FOR THE LATEST SHOW AND TICKET INFORMATION, GO TO:
www.myspace.com/merchantsofmoonshine
OR,
www.merchantsofmoonshine.com
MERCHANTS OF MOONSHINE’S News and Milestones
The Merchants Of Moonshine hit the big screen. Well,
at least their music will. "Taking Charge" is a new
movie due to be released very soon, and the soundtrack
will include the song "Country Love," performed by our
very own Merchants Of Moonshine. Here is the link to
the movie’s page; there is a clip of the song on there
under the credit tab on the website....
http://www.takingchargethemovie.com/home.html"
"COUNTRY LOVE"
WRITTEN BY:CHRIS HANCOCK, NICK RICHETTA
PERFORMED BY: MERCHANTS OF MOONSHINE
COURTESY OF: MERCH MUSIC
According to the L.A. County Fair writers...
"With their uncommon devotion to true, down-home, classic country tunes, and their appreciation for the popularity of modern country line dancing, the Merchants of Moonshine have found a way to please each and every crowd they encounter. This band is turning heads and scootin’ boots at an unbelievable pace. They were born country, raised country, and they are delivering it to the wild west coast. The Merchants are all about entertaining, having a great time, and bringing the crowd into the experience with them."
Writers of the reviews for the Manhatten Beach "Old Hometown Fair" say...
"Merchants of Moonshine Being declared by C & W fans, club owners and radio stations as the future of country music, the Merchants of Moonshine pride themselves on entertainment, having a great time, and bringing the audience into the experience with them."
Merchants of Moonshine
"Meeting all of your country music needs...."
A high energy country band that’s great for "line dancing, two steppin and just plain gettin the crowd a movin"
Chris Brown "Texas"
--Lead and Backup Vocals, Acoustic Guitar.
-- "Chriss musical career was first recognized at the age of about five. He would spend endless hours jumping up and down on his bed while singing every word to the songs Funky Town and Rapture from his favorite vinyl 45s. After the Fisher Price record player broke, he started picking up instrumentspretty much anything he could beat on that would make a noise, or anything he saw his uncle Danny playing. By the time he finished middle school, saxophone became the instrument of choice. He became Texas All-State saxophonist by his senior year and then it was off to University of North Texas, where he majored in music education. At UNT, he studied under James Riggs and Eric Nestler. Upon graduation, he left Dallas for Los Angeles, the city where all musicians and actors feel they need to go. Playing saxophone in Capital Pusher, an all-original funk band, Chris met the other Chris, from Ohio, and the country inspiration set in. They would fill in the gaps of this six year funk project with cowboy songs they remember always being a part of their Southern/Midwestern lives. Eventually country consumed the boys and out came the Merchants of Moonshine."
Chris Hancock "Ohio"
--Lead and Backup Vocals, Acoustic Guitar.
-- CHRIS HANCOCK, BEING A LITTLE SLOW THESE DAYS, (THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GET MARRIED) WAS RECENTLY ASKED FOR HIS BIO, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE ABOUT HIM, BUT HE SIMPLY REPLIED, "MY DOG ATE IT."
Melissa Bernadt "The Burn"
--Vocals and Mandolin.
--"Melissa Bernadt grew up working on her familys 333 acre farm just outside of Steinauer, Nebraska. Her love of music started at a very early age. She cannot recall a time when she wasnt singing. At the age of six she began exploring the piano, progressing to coronet, and finally settling on the french horn. Over the next several years, Melissas desire to learn more about music only grew and led her to Doane College where the french horn finally lost out to vocal music. In college, she studied opera, musical theatre, art songs, and jazz. She had not even finished her music degree when her country roots came calling and Melissa began writing songs. After college she continued to perform music on the stages in Lincoln, NE playing many characters of beloved musicals. Yet, she continued writing music. The hunger to share her own music lifted her from the theatre, and eventually set her down in California. Circumstance and a chance meeting landed Melissa as a member of the Merchants of Moonshine."
Anthony King "King"
--Electric and Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin.
-- "Anthony King first picked up the guitar at age 14 having been strongly influenced by rock and classic rock radio. Taught by a wonderful and caring man named Doug Burris, Anthony’s musical eyes, ears and mind were expanded to new horizons. During college, first at Miami Dade Community College and subsequently the University of Miami Jazz Program, Anthony was introduced to Jazz and Jazz-Fusion, while dabbling in country styles. Enchanted by the sound of Jazz he studied the vocabulary of this music intensely. His influences grew to include Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery and Pat Metheny. Upon joining MoM, his vocabulary expanded when he was forced by Nick, Chris, and Chris to learn a vast cross-section of country classics and standards. Anthony is a strong contributor to any musical project not only as a guitarist but as an arranger/producer as well. With five independent releases under his belt since moving to LA, Anthony is no stranger to the recording studio."
Dale Jennings "Bass Man"
--Electric and Upright Bass.
-- "In 1983, after hearing Charles Mingus, Dale bought an upright bass and studied with a member of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Dales wide range of influences brought him work gigging and recording for over 20 years in diverse styles such as funk, punk, pop, country, African, jazz, Irish folk, and blues. Dale also spent time studying with Don Mayberry (Aretha Franklin, Cab Calloway) and Johnny Allen (an arranger from Motown Records).
Unbeknownst to many, Detroit is home to a thriving blues scene, and Dale played with many of the best the local scene had to offer, as well as backing traveling artists, including: Lazy Lester, Alberta Adams, Rufus Thomas, Hubert Sumlin, Lonnie Shields, Sam Carr, Greg fingers Taylor, Doug Deming, and Big Dave and the Ultrasonics. Dale spent two years touring with Big Dave and appeared on their self-titled CD on Burnside Records, released in 2000, produced by Ron Levy.
Dale moved to L.A. in 2002 and has been working ever since. Live and in the studio with the Rick Holmstrom Band (featuring John Medeski), Dale brings all of his experience from years in the trenches to the fore. Dale currently records and tours with the L.A. funk band, Orgone, and with the hip/hop/pop band, Plantlife. Whether its raw, hypnotic, groovin to the bone electric funkor dreamy, psychedelic, howd-he-get-that-out-of-a-bass soundsor Willie Dixon meets Charles Mingus upright acoustic tonesDales in-the-pocket groove continues to astound. This monster musician was introduced to the Merchants of Moonshine through a mutual musician friend, Kevin Stevens, shortly after the inception of the band. The resulting chemistry can only be explained by attending MoMs live show!"
Paul Van de Riet "Good Call"
--Keeper of the Beat. Drums.
-- "Paul Van de Riet, originally from St. Louis, Missouri, grew up playing Beatles songs on a bed and some pillows with his brother Dave until his parents realized Paul was obsessed with drumming and signed him up for some lessons. He studied drums for several years before becoming interested in classical percussion and piano in college, eventually becoming Principal Timpanist for the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra and also Guest Artist with the nationally acclaimed St. Louis Brass Band. In 2002, Paul decided to focus on drumset again and moved to Los Angeles to attend the LA Music Academy, studying under Ralph Humphrey and Joe Porcaro, and most recently with Steve Ferrone. After playing mostly rock, big band, and Brazilian gigs around LA, he began playing country, opening up for Clint Black and Neal McCoy, leading him to meet the Merchants of Moonshine."
