The City's Backyard
The City's Backyard Ep 48 Singer | Songwriter | Guitarist | Record Collector | New England’s 2022 “Songwriter of The Year” Frank Viele drops by to chat about his new release and summer tour!
Frank Viele’s brand of New England blues rock tugs at the heartstrings, pulling the listener on a surprise journey that transcends genre.
Yet even as he’s racked up accolades over the past 7 years — including New England Music Awards for Album of the Year, Male Performer of the Year, Songwriter of The Year (X2), and Live Act of The Year for gutsy, gritty tracks like “Broken Love Song” and “‘Til The Bourbon’s All Gone” — he’s rarely paused to savor the moment before moving on to yet another tour, album, or collaboration.
It wasn’t until the pandemic hit in early 2020 and he was forced to hunker down that Viele realized that time itself was the world’s most precarious, yet precious, resource.
At that time, Viele embarked on a writing-and-recording journey with Jimmy Nutt (Jason Isbell, American Aquarium, The Dead South) and James LeBlanc (Travis Tritt, Will Hoge, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Dylan LeBlanc, Kid Rock, Rascal Flatts) of Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Within this co-writing collaborative partnership, Viele approached each new song slowly, intentionally, and with an open mind, challenging himself to transcend the limits of genre and industry expectations.
In 2021, a handful songs that he had started recording in Connecticut, and finished at Nutthouse Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals, were brought to life in the 2021 EP “Time Is A Thief.” This EP won him the coveted New England Music Award for “Songwriter of The Year” for the second time and acted as a prequel to Viele’s upcoming full-length 2023 album.
In January 2023, the first track off Viele’s forthcoming, 13-song album completed in Nutthouse Recording Studios, “Hearts We Left Behind”, came out in January of 2023 and was featured on Boston’s Country 102.5 as their “Song Of The Week”. “Hearts” continues to receive critical acclaim citing Viele’s strength as a storyteller and his signature vocal delivery.
The “magic dust” they are referring to has been gathered from experiences on the road and in venues across the country. Viele built his sound and narrated his journey while constantly touring the United States, playing hundreds of shows each year and sharing the stage with artists such as John Waite, Jeffrey Gaines, Lee DeWyze, Zach Myers of Shinedown, Bob Marley’s Wailers, Howie Day, Xavier Rudd, Ingrid Michaelson, Tony Lucca, Pat McGee, and Blues Traveler, among others, since the release of his first solo album in 2015.
But Frank Viele’s musical journey starts long before that… Fondly listening to his grandmother play piano as a child and later reinvigorated as a teenager inspired by his older brother’s taste in music and an acoustic guitar he left behind when he moved to the West Coast, Viele developed a deep appreciation for a wide range of genres including rock, blues, folk, and country.
He began writing his own music as a teenager and quickly developed a knack for crafting deeply personal and emotive songs that spoke to the human experience.
After honing his craft fronting New York City based Jam/Funk/Rock Outfit “Frank Viele & The Manhattan Project”, Viele released his debut solo album “Fall Your Way” in 2015, which was met with critical acclaim including 2 New England Music Awards for Album of The Year and Male Performer of The Year. (On top of the Live Act of The Year Award he had received in 2014).
The Album, “What’s His Name?” won Frank Viele the New England Music Award for “Songwriter of The Year” which paved this Connecticut musician’s path to Muscle Shoals, Alabama where he began the next chapter of his writing and recording journey.
Viele’s music is characterized not only by his powerful vocals, soulful guitar playing, and poignant lyrics, but also its deep honesty. This is an artist who is not afraid of wearing his heart on his sleeve, and dig deep into the joys and struggles of life. He has been praised for his ability to blend elements of folk, blues, and
Frank Viele’s brand of New England blues rock tugs at the heartstrings, pulling the listener on a surprise journey that transcends genre.
Yet even as he’s racked up accolades over the past 7 years — including New England Music Awards for Album of the Year, Male Performer of the Year, Songwriter of The Year (X2), and Live Act of The Year for gutsy, gritty tracks like “Broken Love Song” and “‘Til The Bourbon’s All Gone” — he’s rarely paused to savor the moment before moving on to yet another tour, album, or collaboration.
It wasn’t until the pandemic hit in early 2020 and he was forced to hunker down that Viele realized that time itself was the world’s most precarious, yet precious, resource.
At that time, Viele embarked on a writing-and-recording journey with Jimmy Nutt (Jason Isbell, American Aquarium, The Dead South) and James LeBlanc (Travis Tritt, Will Hoge, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Dylan LeBlanc, Kid Rock, Rascal Flatts) of Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Within this co-writing collaborative partnership, Viele approached each new song slowly, intentionally, and with an open mind, challenging himself to transcend the limits of genre and industry expectations.
In 2021, a handful songs that he had started recording in Connecticut, and finished at Nutthouse Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals, were brought to life in the 2021 EP “Time Is A Thief.” This EP won him the coveted New England Music Award for “Songwriter of The Year” for the second time and acted as a prequel to Viele’s upcoming full-length 2023 album.
In January 2023, the first track off Viele’s forthcoming, 13-song album completed in Nutthouse Recording Studios, “Hearts We Left Behind”, came out in January of 2023 and was featured on Boston’s Country 102.5 as their “Song Of The Week”. “Hearts” continues to receive critical acclaim citing Viele’s strength as a storyteller and his signature vocal delivery.
The “magic dust” they are referring to has been gathered from experiences on the road and in venues across the country. Viele built his sound and narrated his journey while constantly touring the United States, playing hundreds of shows each year and sharing the stage with artists such as John Waite, Jeffrey Gaines, Lee DeWyze, Zach Myers of Shinedown, Bob Marley’s Wailers, Howie Day, Xavier Rudd, Ingrid Michaelson, Tony Lucca, Pat McGee, and Blues Traveler, among others, since the release of his first solo album in 2015.
But Frank Viele’s musical journey starts long before that… Fondly listening to his grandmother play piano as a child and later reinvigorated as a teenager inspired by his older brother’s taste in music and an acoustic guitar he left behind when he moved to the West Coast, Viele developed a deep appreciation for a wide range of genres including rock, blues, folk, and country.
He began writing his own music as a teenager and quickly developed a knack for crafting deeply personal and emotive songs that spoke to the human experience.
After honing his craft fronting New York City based Jam/Funk/Rock Outfit “Frank Viele & The Manhattan Project”, Viele released his debut solo album “Fall Your Way” in 2015, which was met with critical acclaim including 2 New England Music Awards for Album of The Year and Male Performer of The Year. (On top of the Live Act of The Year Award he had received in 2014).
The Album, “What’s His Name?” won Frank Viele the New England Music Award for “Songwriter of The Year” which paved this Connecticut musician’s path to Muscle Shoals, Alabama where he began the next chapter of his writing and recording journey.
Viele’s music is characterized not only by his powerful vocals, soulful guitar playing, and poignant lyrics, but also its deep honesty. This is an artist who is not afraid of wearing his heart on his sleeve, and dig deep into the joys and struggles of life. He has been praised for his ability to blend elements of folk, blues, and