Leap of faith
Word of mouth helps Stonehoney get its music onstage in LA and beyond
By Bliss 07/31/2008
Google “Stonehoney” and you’ll get 2,430 hits. Not bad for a band dependent on word of mouth. And friends.
“Everything so far has, for the most part, been word of mouth,” bandleader Shawn Davis acknowledges with a chuckle. “That’s what has us convinced that if we had people whose jobs were to tell people about us, we might start doing really well.”
That goal’s inching closer. While I See Hawks in LA carries forward Gram Parsons’ cosmic country, Stonehoney filters that era’s Laurel Canyon legacy — particularly the Eagles’ harmonies and anthems. Like the Eagles, they’re more rock than country and get slammed in some quarters for being “slick.” But their musicianship and songcraft trump most hipper-than-thou critics.
Since casually jamming in bandmate Nick Randolph’s Beachwood Canyon aerie three years ago and briefly playing with singer-songwriter Angela Easterling, Stonehoney’s built a steady following drawn to their brotherly dynamic. Davis, Randolph, bassist Dave Phenicie and secret-weapon guitarist Phil Hurley have written enough material to fill three-hour shows (although energy spikes when Phenicie erupts in passionate covers of Ray Charles and the Allman Brothers).
Their four-part harmonies and live vibe with drummer Scotty Lund attracted Mariah Carey/Celine Dion producer Rick Wake, who produced their album “Songs From a Hillside Living Room.” But no label deals ensued. Stonehoney remains an indie outfit hawking CDs at gigs. This spring, they left town for three months to generate momentum.
“Nashville was the destination, and we set up other trips that took us on side ventures [that] helped us really define what’s gonna work for us,” Davis explains. “In LA, we do pretty good. But there’s only so much going on for live music. It’s a whole different thing [elsewhere]. … Austin, Nashville, Milwaukee, Chicago, Denver, Memphis — everywhere we went, people get jumping for this band. We just need to get the hell out of Los Angeles and be on the road.”
They’re confronting a thorny quandary: Getting in front of audiences is key to expanding prospects, but escalating fuel costs are grounding artists nationwide.
Lowen & Navarro’s Dan Navarro, president of the trade association Folk Alliance, cites Stonehoney’s songs, musicianship and ability to turn on crowds when explaining why he does everything he can for his “little brothers.” He arranged showcases at FA’s February conference that yielded numerous bookings (including several at Levitt Pavilions) that Stonehoney will play during its upcoming month-long tour. Call it a leap of faith.
“We’re close to being able to self-sustain this band from touring,” Davis says. “And it’s all word of mouth — no manager, no publicist, nobody working for us. Just us playing and then people walking away talking about it.”
Stonehoney plays at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles, located in MacArthur Park, and then again at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 14 at the Levitt Pavillion Pasadena, in Memorial Park near the corner of Holly Street and Raymond Avenue. Call (213) 384-5701 for LA info or (626) 683-3230 about the Pasadena gig. myspace.com/stonehoney
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