Halfway to Hazard
The gently rolling hills of Eastern Kentucky are rich with musical history: the traditions of songwriting & music making are centuries old & have been passed down from generation to generation. Many of the ancestors of today's mountain people came to America with barely the clothes on their backs; but very often there was one prized possession nestled among those sparse belongings, a cherished mandolin, a beat up guitar or banjo. To the people who had so little, music meant so much.MUSIC IS LIFE in this slice of rural Appalachia. When you don't have a lot of entertainment options available, you are forced to make your own fun. While teenagers in urban cities take things like weekly movies and trips to the mall for granted. Outings like that can be rare treats for kids in the mountains. This is something that David Tolliver and Chad Warrix of Halfway to Hazard are, now in hindsight, very thankful for."I grew up riding atvs and dirtbikes, tearing up those winding mountain-roads, camping out with friends, & playing music, those are things I wouldn't trade for the world. I think my upbringing inspired me to be creative. Warrix says.Tolliver concurs, adding "we really appreciated the little things, going to Hazard to see a movie on a Friday night was a big deal! The Hazard he's referring to is the county seat of Perry Co, KY, and it was a bustling metropolis compared to the small towns of Jackson & Hindman where Warrix and Tolliver were raised respectively. In fact, the very words "Halfway to Hazard" were the first ever penned by the duo & inspired not only their name but are symbolic of the musical journey their lives have taken; the journey from tiny rural towns hidden in the mountains to huge arenas filled with thousands of screaming fans. It is a journey that is as much emotional as is it is physical. Warrix relates that "someone once asked my sister how far Jackson was from New York City; and she paused, then said, about a million miles! Well, in some ways, that is true. That's what I love about music, it bridges the gaps between people in so many ways and can even make distances seem closer. Tolliver says "music is so evocative; how many times does a particular song remind you of a special place or event?" Halfway to Hazard, to hear them tell it, is more than a title, it's a state of mind.In the seventies, some of the their musical predecessors (and influences) like the Eagles & Lynyrd Skynyrd made questions like "are they rock or are they country" seem irrelevant. Music, great music crosses boundaries with ease and in doing so brings people together. What H2H is not is as important as what they ARE. They are NOT formulaic, they are not the product of some Music Row marketing machine this IS the real deal, folks, this is music! And music, thankfully is back!Both Warrix & Tolliver came from musical families, and while in David's case that led him to develop a taste for classic country, Chad on the other hand, embracedhis inner rock star fronting an edgy alternative band called Sodium. The two had always been friends but started writing songs & singing together in Nashville after Sodium disbanded. Playing out together in Nashville clubs soon started a buzz around them that ultimately attracted the attention of producer Byron Gallimore & country superstar Tim McGraw; who, sensing the potential of the two, steered them into the studio. With those two powerful engines driving the H2H train, the KY boys were on their way. In 2007, they released their self-titled album & opened for Tim McGraw & Faith Hill on the Soul to Soul II Tour (the highest-grossing tour of the year)-- not too bad for a first run out of the starting gate! 2008 was another rocking success for H2H as they again opened for their self-proclaimed biggest "fan" Tim McGraw along with fellow newcomer Jason Aldean.Other highlights of 2008 included: nomination in the Academy of Country music's coveted Best Duo of the Year category and several NFL national anthem pre-game appearances. And of course, singing the national anthem at Rupp Arena for their beloved UK Wildcats. Warrix fondly recalls the concerts he attended at the arena as a teen; dragging his dad to see eighties heavy metal bands like Def Leppard, Kiss & Bon Jovi, so to actually perform onstage at Rupp was the culmination of a lifelong dream. The first Annual Halfway to Hazard Charity Trail Ride and Concert in Sept 2008 was another high point for H2H because it allowed them to give something back to the region that means so much to the both of them. The event raised over 0,000 for the Buckhorn Children's Center and Family Services and helped secure the East KY Leadership award for the pair.Commercially, the single "Daisy" to date has been the group's biggest success. In fact, not only did it chart respectably on the Billboard charts. It also scored high praise from critics and fans alike. "Daisy" struck such a cord with fans that it spawned it's own grassroots fan club, who call themselves "Dukes and Daisies" and travel sometimes hundreds of miles to see their favorite band. "Daisy" was also selected by iTunes as the download of the week. Opening the band up to an entirely different demographic.Now back in the studio further refining that particular H2H synergy, a multi-textured sound that pays as much homage to George Thourougood as to George Jones; H2H is again prompting listeners to ask, is it rock? Is it country? Does it matter? Shhhh... Just listen...Listen as the opening words of "Come on Time" draw you into a world a part. A world where lonesome is your best friend, because it's the only one you've got... "Who do I know in Phoenix I can call..." he says... searching both the landscape of his mind and the desert stretching before him for someone, anyone, who cares... The loneliness is so real and so raw that the imagery stays in your mind long after the song has ended. Listen to the seductive melody of "Slow it Down" as it weaves it's hypnotic spell. Check out "I Know Where Heaven Is" and you realize you DO know where Heaven is, it's all right there in the song. An upbeat ode to the joys of a life filled with love, family & friends. Listen as Bar Flu makes you laugh out loud (just so you know they don't take themselves that seriously!) Listen with your ears, your heart and your soul; H2H is music there to feed the senses. Halfway to Hazard may be a million miles away from anywhere else, but it's a trip worth taking.
at Buster's Billiards and Backroom
899 Manchester Street
Lexington, United States
Orignal From: Halfway to Hazard
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