Back In The Saddle
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Back In The Saddle

Band Country Funk

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Music

The best kept secret in music

Press


"Saddle Soars!"

Tunes with a country twist is giving music lovers, two steppers and line dancers a great chance to do their thing in the River Bend. The foursome Back In The Saddle, an award winning country band, is back together.

Brothers Carl and Jim Mager, Jim's son, Jeremiah, and Adam Ward are bringing their combined knowledge of the many instruments required to play this style of music together. The band is sticking with kin, except for Ward, who is their brand new drummer.

"We kind of keep it in the family", Carl Mager said. "Sometimes it breaks it up, but we hash it out and keep together. It makes it a little bit easier."

Country music is something the Mager brothers have played most of their lives. Their father, Jim Mager Sr., raised his family in the Illinois countryside where there was plenty of country music, Carl Mager said.

"We were into the cowboy things," Carl said. "Jim and I were raised in Calhoun County. My father played country music and we joined with him. We hunted and fished, and I still do." Then he added, "My brother Jim is still interested in horses."

The brothers come with plenty of experience. As lead guitarist, Carl Mager has been playing music for 36 years. Not only does he play the guitar, but he also plays the five-string banjo. "If you think it's right, there is nothing like it," he said about a good performance.

Carl is employed with Lewis and Clark Community College in the maintenance department in Godfrey, but has found his weekend music opportunities playing with rock 'n' roll bands including the Salson Band, County Band, Tantrum, Kiss and Tell out of Springfield and No Respect from Alton, which featured blues and classic rock. He was on the road with a band called Just Mr., and he played a lot of KSHE-FM 94.7 radio parties.

Jim Mager, the older of the two, has played music for 40 years. He is employed during the day by Beall Manufacturing in East Alton, and teaches a class or two at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. He learned keyboard at age 12. He plays rhythm guitar, dobro, harmonica, mandolin and sings lead and back up. He admitted that he really did not have a lot to do with Carl's musical education and that Carl just learned and picked up the music and instruments on his own. Jim admits he loves traditional county and learned a lot from his father.

"He and I played in my dad's band called Jack and Jim's," he said, "back in the 1970's".

Jim said he loves playing music with his son because it gives them time together doing something they love to do. "It keeps that relationship alive."

Not only does Jim Mager play country, but he has a keen interest in bluegrass as well.

"I like bluegrass. It is very traditional and has a lot of roots," he said. "It uses acoustic instruments and has an honesty about it".

The youngest Mager, Jeremiah, 27, plays the bass for the group and is employed with Boeing in St. Louis as an industrial engineer. He admits that one of the most memorable times he has had playing music with his father and uncle was when his Uncle Carl got married.

"My dad, grandpa, uncle Carl and I all got up together and played music for the people at my uncle's wedding," he said.

Adam Ward, 24, of Edwardsville is the newest member of Back In The Saddle. He works as a certified public accountant during the day. Ward plays drums for the Harvest Ministry Team at First Baptist Church in Bethalto and has played with some local college bands.

"I was a little nervous, but you just learn the songs," he said. He said there is a difference between Christian rock music and the country tunes he has learned the past few weeks.

The band plays contemporary country, classic country, including the music of Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, the Eagles, Don Henley, Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top.

The band was featured on KSDK News Channel 5's "Show Me St. Louis" in 2000 when they opened for Jerry Reed at the amphitheater in Grafton. They won first place at the Jimmy Dean Show Down and placed at the Illinois State Fair. They have been the River Bend Growth Association's "Band of the Year" and were also Official Band of the River Bend National Rodeo. Back n the Saddle also has a self-titled CD.

The Mager Brothers also have a bluegrass band called Misty Ridge. "Carl likes the country music with full electrical instrumentation and I like the acoustics of bluegrass, Jim Mager said. " He helps me and I help him."

To learn more about the band, go to their website at www.backinthesaddleband.net. They will be playing at the Alton-Wood River Sportsman's Club in Godfrey on March 17. - 24 Seven - Alton Telegraph


Discography

Back In The Saddle - Relased 1998

Songs were featured on Local, National and International country stations. They also appeared on local TV Stations including "Show Me St. Louis".

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

In the early 90’s, brothers Carl and Jim Mager decided to form a country/southern rock band. Joined by Jim’s son Jeremiah and friend Joe Smith, they started playing on a regular basis. Working their day jobs and playing any place they could locally in the evenings, the boys in the band used what limited spare time they had to compose and write original music and practice their unique style of harmony. In 1998 they released their debut CD “Back In The Saddle”. The CD received a favorable response from fans, press, tv and radio. The band excelled and gigs kept on coming.

After winning the local Jimmy Dean Country Showdown sponsored by Litchfield, Il country station WSMI, they traveled to Springfield, IL for the state competition and finished 3rd. Since then they have appeared on “Show Me St. Louis” and were voted “Band of the Year” for 3 consecutive years by the River Bend Growth Association and opened for many nationally known artist.

Still playing all of the classic country songs, the group began taking the genre in new directions and reaching out to a diverse fan base, many of whom had never before listened to country music. They wanted to attract a youth market for their music. Their style had been previously characterized by older audiences. With their vibrant stage energy, and performances of additional genres of music, they began to draw in younger audiences while keeping their older, more mature fans. Their performances began attracting fans of all ages and continues to do so today.

In January 2006, the guys decided it was time to give up the “bar band” performances and move on to a different type of venue. They began to pursue larger venues and events. There was also another change taking place. After 13 years with the band, Joe Smith decided to pursue other things outside of music and left the band. He was replaced by Michael Edwards who brings with him many years of musical experience.

Since coming together, Back In The Saddle has opened for many Nationally known acts and have performed at corporate parties, radio listener parties, weddings, anniversaries, colleges, fairs and festivals.