Season's Change

There is nothing like a great song to show me the way and there is nothing like a great teacher that comes along and unlocks something in us. This was Rock Romano for me. Rock Romano has been around the Houston music scene for decades and still is a force to be reckoned with.  Rock owned and operated a music studio called The Red Shack for 30 years. He recently closed it down and reduced his operations to a smaller studio where he only deals with select clients. My first cassette, my first CD and my last CD all were recorded in the Red Shack.  These were all with bands that I was with at the time. He is the one who sparked my interest in recording and mixing music. I was fascinated by the process and it was a sign of what was to come for me down the road.  I remember when we were recording I asked Rock what he loved most about recording and his answer was “to help people realize their dreams”. I then realized that is exactly what I wanted to do, and in the process help me realize mine.

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image of live music events (for a craft brewer)image of live music events (for a craft brewer)image of live music events (for a craft brewer)
Fast forward to 2023 when one day I had been writing songs with an assortment of musicians and I invited Rock over to jam and possible write and record some songs between he two of us. What started out a bunch of ideas and memories going back and forth turned in a full blown recording project and would be the first vinyl album that I played on and co-produced.  Yes, my mentor asked me to co produce an album of his songs and I was flabbergasted.  He could have chosen many seasoned musicians to do this and he wanted me to be his partner in this project. Over the next 3 years we wrote, recorded, mixed and has many incredible musicians play on this album that would be called Seasons Change, after one of the songs on the album.  The song Season’s Change was written originally by Rock years ago but it had that special “it” factor where it became my modern day affirmation and life roadmap.  It was timeless and so were the rest of the songs on the album. Rock is also an incredible and recognized artist so we were able to use his artwork and design the cover that covered the past to the present and “all points in between”.  

In the process of making this album, Rock unlocked the singer in me that had laid dormant for years. Sometimes its the right person, at the right time, saying the right thing…and that is what happened. Since that time I have recorded and sang on many songs that I have written and actually love my voice now, which was something I had a lot of trepidation with for years.

Simply said, Rock Romano change my life many times over. We are both Aquarians and we share so much in common even though we come from different generations. He has become a brother to me and a guiding light, just to mention a few. We still get together and help each other with our lives and write song and before too long will have more recorded music. I am so fortunate to have Rock in my life.  And to come full circle, if you remember in my bio, my name Stan means “the Rock” and my full name is Stanhope… so I am the Rock of Hope…… we are brothers in the Rock in more ways than one.