The Texaco Country Showdown National Finals are coming. KHTS AM 1220-sponsored country music artists have been making waves in this countrywide music competition.
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Suzanne Harper, KHTS’ 2013 Texaco contestant won the Western Regional Final in Florence, Ore. on Saturday, Nov. 9
Related article: Texaco Country Showdown Finalist Talks About Music, Competition
KHTS’ 2012 contestant Poor Man’s Poison showed early promise and then went on to win the $100,000 grand prize and the title “Best New Act in Country Music” at the National Final in Nashville, Tenn.
Poor Man’s Poison consists of band members Ryan Hakker, Dustin Medeiros, Mike Jacobs and Tommy McCarthy.
They were already making headlines before Texaco. In 2012, they were “the first non labeled band to ever sell out the historic Hanford Fox Theater,” according to the Texaco Country Showdown website.
Since their Texaco win, these four friends have traveled across California on tour. For the remainder of the year, they are scheduled to perform with Suzanne Harper at the Public House in Temecula, at the Historic Hemet Theater in Hemet and at the Tachi Palace in Lemoore.
They also have released three CDs. Their first, “Poor Man’s Poison,” came out in 2009; the second, “Friends with the Enemy,” came out in 2011; and the third “Live at the Fox,” came out in 2012.
In a previous interview, Poor Man’s Poison said they had never considered themselves country musicians before.
They have all played in bands with different genres and “just kind of played and wrote, and whatever came out, came out,” said the band.
Related Article: Poor Man’s Poison Of The Texaco Country Showdown Returns To The SCV
“They play acoustic music on traditional bluegrass instruments but this is far from traditional sounding,” said Music Critic Chris Schmid, according to the Texaco site. “You get all kinds of influences from folk to reggae in their style.”
KHTS has sponsored local aspiring country artists for two years in a row. Both have been successful, with Poor Man’s Poison taking the National title and Harper taking the Regional title.
Harper will compete in January’s National Final at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.
To learn more about Poor Man’s Poison, their upcoming performances or how to purchase their CDs, click here.
More information about the Texaco Country Showdown can be found here.
Texaco Country Showdown 2012
Texaco Country Showdown 2013
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