John Waite fans will be treated to two opening acts at his Jan. 26 performance at the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River, Mass., including Somerset’s own Shaun Hague, as well as indie/power-pop artist Justin Levinson.

While Levinson is yet to hear Hague’s music, he’s been told Hague has a strong following in Fall River, and is looking forward to Hague’s set. He’s also excited to be opening for Waite.

“I admire John Waite’s music a lot and it’s an honor to be able to share the stage with him,” Levinson said. “I hope that John Waite’s fans appreciate what I do.”

Levinson will mostly be playing music from his latest full-length recording, “This Side of Me, This Side of You,” which he released a year ago. It features his full-band, Justin and the Valcours, and 10 tracks about love and loss.

But Levinson, who is inspired by artists such as The Beatles, The Everly Brothers, The Hollies, Elvis Presley, Elton John, Bob Dylan, as well as his father, singer-songwriter Bob Levinson, prefers to call it, “feel-good heartbreak.”

“I deal with some serious themes, but I try not to make it overkill,” he said. “There’s a little bit of heart-on-sleeve humor in the music. I try not to take myself too seriously, but also try to express emotions at the same time. That’s what separates it from the other heartbreak albums out there. Writing about love and loss are common themes, but I think the twist out of the music I do is the ‘feel-good’ part and the humor I put in.”

On New Year’s Day, he released a follow-up, three-song EP, “Take Me Time,” which he described as more hopeful than the previous album, as its theme is moving forward.

Aside from working on new material for another full-length recording, he’s gearing up for a TV appearance on WTNH News 8 in New Haven, CT, with is full band, Justin Levinson & The Valcours. The show will air Jan. 28 at 9:00 a.m.

Levinson said he’s pleased he’s going to be touring in 2013 to promote his recent recordings. Last year, he joined Tyler Hilton, who stars in The WB Television Network show, “One Tree Hill,” and has also opened for Waite. This year, Levinson’s anticipating an “extensive tour,” but was mum on details because it hasn’t been finalized.

He did say it might take place in February or March.

“The focus is to do as much touring as possible in 2013,” said Levinson. “There’s already been some talk about some pretty exciting things coming up. I just can’t announce it yet.”

When he’s not touring with national acts, Levinson gigs throughout the Northeast, including Vermont, where he resides and grew up. Usually, he is accompanied by his band, for which he handles vocals and rhythm guitar, an instrument he taught himself how to play by ear later in life.

He’s been playing piano for 20 years – since he was seven – and has been singing since middle school. But he started playing guitar about five years ago when he graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he studied Songwriting Composition. He decided to learn guitar because he felt keys limited him from using certain rhythms.

It’s also helped him develop a presence of his own.

“When you play piano and sing tenor vocals, everybody wants to say you sound like Ben Folds,” Levinson said. “Playing guitar enables me to separate from the Ben Folds syndrome.”

Levinson doesn’t get to tour with his band as often as he would like because of costs, but said guitarist Sean Witters, bassist Seth Barbiero and drummer Simon Plumpton, are great friends and band mates.

He particularly enjoys performing in Boston, a city he lived – and gigged in – for five years during college. His years at Berklee, he said, were “amazing.”

“You have to spend time learning theory, which is not easy by any means, but I got to spend a lot of time in my apartment just writing songs,” he said. “I wouldn’t have had that experience at any other college. I also got to meet producers and record music four and five days a week. It was such an important part of my musical career, so a lot of my fan base is in Boston and Burlington. It’s kind of a dual hometown type of thing for me.”

Levinson said he’s always happy to talk about his experience at Berklee. While he said the college has a reputation as being a “pop-factory”, he’s proud, and grateful, for his education.

“When you mention that you went to Berklee, people are tough critics,” Levinson said. “People have this false perception that everybody that comes out of the school is this cookie-cutter, robotic songwriter, and it’s not the case at all. I think it was the most freeing place ever, but I’ve learned what times are best to talk about it and when it’s not. If there are any aspiring songwriters out there that want to have the greatest musical experience they should definitely consider going there.”

He also said people should definitely consider going to see him open for John Waite at the Narrows. Tickets to the show can be purchased online at www.narrowscenter.org or by calling the box office at 508-324-1926. Tickets can also be purchased in person at the box office. Hours are Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Our publisher, JKB Booking, is presenting the show. They can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jkbbooking.

Learn more about Levinson at www.justinlevinson.com. His music is available on iTunes and CD Baby.com

By JESSICA A. BOTELHO

 After playing guitar on John Waite’s tour last summer, singer-songwriter Shaun Hague will be opening for him Jan. 26^th at the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River, Mass. Hague said he’s excited to reunite with Waite, as well as perform at the Narrows, as it’s located across the river from his hometown of Somerset.

“I love the Narrows,” he said. “They have a lot of great acts that come through there, and it’s a special place for me to play. The stage has a big window in the back of it, and when I’m there, I look out across the river at the town I grew up in and first learned guitar. I can reflect for a second and look back at that. It’s a good feeling and I love coming back there. It’s going to be good to see everybody.”

As opposed to playing with a full band, he’ll be doing a solo acoustic set. He promises songs from his 2011 debut album, “The Time is Now,” plus a few new songs he has written, but is yet to record. He might even whip out a harmonica.

“It’s going to be a storytellers kind of a deal, with me playing guitar and talking about the songs.” Hague said. “It will be a more intimate show.”

While he grew up in Somerset, Hague lived in California since he was 19. In April 2011, he relocated to Chicago, where he has handled promotions and marketing for Monterey International, a booking agency, since June. The company represents acclaimed artists such as Van Morrison, Bonnie Rait, Buddy Guy, Johnny Lang, as well as a bunch of new bands. At times, he helps set up interviews and works on graphics.

But the best perk is attending free concerts.

“The coolest show I’ve gone to so far was Buddy Guy at the Chicago Theater,” said Hague. “I saw him for the first time when I was 17 at Lupos in Providence. He’s just a huge blues guitar influence on so many people – Clapton, Hendrix, and myself included.”

Speaking of Clapton, “Slowhand,” along with Bruce Springsteen, heavily influenced Hague to become a musician, as he mostly plays blues-based and rock music.

“I always tell people if Eric Clapton and Bruce Springsteen had a baby it would be me,” he said. “I take the Springsteen approach as far as music and lyrics go, and do a lot of lead guitar work influenced by Clapton.”

Guy, as well as The Beatles, are also favorites.

“The Beatles got me started on music,” he said, noting that he not only loves them as a group, but also their respective solo careers. “My dad had all their records. I would listen to them when I was three or four. They are the reason I wanted to play guitar. I just wanted to be able to play their songs. I asked my parents for a guitar when I was 12 or 13, and from there I found out who Eric Clapton was, and got into Bruce Springsteen when I wanted to be a songwriter.”

He also said performing with artists such as Waite, Kenny Wayne Shepard, Amos Lee, and John Fogarty have helped him build his resume and mold his career. From tips on how to be a better performer to business advice, he’s grateful for the opportunities.

“It’s a great learning experience,” said Hague. “I’ve been doing it since I as 19 and it has helped guide my career path. When I was in L.A., I was invited to play with John Fogarty one night. John’s a great act, and he’s had some big hits. It’s always great to work with a legend like that because people see that and then you get a few more calls.”

Being on stage, he said, allows him the ability to express himself in a different way. As a self-described shy, quiet person, he takes on a whole new persona when performing.

“People who know me come to my shows and say, ‘Where has that been your whole life?’” Hague said. “It’s not something people see me doing unless I’m on stage.”

Since releasing “The Time is Now,” Hague has been working on new material. He doesn’t have set plans to release a new album, but is thinking about doing an acoustic tour throughout the mid-west and east coast.

For the time being, he’s focused on the Narrows gig. There, he’ll have a limited edition poster for sale, with a portion of the proceeds going to a Southern New England food bank.

“It’s going to be good to be back there,” he said. “I’m looking forward to seeing everybody.”

The Narrows Center for the Arts is located at 16 Anawan Street in Fall River. Tickets can be purchased online at www.narrowscenter.org or by calling the box office at 508-324-1926. Tickets can also be purchased in person at the box office. Hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 12 noon to 5 p.m. This show is presented by our publisher, JKB Booking. Find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jkbbooking.

BY JESSICA A. BOTELHO

“We’re very excited to open for Zebra,” said Malyssa BellaRosa, vocalist for the Providence-based band Fall & Bounce. “We can’t wait.”

Bassist Christine Hauck agrees.

“We’re thrilled to be on this double bill,” she said.

The quartet will be kicking off the night for Zebra this Friday, Oct. 26, at the Rock Junction in Coventry, R.I. The show starts at 8 p.m.

“I saw them when I was 15 and I was really into Led Zeppelin,” said BellaRosa. “I was blown away because they did Led Zeppelin songs at the old Living Room [in Providence].”

As they did at that show, Zebra will also be performing Zeppelin songs Friday, as well as tunes from their own catalog, including their biggest hits, “Tell Me What You Want” and “Who’s Behind the Door?”

But what does Fall & Ball have in store for fans?

“A very passionate performance,” said BellaRosa.

Passion is exactly what keeps them going. Formed in the summer of 2011 after BellaRosa met guitarist Bill Reed at an open mic night, they decided to get together and experiment. They landed a gig almost immediately, yet didn’t have a full line-up.

“It forced us to make a band,” said Reed.

Shortly after, they hooked up with Hauck and drummer Jamie Craighead. In a year’s time, they were named the 2012 “Breakthrough Act” by the Providence Phoenix, and were nominated in three categories for the 2012 Limelight Magazine Music Awards, including “New Artist of the Year,”  “Song of the Year” for “Controlled Tension Time Bomb,” and “Female Vocalist of the Year.”

Another local publication also nominated them for “Breakthrough Band,” with BellaRosa earning a “Best Vocalist” nomination.

“It’s definitely an honor to be nominated for several different awards in a matter of being a band for less than a year,” said Craighead. “It’s a great feeling.”

Reed shared his sentiments. He said it’s nice to be noticed.

“We’re doing what we enjoy and setting ourselves up to keep doing it,” said Reed. “Sometimes, you don’t realize people are paying attention. Providence has been very supportive and it is very encouraging, not just for us, but for other folks who are getting nominated.”

While they blend a lot of genres, they said it’s difficult to describe their sound. Still, Hauck said she often tells people they can be best defined as a hard, melodic rock group.

“The most important thing is that we get people to listen,” she said.

Reed added, “To me, it sounds like 70s rock.”

BellaRosa said they are honest in what they do and aren’t pretending or trying to sound like other bands. She views their music as a means to connect with people.

“People use music for cathartic reasons – they use it to get through life, which can be difficult,” she said. “When you hear a band and you can relate to the music, it really does set you free. It sounds like a cliché, but it helps you get thorough the next thing in life.”

Since they’ve established themselves in Rhode Island, Fall & Bounce are working on booking gigs throughout New England. They’re also writing music for a new and third album, which they hope to begin recording in December.

It will follow their self-titled release in 2011 and Knickknack Avalanche, which they released in May. Typically, Reed comes up with chord progressions and brings them to the rest of the band.

“We have a bunch of music that we are firming up right now,” BellaRosa said. “Most of the songs come really easy and lyrics come out in one shot. And then there are others that I’ve rewritten five times. It’s kind of a labor of love. I love it though, because it’s a challenge.”

When they are not composing new music, they’re rehearsing or performing. For Craighead, playing live is the best part of being in the band.

“It’s such a feeling of release and emotion,” he said. “When I get onstage and play for people, it’s fun. It just makes me feel alive and playing with these fine people is one of the best experiences I’ve had in my life. I’ve played music for a majority of my life, but I’ve had an absolute blast with these guys.”

“When you’re in a room with people and you can get reactions from them and you know you’re connecting it does make you feel alive,” agreed BellaRosa. “The blood in my body is like the live performance to my music.”

Hauck enjoys the fact that every performance is unique. She likes that they get to switch things up each time they play.

“We don’t necessarily play things the same way at every gig – Bill changes his solo, I change my bass line,” she said. “There’s always something else that happens.”

One thing that’s new for BellaRosa is the fact that she performs sans guitar. In bands she performed with before forming Fall & Bounce, she always played guitar in addition to singing.

“It’s been an interesting change up for me,” she said. “At first, it was really weird and that’s when I discovered my dance moves. I like it because I can dance to the music.”

In the future, they hope their holiday parties stay the same.

“We’re looking forward to our second ‘Festivus’ celebration this year,” Christine said of the fictional holiday made famous by the popular sitcom, Seinfeld. “Last year, we had a practice that ended up turning into a drunken Christmas party. I think we played two or three songs and ended up eating and drinking.”

For now, they’re looking forward to Friday night with Zebra.

“It’s going to be fun,” said Reed.

For tickets to the show, visit http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/239202.

By JESSICA A. BOTELHO

Jo Lily of the five-piece Americana Roots ensemble, The Mystix, said they are at an all-time career high. In May, they kicked-off their “Ramble Roots Tour” in support of their fourth studio album, “Mighty Tone,” and since then, everything has been going even better than they imagined.

“We’re achieving the highest level of success the band has ever gone through – we’ve sold out every single show,” he said of their 10-date national tour. “We brought in a phenomenal guy for the tour, Jerry Portnoy, who’s an iconic harp player. He played for Muddy Waters and Eric Clapton. He’s probably the best-known harp player in the world right now, expect for James Cotton. He brings a lot to the show.”

Additionally, guitarist and singer/songwriter Ricky “King” Russell, who has performed with acts such as David “Honey Boy” Edwards, John Lee Hooker, Duke Robillard, Roomful of Blues and James Montgomery, has been touring with them. He opened for Steve Miller last August and has been featured on House of Blues Radio Hour, hosted by actor Dan Akroyd.

With the star-studded line-up, Lily, guitarist and lead vocalist, hopes they also sell out their next performance, which will take place Oct. 27th at the Blue Ocean Music Hall in Salisbury, Mass. Opening the night will be Liz Frame and the Kickers, a female-driven band from the North Shore area.

Lily, as well as Frame, who handles lead vocals and guitar for her band, have never gigged at the venue. Both bands can’t wait to play there.

“I’m looking forward to playing it,” Frame said. “It’s just beautiful.”

Lily shares her sentiments.

“It’s a great club and we’re thrilled to be playing there with Liz,” he said. “I think she’s going to be a really strong addition for the show and I think she’ll bring in a lot of her own fans because she’s very strong in the area. She’s really a good friend of ours. We have gigged together in the past, sung duets together, we’re friends, and I have a lot of respect for her songwriting and performing.”

For Frame, the feeling is mutual. Not only is she excited to play the venue, she’s pleased to share the bill with The Mystix.

“They are a great band to work with,” she said. “I’ve done a little bit of stuff with them before as a solo performer and I know Jo really well. He’s a good guy and I’ve worked with a number of the musicians in the band in the studio, so I’m connected to them. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

During the show, The Mystix, comprised of an all-star veteran lineup of artists such as guitarist Bobby B. Keyes, drummer Marty Richards, bassist Marty Ballou, and keyboardist Tom West, will begin filming a live album. The recording will mark their fifth, as well as their first live release.

From there, Lily said they plan to visit Europe for a tour, and then hit the studio to master the live album, which will come out in the spring.

So, why has the band decided to tour Europe?

“We’re doing extremely well in Europe, particularly in the Netherlands, Belgium, Holland, Germany, France, and we’re working on the U.K. right now,” Lily said. “We’re  planning on taking a trip to Europe probably next summer.”

Of course, they are fairing quite well in the U.S., too. “The Mighty Tone” has received airplay on American radio, particularly on Boston stations, including WUMB, among others.

Also, they’ll be featured on “The Loft,” a show that airs on SiriusXM Radio. Meg Griffin, a former New York radio disc jockey, will be conducting the interviewing.

Griffin plays The Mystix regularly on her show, said Lily, and has interviewed musicians like Mick Jagger and Paul Simon.

“She’s a legendary broadcaster,” said Lily, who noted Portnoy is scheduled to join them for the interview.

Recording for “The Loft,” which will highlight the history of the band, starts Oct. 29th and will be aired at least three times during the next few months. The band will be posting the dates on their website at themystix.com.

In similar fashion to The Mystix, Liz Frame and the Kickers also plan to release a live album, which Frame said she hopes will be available in early 2013. After that, they’ll embark on a mid-Atlantic tour.

Frame, who writes all the material, described their originals as “fun music that’s tightly written and very catchy.” She wrote her first song at the young age of nine during a long drive to the beach with her parents.

“It’s something that I feel I was born to do,” she said.

The band has an emphasis on vocals, often with two and three part harmonies. Frame shares vocals with band members Lynne Taylor, who plays upright bass, as well as Kristine Malpica, a percussionist. Guitarist Mark Toolan, drummer
Charlie Farr, and harmonica player Jason Novak join them in the band.

Frame said while they used to be more acoustic-based, they are a little more “hard-hitting” these days.

“I really like the direction it’s going,” she said. “People who go to our shows and have not seen us before will come up to me and tell me it doesn’t sound like original material, in that it sounds like covers they’ve just never heard. That is the best form of flattery because it means that we’re doing something right when it comes to the material.”

She is also happy with the direction her career as a musician is going. While she was offered record deals early on in her career, she turned them down to raise her daughter.

“It wasn’t an easy decision, but it was a natural decision to make because at the time she was young and I knew that I wasn’t going to sacrifice her childhood and time with her for a full-fledged career in music because I knew what that career would take and I didn’t have it in me,” said Frame. “I was OK with that and, looking back, I’m really glad that I made that decision because coming into music at this stage of my life I’m a much better performer than I’ve ever been. I’m much more confident and I’m a better songwriter. I feel as if I was meant to wait. I wouldn’t be having nearly as much fun if I did it back then.”

Moreover, she said she’s content that she waited because it’s much easier for artists to promote their music today. The Internet, she said, makes it simple for musicians to get their name out there.

“Now, you can put your stuff online,” said Frame. “That wasn’t the case 20 years ago.”

Either way, she said she enjoys being part of a band, as well as composing new material.

“I love the whole group effort and the people I work with are great,” she said. “And performing live is the ultimate thing.”

Lily feels the same.

“I love the music and the feeling we get when we connect with an audience,” he said. “It’s intoxicating and impossible to put it down. I love the camaraderie of the band. It’s the best I’ve ever had in any group. We have a warmth and camaraderie that I’ve never experienced in all my years of playing and it’s been really special for everybody.”

To purchase tickets to the show call 978-462-5888 or visit northshorepavillion.com.

For more information about The Mystix visit themystix.com. Additional information on Liz Frame and the Kickers is at lizframeandthekickers.com. Both bands have fan pages on Facebook, as well.

By JESSICA A. BOTELHO

Whether she’s performing, composing, staring on a television show, serving as captain of her high school tennis team or practicing with the jazz band, Alissa Musto, 17, is happy.

“A lot of people ask me how I balance everything, but the truth is it’s really not that hard,” said Musto, a nominee for “Best Female Vocalist” in the 2011 Limelight Magazine Music Awards. “If you like the things you are doing, they don’t really become chores. They aren’t things that you have to do – they are things that you get to do and that makes it so much easier.”

Musto, who lives in Rehoboth, Mass., is a senior at Providence Country Day School in East Providence. Classically trained in piano, she recently landed a Saturday night residency at Scampi’s Restaurant in Portsmouth, R.I., where she performs from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. each week.

She’s also putting together a new album, a follow-up to her self-titled, four-track E.P., which was released in May 2011. The E.P. featured “Doesn’t Matter,” the award-winning track that earned her a slot in the top three at the 2011 national Music On & Up Showcase grand finale.

“I have some originals that I’ve been working on, not only that I’ve written the words to, but the musical parts on the piano, too,” said Musto.

Additionally, Musto has been building her portfolio, as she’s played at venues such as Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun, and Hard Rock Café during the last year. While she’s undecided about what she wants to study, she’s thinking about going to college for music locally, and is interested in continuing to gig in the area post high school.

“I’m hoping that if I stay around here for college, I’ll still be able to play out on weekends,” she said. “I’ll be 18, so I’ll be able to play more venues.”

And the greatest thing about performing, said Musto, is the challenge. Having the support of fans doesn’t hurt, either.

“It’s not just representing the songs that I’m playing – it shows all the hard work and time that I’ve put into it, from the thought process of picking the songs, to the years of piano training that made it possible for me to learn those songs,” she said.  “Going up there and performing and knowing that people appreciate what you do means so much.”

In fact, Musto’s fans have publicly praised her skills in the comment sections of her YouTube videos. Some of her admirers describe her as a female Elton John and the next Debbie Harry (of Blondie).

“I can only hope and wish to achieve some of the success they have,” said Musto. “When people make comparisons from across the country or across the world, it means so much to me knowing that they think I have the potential to be great like them.”

But Musto doesn’t let the praise go to her head. Perhaps, she learned to be modest from her father, Billy Musto, a well-know local artist.

“He’s been in this area’s music scene for a long time and it’s amazing how humble he remains throughout the whole process,” she said. “We don’t go anywhere without somebody recognizing him.”

Aside from her dad, Musto cited Bruce Springsteen as one of her biggest influences. The most amazing thing about “The Boss,” she said, is his voice.

“He doesn’t exactly have this voice that a lot of people would think is great, but it fits with what he does and I feel like I’m the same way,” Musto said. “I don’t have this big, strong opera-like voice that a lot of these girl singers of today have, but I think I have a unique voice.”

Not only does Musto view him as a superb songwriter and musician, she loves his performances. In August, she got the opportunity to see him live for the first time.

“Just the way he can get a crowd going for four hours straight was just so amazing,” she said “He’s such a great entertainer. He’s the whole package – it’s not just one thing.”

Yet, considering Musto’s resume, she’s the total package, too. As noted, she’s very versatile, as she began taking piano lessons at age five. She also dabbles with the guitar and harmonica, and is able to juggle her music career with school, tennis, jazz band, and Teenage Critic, a culture and arts show for teens that airs on PBS.

“We cover all types of cool things that would appeal to teenagers,” said Musto. “We did the Limelight Magazine Music Awards, different cultural restaurants, art events. It’s helped me so much, not only with interviewing, but as a performer, too. It’s good to be well-rounded because you never know when other things will help you in life.”

In terms of TV exposure, NBC aired a special on Musto in 2004 as part of the “Spotlight on the Student Artist” series. The same year, when she was nine, she was featured on “America’s Most Talented Kids,” earning bragging rights of being the youngest performer to appear on the show.

“I didn’t have a lot of experience being in front of a camera at that age, but it was a really good experience and I think it helped me so much in moving forward,” said Musto. “I came back from that doing a lot of other local competitions.”

Some of the competitions include the “Kidz Star USA Talent Search,” which attracted more than 45,000 entries during Summer 2011. For this competition, she was selected as a top ten finalist.

Further, she won first place in the 12-and-under category at “New England Performs,” a festival in 2011 that showcased more than two hundred young artists from all six New England states.

Musto also competed and won other competitions, including “Rhode Island’s Got Talent” in 2008, “Talent Quest TV Show” in 2009, and was a runner-up in “Taunton’s Got Talent” in 2011. She performed on multiple New England-based shows including “The Rhode Show” and “Community Auditions: Star of the Day.”

In 2010, she was named “Piano Act of the Year” in the international “Golden Ribby Awards” sponsored by Wonderworld TV. She played live for an audience of more than 2,000 viewers.

The same year, she partnered with GreenSchools, a non-profit environmental organization, and earned the title of “Green Rocker Ambassador”, or spokesperson. Through the program, she is a featured performer at schools, fairs and other events throughout New England, with a main goal of raising awareness about the importance of being eco-friendly.

“I wrote a theme song for them that I performed at the [Massachusetts] State House [last year] and play at a lot of other functions they have to try to get the message out there for environment,” Musto said. She was also awarded a citation from the State of Massachusetts and House of Representatives for musical achievement and involvement in the community.

For a full list of Musto’s accomplishments, as well as more information, visit alissamusto.wix.com.

By JESSICA A. BOTELHO

While four of the five members of the Jessica Prouty Band aren’t old enough to legally enjoy a cocktail, they’re finally able to play at clubs after spending the last five years performing throughout the northeast at family-friendly events, such as theaters, fairs, school programs and charity gatherings.

“Those were great experiences, so we’ve really been able to enjoy the whole spectrum of entertainment,” said the band’s namesake, lead vocalist and bassist, Jessica Prouty, 18.

This winter, the Boston-based rock band plans to hit the studio to begin recording a fourth album. At the moment, they’re working on arranging music to lyrics Prouty has written, plus juggling the responsibility of being college students, as Prouty, along with the band’s two guitarists and backup vocalists, Cody Nilsen, 19, and Aaron Shuman, 22, are studying at Boston’s Berklee College of Music.

“It definitely is difficult, but we’re planning regular weekly practices over at the Berklee Fordham facility, and we’re really putting the band right up there in priority with our schoolwork,” said Prouty, who is majoring in music business. Nilsen is studying professional music, while Shuman has taken up contemporary writing and production.

“It’s helped us musically, too. I didn’t have a strong music theory background walking into Berklee and after my first year I’ve learned so much.”

They hope to apply what they’ve learned to their new album, which will be produced by Brian Maes, who fronts his own band, as well as performs with Ernie and the Automatics as lead vocalist and keyboardist. Prouty met Maes before she formed her band at a summer garage band camp he operated.

After camp, Maes contacted her and praised her original recordings, some of which she composed on her own, and others she wrote with her former band, Undecided Youth.

“He said, ‘Wow, you have some really good songs,’” said Prouty.

Maes then asked her if she would consider using his local studio to record an album under his record label, Briola Records. She discussed it with her parents and took him up in his offer.

“At that point, we started making a CD,” she said. “I didn’t want session players – I really wanted to have a band because I missed it so much.”

From there, she asked fellow camper and keyboardist, Andy Covino, 17, to join her. She also approached a few former members of Undecided Youth, including drummer Cam Pelkey, 19, who has been friends with Prouty since third grade.

Pelkey jumped at the chance and hasn’t looked back.

“Just being able to talk music and spend time with these guys has been the best experience of my life,” he said.

Shuman, the newest band member, who joined in May, agrees. Prouty met him in a shared course at Berklee.

“I love playing out and hanging out with these guys,” he said. “We get a lot of playing time, which I love. It’s everything a musician could want.”

The addition of a second guitarist, Prouty said, has enriched the band beyond her

expectations. The rest of the band concurs.

“It’s brought such a full sound to the whole project,” she said. “We can do so much more now.”

Through the course of their career, the band has won several battle of the band competitions. A few of the most notable include the 2012 Ryan J. Lariviere Battle of the Bands event, where they earned several prizes, as well as the honor of playing at the New England Music Awards at the Lowell Auditorium in Massachusetts this April, plus funding to record their album.

Additionally, they won second place in the NAMM-sponsored nationwide SchoolJamUSA contest in California at Downtown Disney. There, Prouty received the title of “Best Vocalist,” while Pelkey earned the title of “Best Drummer.”

Further, they were named “Band of the Year” at the 2012 Limelight Music Awards, along with runner up for “Best Live Act” and “Best Female Vocalist.” They performed at the event as well.

“That was so much fun,” Prouty said. “It was a cool experience. We have the awards hanging up at home.”

Aside from all their accolades, their original songs have been played on multiple radio stations, such as Boston’s 92.5 The River, WFNX, WAAF, WATD, Pixy 103, WBRU, Cool 102, WTOS, and 106.3 The Bone.

They hope their new album will garnish them with more airplay, but for now they are focusing on completing the music.

“Cody and I are working on the bare bones of a song and then the rest of the band will finish the piece,” Prouty said. “I think that’s how it’s going to work for the rest of the songs, as well. It’s been going really cool so far.”

To learn more about the band, visit jessicaprouty.com.

By JESSICA A. BOTELHO

For The Borrower’s Debt, an acoustic indie/folk trio based in Los Angeles, California, March brought along the release of their debut EP, “A Treehouse Narrative,” and June found them immersed in a nine-show tour of the East Coast, giving fans their nostalgic sound and guitar-driven music.

These days, the band is gigging throughout L.A., working on another album and fondly remembering the unique and unexpected way they formed last year.

After being friends and working together for about six months, Tommy Gardner, the band’s baritone voice, and Jordan Hearn, the band’s alto voice,  realized they had similar taste in music and began playing together.  In time, they decided they needed a soprano and posted an ad on Craigslist hoping to find the missing link.

“We really love three-part harmony and we wanted that to be a part of the group,” said Hearn, who is originally from Arkansas.

To their delight, Callie Ray replied and they set up an audition at Hearn’s apartment in Burbank. However, to their horror, they were locked out.

“It was hilarious because I was meeting these people for the first time and they were just standing on the sidewalk with their guitars like, ‘We can’t get in the apartment so I guess we’re just going to play out here,’” said Ray, a New Jersey native who also plays guitar, ukulele, and flute. “It was surprisingly comfortable for how awkward that could have been. It was a memorable audition.”

Gardner agreed and said most of the try-out was held in the back of Ray’s hatchback Ford Escort. Nevertheless, they liked what they heard and hired her.

“We were on the side of the road playing songs and felt our voices sounded really well together,” said Gardner, former guitarist for the now-dissolved Rhode Island band, Someday Providence. “That’s become the vibe of the band – we play anywhere. There’s no place too big or too small.”

While Ray wasn’t involved with the writing process of “A Treehouse Narrative,” her vocals appear on the album and she has been contributing to the band’s current writings.

Also, Gardner produced the six-track album and co-wrote it with Hearn at Hearn’s

apartment, which resembles a tree house, hence the album’s title. Then, they recorded it at Gardner’s place.

“I would bring in a musical idea and only have one or two lines and Jordan and I would create more,” Gardner said. “He’d give me his input about where he thought the song should go. It was a collaborative effort.”

As noted, all three members play guitar, with Gardner also playing piano, and Hearn bringing his banjo and harmonica skills to the mix. The band cites Good Old War, The Civil Wars, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, and Alison Krauss & Union Station as some of their biggest influences.

To purchase “A Treehouse Narrative,” check out other merchandise or learn more about The Borrower’s Debt, visit theborrowersdebt.com.

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.