Music
The Age of Dreams
The latest album from Will Maranto & the Usual Suspects, The Age of Dreams, was carefully crafted around the core of Maranto, Kenneth Brown and Joseph Hayes (with special appearances by Shawn Lake on keyboards and Kady McClure on “For My Love.” Recorded from 2018-2022 at Will’s Box Fort Studio, the Age of Dreams features twelve original songs that greatly expand the Usual Suspects’ sonic palette.
Mad at the Season
Recorded at Foxtrot Studio and released in 2015, Mad at the Season features ten Maranto-penned songs about romance, loss and determination. Stand outs include the title track, “Good at Being Me” and “Sweet Embrace.” Mad at the Season is smooth and electric, features Maranto and Kenneth Brown along with Gregg Scott on guitar and Jeremy Ainsley on drums.
Retroactive
Retroactive compiles key tracks from Roadhouse Quintessential and Lost Letters. In addition, an alternate version of “Not Giving Up,” recorded at Sandbox Studio, features longtime-collaborator Travis Pierrelee on drums.
1. Hope You Understand
2.Faith, Love Hope and Pride
3. Not Giving Up (alternate version)
4. Strangest Ways
5. Time For a Change
6. No Going Home
7. Rock ‘n Roll
8. Make Me Thing of You
9. Far Away From My Mind
10. Melanie Makes a Choice
11. A Sunny Day
12. So Misunderstood
Lost Letters
Retroverb first formed in 2003 and, through several incarnations, remained active through 2008. Here, Will Maranto first teamed up with Shreveport-local Wes McKinney and developed a signature, harmonic sound. The various line-ups included Will Maranto, Wes McKinney, Tom Bonts, Kellye Trant, Dave O’Con, Charlie Dempsey, Mike Gauthier, Jeremy Hale, Don Echols, and Kenneth Brown. With Dempsey, Gauthier, Hale, and Brown, Retroverb recorded Lost Letters in 2007-2008. It has a very earthy, singer-songwriter vibe and includes some of Maranto’s most direct compositions to date: “No Going Home,” “Nothing Seems Pretty,” “So Misunderstood,” “Far Away From My Mind,” “Strangest Ways,” and “By George.”
1. Hope You Understand
2. Faith, Love, Hope and Pride
3. Not Giving Up
4. Strangest Ways
5. Time For A Change
6. No Going Home
7. Rock ‘n Roll
8. Make Me Think Of You
9. Far Away From My Mind
10. Melanie Makes A Choice
11. A Sunny Day
12. So Misunderstood
Roadhouse Quintessential
Gypsy Mountain formed in 2004 and was actuve through 2012. Will Maranto and Wes McKinney served as a joint front-men (vocals, guitar). The duo was joined by Bryan Shelby (drums), Mike Gauthier (organ & piano), and Kenneth Brown (bass guitar). Gypsy Mountain released Roadhouse Quintessential in 2005 to a packed CD release party at the well-known local venue Noble Savage. The album was favorably reviewed by Alexander Kent of The Shreveport Times and Jeff Everson of Shreveport’s Forum Magazine. Everson stated, “Gypsy Mountain’s debut album raises high the goblet of rock with a toast to soulful harmony and driving beats.”
1. Not Giving Up
2. Lady of the Night
3. Time for a Change
4. Lonely Lover
5. Hope You Understand
6. Louisiana Nights
7. I’m Up Early
8. Melanie Makes a Choice
9. Back Side of the Way
10. Rock ‘N Roll
That Great Connection
In 1998, Will Maranto completed his first full-length album, That Great Connection. This is perhaps his most folksy and pure work. The That Great Connection band included Will (lead vocals, guitars), Joe Tynes (bass guitar) and Travis Pierrelee (drums). It should be noted that this album was engineered, mixed, and produced by Maranto in Benton, LA. The album included notable tracks “Right By My Side,” “Twenty Days,” and “It’s Not Always So Bad.” Maranto plans to re-record and/or re-master the album in the future with the original band.