By JESSICA A. BOTELHO

“Play an instrument.”

That’s Lisa Guyer’s top tip for aspiring singers, especially females.  But, it’s one of many pieces of advice the singer/songwriter plans to teach students of both genders aged 13 to 18 during her five-day music program, the Lisa Guyer’s Music Empowerment Program, which runs June 25th through the 29th at Wilton-Lyndeborough High School, located at 57 School Road in Wilton, New Hampshire.

“With all the experience I have from being out on the road learning things the hard way, I feel like I can give them the opportunity to learn about what it’s like being on stage,” says Guyer, 48, who has been performing professionally for 31 years. “We’re going to have a blast. No one’s going to be wrong unless they don’t try.”

The goal of the program, Guyer says, is to help young performers find what she and her team of three instructors call the “golden nugget,” or “it factor.” In other words, Guyer, along with Heidi Pauer, a teacher in the New Hampshire school system and also a member of Guyer’s staff of mentors, wrote the program to encourage students to forget their inhibitions and bring out their inner artists.

“Do I think you can teach ‘it factor?’ No, but I think we’re all born with a light inside us that needs to be polished and honed,” she said. “I’m going to try to help them shine.”

Guyer and Pauer, as well as Kim Riley, a fellow musician, and Linda Erb, a local teacher, will teach approximately 60 students collaboratively, as well as break them down into four groups of 12 to 15 from time to time, to guide them through various topics.

Subjects include movement, in which mentors will show students how to share the focus between playing music, feeling music and letting music “free your body;” thinking outside the box, a session designed to teach the art of improvisation as it relates to live performances; jigsaw symphony, a topic in which collaboration is the main objective, and blind inspiration, a workshop that promises to draw on the senses.

Further, Guyer intends to have a one-on-one with each student on the first day.

“It’s not going to be children sitting in class with a piece of paper and a pencil-that’s not going to happen,” she said. “It’s going to be recess all day, but structured. I’m hoping they make new friends and write a new song together.”

For Guyer, not only is it important that students have the ability to perform independently, as she says she makes half her income by playing solo shows, it’s vital that they open their minds to teaming up with other musicians, too.

In fact, after Sully Erna of Godsmack asked her to sing vocals on the song “Hollow,” which appeared on Godsmack’s 2007 release, IV, she recorded and toured with Erna for  his 2010 solo album, Avalon.

“We’ve always had a mutual admiration for each other and we got into this space where he asked me to do the solo thing with him. That became Avalon and I’m very grateful that someone in his position, friend or no friend, was very gracious with me,” she said of Erna, who she has been close with for more than 20 years.  “He gave me lead vocal appearances and back up vocals through the whole thing and for him to put me in the limelight was incredible. He’s a really great guy and a really sweet soul.”

Also, during the Avalon tour, a show at the Wilbur Theater in Boston was filmed for upcoming release. While Guyer didn’t watch the film at the time she was interviewed by Limelight Magazine, she says Erna assured her it is “beautiful,” and she was able to listen to the audio.

“It sounds amazing,” she said.

Aside from being a vocalist, Guyer plays piano and a “little bit of drums.” She’s been performing since she was four and comes from a highly musical family. As a child, she and her family frequently put on vaudevillian shows at senior centers and churches. Whether she was singing, doing comedy acts, or even taking dance classes with 18-year-olds by the time she was seven, she believes the experience helped make her a well-rounded performer.

“It gave me that confidence to do my thing,” says Guyer, who in addition to singing and writing music enjoys interior decorating, photography and gardening.

“I’m always out with Mother Nature,” she says. “It gives me peace.”

Eventually, Guyer hopes to teach her program to adults. For now, she’s focused on making sure she holds a camp every school vacation so she can give advice to aspiring young musicians.

“The industry has changed so much since I was younger and the best thing I can say is practice and work on it,” she says. “Do everything you can to be in school shows and be as diverse as you can. Get out there. Be creative. Put your music up on YouTube. Keep honing your craft. Let no one tell you that you can’t do it.”

To learn more about Lisa Guyer’s Music Empowerment Program or to enroll online, visit lisaguyermusic.com, call 603-554-8602 or email lgmep12@gmail.com.

By JESSICA A. BOTELHO

“We went from being the bar cover band to writing our own songs, getting on local radio stations and then getting heavy rotation statewide,” said Alan Jones, founding member of Fifth Freedom, a hard rock/southern rock band from Portland, Maine.

In fact, they’ve earned airplay on 106.3 The Bone, 95.3 The Edge and 105.1 WTOS The Mountain of Pure Rock and have been featured on sell out shows, including 2009’s Bone Bash and multiple WTOS “School of Rock” shows.

Additionally, they’ve partnered with a group called Conquer Entertainment, an up-and-coming business that’s helping them market their music.

But, the excitement doesn’t stop there. Jones, along with band mates Nicholas Little, Mike Scarpelli and Gary Marston, recently made a website through Kickstarter, the world’s largest funding platform for creative projects, this spring. By late May, they hit their minimum goal of $5,000.

“Thank you to our supporters and fans who helped this dream start to come true,” the band posted on their Facebook page May 25.

Since they were able to raise $5,000, the band will be heading into the studio to record an album with producer Beau Hill, who has produced music for bands such as Fleetwood Mac, Twisted Sister and Ratt, to name a few.

“For us, it’s a once in a lifetime thing,” Jones said. “He happened to come across our music, and just e-mailed our manager and then called me out of nowhere and said, ‘Hey. I really like your sound but your music needs more production behind it.’ He genuinely wants to work with us. We’ve been sitting on this material for years and have more material ready to go.”

Jones, the lead vocalist, who is also one of the band’s two guitarists, formed Fifth Freedom with his younger brother, Dan Robert, in 2003. When Robert left for the Army in 2006, Jones promised he wouldn’t end the band.

“If I stop pursuing the dream he’d kick my ass,” said Jones. “We have these basic freedoms – freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from fear, freedom from hate,-and being in the band is the ultimate freedom. It empowers us. Through members coming and going, girlfriends, wives, ex wives and everything else, we’ve always had this-we’ve always had the band. It’s our outlet. We can say what we want to say and people understand that.”

Yet, there is one more thing that makes the quartet feel empowered.

According to Jones, opening for major-label acts gives them a rush like no other. A personal highlight for him was when they got to open for Adler’s Appetite, which is comprised of members from classic glam rock bands such as Quiet Riot, Faster Pussycat, Enuff Z’Nuff and, of course, Guns N Roses, as former GNR drummer Steven Adler leads the band.

“Guns was the first band that I heard that I was like, ‘Yeah, this is what I want to do,’” said Jones. “They became my heroes, not just a band. Meeting him was like, ‘Whoa,’ let alone sharing the stage with him. He was the most humble person I’ve ever met. It was so refreshing to see that.”

Fifth Freedom has also shared stages with other well-known acts including Godsmack, Theory of a Deadman, Sevendust, Alter Bridge, Empathetic, Shinedown, Puddle of Mudd, among others.

To learn more about the band, as well as tour information, visit them on Facebook at facebook.com/FifthFreedom or on Reverbnation at reverbnation.com/fifthfreedom.

By JESSICA A. BOTELHO

Combining elements of indie, Brit and alternative rock, Satellites Fall are new to the local music scene but have already made a name for themselves.

In fact, they were semi-finalists in this year’s 95.5 WBRU Rock Hunt, and were named rocksposure.com’s, “Artist of the Month,” for February 2012.

Also, Valentine’s Day brought along their debut release, “Lines on the Road,” a five-track EP under the label Midday Records. It can be downloaded for free for a limited time at satellitesfall.bandcamp.com.

According to vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist, Mark Charron, their first experience in the studio transformed their sound.

“We were a straight guitar band but when we got into the studio and started analyzing, it turned out that we could put more keys, piano and strings in,” he said. “We put a lot of layers in there and it sounded more full and much more interesting. We tried to shake things up a bit.”

To lay down tracks, the band contacted their fellow musician buddy and Berklee College of Music graduate, Dave Newman, who owns a studio in his home just outside of Boston. Newman didn’t produce the album, yet Charron said he encouraged them to tackle new approaches and contributed to their overall development in a major way.

“He was a pretty big influence and is very good at layers, loops and things of that nature,” said Charron. “He really challenged us and that’s what we really took from the sessions.”

While one of the songs on the EP has a solemn tone, others are more jovial. Charron said Snow Patrol, Radiohead, and U2 are among core influences.

“Some songs are happier than others, but our lyrics have a lot to do with personal strife and self reflection,” he said. “There are some songs on there that are about relationships between people and to God.”

Of the songs on the EP, Charron has two favorites. He said “Sundial” is the most personal for him, as it offers listeners an introspective vibe.  He also called “Servitude” one of the best of the bunch.

“I love singing it,” he said.

Initially, he and guitarist Davey Moore handled most of the writing. Now, it’s more collaborative, with drummer Luke Riskalla and guitarist Brian Bardsley adding their input.

The music first took shape in 2000 when Charron and Moore were studying at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Previous to forming, Moore was the drummer for hardcore band Fall From Grace

“They were very popular,” Charron said. “Staind opened for them.”

By 2002, Moore and Charron began recording on four track recorders and other “make-shift equipment.  Soon after, they graduated and pursued full-time careers.

However, they found old tapes they recorded about five years later and decided to rework and fine-tune their material.

“We started getting together and writing more music,” Charron said. “Eventually, we invested in real equipment and kept moving forward with it.”

At this point, they have a catalog of at least 50 songs. They plan on revisiting the studio to lay down more tracks and release a second album within a year.

“We’ve literally said, ‘we can’t write any more music right now,’” Charron said. “It’s time to get back into recording.”

Moreover, they are looking for a bassist. Currently, they fill in the rhythm section through the help of keyboards, as well as technology, including sounds they contrive via a laptop.

For now, they are pleased with their newfound sound. They feel their album, as well as their band name, echo their lucid tone.

“Our sound is very light and we think our name speaks to that,” Charron said.

To contact the band or learn more about them, visit their website at satellitesfall.com or find them on Facebook at facebook.com/SatellitesFall.

By JESSICA A. BOTELHO

After more than a two-and-a-half year hiatus, Americana Roots ensemble, The Mystix, will be kicking off a 10-show national tour this Thursday (May 17) evening at the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center (The Z) for a three-hour show beginning at 7:30 p.m.

With a lineup of accomplished musicians and a catalog of catchy songs that pay tribute to influential blues, gospel and country artists, the “Roots Ramble Tour” will showcase the bands fourth studio album, “Mighty Tone.” The album features guest artists, such as harp legend Jerry Portnoy, who has toured and recorded with Muddy Waters and Eric Clapton, and will join The Mystix onstage throughout the tour.

“He’s a master showman,” says Jo Lily, guitarist and lead vocalist of The Mystix. “Just to hear his stories of being on the road with Muddy Waters and Eric Clapton is great. It’s going to be a very down to the ground show in sort of an organic way, as opposed to an electric rock and roll performance.”

Lily, formerly of Boston’s Duke & the Drivers, says the 12-track album is earning stellar reviews in Europe. Further, Boston radio stations like WUMB, as well as The River, are giving it steady airplay.

“We’re really excited about the new record,” he says. “The music is different in a better way. We’re all very proud of it and feel it’s our best work.”

Recorded in Saugus, Mass., at B.K. Studios, the album is a mix of originals and covers. While it took the band a year to prepare for recording, they were able to lay down the tracks in less than four days.

Also, the album marks the first in which Lily was able to star as a producer. He credited engineers Joe Thomas, Tim Phillips, as well Bobby B. Keyes, guitarist for The Mystix, for making the process smooth.

“It was great because we were all very organized,” says Lily.

Aside from Lily, The Mystix all-star veteran lineup consists of legendary artists who have performed and recorded with some of the countries most respected musicians. While Keyes has worked with artists such as Robin Thicke and Jerry Lee Lewis and has written songs for art Mary J. Blige and Li’l Wayne, drummer Marty Richards has played alongside Gary Burton, Duke Robillard, J. Geils Band, and Joe Perry of Aerosmith.

Moreover, bassist Marty Ballou has worked with John Hammond, Edgar Winter, as well as Robillard; and keyboardist Tom West has shared stages with Susan Tedeschi and Peter Wolf.

Additionally, the band will be joined by Kevin Barry, a lap steel/dobro player, who just wrapped up a tour with Ray LaMontagne; percussionist Dennis McDermott, who has played with Roseanne Cash and Mark Cohn; and fiddle player Matt Leavenworth, who has worked with the John Lincoln Wright Band.

“It’s a great joy to be able to be creative with such good players and have people around you that support that effort,” says Lily. “We all bring different ideas to the table about how to approach new material. It’s a lot of fun and we’re grateful to be able to do it.”

Aside from the show at The Z, the band will perform at New England venues, including the Amazing Things Arts Center in Framingham, Mass., on June 1 and Tupelo Music Hall in Londonderry, N.H., on June 12^th, among other venues.

In the near future, they hope to head to Europe.

“We’re itching to go, so we’ll see,” Lily says.

To purchase general admission tickets for Thursday’s show at The Z, which will allow guests to step through their red stage door on Spring Street and find the stage transformed into an intimate concert club complete with a full bar, visit zeiterion.org or call 508-994-2900. Tickets are just $20.

“Like” The Mystix on Facebook and get a free download of their new single, “Mighty Love” and visit themystix.com for more information.

By JESSICA A. BOTELHO

The hard rocking quintet Prospect Hill have climbed the peaks of musical hardship and are basking in the valley of stardom, as they signed a recording contract with Carved Records in April.

But, that’s not all. “Come Alive,” the first single from their third and latest album, Impact, is being played on radio stations across the country. The song has also been licensed by ESPN for the 2012 National Hot Rod Association season and was listed on Amazon’s hot new rock singles chart, making it to the top 10 within just a few days of its release.

“It seems like it’s doing really well and people are taking a liking to it,” said drummer Mark Roberge. “‘Come Alive’ is really about people who aren’t living their lives and just getting caught up in sh*t with relationships and work and are not taking advantage of everyday they are given on this earth.”

For Prospect Hill, who hail from Merrimack Valley, an area just 20 minutes north of Boston, living life to the fullest is what they are all about and being on the road is one of their favorite ways to spend time. Since 2009, they’ve performed an average of 100 shows per year, ranging from throughout the Northeast, East Coast, Midwest and even California.

On one of their most recent tours, they especially enjoyed traveling from gig to gig in their van, affectionately nicknamed, “Vanny DeVito,” as well as their trailer, “Trailer Swift.”

“We always seem to have a lot of fun on the road,” said vocalist Adam Fithian.

Of course, being five best friends might have something to do with it. Bassist Edgar Troncoso described them as being, “really close.”

“You miss your family when you’re on the road but it’s not too bad because you have a bunch of people with you that are not only friends, they’re family,” Troncoso said.

Being a tight-knit group has made the trek to success more fun than work. Nevertheless, they remember the days before they had access to quality instruments and recording equipment.

“When we first started out, we were playing hand-me-down instruments and using our mom and dad’s stereo equipment to amplify our guitars,” said Roberge. “We literally had nothing.”

Realizing they could save money through self-promotion, they created an online presence in 2005 and began building a fan base. Once they acquired enough money, they bought a PA system and eventually established their own label by 2009.

These days, they are being courted by multiple record labels and rubbing shoulders with A-list producers, including Anthony J. Resta, who has worked with artists such as Collective Soul and Duran Duran. Resta also produced Prospect Hill’s, Impact.

“Working with him was amazing,” said Troncoso. “He’s very creative and thinks outside the box. That’s why the CD has it’s own kind of flavor. He’s a ninja on the keyboard.”

Resta isn’t the only well-known name the band has been in contact with lately. In the last few years, they’ve toured with acts such as Alice Cooper, Anthrax, Buckcherry, Fall Out Boy, Korn, Hinder, Stone Sour, Hailstorm, Sevendust, and CageTime, to name a handful.

Further, the band’s first full-length album, For the Lovers the Haters in the Dead, released in 2007, featured Godsmack’s guitarist Tony Rombola. He performed on the song, “S.O.E.”

“We all grew up in the same area so we have a connection,” said Roberge. “It was like having a friend on the album. It was really cool.”

According to Roberge, other “really cool” incidents have happened since then. In 2010, they were named High Times Magazine’s Best Independent Act of 2010 and performed the High Times Magazine Award Showcase in Austin, Texas. Fithian said not only do they feel fortunate to have won, they are also supporters of the decriminalization of marijuana.

“I think the country will change its perception of marijuana because we could turn our financial problems around by making it legal,” he said. “It’s a touchy subject but all in all we’re talking about it in the right context. We’re not saying, ‘Oh, let’s smoke pot.’ It’s about a reform of something that’s been taken out of context by everyone in this country.”

More recently, they were awarded the title of Best Live Act at the 2012 New England Music Awards, which took place at Boston’s Hard Rock Café in February.

“We take a lot of pride in our live shows,” Roberge said. “We go 100 percent no matter how tired or sick we are. We give it all we’ve got.”

To learn more about the band, visit their website at prospecthillmusic.com.