The Redheads Britta-N-Brooke

Artist Information

Biography

Stan Munsey, current keyboardist for the multi-platinum selling band Shenandoah, calls The Redheads a country version of the band "Heart". Maybe that's because these girls not only rock country music, they also have plenty of heart. When Brooke was eleven years old, she was trampled by her horse and found herself in bad shape. She had trouble walking for a full year. During that time, Brooke discovered the healing power of music which in time led the girls to become a duo. The girls perform with strength and integrity while leaving their audience with a memorable experience.

"Songs like “Light A Candle,” a message ballad (“I light a candle/for all the children of the world”) show a Radio-friendly and family-friendly sense, plus a great talent for duet arrangement and harmony. The girls alternate on the verses, and each voice has great character.

“Waves Of Emotion” is a bluesy tempo tune with the vocals playing on top of guitar and thumping percussion; “Boys Will Be Boys” has a unique Redheads rock edginess to it while; “I Don’t Wanna Fall” explores the minor keys and deep reflection which so often come in music from artists of the Dodgens’ age, but few Country artists have had the courage to sing it.

Instrumentation

Britta Dodgen- Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Brooke Dodgen- Harmony, Vocals, Lead Guitar

Discography

Airplay: The Georgia Jukebox
Airplay: Broadway Radio, Berlin Germany
Discography: Studio X Tom Manche Nashville, TN

Links

• Facebook
• Twitter
• MySpace

Audio

• Waves of Emotion
  Listen  
• Simple Love
  Listen  

Video

Mercy.mp4

Photo Gallery

Press

• The Redheads: Talent Times Two [+ Show ]
  

  NASHVILLE – Florida natives Britta and Brooke Dodgen may well be the most promising female duo in Co...NASHVILLE – Florida natives Britta and Brooke Dodgen may well be the most promising female duo in Country since the Judds, but a skittish horse nearly kept them from ever reaching Nashville at all.
  
  More than 95,000 MySpace friends are delighted that Britta and Brooke, the beautiful auburn-haired singers and songwriters known collectively as The Redheads, didn't let that 1,000-pound animal stand in their way.
  
  Indirectly Tiara, the horse, led the Redheads straight to Country Radio and Country music.
  
  Britta and Brooke are now 23 and 20, respectively, but nine years ago a terrible fall off of Tiara forced little Brooke to go through a long period of rehab which put her early loves for riding and ballet both in serious jeopardy.
  
  "I was really depressed," says Brooke, whose mother soon noticed the changes in her normally upbeat, outgoing younger daughter.
  
  But then Brooke discovered Country Radio and Country Music Television.
  
  "That's when Brooke started smiling again," Mrs. Dodgen says.
  
  Something about the stories in the songs, along with the simple power of the music by artists like Reba McEntire and Trisha Yearwood, literally helped the kid back up on her feet.
  
  "Country music," Brooke says, "showed me that everyone has problems, but that you just have to hold on and get through them the best you can."
  
  One particular Reba single – "I'm Gonna Take That Mountain" – became the girls' theme song during Brooke's recovery.
  
  "It's one of those songs," Britta says during a conversation in Nashville, "that will stay with us the rest of our lives. When we met the songwriter Jerry Salley (who co-wrote that 2003 Reba hit with Melissa Peirce), we just broke out in tears."
  
  MySpace has enabled The Redheads to hear directly from fans who find magic not only in the ladies' music, but also in their courageous life story. "So many people relate to Brooke's injury," the girls tell us. "They share their own stories with us – from car accidents to disabilities – and Brooke has become a major inspiration to others."
  
  Long before the injury, both sisters had already demonstrated immense talent in music. Britta started out singing opera – not the Grand Ole Opry type, the Schermerhorn Center type – and dancing ballet all over the USA and even in Scotland. Brooke likewise danced with some of the world's most prestigious ballet companies.
  
  But the very same drive that enabled these overachieving and beautiful girls to climb to the top levels of the equestrian and dance world is now focused on writing and performing Country music.
  
  And The Redheads are opening lots of eyes – and ears.
  
  The sisters entered the fiercely competitive and highly prestigious W.C. Handy Festival in Alabama. Despite the dozens of talented artists on hand, The Redheads qualified for the Top Six Singer/Songwriter Showcase at the Festival. Their performances at 2nd Half Studio in Sheffield and Da'Hideaway Resaurant in Tuscumbia, Alabama were packed.
  
  Songs like "Light A Candle," a message ballad ("I light a candle/for all the children of the world") show a Radio-friendly and family-friendly sense, plus a great talent for duet arrangement and harmony. The girls alternate on the verses, and each voice has great character. They also share the gift of family harmony that Southern Country, Bluegrass, and Gospel groups have treasured for generations.
  
  "Waves Of Emotion" is a bluesy tempo tune with the vocals playing on top of electric guitar and thumping percussion; "Boys Will Be Boys" has wonderful shades of the Judds, but with a unique Redheads edginess to it; while "I Don't Wanna Fall" explores the minor keys and anger which so often come in music from artists of the Dodgens' age, but few Country artists have had the courage to sing it.
  
  Funny thing is, though, that the artist who the Redheads seem to admire the most is one who was born in 1935, over 50 years before either of them. It's Loretta Lynn, who was groundbreaking in the early 1960s in her "Coal Miner's Daughter" period, then shook up Music Row in the 1970s with "One's On The Way" and "Rated X," and remains brilliant and unpredictable today.
  
  And oh by the way, Loretta's daughters, the identical twins Patsy and Peggy, scored some of Country Radio's last hits by a female duo called The Lynns, with "Nights Like These" and "Woman To Woman" in 1997.
  
  So Nashville remains a very small world, when it comes to extremely talented and attractive stars like the Redheads.

• Interview With The Redheads [+ Show ]
  

  "The Redheads, named for their long fiery red hair, are Britta, 23 and her sister/co-writer Brooke, ..."The Redheads, named for their long fiery red hair, are Britta, 23 and her sister/co-writer Brooke, 20. These Florida girls, living in Cartersville,Georgia but Nashville bound could very well be the next big thing. With their upbeat, sassy tunes such as "Boys Will Be Boys" and my personal favorite, the comical "Hillbillies Living in the City", they are headed for the big time. Don`t be fooled, they also touch very delicate subjects such as child abuse with their soothing melodic "Light a Candle". With the perfect combination of sweet and spicy ear catching music, these girls are a force to be reckoned with in country music. They make monthly trips to Nashville learning the craft and business and working on a great future with their music!
  
  You can catch the Redheads on myspace at:
  http://www.myspace.com/theredheadsbrittabrooke and website is http://theredheads.net
  
  Jenna - Nashville is very competetive, where do you get your drive to keep going from?
  
  Brooke - Well, for us, country music has always been a matter of the heart. At eleven years old I was trampled by my horse- beat up head to toe. Everyone thought I would be okay because there weren't any broken bones. But scar tissue had formed throughout my muscles and when I grew all my muscles ripped. Over night, I went from being in runners club, horse back riding, advanced ballet to not being able to walk for a full year. I lost my entire twelve year old year and to be honest a lot of dreams were shattered for me. I became very quiet and reserved. Just very, very, genuinely sad. I remember was laying in my bed one day flipping through channels when I found the country music station. The songs just grabbed my heart and shook it up. There were the sad songs like "Angels In Waiting" that were good to hear when you needed a good cry but most importantly just the fun songs that really got me involved in country music. Reba's song I'm Gonna Take That Mountain became my own personal theme song and my inspiration. I became a huge country music fan. It brought me out of my shell and made me laugh again. This has been more of a spiritual journey more than a journey for fame or fortune for me. I want to see how far this can go and do take it very seriously. Country music is all from the heart. Its songs from the heart and that's where I'd say we both get our drive from. I'll turn it over to Britta to tell her side of the story...
  
  Britta- Yes, I agree with Brooke. That was our journey and how it all began with us. And our journey continues and we are thankful for all the amazing people and experiences we have encountered along the way. We don't get caught up in a feeling of competitiveness, we feel like everyone in Nashville has something to offer. We enjoy watching and listening to other aspiring songwriters. We rely on our hearts and our hard work to carry us through.
  
  Jenna - How supportive have your parents been throughout your journey so far?
  
  Brooke & Britta - Our parents have been very supportive. They've made many sacrifices for us. We even laugh. Our Dads car is like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and he really needs a new car. But instead of getting things for his own self, he always makes sure we have guitar lessons, seminars, new strings, anything we need for the business. Our Mom makes sure we're safe and sound. Neither one is pushy or a stage parent or anything like that. They basically let us lead the way and make the decisions of our own careers.
  
  Jenna - How do you deal with rejection and how important is it to build up tough skin in this town?
  
  Brooke- It is important to have a tough skin. No matter what field you go into you can't take rejections to heart. Its all a learning process.
  
  Britta- Both of us did advance ballet for years and boy, talk about rejection and criticism. I think that helped us build a tough skin. And yes, you need to have a tough skin in this business. Rejection is a part of life. You embrace it and never lose your drive.
  Jenna - What are some key things you have learned from the Nashville circuit?
  
  Brooke - Nashville is amazing. So many talented, wonderful people here. There's just no place like Nashville. The song writing community is so gifted. There's so many open mics and clubs around town. We just love The Bluebird Café. It is absolutely precious.
  
  Britta - We have learned so much and are so thankful to be chasing our dreams. Nashville is the coolest town ever. All the open mics and the support from NSAI and SGA has been incredible.
  
  Jenna - How often do you write and who are your strongest musical influences?
  
  Brooke - I write every day. I take notes all day long in my phone which has a keyboard fortunately for me. Toby Keith, Reba, and Randy Travis are three of my main influences. But actually, anyone that's country has influenced in some way.
  
  Britta - We try to write as much as possible. Over the past year Georgia has become our writing haven. We have two Quarter horses on a property in GA and it has just made a great inspiration for us to write. I always carry a notebook with me and am constantly jotting down ideas. Also, I have an ipod recorder in my purse and sing little melodies. So writing for us is constantly on our minds. As far as influences go it's like Brooke said, anyone who's country has influenced us. I honestly could go on and on, but some of my main influences are Loretta Lynn, Garth Brooks, and other duos like The Judds, Brooks & Dunn, and Montgomery Gentry.
  
  Jenna - How important are workshops and organizations such as NSAI, ASCAP, and BMI to a songwriter just starting out in Nashville?
  
  Brooke & Britta - We can't even begin to tell you how much we love NSAI and SGA! Both organizations have taken our writing to a whole other playing field. We attended a Song Camp and Songpossium with NSAI and the song critiques, the lectures, and all the information was just wonderful. NSAI is so supportive of songwriters and really helps you better yourself. SGA is also a blessing. The people we met through SGA were so talented and shared so much knowledge with us that we truly feel blessed to have both these organizations. We highly recommend any song writer to join those.
  
  Jenna - Do you have any advice for out of town songwriters living outside of TN?
  
  Brooke - NSAI has meetings in your
  state, so you can look up on their website to find a local chapter. If you can arrange to come in to visit Nashville that's really great. Join NSAI and SGA and you can have your songs critiqued long distance. Keep writing!
  
  Britta - What's really cool about coming into Nashville is you have a support group. Everyone understands where you're coming from. Its really helpful to come to one of the seminars that NSAI or SGA put on annually because you'll get a lot more support and knowledge. But if you can't arrange it that's okay. They have different local chapters in many of the states and you also can submit your stuff for critique.
  
  Jenna - Do you have any upcoming shows or performances we should know about?
  
  Brooke & Britta - Currently, we’re focusing on writing and re-writing. We practice four hours a day on the guitar so the guitar is very important to us. Most Mondays you’ll find us at The Bluebird- sometimes performing sometimes listening. We’re headed back to our home state, Florida, in the spring to sing some national anthems at The Bright House Networks Field for the major league baseball spring training games. We’re excited about that."

• The Redheads - Stopping Through Georgia On the Way To Stardom [+ Show ]
  

  "Sisters, Britta and Brooke Dodgen are both Florida girls, born in Orlando and raised in Tampa Bay. ..."Sisters, Britta and Brooke Dodgen are both Florida girls, born in Orlando and raised in Tampa Bay. For a few years they lived in Garland, Texas. Currently they’re in the country music state of Georgia. Britta is 19 and Brooke is 16 years old. Both have graduated from high school with honors. And together, as The Redheads, they plan on taking the country-music world by storm soon.
  
  Redheads Difficult Climb into Country Music
  
  When Brooke was eleven years old she was trampled by her horse, Tiara. At first doctors thought she would be alright, but during her next growth spurt her muscles tore due to the hips being out of alignment and the formation of scar tissue. Overnight, her whole life changed.
  
  She went from a very active child who loved dancing, horseback riding, and running to having to fight to regain strength to walk and move comfortably. Brooke was forced to drop out of regular school and start a homebound program. She spent her entire twelfth year traveling from doctor to doctor, and from physical therapist to therapist.
  
  Formation of The Red Heads
  
  During this time of rebuilding, Brooke discovered country music and the powerful effects it had on her soul. She was able to laugh and live again. She learned how to overcome obstacles. “Country music showed me that everyone has problems, you just have to hold on and get through them the best you can.”
  
  Through Brooke, Britta discovered country music and began listening every chance she got. Britta would come in after school and sit on Brooke’s bed and together they would listen to the radio and watch music videos.
  
  Britta was a classically trained opera singer. But Britta says “Country music touched my heart and I finally found my place. It felt like home.”
  
  The Red heads have sung at local events, barn shows, National Anthems and they’re frequently seen at Writer’s Nights around Nashville. They spend much of their time traveling up to Nashville. The girls have worked with top professionals in Nashville including Tom Manche, Susan Anders, Rachel Rains and Brett Manning.
  
  The girls dream is to give back to country music what it has done for them."

• The Redheads Britta -N- Brooke, Country Music Singing Duo [+ Show ]
  

  "Country music is all about a great story, the lyrics hit home where the heart is and The Red Heads,..."Country music is all about a great story, the lyrics hit home where the heart is and The Red Heads, Britta-N-Brooke certainly have a story to tell.
  
  When Brooke was eleven years old she was trampled by her horse, Tiara. She was pretty banged up from the incident. At first doctors thought she would be fine, but during her next growth spurt her muscles tore due to the hips being out of alignment and the formation of scar tissue. Overnight, her whole life changed.
  
  She was bed ridden for an entire year and spent her entire 12th year traveling from doctor to doctor, physical therapist to therapist.
  
  Brooke discovered country music while lying in bed all that time and the powerful effects it has on ones soul. "Country music showed me that everyone has problems, you just have to hold on and get through them the best you can."
  
  Through Brooke, Britta discovered country music and would come in after school and sit on Brooke's bed as they would listen to the radio and watch music videos.
  
  Make sure you are at the stage when The Red Heads, Britta and Brooke kick off the Diva's of Country Music concert this Sweet Auburn Springfest 2008!"

• The Redheads [+ Show ]
  

  Do you like country? You don't? Neither do I. I can hear you asking: "If you don't like country, the...Do you like country? You don't? Neither do I. I can hear you asking: "If you don't like country, then why are you promoting a country act like The Redheads?" I'm glad you asked! There are two big reasons, actually. The first is that they are actually quite good. Whether you like country or not, you have to admit, these two have what it takes to entertain. The other reason, though, is that these two are excellent role-models for siblings everywhere: two sisters, working together as a team, to achieve a common goal. Every brother and sister should look at these two for a good example of how family should work together and help each other. And while you are checking them out, friends, be sure to listen to their video intro on their page. You will hear an excellent example of how to overcome adversity. The Redheads: two sisters who know what it means to be a family.

• The Redheads Britta-N-Brooke - Artist of the Day for November 22, 2008 [+ Show ]
  

  The Redheads Britta-N-Brooke - Artist of the Day for November 22, 2008 GJK Promotions proudly pr...The Redheads Britta-N-Brooke - Artist of the Day for November 22, 2008
  
  GJK Promotions proudly presents: The Redheads Britta-N-Brooke from Cartersville, Georgia, as Artist of the Day.
  
  The Redheads Britta-N-Brooke Dodgen play country and acoustic music. The Redheads website http://www.theredheads.net/ has a bio with a music player, a bio, contact list and much more. Britta has just turned 21 and Brooke will be 18 in 1 month and 20 days according to her countdown calender.
  
  The Redheads have a powerful story to tell about how they became country music singers, the glory they have singing and the road it is now taking them down. The Redheads also support "Project Child Smiles" http://www.myspace.com/projectsmiles and have a fundraiser tonight, Nov 22, 2008 at 7:00 pm in McMinnville, Tennessee. If your in the neighborhood please stop by and take part in this amazing event.
  
  To find out more about The Redheads Britta-N-Brooke, watch some videos, meet their horses and see them in their Halloween garb, grab a banner and listen to their angelic voices, check out The Redheads Britta-N-Brooke myspace at
  
  http://www.myspace.com/theredheadsbrittabrooke
  
  Cheers and Inspire :)
  
  **Don't forget to keep up to date on what's happening on the Artist of the Day Blogger at
  http://www.gjkpromotions.com and http://www.myspace.com/gjkpromotions

Setlist

3 hour set of rockin' country blues!

We tailor each gig with songs that suit the venue style.

Original songs include:
Let Me Be the One
Light a Candle
Waves of Emotion
I Don't Wanna Fall
Simple Love
Sweet Anticipation
I Wanna Move On
Takin' It In
Boys Will Be Boys
Hillbillies Livin' In the City
Standing On The Sidelines
On The Edge of Love
Carry me Away
and More...

Cover songs from

Country VIBE - Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Trace Adkins, Alison Krauss, Martina McBride, Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood, Billy Dean, Vince Gill, Joe Diffie, John Conlee, Ronnie Milsap, The Judds, Billy Currington, Marty Stuart, Lee Ann Womack, Julie Reeves, Garth Brooks, Keith Whitley, Lila McCainn, LeAnn Rimes, Shania Twain, and Patsy Cline.

Rock VIBE - Kansas, Fleetwood Mac, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Aerosmith, The Beatles, Eric Clapton, Jim Croce, Bonnie Tyler, Cat Stevens, Duffy, Linda Ronstadt, Kansas, Hall & Oates, Sheryl Crow, Rod Stewart, Sade, Duffy, Adele, Lifehouse,and Santana .

Basic Requirements

Calendar