Like an attic or an online garage, this vault has odds and ends from the life of Anthony Anthamatten
Butterflies
Memphis Botanic Gardens held an exhibition of butterflies. I spent the morning photographing those curious and beautiful insects.
Did You Know?
The musician, Prince famously held a lifetime of recordings in a secret vault at his studio and home, Paisley Park. People speculated throughout the years what gems of unheard music must be hidden there?
Making Music
Curious how music is made? I co-wrote “Push” with my brother Warner Anthamatten (Guitar) and myself, Anthony Anthamatten (Vocals/Lyrics). The first track is the demo version of the song and the second is the studio version. It’s always nice when you can gather a bunch of talented musicians in the studio to record the final version of a song.
Did You Know?
Anthony Anthamatten also plays drums and worked at Ardent Studios in Memphis where ZZ Top recorded. One night when he was at the studio alone and ZZ Top was set up to record in one of the studios, Anthony snuck in and played Frank Beard’s (drummer for ZZ Top) drums?
Short Stories
As a writer, I occasionally pen short stories that are unrelated to my books and often silly enough to keep my chops up and maybe make someone laugh.
When the elves decide to upgrade Santa Claus because they think he is boring and out of style, the head elf, Charlie loses his mind.
Did You Know?
Anthony Anthamatten, is also known as the author Tony Gray and will often send endless texts to his friends with funny stories. He has almost written a novel on his beta-reader’s text messages called, “Belinda’s 99 Shades of Crazy”.
Old Shoes
When I founded the company GrafxLab at 25 years old with no money and only a vision, I employed 12 wonderful and loyal staff, and we were all so proud of what we accomplished. Due to the bankruptcy of my largest client I had to shut it down and it was heartbreaking. I saved a pair of shoes I wore at the time to remind me how hard we walked to get there.
Did You Know?
When Anthony closed GrafxLab because of a bankruptcy of their largest client, his staff told him they would continue to work for him with no paycheck because they loved the company and him, but he could not ask them to do that.
A Famous Kiss
I have worked with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, lost several friends, including my aunt to breast cancer and it’s disastrous disease. The evening I took this photograph, I met this wonderful lady who was in the middle of her treatment and bald from the chemotherapy. She was wearing a wig and it was hot in Memphis and I told her to remove the wig. She was embarrassed but when she removed it I kissed her, understanding her struggles and how tough cancer is.
Did You Know?
Anthony Anthamatten is a well-known photographer of women and often donates his talents and efforts for free to support women and their causes.
Children
I love kids. They are funny and I have a kid’s heart. But wow what children can eat!
Did You Know?
Anthony’s friend told him what her teenage daughter could eat in one day…
- Sausage Biscuit
- Granola Bar
- Donuts
- Gummies
- Big Mac Meal
- Huge Chocolate Muffin
- Hot Cheetos
- Cheese Sticks
The kid was mad they didn’t get a pizza. Anthony told the child’s mother she needed a second job just to feed that teenage junk-food junkie.
Celebrities
I’ve met many celebrities throughout my career from Ali, Barry White, Sting, Waylon Jennings and so many others. It was cool to meet Willie Nelson.
Did You Know?
Inspiration
I draw inspiration from many places, often it is from music and great artists.
Did You Know?
When Anthony met the band Take 6 who won 8 Grammy awards and nominated 19 times then he found out Claude McKnight is Bryan McKnight’s brother, Anthony told Claude, “I hope you built your mother a bigger shelf”.
Dogs
Did You Know?
Once Anthony’s dog, Willard, got lost in the Smokey Mountains National park. It took Anthony an hour to find him and when he did, Anthony put him on a leash and said, “You aren’t going anywhere now Willard!” He put that dog on lockdown!
Photographer
This is a photograph of the band Genesis I photographed when I was 15 years old.
Did You Know?
When Anthony was a kid he snuck his camera into a REO Speedwagon concert. They caught him and told him to take the camera to the car. He snuck it in again. He’ll probably never be let in to another REO Speedwagon concert again.
Tennessee Titans Fan
They are a fun team to watch. Go Titans!
Did You Know?
Anthony was at the Music City Miracle game and took a photograph of the play where, with 16 seconds on the clock, the Titans scored that touchdown and left the Buffalo Bills with three seconds left when they thought they had just won the game.
Boxing
What I like about boxing is guys get to slug it out. The sport has rules. It’s like putting two lions in a cage. When my brother and I were kids once my dad put us both in boxing gloves and we knocked each other out in the back yard.
My favorite boxer is Manny Pacquiao. Not only did he win titles in seven weight classes, he grew up poor and shared his food with his friend. Manny worked hard and has always remained humble. I will always cheer for someone like that.
Did You Know?
Anthony Anthamatten met the famous boxer Mohammad Ali. This was in the early stages of his Parkinson’s disease. Ali had a slight tremor in his hand, but turned around and did a trick lifting a heal where he looked like he was lifting off the ground.
Anthony thought, “I actually saw Mohammad Ali float like a butterfly. I am glad Champ didn’t sting me like a bee.”
Spooky Plane
I had a home in Nashville east of the stadium where the Titans play. They always fly something over during the National Anthem. But once they flew a B-2 bomber over and I stepped outside my home and saw it fly over my house and thought, “I am glad I’m not Saddam Hussein”
Did You Know?
Anthony took a friend from Australia to a Titans game. She was bragging their guys don’t wear pads. When she watched the game and saw a player get hurt like a car crash she told Anthony, “Your guys are bigger than ours. Now I know why you wear pads.”
Supporting Local Artists
I enjoy supporting local artists and chef-owned restaurants.
Did You Know?
Anthony Anthamatten is an artist and loves supporting them. He’s got a couple of illustrations from a friend’s daughter who was 13 at the time and drew faces in things like the one he has from her of trees with a bunch of faces in them.
Anything for Friends
Twice I’ve been so hurt at the loss of a friend that I’ve gone into the studio and recorded a song for them. “Heaven Got Another Angel” was the song I did for my friend Shiloh Lane. Tough song for me to sing. But I gave it to her mother at the funeral and told her how much I loved her daughter.
Did You Know?
Anthony’s dear friend Shiloh was an ex-police officer and knew Karate. One night they were out together and she thought he was talking about her hat. She pushed him so hard he flew across the room like a stuntman!
Fun Facts
My career began in television when I was 17 years old.
Did You Know?
Anthony Anthamatten has been doing graphics and page layouts the old-fashioned way, before they had computers to do it.
Favorite Musicians
I love soul music. The list is long of the musicians I admire. But Prince is my favorite. He was such a talent and gone too soon.
Did You Know?
Anthony Anthamatten was a dj for eight years. One night he dj’d for one of his favorite musician, Prince.
"Brick"
The character “Brick” in my Double Crossed novels is an invention. But this photo made me laugh when I met Joe Marsh. I was like, “Dude, you are exactly how I described the character of Robert Brickhouse in the book. He is a cool guy.
Did You Know?
When Anthony Anthamatten, also known as the author Tony Gray, wrote his first novel “Double Crossed” he was burned out living in three cities in three years and took a break to get a breather and that is how he came up with his first novel?
"Mouna"
In the novel “Black”, the character “Moana” is a real person who I watched grow up through her mother’s eyes.
Did You Know?
Anthony Anthamatten as the author Tony Gray draws inspiration for characters from real people he knows.
Humor
I was born with a sense of humor and love to laugh. I think the world needs more humor and love. Make someone smile and lift them up. If you read my novels, they are pretty funny. But if you ever see me do a pop-up open-mic sometime I will break out some hilarious jokes funnier than I do in my books. I am like a white Richard Pryor.
Did You Know?
The first time Anthony Anthamatten did an open-mic comedy set was at a gay bar. He didn’t know it was a gay bar and thought, “There are a lot of guys here.”
