Meet Rising Star Gregg Simmons And His New Song ‘Summer In The Adirondacks’

Gregg Simmons is one of the most energetic and talented musicians to come out of the Northeast. From his role in the popular groups Loose Cannon and Cryin' Out Loud to his current solo release 'Summer in the Adirondacks,' his career continues to rise.Meet Gregg Simmons:

1. How long have you been making music and performing the Northeast?

29 years...1984 was when I got in my first band out of College. A Hair Metal/Hard Rock band called M-16. I was the lead singer. We opened for Pat Travers In Utica, Foghat in Glenville, we played Burlington Vt. and Springfield Mass. as well as all over the Capital region and Northeast.  I sang everything from Bryan Adams to Judas Priest and wrote my first song Miss Mysterious about a girl I met :-) in Syracuse at a Van Halen Concert. I never knew her name, nor did I care to ask!

2. What inspired the song ‘Summer In The Adirondacks?’ (Click The Audio Button Below To Listen)

A snow storm in January 2013. I was thinking about my early 20's and how much fun I had in Lake George. I got my guitar out and with the only 3 chords I could play, I put together this song with my guitar player in COL, Jimmy Mahoney. Then I went to one of the best local songwriter's I know, Rick Rourke's  (Rick Rourke and Lost Wages and Bluz House Rockers) house in Lake Luzerne and he helped put the finishing touches and his own "seasoning" on the tune. I recorded vocals and Jimmy played the guitar tracks at Rick's, the rhythm section was done at well respected awesome musician and producer, Tony Perrino's house in Greenfield Ctr. Then Rick and Tony with a little help from myself produced it. It took 6 months for one song from conception to delivery. The song dropped the first day of Summer June 15th 2013. Summertime has over 160 likes on various facebook pages along with over 140 shares, over 1700 plays on www.facebook.com/cryinoutloudlive  and www.adirondack.net also did an interview. People from Texas and California are liking the tune and that makes me feel great! Richie Phillips got the ball rolling on this tune as well as yourself.Richie posted the first blog and you Kevin Richards, got this tune when it was a click track, acoustic guitar and vocals and you said you liked it then!  I appreciate your efforts. I will never forget your thoughtfulness backing a local guy  who is just writing songs for his 20 month old son. When my Son gets older and I'm in heaven he'll have something forever from me. BTW, I'm 50 so that's why I'm putting this song and an album together as we speak. Its all for Kyle and  about what his Daddy loves to do, make music and entertain. Also, I will fulfill my late Father's dream of  me singing Country music. He told me to go that route back in '84. Who'd a thunk it? Now it's what I love singing and writing the most.

3. How did you pick locations to be used within the song? 

I wanted to tell a story about two guys that go up to Lake George to party, meet girls and have a good time. That's all, very simple. Everyone from this part of the Country knows Summer starts on Memorial Day Weekend. Our Summers are short, so we have to get alot in in a small time frame. There is a ton of stuff to do in the Adirondacks, but I chose what I knew about the most. The locations just stand out as a part of my growing up that stood out, places that I frequent, and actually perform at. Rachael Ray to me is the biggest star to come out of those parts so I had to put her in the song as well. This tune needs to get to her, I just can't find a place to send it where I know she'll hear it, so if any readers can help, I'd sure appreciate it. Anyway, It's a fun song, and has no other meaning then just having fun. The video will be awesome, I just need to get some dough to film it! I fit a whole bunch of stuff to do or go see in 3 minutes and 19 seconds. I think people who don't know what Lake George and the Adirondack region is about , if they heard the song, they might just want to take a trip and check it out.

4. Personally, where is your favorite place to vacation in the Adirondacks? 

Other than Lake George, where I have the best memories (that I can remember), I hiked 6 miles in the woods to Pharoah Lake with some buds hung over to the nines with the pots and pans clanging from my back pack. Once we got there it was awesome, dark dark nights, sleeping with a sharpened spear made from a tree branch in case a bear happened by (like that would help) - filtering water and actually eating spaghetti and meatballs for dinner, and hearing the loons in the morning. I hiked up Buck Mountain, rode the North Creek Railway, tubed down Schroon River, Partied on Lake Luzerene and Brant Lake and I've been as far up as Ogdensburg to play a softball tournament and perform at a wedding. It's all good, great memories.

5. If you could open up for any country singer, who would it be and why? 

It has to be a festival with multiple acts! First, Sara Evans, Miranda Lambert, and the rest of the awesome female vocalists in Country music, so I could meet them! Keith Urban, because we share the same sobriety date, he has a great voice, he's a great guitar player, and his shows are very entertaining. Chesney, cuz I'd play in a football stadium, Zac Brown Band because they write great tunes, they play all styles of music, and they are a real band made in Georgia, not processed with hand picked guys that look good and play good, thrown together to make the music mogels money.  Of course, Hank Jr. cuz he's Hank Jr.  I would also like to open for all the rebels back in the day. Way too many to mention. Nothin' better than a rebel.

6. How did you become a Country Music fan and performer?

I became a Country music fan in 2007 or 08 after listening to Keith Urban's 'You'll Think Of Me' on YOUR station! I quickly formed a band called Loose Cannon with the goal of opening up WGNA's Country Fest. We did that in 2010. It was the most fun ever! I think, but I'm not positive, that we were pioneers locally because I had 11 people in the band , A 15 or 16 year old singer when she first started with us, Renee Lucier (now of Skeeter Creek), a 3 piece horn section (which I sang and played trombone), a fiddle , pedal steel, keyboard, two guitar players , bass and drums. We incorporated Classic Rock, Southern Rock and 80's Hair rock in with the Modern Country. It was a fun time.  We went to Wisconsin as well and played @ Country USA for 5 nights with Brad Paisley, Taylor Swift, Montgomery Gentry, Lady A , Jake Owen, and Little Big Town, all played the afternoon spots. To show you how far they have come,  Now they are headliners everywhere! Also on the bill was Gretchen Wilson, Dierks, and more. We ate lunch with them , hung out back stage, it was fantastic.  We opened for Steve Azar in Albany, and Jimmy Wayne in Troy as well. We were also responsible for the very first Country Night @ Vapor with a live band. I had a vision of finding a hip place for all local country acts to come in to perform. I wanted to break it big and Vapor was the place. It was a great success. Country night still goes on today along with your country karaoke contest, national acts etc. I would like to say Loose Cannon played a role in starting something 5 years ago that is super strong today.  My current band Cryin' Out Loud still flies the flag for Country in Vapor. For those who may not know, we play plenty of Country Covers to go with Dance tunes and Rock tunes as well as Motown.  You get it all with Cryin' Out Loud.  Check out www.cryinoutloudlive.com and take a listen. We would love to see some Loose Cannon followers at the COL gigs.