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Sunday, 11 July, 2010 12:17 PM

Country group TellURide performs in Swartz Creek; finishes up new album

SWARTZ CREEK, Mich. -- New country group TellURide was formed in 2006 with its members coming from Washington state and South Carolina. It is made up of Adam Craig, Brian Smith, Jimi Hendrix and Ryan Jones. Their latest album, Four Square Miles, is available for download at online retailers. TellURide’s latest single is “Pencil Marks.”

In 2008, the group was featured in Country Weekly. TellURide sang the national anthem at the NASCAR race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, the Kansas City Royals baseball game and at the Chicago White Sox baseball game.

“We’ve been together about four years,” Smith said. “Just hit the road. Last year, we did two singles. We did 44 states in 260 days. That was killer. We came back in, we were exhausted. We just said let’s do another record.”

“We actually just got out of the studio a couple of weeks ago,” Jones said. “Working on the next record, the song is ‘Taillights,’ written by Mr. Adam Craig. We’re excited.”

TellURide has opened for stars such as LeAnn Rimes, Billy Ray Cyrus, Little Big Town and Lonestar, among many others. The group also had the pleasure to open for rockers Foreigner and REO Speedwagon.

Craig wrote a song that was recently picked up by Jason Aldean.

“It’s a song that I written about five years ago,” he explained. “He apparently liked it and dug it. He told us it didn’t suck. Hopefully, you’ll be hearing it soon.”
I caught up with the guys from TellURide during the autograph session at the Swartz Creek Hometown Days earlier this month. The group also performed at the 2010 Detroit Downtown Hoedown on Sunday afternoon.

“It was killer, Detroit was a huge country fest,” Smith said. “We’ve never been to Detroit before. We were a little intimidated at first, home of Motown and all that. We got in there and we’re just at home, this feels great.”

“It was cool, never seen a festival like right downtown on the river,” Jones added. “It was really cool. Stage was up above us. It was great.”
“What did they say, there was over a million people?” Craig asked. “That’s pretty awesome. Country music.”

TellURide is going on the road this summer and is now being sponsored by Stetson.

“Just working in the studio on a new track, we have a new producer now,” Smith said. “It looks like Stetson has sponsored us. We’re going to be able to wear some cool hats coming up here next. We’re going to go on the road and sponsor that.”

“The whole rest of the summer looks like its taking shape,” Craig added. “We’re going to be out playing country music to good ole fans. It’s going to be a hoot.”

What are your goals for the next five years?

“I think we’re going to try not to be homeless,” Hendrix responded. “A couple of number ones would be good. I don’t think anybody would kick that outta bed.”

“We’ve been playing together for so long now, it’s a huge family,” Smith added. “Anytime anybody gets success, it’s just shared with everybody. We have a ball. Pretty much, if we could have a permanent barbeque for the rest of our lives, I think that’s the goal of this band.”

For more information on TellURide, visit www.myspace.com/tellurideband.