, Eibach has also produced TV Specials for PBS and a number of TV episodes and interviews in music and film for the 24k Music Network , where he serves as VP of Production. Robert co-wrote and produced the theme song for the feature film “Bloodline: Now or Never” with David Longoria and features singer April Diamond, entitled “Now or Never”, which made the Academy Awards® shortlist for Original Song in 2018.

As a proud member of the Recording Academy® Advocacy Team, and also the Producer and Engineers Wing, Robert has, with other music industry professionals, met with members of Congress to advance legislation critical to the future of the music industry. He also sits on The Board of Directors for the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization Refining Purpose®, who’s mission is to empower individuals impacted by the foster care system to embrace self-sufficient productive lives through mentor-ship programs.

We had a great conversation with Singer, Songwriter, Dancer, Actress, Social Media Force, and Philanthropist Montana Tucker on The Chris & Sandy Show. We talked about so many things from family, dancing, acting, singing & of course social media. She told some really amazing stories to a whole lot more. She told us how she looks up to JLO and wants to follow in her footsteps.

Award-winning singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, social media force, and philanthropist Montana Tucker empowers from every angle. Whether speaking to a staggering online following of millions, performing alongside A-list superstars, starring in film and television projects, or lighting up original music of her own, the South Florida-born multi-talent engages, enlivens, and enchants audiences no matter what she does. With millions of streams and views and high-profile nominations such as “Social Star” at the 2020 iHeartRadio Music Awards to her credit.

As the songstress organically attracted a fervent fanbase online, her Instagram videos regularly cracked over 1 million views with unprecedented engagement. In 2020, she serves up her first proper single, “Hola.” Over swaggering horns, her saucy delivery swings towards a flirty, fun, and fiery chorus, “He turned to me and he said, ‘Hola’…it all started with an ‘Hola’.” Montana’s undeniable charisma and powerhouse voice take center stage as she welcomes everyone to say, “Hola.”

Montana ignited her career at just eight-years-old by modeling in commercials for the likes of BMW before going on to dance for Ashanti and Ashlee Simpson. She made her debut as an artist by contributing “Ain’t No Stressin” to the Original Soundtrack album for the blockbuster Step Up 2: The Streets. Additionally, her track “Candy Swirl” popped up in a key sequence of and on the soundtrack for Bring It On 5. She teamed up with Flo Rida on the hit “Turn It Up” and went on to open for everyone from Ciara to Lil Wayne. She starred in a short film entitled Connie + Consuelo and the Multiple Daytime Emmy Award-winning digital drama series The Bay, as well as hosted the Streamy Purpose Awards.

We had a great conversation with Sophie B. Hawkins on The Chris & Sandy Show. We talked about so many things from family, music, sacrifices, rising to success, she told some amazing stories especially how she got discovered by Marc Cohn to a whole lot more!

Sophie B. Hawkins burst onto the international music scene with her 1992 platinum-selling debut album, Tongues and Tails, which included the indelible hit song Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover, and earned her a Best New Artist Grammy nomination.

The last three decades have brought multiple awards, sold out concerts, appearances on film and television, performances with some of the best known names in the business, a documentary feature, a critically-lauded tour-de-force performance as Janis Joplin in the nationally-touring play Room 105, songs appearing in hit films and TV shows, and five more albums, including Whaler, which featured the record-breaking longest-running single in Billboard Adult Contemporary chart history, the Number One hit, As I Lay Me Down. Much more than just a singer, Sophie writes all of her own songs, is a multi-instrumentalist, and has been fully involved in every aspect of the production of her records herself, from background vocals and playing her own instruments, to engineering and production of her albums. She has proved an enduring artist with a fierce commitment to artistic integrity while both constantly evolving, and remaining steadfastly true to her own authentic history and experience which connects her to her fans at the very deepest levels.

We had a great conversation with Jimmy Olander From Diamond Rio on The Chris & Sandy Show. We talked about so many things from his story, family, music, sacrifices, he told some really amazing stories PLUS a whole lot more! This was a raw and candid conversation!

When Jimmy was 12 years old, his father took him to see a musician named Gene Johnson, who played the mandolin, in a small club near Detroit, MI. Gene became one of Jimmy's bluegrass hero's and later on….his partner in the group Diamond Rio.

Jimmy was born in Minneapolis, MN on August 26 and when he was a teenager he had already mastered the banjo and gave lessons, however, by the time he was in college in Nashville, he found out that guitar players were more in demand than banjo pickers, so he mastered the guitar.

Jimmy joined the Tennessee River Boys in 1984 at Opryland theme park alongside Marty and Dan. His musical influences are Earl Scruggs, Leon Rhodes and Clarence White and one of his all time favorite singers is Ella Fitzgerald.

Jimmy is married and he and his wife adopted two boys and are enjoying family life. Jimmy also enjoys sky diving and weight training.

" I remember that [co-producer] Mike Clute once asked me a very poignant question, He said, 'If this was your last album, what would you record?' I told him that I want to make records that will be played by friends in late-night listening parties, like I used to do, pulling out George Jones doing 'The Grand Tour,' The Dixie Dregs' 'Pride of the Farm' or Ella Fitzgerald singing 'Round Midnight.' "

We had a great conversation with Actress Gillie Jones on The Chris & Sandy Show. We talked about so many things from family, producing, acting, sacrifices, she told some really great stories especially how they used their wedding money to fund their current project to a whole lot more!

Not content to remain idle, Gillie has a slate of upcoming projects on the way including the horror comedy short “Pandemic Princess,” which she wrote, produced, and starred in. Filmed in March 2020 and a product of the COVID pandemic, “Pandemic Princess” follows what happens when a lone wander stumbles upon the first person he has seen in eight months. Currently in post-production is “Curiosity,” the sketch skit series that Gillie co-wrote, produced and starred in, alongside Hamid Reza, Benjamin Thompson and Alexey Del Castillo. Based on three humans who have been abducted by aliens in order to study how best to take over the human race, each sketch episode of “Curiosity” explores a different question the aliens have such as "What Is A Period?"

Gillie will soon announce her next major role in a SciFi thriller that begins filming in December. Additional credits include a role in Fox’s “Welcome to Flatch,” and producing the short film “Thursday.” “Thursday” follows the story of a mother and daughter forced to face the emotional breaches of their relationship and an unknowing need to rebuild it. The film was made by a collaboration between Atlanta based organizations Film It 4 Fun and Nova House, with the goal of bringing together filmmakers in the city to demonstrate that Hollywood quality films, which are 100% written, produced, and edited in Atlanta, are in fact possible. Directed by Erica Arvold, “Thursday” premiered at the Columbia Film Festival in 2020.

MORE ABOUT GILLIE

Gillie became captivated with storytelling after watching a production of “Les Misérables” as a child. She began dancing and singing lessons to foster her creative side before she went on to perform in productions of “Wizard of Oz” and “Annie” as part of a professional theater company. Jones later attended the University of Delaware where she majored in Communication and fell in love with the producing aspects of the industry. After an internship in London and Los Angeles, Gillie landed her first industry job with Wayne Brady. While acting as his assistant, Gillie received a piece of life changing advice and set out to pursue her true passion: acting. Following Brady’s advice to hone her natural talent and get any experience she could in front of live audiences, Jones began working for the second largest theater company in the United States, American Immersion Theater, where she was quickly promoted to the National Regional Manager and a top actress for the company. For more than five years, Gillie played a large variety of characters as well as performed improv in front of thousands of audience members.

Jones currently splits her time between Atlanta and Los Angeles, where she enjoys incorporating both creativity and business into her life and career. She is co-owner of the feature film production company Renegade Creative and was co-founder of Nova House, which helped solve the large problem of financial inequality in the entertainment industry by offering a membership-based taping service and communal home for actors in Atlanta. Alongside her husband and sister, Gillie is hoping to relaunch Nova House as a 501c3 nationwide in the near future, focusing on this issue.

We had a great conversation with Minnie Murphy on The Chris & Sandy Show. We talked about many things from family, music, sacrifices, she told some great stories to a whole lot more!

Born in Seattle and surrounded by her talented musical family, Minnie’s style was uniquely developed by listening to her mother’s jazz records, her father’s Celtic country style, and her Australian sister, Jamie O’Neal's country-rock hits. She is a remarkable vocal stylist who truly defies genres and artist comparison. Minnie was a signed Sony writer at the age of 17, where her musical roots first developed. For over a decade, she has been in Nashville, working as a writer and recording demos. She's currently a staff writer at Evergreen, where she's been represented for the past six years, and where she wrote her upcoming single, "Get Over It" alongside Don Bedell and Trafton Harvey.

In 2018, Minnie faced some personal struggles; however, the tides changed for her after having a baby in 2020. Becoming a mother reignited her passion and vision and has led her to record and release new music, which I believe is fresh and unlike any other during this time. Minnie’s new single is reflective, and delivers a potent mix of classic traditional country along with her unique musical ability to bring passion and real deal emotion to life, both vocally or instrumentally.

In Minnie's words - about the song:

"I wrote this song with Don Bedell and Trafton Harvey and co-produced it with Jon Conley. We wanted to lyrically express coping with heartbreak, touching upon self-destructive choices made impulsively with consequential disregard. The style is retro, with lots of steel guitar and a sincere, melodic vocal. I think everyone at one time or another has felt restless, lonely, impulsive, and self-destructive due to heartbreak. That moment when we make choices we know will only make things worse, but we are just looking for that instant relief, and choosing to deal with the consequences later, is very relatable to me. One of my favorite psychologists, Caroline Myss, said we all share the self-saboteur archetype. Sometimes, it takes a lot of wrestling with ourselves and repeating the same mistakes until we begin to discipline our dark sides. Country music has always bravely revealed real-life struggles in this way, and the beauty of it all to me is that once you hear the raw personal story as a song, someone else can relate, and the healing begins. It lets us know we're not alone. Music helps to trivialize our dramas because if you can sing about it, you can 'Get Over It.’"