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| Ecclectic rockers Jag
Star unveil ‘Crazy Place’ |
Kevin Delury
Entertainment Beat Writer |
Special to The Appalachian |
“I used to just
want to write instrumental music for movies as a kid,” admits
Sarah Lewis, Jag Star’s lead vocalist.
Things couldn’t have turned out more differently, as she now
fronts one of the edgiest rock bands out of the southeast.
Jag Star, acronym for “Just A Girl Singing To A Radio,”
has been on the rise for the past three years. From sharing the
stage with such acts as Michelle Branch and Macy Gray to having
their music featured on MTV’s “The Real World,” Jag
Star is primed to take their music far beyond their hometown of
Knoxville, Tenn. |
Jag Star’s
roster is comprised of lead vocalist and pianist Sarah Lewis, her
husband Jay Lewis on guitar, drummer Brad Williams, Jay Daniel on
bass, and Erin Tipton on viola and violin.
“A lot of people think we’re brother and sister,”
said Sarah Lewis about her marriage. “We get the least amounts
of questions when people think we’re siblings.
Still Sarah Lewis is happy with the way things have worked out by
working in a band with Jay. “It’s been cool to be able
to do this and both have the same goal,” said Sarah Lewis.
On the latest release “Crazy Place,” the pop music mold,
which most would be quick to file them under, is broken. On “Crazy
Place,” the band combines rock guitars, hip-hop beats, and
to tie it all off, a viola that grabs the listener’s attention
second only to the amazing vocals of Sarah Lewis.
With each member of the band hailing from a distinctly different
musical background, Jag Star truly possesses a sound that is all
their own.
“When we first started doing this, we wondered how people would
react to a rock band with a violin, two girls and three guys,”
said Sarah Lewis. “It’s not your normal thing, but we
feel like it was meant for us to be together.”
As an almost unspoken testimony to the band’s ability to produce
solid, infectiously catchy songs that still have depth, Jag Star
was nominated for the Jim Beam B.E.A.M. grant award in 2001.
“I found it online,” recalls Sarah Lewis, “and we
were supposed to write an essay and send in a copy of the CD. Somehow
we got picked, I don’t know how. We really didn’t think
they were going to choose us because it’s a nationwide contest.
They gave us $3,500 to help us out. We really needed the money so
that was cool.”
Sarah Lewis also managed to win the spot of runner-up in the John
Lennon Songwriting Contest.
“We were in the middle of recording our album and someone had
told me about it,” said Lewis. “I sent the first song
we recorded which was ‘Mouth,’ and a few weeks later they
called me and told me I was runner up. Again, I never thought anything
like that would ever happen.”
Jag Star has been touring consistently in support of the release
of their new album “Crazy Place.” Although the band has
toured through most of the southeast, including stops in Boone,
Lewis said that it has been quite some time since returning to play.
“We actually played Legends once or twice a few years ago,
but it’s been a while since we’ve been back,” said
Sarah Lewis. “We haven’t been back since the release of
our new album.”
Jag Star will be returning to play Boone on Friday, Sept. 13, at
Murphy’s restaurant and pub. Admission is $5 with doors opening
at 10:00 P.M. The show is 21 and over.
For more information on Jag Star, visit their website at: www.jagstar.com. |
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