PREMESSA: LA SUPERIORITA' DELLA MUSICA SU VINILE E' ANCOR OGGI SANCITA, NOTORIA ED EVIDENTE. NON TANTO DA UN PUNTO DI VISTA DI RESA, QUALITA' E PULIZIA DEL SUONO, TANTOMENO DA QUELLO DEL RIMPIANTO RETROSPETTIVO E NOSTALGICO , MA SOPRATTUTTO DA QUELLO PIU' PALPABILE ED INOPPUGNABILE DELL' ESSENZA, DELL' ANIMA E DELLA SUBLIMAZIONE CREATIVA. IL DISCO IN VINILE HA PULSAZIONE ARTISTICA, PASSIONE ARMONICA E SPLENDORE GRAFICO , E' PIACEVOLE DA OSSERVARE E DA TENERE IN MANO, RISPLENDE, PROFUMA E VIBRA DI VITA, DI EMOZIONE E  DI SENSIBILITA'. E' TUTTO QUELLO CHE NON E' E NON POTRA' MAI ESSERE IL CD, CHE AL CONTRARIO E' SOLO UN OGGETTO MERAMENTE COMMERCIALE, POVERO, ARIDO, CINICO, STERILE ED ORWELLIANO,  UNA DEGENERAZIONE INDUSTRIALE SCHIZOFRENICA E NECROFILA, LA DESOLANTE SOLUZIONE FINALE DELL' AVIDITA' DEL MERCATO E DELL' ARROGANZA DEI DISCOGRAFICI .

TOBY BEAU
same / eponymous / self-titled

Disco LP 33 giri , 1978,  rca victor , AFL1-2771 , canada, first pressing, embossed cover / copertina con motivi in rilievo

ECCELLENTI CONDIZIONI, vinyl ex++/NM , cover ex++/NM , piccolo taglio verticale (0,5 cm.) nell' angolo inferiore sinistro / short promo cut in the low left tip

                                           
Toby Beau is a Texas band formed in the early 1970s most commonly known for the hit single, "My Angel Baby" in 1978. Though little is known around the world about this band past this top fifteen single, the band is still in existence today, and continues to perform in the club circuit. "Toby Beau" was the name of one of the last original wooden shrimp boats docked in Port Isabel.



Primo lavoro discografico dei vaccari texani Toby Beau, contiene la hit "My Angel Baby" e qualche altra svagata canzonetta per allietare le faticose giornate di cowboys e benzinai

Track listing

Side one

Moonshine
California
Same Old Line
Into The Night
My Angel Baby

Side two

Westbound Train
Buckaroo
Watching The World Go By
Bulldog
Wink Of An Eye
Broken Down Cowboy
                                         
                             

Personnel

Danny McKenna
Rob Young
Balde Silva
Steve Zipper
Ron Rose    

                                                          ecco la band in una foto di repertorio risalente al 1974, con un look chiaramente
                                                          e platealmente ispirato ai Cugini di Campagna. Nella formazione manca il quinto
                                                          membro che in quel momento era andato in bagno a pisciare. 

Best known for their 1978 soft-rock hit "My Angel Baby," Toby Beau was led by vocalist Balde Silva, who formed the group in Texas with guitarists Danny McKenna and Ron Ross, bassist Steve Zipper and drummer Rob Young. Their self-titled debut LP appeared on RCA in 1978, with the single "My Angel Baby" topping the easy-listening charts and falling just shy of the pop Top Ten; 1979's More than a Love Song failed to recapture its predecessor's success, however, and after issuing If You Believe a year later, Toby Beau was dropped from their contract. The band continued playing the Texas club circuit during the decades that followed, however, still with Silva at the helm.

Formed in the Rio Grande Valley, the original members included guitarists Danny McKenna, Balde Silva, Art Mendoza, bassist Steve Zipper and drummer Rob Young. After numerous club performances around South Texas, the band moved to San Antonio, Texas and received a major record deal from RCA (now BMG). This deal would recruit the production talents of Sean Delaney, who at the time was also producing a young band named KISS. In addition, guitarist Mendoza was replaced with guitarist and banjo extraordinaire Ron Rose, who added a country flavor to the band.

My Angel Baby

Upon completion of the self-titled first album, the band moved to New York, and would embark on major tours with artists and bands such as the Doobie Brothers, Bob Seger, and the Steve Miller Band. Popularity of the band would gradually arise through these tours, but this would suddenly skyrocket when the pop ballad "My Angel Baby" (co-written by Danny McKenna and Balde Silva) scored number 1 on the Easy Listening Chart for two weeks, and number 13 on the Pop charts. Suddenly the album would score major sales, and "My Angel Baby" would eventually achieve gold status by being awarded the coveted "Million-Aire Award" by BMI for over a million radio airplays. There was even a re-release of the album, this time with "My Angel Baby" as the album title which was added to the cover art.

More Than A Love Song

Following the success of the first album, the band temporarily moved to Miami. There, recording sessions for the second album would not be impressive to the producers, and almost all recorded songs would be eliminated from the album. It was suggested that the band move to Tennessee and record with the likes of major session players. It was this move that started to break the band apart.

Although the addition of the production talents of Daniel Moore (songwriter for B. W. Stevenson and Three Dog Night) and Norbert Putnam (who had worked with Jimmy Buffett), as well as musicians like Victor Feldman (from Steely Dan fame) and Larrie Londin (who later worked with Journey) provided a smooth fusion style to the music, members of the band felt the tradition of the music was severely altered. This initially resulted in McKenna's choice to leave the band before completion of the second album, entitled More Than a Love Song, released in 1979. According to those who knew him, McKenna felt morally compelled to walk away rather than sell out those band mates risking replacement by studio musicians.

The second album would score a top 40 single in the cover of John D. Loudermilk's "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye," but otherwise the album remained a financial disappointment to the band, and less than a year after the release, Zipper, Rose, and Young departed, leaving Silva at the helm with one album left on the contract.

If You Believe

Although it was a large burden on Silva to complete the third album single-handedly, this provided numerous successes, such as all legal rights to retain the band's name. He then moved to Los Angeles to record the third album with producer Jerry Fuller. With the help of numerous studio artists, the third album, If You Believe was released in 1980. Although not viewed as a commercial success, the album did score a third hit in the ballad "If I Were You," which might demonstrate a preview of how the band would sound in years to come.

Keeping the band alive

After the third album, the band was dropped from RCA, but Silva has refused to let the band fall, having adopted the name of "Toby Beau," himself as his stage name. In the 1980s, wife Rennetta (under the stage name Dennett) joined the band and the two would recruit numerous other musicians in the band for years to come. Sessions for a fourth album have been recorded numerous times in the 1980s and again in the late 1990s, but as of now, no plans have been made for any studio release, but self-made recordings have been produced, and can usually be bought from members of the band or at certain venues they work for.

Currently, Silva continues to perform the club circuit using the Toby Beau name, with guest musicians who sit in frequently. Most recent guest musicians have included trumpeter and piano player Michael Schuler and Silva's son, saxophonist Michael Silva. The band can usually be found around South Padre Island, Texas and performing for the cruise ship industry or by checking the web site


Balde Silva, a.k.a. Toby Beau is a musician from the state of , and leader of the Toby Beau Band. He is most commonly known for co-writing the hit song My Angel Baby with Danny McKenna. Born Baldemar Silva, Jr. in Weslaco, Texas to Baldemar and Juanita Silva, he adopted the stage name "Toby" upon being the last man standing after the other 4 band members McKenna, Steve Zipper, Ron Rose, and Rob Young had left after the completion of the band's second album, "More Than A Love Song." Although an early compilation released during the band's "Angel Baby" Tour has a side note, "Toby Beau is a Band, NOT a person," it should be noted that on the credits to the third album, "If You Believe," it clearly states that "Toby Beau is Balde Silva," thus verifying the adopted alias. Silva's stage name is not to be confused with the name of the band of which he is currently the leader. In additional work done with other musicians, he is credited as "Toby Beau."


Danny McKenna was the founding guitarist for Texas rock band, Toby Beau who scored a 1978 hit with “My Angel Baby.”   It was a #1 hit on the Easy Listening charts and reached #13 on the overall singles chart.  The single would eventually achieve gold status and was recognized by BMI for receiving over 1 million radio plays.  Due in part to the success of the single, Toby Beau toured with the likes of Bob Seger, Steve Miller Band and the Doobie Brothers.  McKenna left the band before the release of their follow up album and returned to Texas, got married and had two children.  He started a successful business as a luthier, repairing and refurbishing all kinds of stringed instruments for local musicians, as well as others throughout Texas.  He also handmade several guitars and instruments of his own invention, such as an electric “J-fiddle” and a hybrid between an electric guitar and a mandolin.  McKenna always remained active as a musician and formed several local bands throughout the years, and he was extremely generous when sharing his love of music, often doing free repairs for churches or students who couldn’t afford it.  He passed away on April 26, 2006 at the age of 54.