Festival of the Bells welcomes John King, Chase Bryant, RaeLynn and After Midnight

By Caitlin Ryan
The Highland County Press

On behalf of the Festival of the Bells committee, entertainment chairman Rick Williams has announced this year’s lineup of new talent to headline the 2015 festival, set for July 2-4 in uptown Hillsboro.
   
Performing this year are After Midnight, John King, RaeLynn and Chase Bryant.
   
After Midnight, a Cincinnati-based band, will kick off Friday night’s entertainment at 6:30 p.m. King will follow at 9 p.m. On Saturday, RaeLynn will be performing at 7 p.m., with headliner Chase Bryant taking the stage at 9 p.m.

“We’re really happy with everybody coming,” Williams said. “All three country music artists this year are very young. We’re seeing a lot of very young talent.”

Festival of the Bells committee president Michael Bradford agreed, saying the talent lineup this year is “exciting.”
   
“I think we have a wide range of entertainment planned for this year,” Bradford said. “This is the 31st year for the festival, and the festival committee is committed to making another wonderful event in uptown Hillsboro. We’ve got some new challenges this year and things we have to overcome, but we’re determined to put on a great festival.”

JOHN KING
   
“In a musical landscape filled with overnight YouTube sensations and people being famous for being famous, there is something very refreshing and trustworthy about an artist who counts by the number of miles on his tires, rather than the number of ‘likes’ to keep him in the game,” according to King’s website, www.johnkingcountry.com.

Country music fans will recognize King for his catchy Top 40 debut single, “Tonight Tonight,” which was released to favorable reviews. Williams said his next single will be released in the next few weeks.
   
A native of “a little mountain town in Georgia,” King began working in masonry from his early teenage years, then learned to play guitar, write music and later, sing.

“My voice was country,” King said on his website. “I grew up country, I talked country and I started to write about country things.”
   
King earned a music degree from the University of Georgia before signing a deal with a record company or a booking agent, and began learning the ropes of the music business.

“His dedication and tenacity paid off in opening slots for nationally recognized, award-winning artists, a feat that is virtually unheard of without a booking agent,” said his website.

King has signed a record deal with Black River Entertainment and is currently recording his debut album, according to his website. He can be seen touring across the USA this winter.

CHASE BRYANT
   
“Chase Bryant’s heritage is defined by music,” writes his website, chasebryant.com. “His upbringing, his craft, his inspiration and his obsessions are all centered in the same – which is good – because there’s no other way to explain how a 22-year-old Texan could already be a top-flight guitar player, head-turning songwriter, Red Bow recording artist and co-producer of his debut album.”
   
Despite growing up in a small town in Texas, Bryant was raised in a musical family.

According to his website, Bryant’s grandfather was a musician who toured with Ray Orbison and Waylon Jennings, and his uncles were founding members of the popular ‘90s band Ricochet.
   
“From the time I was a kid, the only thing I wanted to do was play music,” Bryant said on his website.

Bryant taught himself to produce tracks and was able to co-produce his debut record, released in November. The LP includes the hit “Take It On Back,” which is currently listed in the top 12 on the Billboard country chart and still rising, according to Billboard.com.

Bryant announced on his website this week that he will be headlining his “Take It On Back Tour,” starting Jan. 30, before joining Tim McGraw’s Shotgun Rider Tour this summer. Bryant was also named one of “The Best Things We Saw at CMA Music Fest 2014” by Rolling Stone, according to his website.

Williams said he saw Bryant perform last fall and that he puts on a great show. Another fun fact about Bryant is that his road manager attended the Festival of the Bells in 2005.

“His road manager has been to Hillsboro before with Josh Gracin,” Williams said.

AFTER MIDNIGHT
   
Cincinnati-based band After Midnight will be performing a two-hour show featuring a variety of 1970s rock music, Williams said.
   
“We’ve been getting some requests for some rock ’n’ roll type music,” Bradford said.
   
“After Midnight brings all the fabulous ‘70s flavors: the bombast of Kiss and Foghat, the musicianship of Led Zeppelin and Van Halen, the glorious dance grooves of KC & the Sunshine Band and the Bee Gees and so very much more,” said the band’s website, rockinaftermidnight.com.
   
Comprised of keyboardist/vocalist Alan Cyr, drummer David “Mastermind” Masters, lead vocalist Erick Daniels, bass player/vocalist Charlie Grau and guitarist/vocalist Brian Gilliam, After Midnight sings a wide variety of musical selections from the ‘70s. Their set list includes hits from Queen, Alice Cooper, Journey, Chicago, The Who and even Elvis Presley.

“The five music industry veterans have shared the stage with such artists as Kansas, Eddie Money and Confederate Railroad, and have even done a stint as Tommy Tutone’s band,” according to their website. “Not only can they deliver note-perfect renditions of everybody’s favorite songs, they also know how to serve it up with a fun-loving party attitude.”

Williams said that he has watched the band perform and “really likes” their music.
   
“If you like ‘70s music, they’re very good,” Williams said.

RAELYNN
   
“The Voice” Season Two contestant RaeLynn will showcase her singing and songwriting skills on Saturday night.
   
According to RaeLynn’s Facebook, she was raised in Baytown, Texas in an “extremely talented, musical family” where she performed regularly in church. She moved to Nashville at age 17 to pursue a country music career.
   
After being urged to audition, RaeLynn was selected by country music superstar (and former Festival of the Bells performer) Blake Shelton to be a part of his team on “The Voice.”

“He has mentored me and taught me so much about my craft,” RaeLynn said in her biography. “I felt so blessed to be on that show because it built a relationship that has forever changed my life.”

Williams said that RaeLynn continues to be coached by Blake Shelton and his wife and fellow country music star Miranda Lambert.
   
RaeLynn said that after “The Voice,” she “began writing nonstop” and signed a record deal and publishing deal.
   
This January, RaeLynn released her debut EP, “Me.” The album includes her hit “God Made Girls,” which is currently listed in seventh place on the Billboard Country Airplay chart.

RaeLynn can also be heard singing background vocals on Shelton’s smash hit from 2013, “Boys ‘Round Here.” She can be seen this winter performing alongside Justin Moore and
Lambert on Lambert’s “Certified Platinum” tour.

The 2015 Festival of the Bells will be July 2-4 in uptown Hillsboro.
   
In addition to great music, the annual event includes food, rides, arts and crafts, games and family fun for everyone. There is no admission charge.
   
“I’d like to thank the Festival Committee members for all their help and support during each year’s event and appreciate our corporate sponsors,” Bradford said. “I hope everyone will come out and see us.”
   
For more information, go to www.festivalofthebells.com or:
http://johnkingcountry.com
http://chasebryant.com
http://rockinaftermidnight.com
http://raelynnofficial.net.