BlackHawk, Rocket Club and others added to Winstock ’10 lineup

A group that has been known for its three-part harmonies for nearly two decades, and another group that longed to hear three-piece harmonies were both recently added to the Winstock 2010 lineup for Friday, June 11. BlackHawk and Rocket Club will both be performing Friday afternoon at the 17th annual Winstock Country Music Festival at the Winstock grounds in Winsted, Minnesota. They join headliners Alan Jackson and Dierks Bentley, and Sara Evans, Josh Turner, Phil Vassar, Jake Owen, Trailer Choir, and David Nail at the two-day country music festival, set to take place Friday and Saturday, June 11-12, 2010. Earlybird tickets are on sale now, and can be purchased here.

BlackHawk is a musical group of seasoned professionals with decades of dedication to their music. Led by singer Henry Paul on acoustic guitar/mandolin, the group includes Randy Threet on bass guitar and high harmony vocals, and Jon Coleman on keyboards and low harmony vocals. There is a sincerity and originality in what they do that rings true with audiences everywhere. Great songs are the cornerstones of their career and these songs have touched people both young and old. With a dozen top ten hits to their credit and multi-platinum album sales that exceed seven million records, they have carved out their own place in music history. A “Greatest Hits Live” album was released in 2008, and fans will be excited to hear old favorites like “There You Have It,” “Almost A Memory Now,” “Like There Ain’t No Yesterday,” “Goodbye Says It All,” “Every Once In A While,” “Postmarked Birmingham,” and “That’s Just About Right,” among other notable hits, at Winstock 2010. Now in its 16th year, Paul admits BlackHawk has taken a back seat to the reforming of his other band, The Outlaws, over the past few years, but he recently reaffirmed his commitment to BlackHawk and delivering new music to its fans.

“I’ve decided to put the time and effort needed back into reviving BlackHawk’s music with new recordings,” Paul said in a statement to fans in late December. “I have a devout love of this band’s music and the joy it gives me is unequaled. It is a spiritual, and musical cornerstone of my life and I want to take this opportunity to declare my commitment to it’s future.” For more information, visit www.blackhawklive.com.

True to its name, Twin Cities-based Rocket Club was formed based on a shared love and a common quest. Four friends and now bandmates missed hearing three-piece harmonies and the groups that melded them together perfectly. Powered by three-part vocals and guided by solid songwriting and musicianship, Rocket Club’s recently-launched debut album pulls from a variety of different influences, but clearly pays tribute to some of music’s great storytellers. Band members Chris Hawkey (vocals, guitars), Matt Kirkwold (vocals, guitars), Brian Kroening (guitars) and Don Smithmier (vocals, keyboards) constitute an eclectic mix of sounds and musical accomplishments. Hawkey has built a strong regional following with his two solo records, “Minutes to Memories” and “The Pursuit.” He can also be heard locally on KFAN 1130 AM Radio as producer and co-host of The Power Trip Morning Show. Following the release of its debut CD, Rocket Club added two widely-respected vets of the Twin Cities music scene – Billy Thommes (drums) and Joel Sayles (bass) – to its lineup.