The Hillbilly Way
I met Chris Higbee fiddle player for the Povertyneck Hillbillies in the Spring of 2002 playing golf at Madison Club. He was a fun guy and a good golfer. He was fun to bet with because he was a little better than me so it was a challenge. I had only lived in Pittsburgh for a couple of months so I had no idea who the Povertyneck Hillbillies were? Honestly most people outside of Fayette County had never heard of them either.
A few months later I started hearing from people that they were a fun country band to go see live and that they were high energy. I told Chris about that when we were playing golf that summer. Still I never got to see them play until they performed at the Regatta in 2003.
"Mr Right Now" was the song. When they recorded that song and caught the ears of FROGGY management things changed. We put that song in HOT rotation on the radio and BOOM suddenly you walked into a Povertyneck show and the girls were everywhere! Bob Corbin of Corbin Hanner Band wrote "Mr Right Now" and produced their CD "Hillbilly State of Mind". It was really good with catchy, COUNTRY, original songs.
One night at the Rhythm House in Bridgeville I walked into their show during the fall of 2003 and I could not believe the crowd. You could not move! When I saw that they were packing bars in Station Square and the Southside I knew they were the REAL DEAL.
In 2004 PNH teamed with Froggy to sell out the Pepsi Roadhouse for Hillbilly Appreciation night. I commented on stage that night that I had grown up in Tennessee and I had never even heard of a Hillbilly Appreciation Night??? I never dreamed that my first one would be in Pittsburgh! I took my kids to their all ages New Years show (December 2004) and they had a great time. I even bought them the "Hillbilly in Training" T-shirts.
Now we are in June 2005 and they have their second CD out "Don't Look Back" and they are fresh off of a jaw dropping turnout at Station Square last saturday. The songs on the CD are still COUNTRY, fun, upbeat and Original.
Good Luck Hillbillies with your careers. I root for local bands...We have so many good ones in the area. I really hope the Hillbillies go all the way. I think it is very close to happening! Froggy has been the only radio station with them all along. Soon I believe many others will jump on the bandwagon but FROGGY was still FIRST.
You have heard Povertyneck songs "Mr Right Now", "Hillbilly State of Mind", "Born to be Free", "Joy to the World" and "One night in New Orleans" on FROGGY Radio. Stay Tuned for more!
Have YOU ever been to a Povertyneck show? Do you like their songs you hear on Froggy? Do you think they will make it big time and TOUR across the country and fill arena's like TOBY KEITH and KENNY CHESNEY do? You can make COMMENTS below the picture of me and Higbee at a Pirates game last week.
A few months later I started hearing from people that they were a fun country band to go see live and that they were high energy. I told Chris about that when we were playing golf that summer. Still I never got to see them play until they performed at the Regatta in 2003.
"Mr Right Now" was the song. When they recorded that song and caught the ears of FROGGY management things changed. We put that song in HOT rotation on the radio and BOOM suddenly you walked into a Povertyneck show and the girls were everywhere! Bob Corbin of Corbin Hanner Band wrote "Mr Right Now" and produced their CD "Hillbilly State of Mind". It was really good with catchy, COUNTRY, original songs.
One night at the Rhythm House in Bridgeville I walked into their show during the fall of 2003 and I could not believe the crowd. You could not move! When I saw that they were packing bars in Station Square and the Southside I knew they were the REAL DEAL.
In 2004 PNH teamed with Froggy to sell out the Pepsi Roadhouse for Hillbilly Appreciation night. I commented on stage that night that I had grown up in Tennessee and I had never even heard of a Hillbilly Appreciation Night??? I never dreamed that my first one would be in Pittsburgh! I took my kids to their all ages New Years show (December 2004) and they had a great time. I even bought them the "Hillbilly in Training" T-shirts.
Now we are in June 2005 and they have their second CD out "Don't Look Back" and they are fresh off of a jaw dropping turnout at Station Square last saturday. The songs on the CD are still COUNTRY, fun, upbeat and Original.
Good Luck Hillbillies with your careers. I root for local bands...We have so many good ones in the area. I really hope the Hillbillies go all the way. I think it is very close to happening! Froggy has been the only radio station with them all along. Soon I believe many others will jump on the bandwagon but FROGGY was still FIRST.
You have heard Povertyneck songs "Mr Right Now", "Hillbilly State of Mind", "Born to be Free", "Joy to the World" and "One night in New Orleans" on FROGGY Radio. Stay Tuned for more!
Have YOU ever been to a Povertyneck show? Do you like their songs you hear on Froggy? Do you think they will make it big time and TOUR across the country and fill arena's like TOBY KEITH and KENNY CHESNEY do? You can make COMMENTS below the picture of me and Higbee at a Pirates game last week.
posted by Danger at 8:39 AM
18 Comments:
Very well said Danger. I had the pleasure of getting to know Abby a little and he is one of the greatest as well.
You're right, they will go far as I told Abby before. We will see them on the "Big" Screen in the near future.
I'm a drummer and would like to play with a country type band real soon. Abby was helpful in trying to hook me up with Crazy Cowboy Band but it was about a week late because they had found a drummer at that time.
I listen to your show everyday and it's a pleasure. Froggy made the right pick when they brought you on board. I've told that to Gerald as well.
Anyway keep up the good work and if you hear of someone wanting an experienced drummer maybe they could give me a call at 724-746-8669
Thanks
Eddie Moses
I agree completely my 3 1/2 year son is one of the biggest "Hillbillers" (as he calls them) fans there is and in December he had the chance to meet Abby a meet & greet and Abby was just the nicest person to him. My son packed cookies for him when we were leaving the house to see Abby. My son was just mezmarized by him. Abby was nice enough to give him a Hillbilly sweat shirt that my son insists on wearing all of the time. They are a really great group & I try to take my son to see them whenever we have the chance to.
Personally, I think Becca pretty much said it all. As I was reading her comment I was thinking of times last summer where I caught myself doing the same thing at shows at Post-Gazette Pavillion and Pepsi Roadhouse. These guys are talented and although we will miss them dearly now that they are just about on their way....seeing them on CMT and being able to say --- I new them when is truly going to be PRICELESS !!!
A dear friend once told me, memories are worth more than anything, they are yours, no one can really share them exactly as you can, but no one can destroy them or take them from you either.
That said I am thankful for the memories these guys have provided for my friends and I over the past (3) years, wish you all the best and look forward to gathering many, many more wonderful memories with them as they "take on Nashville".
Not to mention with Bob Corbin and Froggy in the mix --- it has to happen. I remember Bob from the 80's he was awesome then and I must say still is. Thanks Bob, for believing in them and giving them the chance.
Best of Luck PNH - Remember those of us here in PA ... when .....
They need a busty blonde in the band!
Hello PNH.....Awesome concert at Staion Sqaure, I was in row 3 and that cocnert kicked butt and it was the best PNH concert i was at and I have only been in Pittsburgh since june 2003. Well Thanks for letting take a picture with you Abby, ur the greatest and I love you lotz!!!@ Good luck in the future guys
Hi Danger; i would have to say i have been a pnh fan from the begining.i have watch them in good times and bad times sad times and happy times.they have come a long way.i believe in my heart that they will make it to the big time.and here why they work hard;they love to play music sing dance have a good time and they are awesome 7 great guy's that look out for each and stick by one another and the best country band around abby said it at the concert it's the hillbilly way!!!!
good luck chris;abby;ryan;jeff;dave ;bob.and jr..don't give up on your dreams
we love you
I think the hillbillies should start having a mosh pit at their shows!
I don't care if they make it to nashville in fact I would prefer it if their bus broke down in front of my house forever!
jackie
I also believe that PNH will make it to Nashville very soon. I have had the opportunity to write some articles for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in a new section for teens called "My Generation". I have already had an article(from an interview with Abby and Chris) published, and a review of "Don't Look Back" will run soon. I am proud to say that I have known Chris for 7 years because he was my counselor at Baseball/Softball camp for two years. They are the best band out there: they have more energy than any act I have ever seen, they know how to show the audience a good time, and they are a great combination of 7 very talented, genuinely kind musicians. Keep on Froggin', Hillbilly Style!
I went to my first hillbilly concert back in November at the Roadhouse for my friend's birthday. In all honesty, I thought I'd enjoy the concert and have a good time but little did I know that these guys would wind up being my favorite band. Since November, I've seen them in concert another five times.
I had heard of them before I saw them in concert and I remember hearing Mr. Right Now on the radio all the time and I would constantly get the chorus stuck in my head whenever I heard it. It was just very catchy. I also remember hearing the commercials for their concert in November and I thought that would be fun to go to and then I heard it was sold out, but little did I know I actually had a ticket. It was an awesome concert and just seeing them that one time kept me coming back to see them.
I thoroughly enjoy their music. They can do so much because they have so much talent in the band. I truly believe that they will be very successful and they will go far. I will be exteremely proud to be able to say that I supported them from the beginning when they make it big, just as the other PNH fans out in here it Pittsburgh will be too.
While I love all of them dearly, if I had to pick a favorite hillbilly it would be Abby. He's the best singer ever in my opinion. His songwriting skills are amazing, he's an awesome guitar player. He's one of the sweetest people I've ever met in my whole life. And not to mention, he can really dance and he's a really good looking guy. But like I said, I love them all very much.
Their CD Release Party was amazing. That was by far my favorite concert that I ever attended. They were just so thrilled to see all of us, their fans, out there representing with hillbilly love. I thought it was very sweet of them to stay after the show and do the meet n greet regardless of the amount of fans that showed up.
It's an honor to be a hillbilly fan and I want to thank all seven of them for sharing their talents with us and leaving me with a lot of great memories - and I know there's plenty more to come. I really wish them the best of luck. And I know that someday the whole country will be hillbilly fans.
--Corey
Although I am a religious Froggy listener, my favorite nights are when the Hillbillies are on with you! I'm just starting out in radio, so I have little say as far as programming at the stations I've worked for -- but I DO tell them that the PovertyNeck Hillbillies are going to be big -- which is already happening! Not only are they talented, but they are THE nicest group of guys -- which sets them apart from many other performers, in my opinion! Props to you & Froggy for supporting them from the beginning!
On another note, do you have any tips for a radio girl who's trying to break into the Pittsburgh market?? :)
I agree with all of you. I have been following the guys for about 4 years now and I am just amazed that they havent made it to the big time yet. I wish them all the best because I really believe their day is coming. (I just hate to loose them). As far as the big time shows like Toby & Kenny - I'm not going to any because I am going to see PNH. I would much rather go to the PNH shows than any others.
My 6 year old (Ethan) is also a major PNH fan and has all the posters in his room with their signatures.
I have never met a group a guys as nice as all of them. Best of Luck to all of them!
Leslie Lou
Washington PA
I have to agree with your assessment. My wife went to school with Jeff Volek and lived right down the road from his family growing up. When I was driving across country I heard Mr. Right Now on a radio station in Illinois near St. Louis so their music is definately starting to spread. Can't wait to see them on CMT.
PNH is by far the best country band I have heard! I've been to many of their shows and they are AWESOME!!! The first time I saw them was at the post gazzette a couple summers back and from then on out I have been a faithful Hillbilly fan! I have yet to buy their new CD but I plan on gettin it as soon as I can! I keep checkin their website but it's not on there yet! HOW COME! I didn't get to make it to the CD release party, I was greetin my fiancee back from Iraq. But you bet ur butt I'll be goin to another show as soon as I can!
GOOD LUCK TO PNH! YALL WILL GO FAR! KEEP IT UP!
DANGER-YOUR AWESOME! KEEP UP THE LAUGHS ON THE RADIO!
Thanks Everyone,
The Hillbilly CD release party was a huge success. Their TV special was a hit I hear. So they are getting alot of attention now.
Hey Megan if you wanna check about getting into Pittsburgh radio you should send your resume and a tape of your show to our Pittsburgh office. There is no real secret. Practice, sound good, make a tape of it and send it to Froggy.
I got a picture of my little boys riding their scooters with Hillbilly t-shirts on...I gotta post them.
I see that some of you have started your own Blogs...Cool.
Danger
Froggy Radio
The new cd is good, but I like the first one better.
audrey
I think the odds are low that they will make it bigtime but I still like them anyway. They are a really good local band.
I'll be honest with you I grew up in a small town where everyone listen to country music and I absolutely hated it. When I was a sophmore in college one of my friends took me to a PNH show. I never really heard of them before this time. When I found out they were a country band I really didn't want to stay. WHen they sang "Right Here, Right Now" I was hooked. I have been to almost every show since then. They turned me into what my friends now call me "the biggest country girl in the city" (since I go to school in Pittsburgh). Like everyone else has said they are extremely talented and a nice group of guys. I have had the pleasure to meet them and some always make it a point to come up and say hi when I'm at a show. In a year I plan on moving to Nashville and working in the entertainment business down there and I hope one day I might have a PNH cd on my desk with a note attached asking me what I think and I would definately say that they would be sorry if they didn't give these guys a chance. I have never been to a show where there is so much energy.
Let's keep it the Hillbilly way!
*~*Ches
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