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Best Country Music Performer 39.76% Hillbilly Casino*
Others with Votes (more than one):
* On the ballot |
How did a band that formed in December 2002, who was up against country bands that had been around for several years win? By doing it the old school way. Certainly, the band’s lineup had something to do with it as well. Nic Roulette of the Blue Moon Boys and David Todoran of the Mobile Homewreckers were having a few beers one night and decided to play old, really obscure country music. Along with a few members of their respective bands, including Bob Craven, Kevin Jackson, Andy Pauquet, Jerry Sparkman and Patrick Borton, Hillbilly Casino proved people want to hear old country music. And according to Todoran, the band started out as just something fun to do. “It just sort of came together,” said Todoran, who claims the band never really formally rehearsed before playing out. “We blended elements of both bands together,” he added. “We knew enough songs in common ... it was very easy for us to get together and play.” And with the reputation of the band members, it wasn’t very hard to convince club owners to give a brand new band a chance. “Part of this was Nic wanting to do his own thing outside the Blue Moon Boys,” said Todoran. “He would literally just start singing and playing and we would just fall in, like a jam session.” Obviously it worked. What started out as being just for fun ended up striking a chord. “We’re doing this thing and it was pretty casual and then it took off,” said Todoran. The core group consists of Roulette, Todoran and Jackson, with the others filling in when other members can’t. Todoran says with Roulette moving to Nashville earlier this year, he still wants to play shows and will try to book some dates around Roulette’s schedule. He has no doubt that Roulette will get something going for himself in Nashville. He’s very persistent,” says Todoran, of Roulette. Todoran was surprised Hillbilly Casino, who haven’t been together very long, won an award. “Yes, it does surprise me,” said Todoran, when asked the question. “The other bands in that category have huge followings. I would think they’d get more votes than we would. I think ...what that says is that readers of whatzup are a little more appreciative of the old style of country.” He added the audiences that come to see the shows are “90 percent young people.” And they love what Hillbilly Casino does. “We were blown away by how much people were really seeking us out,” he said. What they are seeking out is music by Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Buck Owens, Lefty Frizzell and Hank Snow, to name just a few. “We did at least one song by anyone who was anyone in country music,” said Todoran. And being the only band around who plays that kind of music generated attention. Who’d have thought old school country would triumph over present-day mainstream country? Not the band, who originally wanted to do it for fun. “It was a breath of fresh air for them,” said Todoran, of the audiences. “To hear a band come out and do only that all night long created a buzz.” |
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