Jay's Blog

Web development by RDR Web Designs

Jay's Blog 2010

Blog Archives

These past few months have really trying for the band and for me personally.

We lost my longest running band mate in Kenny due to retirement, and two weeks later, the second longest running member decided to step down. Two tough shoes to fill on short notice, but we have searched for new players and have found what we are looking for.

On February 20th, at Infinity: This will be the complete ensembles first show as a new unit, and all are really excited about it.

We just finished off our last show with a "fill-in" drummer and it was our best one yet. I think that inretrospect, maybe it helped the band lean on each other a little bit and learn again to play with one another. Sometimes that gets forgotten in the moment on stage.

Jeff Beckley - who I met almost ten years ago at my very first National Open for Marty Stuart, sat in Saturday night at the Byrncliff. As always, the place was nutty. Crowd up and kept us going after long after our time was up. Chanting for Lyle to sing a song was priceless and very much appreciated. Jeff filled in incredibly well. He had a ball and so did we. Why does it seem that it is wicked cold only when we play there. Nothing like coming out from working all up on stage and out into the subzero temp and shivering in your van. Only at Byrncliff!

Summer is coming quickly and we have added some potentially wicked good times! With our return to Mickey Rats with the number one radio station in Buffalo, WYRK, we can only hope for summer weather and not the ridiculous downpours of last year! Man,......

The group is coming along and we are totally excited about the upcoming shows at JITV, Canalfest, and Langford. We are hoping to make this one the best yet! Tough to top last year for us, but it is looking good.

Playing at the Roost has been really great for us recently. They really are diggin what we are putting out and have been terrific crowds lately. Rejuvenating to a point where I am enjoying the "country" in the music again. Infinity has helped with that as well. It is a tough balance and a delicate one in choosing whether or not you rock out the night, or stay true to what you believe in? All I know is I am looking forward to riding out this summer and doing what we do! See everyone out there!

Summer has officially kicked off for WOTM! To us, it is the WYRK "Taste of Country" after party at BBS every year that sets it off. This year might have been the best one yet. Probably 600 strong in attendance and the crowd was up the entire night no matter if they were soaked from the rain, drippin from hot humid night, or partying down with us! We had an incredible blast of a time! Thanks to the BBS for having us again for the fourth year in a row on their biggest night!!!

Saturday night was St. Amelia's "Jammin in June" and this was our first time there. Thanks to John Lamond for getting that show. Very nice event. Family oriented and of course, Chiavetta's chicken BBQ to top it off. Who doesn't like that?!! Bruce Rounds filled in for Lyle who had a prior event and did an incredible job. Always there when we need a friend to pinch hit for us! Many of my cousins showed up whom I have not seen in quite some time which was really cool. Made for a nice weekend! With the threat of rain looming, we had a real nice turnout. Something about playing outdoors ya just cannot explain. It just feels good!

The summer shows are in gear now, with patio after patio and lawn fete's! Hang on folks, we're goin' for a ride! One of the coolest things that is happening to us now whether anyone realizes it or not...many of the "local music business" people have been spotted at our shows, particularly over the weekend! A sign of good things to come! ..we'll see!!!

Well.....There is a lot to say here for this past 4th of July weekend! Not all of it good, but we'll focus on the positive here. With the JITV coming, we had three shows in four nights. That is a lot of singin' and burnin' the candle at both ends for three days straight has taken a toll, believe me. Here it is on Monday, and I am still beat.

Dierks Bentley is one of my favorite artists right now without a doubt and has been since "A lot of Leavin" came out. It seems to me that he carries the torch of "country music" in the way that Waylon did and Travis Tritt did for me at least. The man is pure class. When we were approached to do the show, JITV asked which one of the nights we would want to do, and when I found out Dierks was on Saturday....there was no decision to be made! We couldn't make the times work to get our meet and greet, but he and his tour manager said they would make good on his word, and finally after his crazy good show, he did just that. He came off the stage and went right to us and said hello without hesitation. He gave us a plug TWICE on the stage (although he mispronounced the band as 'West of Mark') and then threw us under the bus by saying we did not play any George Strait. lol I called him on that one and he laughed saying it was the only way he could think of to get into his cover of "All my Ex's". It was a funny moment for me and I really enjoyed talking with him as did the whole band!!! He did ask why we didn't play one of his songs which floored me and I told him that we didn't think it right to do that in front of him and he guessed all three of what we do. I responded by telling him that they were arguably our best three! He seemed pleased....another memory not to be forgotten!! There is something about meeting one of your "influences" that you just simply cannot describe.

We played well, and the crowd in front of us as spread out as they were......you guys were great. It was 90 degrees out there, and it was early on the afternoon just before Phil Vassar ( great entertainer) and everyone was loud, pumped up and terrific. It was HOT and we were drenched with sweat after the show, but we gave, as we always do, everything we had. That stage is probably the best stage we will ever play on!! It is the real deal. Joey was rippin’ and I felt we communicated really well together on stage and presented better than we have ...perhaps ever. It feels so good to be up there and look out knowing you are on the main stage before these huge acts. You have to sit back and take a moment and really soak it in. It is our third time in a row there, and it still seems surreal to me after the fact. Whoa! It has never happened that when I ask for a beer on stage because of the heat and some nerves I was thirsty, that not only did we get a few beers from WYRK crew Brett and Brad, but a fine gentleman brings up an entire case of Bud for us, and then two smokin’ hot ladies come up with as many bud lights as they could handle for us. Totally cool!!!

I have not been that tired after a show in such a long time, and it was only ninety minutes of a set. It is a funny thing that you play all these clubs and bars and whatever, all to get the opportunity to play just one of these events. We have been extremely fortunate to be able to play for the last few years and seriously hope it continues, but we never know!

Our camp experience was ok, I think we were just too tired to rip it up after the week that we had and then leading up to the whole thing. Hopefully the people that came up to stay with us do not feel cheated by our tiredness, but, we tried. Is it the best one yet? ....best lineup of artists for sure for me, fireworks were much better than last years. For us, we probably could have been tighter going in, but we do what we normally do and push on and try to entertain the only way we know how; full throttle ahead at whatever the cost is the next day!

Diamond Back started the whole night off with a really good set of southern rock and had a lot of cool things to say to us! Hats off to them and wish them luck down their road. Good bunch of guys, Randy and them!

I could go on more, but sometimes you just have to be there and you have read enough. Get back to work people, another show is coming this week. I am flying high regarding this past weekend and send a special thank you to all who keep coming to see us and spend their hard earned mmoney to support WOTM! You guys are indeed "Friends!" One more "Hollerrrrrr!"

Summer is at a crazy pace this year!!!! Mickey Rats has taken off with great attendance and a lot of booze flowing through the bar! Party on the beach with COUNTRY ON THE COAST!

It is really neat to stand there and play while the sun goes down. We have a perfect view from the stage. Weather has been spectacular this year unlike last. We are starting to see some new familiar faces week in and out. That is awesome and cannot be said enough about. Old friends who we haven't seen out in some time have been coming out again too which is great to see. Momentum is building I can feel it.

Canlfest was/ and is my favorite gig to date as far as being on stage. The view of the boats, and countless people walking by and standing three deep behind the sound booth/canopy is wicked! It seems tht pat and Dave have finally settled in and feel a part of the WOTM family. Nice and it only helps us play better!!!! Our stage show seems to have come around to comfortablitiy again as well. Playing in front of the people you grew up with and live near is tremendous feeling. "Feels good!"

WYRK and Mickey Rats have extended a welcome to us to continue through August on thursday nights. A terrific success this year and each week has built up more people. Even our friends down at the BBS came out to party with us on their day off! That means the world to us. Not just business associates within the band, but true friends......Thank you. Up next....Langford Jamboree