Biography
All it takes for a popular regional act to be catapulted into the national spotlight is one special song. Suddenly hometown heroes find themselves climbing the charts and enjoying that first brush of stardom. That is exactly what's happening to RIVERBILLY, a talented band of Arkansas musicians who have rapidly become one of the most talked about new acts in country music today.
The catalyst for the group's current success is their country debut single "Just The Way We Do It," which became one of the fastest rising singles of 2007 on the Music Row Charts for an independent artist, reaching the top 70, a rare feat for a debut release from a independent band. It takes talent, hard work, an entertaining show and an arsenal of solid material to build a career. RIVERBILLY has those things in abundance, while at the same time, gaining national exposure along the journey.
Collectively, RIVERBILLY encompasses a variety of musical influences including Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban, Montgomery Gentry, Eagles, Train, Journey, and many more. Each member of the band grew up absorbing a rather diverse musical diet (country, rock, pop, rap and Christian) and those varied influences have helped shape the full-bodied, countrified pop rock sound that defines RIVERBILLY’s musical persona.
Like all young bands RIVERBILLY practiced, changed members, performed and dreamed of stardom. However in 2007, they got their first taste of that dream becoming a reality when they performed at the Oregon Jamboree, the annual concert held in Sweet Home, Oregon each year by a variety of country headliners. When they took the stage in front of more than 15,000 screaming fans, they were surprised and elated to see people standing clapping and cheering the entire sixty-minute performance in front of Dierks Bentley. Immediately after their performance the band signed autographs for more than two hours for hundreds of new fan’s.
“It is a show that we all will never forget”, claims drummer Brad Rickett. "I always knew we wanted to do this," he says of pursuing a music career. "We dreamed about it, but that was one of the defining moments”. That show will never be forgotten.
We've played some big shows. We've played with a lot of big people. When you actually get up there and get a taste of it, it tastes GOOD!” “Everyone in the band is addicted”.
"There are five guys in the band and we like to give everybody different things to look at," says Travis. "Everybody has their own little thing and everybody is very good at what they do. And as opposed to having one focal point, we have multiple. There are a lot of different things going on during our show. When we get up there, we like to really give people something for their money. “We connect with everyone, all ages, there is something in our show for everyone”, according to Steve Leopard. “I would say that no other new band in country music can entertain as we do when we hit the stage” It’s not like they are just listening a CD, they are getting the whole package."
Seeing that whole package has earned the band an enthusiastic legion of fans across the country. In addition to headlining their own shows, the guys have been touring and playing dates coast to coast with Dierks Bentley, Trent Tomlinson, The Wreckers, Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, and many others, while continuing to build their ever-growing fan base. Working without a record label as their own independent label in Little Rock, Arkansas, the band put together a potent collection of songs defined by the inimitable RIVERBILLY sound and immediately took their high-octane show on the road. The guys take pride in the fact that there's no one else that sounds quite like they do when they get together. It's a unique sound from down here in Arkansas that they call countrified, and that is “Just The Way We Do It” down here in Arkansas, claims Keyboardist Steve Leopard.
It also comes from years of friendship, camaraderie, chemistry and a shared musical vision. When one spends any amount of time around these guys from Arkansas, their respect for each other and their friendship is obvious. Whether on and off the stage these guys are as genuine and real as they can be. “We still have day jobs, and we have not turned our notice yet, it’s written, all is needed is a signature on the dotted line”
Currently RIVERBILLY is in the studio recording on their debut album and their follow up single THAT LITTLE VOICE hits country radio on February 14, 2009.To quote guitarist front man Travis Caudell “Just when you think it can’t get any better for us guys from down on the Arkansas River, something happens and just surprises us, and we take it to another level.
Talent, drive and a great sense of humor-country music fans are connecting to those qualities and so much more with RIVERBILLY. Like the image their name evokes, these guys all grew up in Arkansas and lived on the river, hence their name RIVERBILLY. Their music reflects the hopes, challenges and dreams of everyone out there, while at the same time not forgetting where you came from and how you live. "The reason we want to do this is the simple love of music and entertaining the fans. If we are all able one day to make a living doing this then great, whether we are playing an arena, festival, fair or club, we give it 110% every night we hit the stage and the lights go out. That’s when you know that you have been countrified.
Instrumentation
Travis Caudell-Lead Vocals/Guitar
Brad Rickett-Drummer
Steve Leopard-Keyboards
Charlie Barnes-Bass Guitar
Marc Matoska-Steel/Dobro
Discography
JUST THE WAY WE DO IT
THAT LITTLE VOICE
Links
| http://www.riverbilly.com |