BIOGRAPHY

 

 

Some of Tony's earliest memories are of riding along the country roads of central Maryland, singing songs like -- "Jack O' Diamonds" by Tex Ritter, "Born to Lose" by Ray Charles, "Caldonia" by Louis Jordan and "Pendulum Swings" by Roger Miller -- along with his dad and sisters while his mom smiled at the landscape gliding by... a seed had been planted.

 

After years of playing pubs and bars in various configurations Tony decided it was time to record a collection of songs he'd written and released his first CD, Naked & Smiling (1999). The Washington Post reviewed it calling Tony a, "Tunesmith in the best sense of the word", and folks started coming out to listen to his originals. A tradition of recording songs about real-life, mixed with humor, heart ache and wit was born.

 

Time Tells Tales followed in 2003. He started to hone a more Folk/Americana sound, relying on earlier influences as well as artists such as John Prine, Chris Smither, John Fogerty, John Hiatt, Richard Thompson and Steve Earle. Time Tells Tales was given a good deal of radio play in Europe and free form stations here at home and it seemed that he had found his true voice somewhere in that gumbo of influences.

 

The Tony Denikos Band had taken its' shape too and they started playing all across the Mid-Altlantic region.

 

In 2005, Tony headed to Nashville to begin his next project, Already Gone. He started laying down tracks with Timm Biery (Danny Gatton, Nils Lofgren). Timm brought in Dave Jacques (John Prine, Emmy Lou Harris), Dave Roe (Johnny Cash, Dwight Yoakam), and Warner Hodges (Jason and the Scorchers) on the project to record with Gantt Kushner, Scott and Jen Smith (Naked Blue) and myself – what an amazing experience.  Already Gone hit the streets with a bang in late 2009 and received critical acclaim from DJs and writers around the globe. It went to #2 on the Euro Americana Chart and #7 on the Freeform American Roots (FAR) Chart right out of the gate.

 

In 2012, Under the Church was released and again Tony found himself on the EA and FAR Charts and the tongues and pens of critics around the globe. Under the Church went to places both darker and more light-hearted than previous releases and may well be Tony's best CD to date.

 

And recently, (2020) Tony released "Gravity Wins"- A stripped down, raw and romantic take on all things life. Tony collaborates with Scott and Jen Smith, Geoffrey Himes and David E. Moulton on three tunes and pens the rest of this collection of ten superbly produced and performed compositions.

 

From South Carolina to Texas to upstate New York, you can find Tony performing in any number of configurations. Be it an intimate acoustic solo show to a full on, five- piece band, Tony's are truly a must hear -must see experience for anyone who values first rate songwriting and performances.

 

PRESS QUOTES

"Tony Denikos' songwriting is filled with emotion and romanticism, moving from social commentary to small portraits of American life.... A good example of modern Americana and songwriting of noble birth."--Fabio Cerbone - www.rootshighway.it -Italy"..like a sponge Tony absorbs all the (Americana) influences and then wrings out something entirely his own"-- Benny Metten. www.ctrlaltcountry.be - Belgium

 

"Tony Denikos has garnered so much praise and reviews that I wasn't left with hardly any adjectives for my own review. …There's a warmth and natural soulfulness to this sound that is as much approachable as it is admirable…. Next time I sit beside Prine at Arnold's Meat & Three, I am going to hip him to the fact that I know who is going to fill his shoes when he retires."--Gary Allen (JJ Cale/The Charlie Daniels Band/Stonewall Jackson)

 

Configurations

Catch Tony Denikos performing with his band "Tony Denikos and the Working Poor".  It's a roots rock'n, country blues'n, power folk'n, Americana musical experience! Think CCR meets John Prine meets Lowell George. The Band: Tony Denikos - Vox, Guitar, Dobro and Harmonicas / Rick Weisenmiller - Drums / Jim Robeson- Vox, Bass / Gantt Kushner - Electric Guitars.

 

Tony joins Angie Miller and Tom Fridrich as "Half Step Down"; a percussive, stripped down, rootsy trio highlighting intricate songwriting,  harmonies, and musicianship as they perform and interpret their original tunes and eclectic covers in a fresh and down home fashion!

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Tony also performs solo and with treasured mid-atlantic artists such as Andrew McKnight at various venues throughout the year and region!