It takes some special instruments and a unique perspective to appreciate the frustrating version of "success" that weaves in and through Tonio K.'s long strange trip of a music career. He should have been one of those critical reference points of the heady '70s and '80s, right up there with Warren Zevon and Joe Jackson. He had the wit, the sneer, the shades, and the major label hookups. But even with the odds in his favor, a hall-of-fame roster of supporting band members, and people like T Bone Burnett supporting him, it wasn't until he started putting his pen to work for other artists that his path emerged. On this episode, we visit with the elusive, and in some ways illusory, artist and songwriter for a rare exploration of his entire career. We'll examine his earliest days in the trippy psychedelic art rock scene, his stint with the late Buddy Holly's “Crickets,” his serious run at a solo artist career, and his late renaissance as the crafter of smash hits for an impossibly diverse list of artists that includes both a member of The Sex Pistols and Burt Bacharach. Tonio K. tells us the whole amazing story – and with the help of some friends, we have peppered the show with some extremely rare Tonio K. recordings and a brace of tunes that made him a darling of both the Christian and mainstream underground. And, as if THAT wasn't enough, Tom Willett – who signed K. to WHAT? Records in the '80s and worked alongside T Bone and others – joins us for the conversation as well.
The full music list, our special Spotify Mix, and more for this episode are available on the SHOW NOTES page at TrueTunes.com/Tonio1.
If you would like to support the show, please consider joining our Patreon community or dropping us a one-time tip and check out our NEW MERCH!
@45RPM - Andy Zipf Knows He’s A Ghost! (Special Live Performance)
@45RPM - Why We Need Love Songs: A Quick Chat w Phil Madeira about ”Bliss”
Bruce Cockburn: Kicking at the Darkness for 50 Years (and counting!)
@45RPM - Cockburn Jukebox Overtime (with Chris Taylor)
@45RPM - THE PREMIERE (feat Terry Scott Taylor in 1981 and 2021)
Here’s To You! Michael Been (of The Call) From The Vault
Young Oceans, The Revolutionary Army of the Infant Jesus, & The Radical Purposes of Worship and Music
Jukebox Rewind: 30 Important Albums & 13 Worthy Singles from 2021
From The Vault: Stonehill & Keaggy‘s Mutual Highway + Randy Tribute Sneak Peek
The New Sacred Indie Underground: Beach Chapel, Lovkn, & Cross Worship Give Us A Tour
Terry Scott Taylor‘s Beautiful Mystery Part 2 (The Album)
The Beautiful Mystery of Terry Scott Taylor (Part 1)
The Gray Havens Dream of Blue Flowers & The Spirit of CS Lewis Haunts the Jukebox
Jesus Music Movie Summit (Andy Erwin & Chris White) + Jesus on the Mainline
Myron Butler, Andrae Crouch, & Aretha Franklin: A Gospel Music Meltdown!
The Chosen Pt 3: Dallas Jenkins
The Music of The Chosen Pt 2: Matthew S. Nelson
The Music of The Chosen Pt 1: Dan Haseltine (Jars of Clay)
True Tunes Podcast Official Trailer
Singing Along with The Choir
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Immediately Kinfolk
This Next Song‘s About - A Songwriter‘s Podcast
No Jumper
Here’s The Thing with Alec Baldwin
OUT THE MUD PODCAST