Tony Luke, Jr. – One More Night

By starrymag | September 29, 2022

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

A) I don’t know if I can really describe my style. I just write what I feel. I never think about the style, just the emotion and the message in the music.

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

A) Marvin Gaye, Billy Joel, The Beatles, Carole King, Stevie Wonder, Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager.

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “One More Night.”

A) It was about six or seven months after my son Tony passed away. I was lying in bed at about 2 AM and I remember getting up, going into the other room where my piano was and basically writing a prayer wishing I had just one more night with him. But in writing the song I realized that if they’re in your heart you will always have one more night to say goodbye or you never have to say goodbye.

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

A) The pain of losing a loved one as we have all been touched by that pain in one way or another, whether it’s someone who passes or a relationship that ends.

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

A) I wanted the video to be just me on the piano telling the story of that pain. It is a personal pain that we all feel, and I wanted the video to be personal between me and the audience.

Q) You are donating 100% of the proceeds of “One More Night” to your charity Sound Mind Network which raises funds for the arts. How can fans get more involved and lend a hand with this worthy cause?

A) They can visit our website soundmindnetwork.org.You can find out information about what we are doing and where the money goes that we raise to help those that are struggling with mental health trauma and addiction.

Q) What is your songwriting process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

A) It varies, but most of the time I start with the story of the song, then the chords, the melody and then the lyrics.

Q) Justin Bandalon and Joe Nicolo lent a hand with the production of this new song, but how much of a say do you have in regard to the production of your music?

A) Writing music, I believe, comes from a higher place. I know what the song should sound like and how the message should come across. I love working with Justin and Joe because they get it – they know what I’m trying to say and how I’m trying to say it and they help me put it together the way I hear it.

Q) Will there be a full album or EP coming in the near future?

A) Yes, we’re just releasing one song at a time. I have the first album done. We are just spacing out the songs. Plus, I’m always writing new music so sometimes I may write something and release that before something that is already on the album set for release.

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

A) I prefer small venues. It gives me a chance to really connect with the audience. Sometimes the emotion is so strong in the audience that it starts to become overwhelming. At those times I tend to get very emotional on stage.

Q) Out of your lengthy songbooks, what are still some of your favorite tracks to perform live?

A) Definitely “One More Night,” “Always Been You,” and “She’s Got a Hold On Me” is one of my favorites to do. I wrote a song called “I Will Leave You There Heroin.” It is a very powerful song. It takes a lot out of me when I perform it. And there’s a beautiful song I co-wrote with a friend of mine Bill Coccagna called “Do You Remember Me,” which is also a very difficult song for me to sing. I get overwhelmed with emotion.

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

A) Anyone who wants to write music that affects people in a positive way. Someone who wants to leave something behind that will affect people long after they are gone.

Q) You’re a restaurateur and a musician. Is there anything else you have been considering trying your hand at?

A) I’m also an actor and I have been blessed to be in many feature films and a couple of TV series. I also do a lot of speaking to parents who have lost a child. I also enjoy speaking in schools to kids about how to cope with trauma and peer pressure. I speak in recovery centers and churches as well.

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

A) Today it seems the only way to reach an audience is through social media. And with the type of music that I write, I really want to get the message out to as many people as I can and, hopefully, it will help them realize that they are not alone and that there is always hope.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) Thank you, thank you, Thank you for spreading the message of the music that I write, and thank you for helping me to do what I can to help others. God Bless you all.