The City's Backyard

Funnyman Johnny Rizzo always loves to drop by the backyard to chat about the latest current events and comedy in general! He has a gig coming up soon in Connecticut! This time around he will be at Liberty Hall in Ansonia Saturday night April 29th! Three comedians all together for one night of awesome comedy! Listen to this episode to get warmed up with Johnny to find out more and to get a laugh or...

Eliot Lewis who is originally from Norwalk, CT drops by to chat about his 2023 Spring/Summer tour and his new album!  A singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Eliot Lewis has toured the world over as a member of the Daryl Hall & John Oates band, as well as a former member of The Average White Band. Eliot has also been the only musician to appear on every episode of Daryl Hall’s popular,...

Mia Caress is a New York based actress who hails from 3 generations of circus performers. Her great grandparents had a dog act, and her grandmother, Ala Naitto was a famous tight wire walker who is featured in circus history books and museums. Her mother was raised on the road and trained in circus arts on Ringling, left the show, and became Miss Massachusetts. She has appeared in hundreds of comm...

Harper drops by The City's Backyard to talk about tour dates in the area and update us all on how playing live has been over the last year for him and the band all over America! PETER D HARPER is an Award-winning Australian singer/songwriter! Peter D. Harper - known in the music world, as "Harper". His latest release “RISE UP’ profoundly expresses Harper’s creative use of the harmon...

  Born in New Hartford Connecticut, Cody Bondra grew up surrounded by country, Rock and R&B music.  His earliest concerts experiences consisted of Charlie Daniels, Poison, Motley Crue and other electric live acts.  But it would be years before he took the stage himself.  Cody first picked up the guitar at 21 and wrote his first songs not too far after.  He released his first EP “Nothin’ Wrong”...

Extraordinary 98-Year 'Young' Bea Franklin Serves As A Real-Life Witness To History! Her House-guests included a former US President + TV & Sports Stars Bea Franklin is quite something. At 98 years of age (99 this June), when most people her age are quite inactive, this treasure is an oxymoron. Breast cancer survivor Bea is living, quite possibly, some of the best years of her life a...

Charlie FARREN burst onto the national scene in the early 80’s as lead singer of THE JOE PERRY PROJECT, teaming up with Aerosmith lead guitarist Joe Perry and releasing an acclaimed album on Columbia Records. Farren penned the Billboard charting classics “Listen To The Rock” and “East Coast, West Coast”, also co-writing four songs with Perry including the hit “I’ve Got The Rock ‘N’ Rolls Again”. T...

It's a mental health check in with Michael Weitzman, motivational speaker, about how to stay sane until Spring with your mental health! He talks about getting well and staying well, using many types of wellness tools and most importantly, the use of laughter as the greatest medicine! He  conducts  workshops giving great advice and gives some great tips on how stay mentally fit! His words will...

Carmine Appice   is an American rock drummer. He is best known for his associations with Vanilla Fudge ; Cactus ; the power trio Beck, Bogert & Appice ; Rod Stewart ; King Kobra ; and Blue Murder . He also played with Ozzie Osbourne and many others. He is credited with influencing later rock drummers such as Iron Maiden 's Nicko McBrain , Aerosmith 's Joey Kramer , Roger Taylor of Qu...

Tribute bands have grown in popularity over the last few years especially and The Tom Petty Project is a Tom Petty Tribute band based out of Fairfield County, Connecticut! They are playing a show at Park City Music Hall Saturday March 11th and Garcia's inside the Captitol Theater in Portchester April 7th! We chat with a couple of the members! Guitarist Phil Lo Presti who plays the part of Mik...

Meat Loaf 's longtime producer, music director, and guitarist — recently announced the brand new release, Paradise Found: Bat Out of Hell Reignited , a new LP helmed by Meat Loaf's official band, The Neverland Express — featuring alumni Justin Avery , (keyboard, vocals), Tom Brislin (orchestration), Steve Buslowe (bass), Paul Crook (guitar), Randy Flowers (guitar), David Luther (saxophon...

Dennis Dunaway is an American musician, best known as the original bass guitarist for the rock band Alice Cooper (1962–1975, 1999, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021). He co-wrote some of the band's most notable songs, including " I'm Eighteen " and " School's Out ". It is kind of funny how he ended up on Episode 18 and no that was not planned!! Dennis Dunaway wa...

Special Guest  Joseph James drops by The City's Backyard Podcast! GRAMMY NOMINATED MUSIC PRODUCER, SINGER/SONGWRITER & MUSIC EXECUTIVE RELEASES HIS FIRST SOLO EFFORT Berklee College of Music graduate Joseph James has had a keen eye for talent and has helped launch and develop the music careers of many talented artists most notably, Stefani Germanotta aka Lady Gaga & others . . .  Othe...

The members of FOUR STICKS have toured the world with various artists and are now combining their skills to bring you a uniquely authentic Led Zeppelin experience. FOUR STICKS is a must see live musical journey through the vast archive of Led Zeppelin's catalog....the music that set the standard and changed rock n roll forever! Coming to The Music Room in Cape Cod Friday Feb 24th! 8pm https:/...

We talk with local CT musician Alan Marcus from a new band called The British Legends of Rock Show. Alan had a long run in other bands in Fairfield County but wanted to step it up and form a new kind of tribute band...instead of catering to just one popular rock band like Led Zeppelin or The Who and their songs he decided to change it up by paying tribute to multiple bands. But he had to draw the...

With Valentines Day (Feb 14th)  and International Women's Day March 8th, we thought it was great time to feature Irene Patar founder of Single Married Divorced sparkling Wines! It puts your relationship status front and center,  and is the perfect sparkling wine for everyone no matter what their relationship status might be. It's incredible the dynamic between an introvert and an extrove...

Stephane Wrembel , best known for his original compositions “Bistro Fada” ( Midnight in Paris) and “Big Brother” ( Vicki Cristina Barcelona ) will perform at Bull Run Restaurant, Shirley MA 2/17... The Music Room , 541 Main St, West Yarmouth, MA, on Saturday, February 18 at 8 p.m and Side Door Jazz Club, Old Lyme, CT on 2/24! In addition to Wrembel on guitar, this world-class band includes long-ti...

Denny Laine from The Moody Blues and Wings had so much fun a few weeks ago he decided to drop by the backyard again to chat about his rock n roll roots and his Songs & Stories Tour! •2/3 City Winery - Nashville, TN •2/5 Rams Head - Annapolis, MD •2/7 City Winery - NYC, NY •2/8 City Winery - Hudson Valley, NY •2/9 City Winery - Boston, MA •2/10 The Music Room - West Yarmouth, MA (Cape Cod) •2/1...

Z100's Claire Stevens from the original Zmorning Zoo with Scott Shannon drops by the  backyard to chat about the WORST to FIRST documentary...the true story of Z100! We talk with Claire about her glory days as a morning news anchor co host with Scott Shannon on this legendary New York radio station! The original Z100 studios were out in Secaucus, New Jersey and the transmitter was at the top...

Actor PETER FLIHAN is our guest on this episode! We talk with him about his acting career and of course his latest appearances on two New York TV shows: East NY and Blue Bloods! New York City born and bred, Peter Flihan got his first taste of acting as the “M” in “Merry Christmas” in the kindergarten play. But it was behind, and later on, the stage with Fordham University’s “Mimes & Mummers” i...

Denny Laine   from The Moody Blues and Wings is ON the AIR for this incredible episode! We give it a go and talk about his Songs & Stories Tour, his Moody Blues days and how he formed Wings with Paul McCartney! Denny Laine is an English musician, singer, and songwriter, known as a founder of two major rock bands: the Moody Blues , with whom he played from 1964 to 1966, and co founder of Wings...

This week we check in with Rob Malave and Jeff Mott from the Zeppelin Tribute band called BLACK DOG! January 28th Black Dog plays College Street Music Hall in New Haven with Almost Queen! We catch up with the band and talk all things Zep...about some other tribute bands and the differences and more!   Led Zeppelin shook the world of rock & roll for little more than a decade, but their legacy l...

We chat over seas with Dutch Soul Empowerment Coach Birgitta Visser! Birgitta has a book out called BE-Coming Authentically Me! Birgitta gives us tips on how to become a happier person within ourselves and manifest our dreams! How can we change our lives for the better and learn to love ourselves? Birgitta has some great insight on how we can all improve our individual lives! https://www.powersoul...

Comedian Johnny Rizzo is our first guest in 2023 in the backyard! We chat about the comedy scene, what we think the new year will bring and his upcoming gig in Newburgh, New York at Chilitos on Saturday night January 14th! It is comedy night and Johnny shares the stage with some other great comedians in the biz! Listen to the episode to find out! Doors Open at 6pm and Showtime is at 8pm! Call For...

We're goin to California this episode with guitarist Billy Alexander from the band YYNOT who are touring in 2023! Billy continues to tour and record for other artists including with Sony/Columbia recording artist Anna Nalick and playing lead guitar/vocals for John Waite (The Babys, Bad English, Alison Krauss). And in addition to lending his exceptional skills as a lead guitarist, he is establ...