About myself.

 

 

Born Roy Anthony Braley on January 29th,1956 in Midland, Michigan, Roy was given the nickname of Tony from birth after his Uncle Anthony. He was raised on a farm in Hope, Michigan, just 20 miles from Midland and graduated from Meridian Senior High School in 1974 in Sanford, Michigan.

He began playing music in 1965. His father taught him to play mandolin and guitar, and at the age of 17, learned to play fiddle by watching other musicians in the area.The fiddle is an instrument that always intrigued him. Hoedowns and cajun music is generally what he plays but always had the yearning to play back up fiddle with the sound from artists such as Ray Price, Faron Young and Mel Tillis. He enjoys playing and singing  traditional country music, especially from the 1950's, 60's, 70's and some early 80's.He also enjoys songwriting and has written several songs but none of them ever recorded by him or anyone else.

In 1979 his now wife of 36 yrs.and he moved to Wheeling, WV. to pursue a career in country music.He met Jerry Brightman who was the music director for the Wheeling, WV. Jamboree and also Lionel Cartwright who was the staff piano player for the Wheeling, WV. Jamboree.He performed on the Wheeling, WV. Jamboree one time in 1981 and enjoyed every minute of it. He also played for Eddie Marr, a singer and actor who appeared in movies with Abbott and Costello and the comedy show The Addams Family. He also played a short time for well known pedal steel guitarist Al (Petty) Perry in Pittsburgh, PA.

In 1983 Tony and his now wife moved back to Michigan to be closer to family and friends for a 2 year span until 1985 then decided Nashville was where he wanted to spend the rest of his life. He and Mary packed up all of their belongings including their 2 children Toni and Chad and set out for Nashville in April of 1985 and have lived in the Nashville area since then.

He has played in several bands in the Nashville area and worked as a plumber for 5yrs. before becoming a truck driver in 1989 to which he spent 25 yrs.at this career before retiring in June of 2014. He was diagnosed with a form of dementia called (Lewy Body Disease) in March of 2014 and this ended his truck driving career.

The song (Grandma's Rocking Chair) was inspired by his grandson Brendon.When Brendon  was about 5months old, his wife Mary would rock him to sleep in an old rocking chair they had in the living room. Brendon loved the music and the guitar and would soon be rocked off to sleep by the sounds of that old rocking chair.