2006 Best Country Music Performer 30.13% Renegade * 29.99% Shilo* 18.41% Huckleberry Blue* 16.60% Savannah* 0.84% Legendary Trainhoppers 0.70% Ton-Up Boys Others with Votes (more than one): Barrels, Silverado, Thunder Road, Deuce, Left Lane Cruiser, Matt Sturm, Rock Sama & The Cave Dwellers 2005 Winner: Dakota Sunrise, Legendary Trainhoppers (tie) 2004 Winner: Dakota Sunrise 2003 Winner: Hillbilly Casino 2002 Winner: David Todoran 2001 Winner: David Todoran & The Mobile Homewreckers 2000 Winner: David Todoran & The Mobile Homewreckers 1999 Winner: John Curran & Renegade 1998 Winner: Renegade 1997 Winner: Roger Marshall * On the ballot

Fort Wayne's country music fans have a bit of a chore in seeking out their entertainment, but country fans are diehard and will stick with their favorites through the tough times. John Curran of Renegade, this year's winner of the Best County Performer Whammy, knows this to be a fact.       Renegade was originally formed in 1997 and released their first album, The Outlaw, in 1999. The band changed its name to Dakota Sunrise in 2004 and released After The Sunrise under that name. The line-up has been relatively stable, with John Curran on lead vocals and guitar, Jack Martinez on guitar and vocals, Bryan Hitchcook on keyboards and vocals, Dallas McFarland on guitar and vocals, Matt Wood on bass and vocals and Aaron Wood on drums. Recent changes have brought the band back to using their original branding as Renegade.       "Everybody said that no matter what we changed our name to we're still going to be considered Renegade," said Curran. "So we went ahead and changed the name back. Dallas McFarland was wanting to get things started on his own, and I was basically thinking of leaving the band at that time. I was thinking the name change would set them up.       "We were Dakota Sunr