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National recording artists Casting Pearls are an independent pop rock band based in Lincoln, NE that has been on the regional and national tour circuit for over five years. Casting Pearls’ recent self-titled release, produced by Grammy-winning producers Jason Burkum and Nathan Dantzler, has moved over 40,000 copies of the record independently. From their self-titled release, Casting Pearls boasted two radio hits; “Weighted” in the Top 15 of the R&R Rock charts and “Alright”, which remained in the Top 30 of the R&R CHR charts for over four months. Currently, Casting Pearls is working on their next national release, which is slated to release with Nashville-based INO Records in September 2008. The Nebraska-based band has been fortunate enough to spread it’s international touring presence to Germany, Switzerland, Canada and Mexico. The band’s tour schedule over the past three years has been largely consumed with a high school assembly program they started in 2006 called The 180 Tour, which features Casting Pearls’ music and the story of Columbine tragedy survivor, Crystal Miller. On The 180 Tour, Casting Pearls has performed over 200 events in the last year and been in front of over 80,000 students nationwide. Casting Pearls remains committed to encouraging students in their character and decision making, and that who they are today is what matters most.


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When modern rock trio Casting Pearls formed in Nebraska, it subscribed to a philosophy all its own. Instead of trying to force its way down unnatural avenues and peddle demos to major labels like most bands, the members of Casting Pearls just let it happen naturally, contributing remarkable work ethic, musical prowess and some of the most hook-heavy songs to hit the radar recently.
But long before label interest began brewing, singer/guitarist Bryan Olesen and bassist Case Maranville were slugging it out on the local scene, first as members of alt-rockers Helpless Speech and then as Casting Pearls come that Helpless Speech’s demise. Throughout the early 2000s, the duo rotated through multiple drummers and played anywhere they could, earning a following of youth group teens, college students and club goers. Following that grassroots build, Casting Pearls participated in various band tournaments and attracted the attention of record label heads judging the final rounds.
After debuting with an independent EP in 2002 called Rock, the guys remained on the road tirelessly, generating a buzz due to the band’s explosive stage show. Later that year, Casting Pearls was cemented with drummer Scott Rutz’s arrival, and he clicked perfectly with the guy’s musical and life pursuits.

“That’s when the ball started rolling, and we could feel a calling to make the decision to take this to the next level,” says Olesen. “The three of us matched not only in skill level, but in areas of our personalities and passions. We found this new determination to carry on and get our music out there, with or without a label,” he says.
Casting Pearls self-titled rock CD is loaded with monstrous riffs, bountiful melodies, frenetic percussion and relatable lyrics. The 10 tunes are sure to resonate with Casting Pearls’ existing fan base and will certainly strike a chord with new listeners.

The production front included the Grammy Award-winning team of Jason Burkum and Nathan Dantzler (Audio Adrenaline, Tree 63, Kids In The Way) along with guest vocalist Phil Joel (newsboys) on “Alright” and “Wastin’ Time.” Fellow Grammy winner Mark Heimmerman (dc talk) also teams with the band for co-writing credit on “All About Love” and “Close Your Eyes.”

Such all-encompassing chemistry has already sent Casting Pearl’s lead single “Weighted” up the national Radio & Records (R&R) charts. “Alright,” Casting Pearls current single, has climbed to the Top 15 of the R&R charts.

“Casting Pearls is, at its core, a group of guys who write good songs around diverse music, and we don’t want to be pigeonholed into a certain style,” Olesen offers. “There’s a lot of variety on this record,” he continues, “from some really rockin’ songs to those with more of an acoustic flair.”

But even with such a cross section of influences and appeal, Casting Pearls’ bottom line goal, they all agree, is to connect with its audience at the deepest spiritual level. The song lyrics have been inspired by personal experience and touch on the joys, challenges and growth one can experience.