STLR Entertainment

Two-time Emmy Award winning bassist, composer, producer

Two-time Emmy Award winning bassist, composer, producer, and son of legendary Bay Area keyboardist, Merl Saunders, Tony Saunders’s life has been infused with one musical adventure after another. As an arranger, producer, composer, and performer, Saunders has conquered the worlds of jazz, gospel, R&B, pop, rock, and world music.

Tony Saunders continues his musical journey with a powerful theme of love in his latest single, “Loving You is Easy,” featured on his upcoming album, The Romance Continues. This 15-track album is a collaboration with some of today’s top artists, composers, producers, and musicians, delivering a collection of smooth jazz tracks that are both prolific and irresistibly catchy.

In 2021, after realizing he had outgrown San Francisco Records, Tony reached out to a radio friend in Florida who connected him with Tom Hayden, President of Baja/TSR Records. Tony’s previous CD, Sexy Something (2020), had spent a year on the charts, competing closely with Baja/TSR artist Nils for the top spot on several smooth jazz charts. Tony’s rendition of “Rock Steady” (Whispers version) held the number 1 position for 12 weeks, catching Tom’s attention. Before Tony’s new CD hit the market, Tom asked to hear it, and after listening, he quickly signed Tony. The result was All About Love, released in 2022, which became the third most-played CD in smooth jazz that year, trailing only behind Nils and one other artist.

2022 was a significant year for Tony, as he also released a powerful Black Lives Matter video that won a Telly Award for Social Impact. Reflecting on his career, Tony says, “My first CD was Romancing The Bass, and now my 7th solo CD is The Romance Continues. My love for the bass, music, and family is why the romance continues for me.”

For this project, Tony reunited with an old friend, Grammy-winner Michael Mani, who has worked with major artists like Santana, Lady Gaga, Becky G, and Tori Kelly. Together, they wrote nine songs for the album, starting with the track “Swagalicious,” which Tony composed in his hotel room with his bass in hand. The creative synergy between Tony and Michael was evident, making this collaboration one of the easiest and most rewarding of Tony’s career.

Tony’s move to The Jam studios in LA has also been a game-changer, providing him with a new creative space to craft his music. Reflecting on his journey, Tony acknowledges that growing up in the music business hasn’t always been easy, but he feels that 2024 is shaping up to be a special chapter in his career.