Chuck Tilley heads to Hollywood
CJ McCormick
Senior Entertainment Reporter
Issue date: 12/7/07 Section: INfocus
- Page 1 of 1
Tuscaloosa native Chuck Tilley had a lot in common with many of his UA counterparts when he attended the University in the 1980s.
He went to class, cheered on the Crimson Tide and studied for exams. But unlike most students, he knew exactly what he wanted to do from the start.
Ever since childhood, Tilley knew he was interested in music.
"As a child, my radio was always on so I learned hundreds of songs at a very young age," he said. "I could hear something once or twice and then have it."
Twenty years later, Tilley is playing in many more places than his old stomping ground in Tuscaloosa.
Tilley and his Nashville-based band, Sixwire, are competing on the first season of Fox's "The Next Great American Band," from the producers of "American Idol," in which 12 bands compete for a contract with 19 recordings and the title of the "Next Great American Band."
The University
Tilley played his first instrument before he was 5 years old.
"I think I started messing around with it when I was 3 or 4 and then really started getting serious and taking lessons when I was 8 or 9," Tilley said. "I played guitar and bass before focusing on the drums, which led to me be a music major."
Working toward a career in music, Tilley attended the University on a music scholarship where he took every opportunity to hone his craft.
"When I was a music major there, I played in everything out there. I was in the orchestra, the jazz band and the Million Dollar Band," Tilley said.
Due to his activities, Tilley spent a lot of time practicing.
"I slept in my practice room a lot," he said. "We had these old music practice rooms in Comer Hall, and I had a little drum set in there. I would practice for hours and hours a day and sometimes I would just sleep in there, which was not to the pleasure of the faculty, but they didn't really know."
Not only was he involved with UA music groups, but he also played in a four-piece rock band, Grey Matter, that played in all the bars along the Strip as well as UA fraternity houses.
"We were a very unique band in that we had a front man who played the sax and guitar, and so we did the most random song list you can imagine, which is why I think we got so much work," Tilley said.
It was on the Strip where Tilley met someone special.
"The girl that became my wife, who I've been together with for more than 18 years, I met at a bar on the Strip," he said. "I was playing at Egan's that night. I was making 20 bucks and all the booze I could drink. That's what I got paid."
He said his wife Kathleen was a member of Phi Mu sorority, and she graduated in 1985 with a bachelor's degree in dance. They have two children, Kyle and Leah, both of whom Tilley says will attend the University.
The journey
After graduating from the University in 1987 with a bachelor's degree in music administration, Tilley took what he had learned in Tuscaloosa to Nashville where he worked hard to jumpstart his career.
During this time, he toured with acts such as Dolly Parton, Lee Greenwood, Engelbert Humperdinck, Kenny Rogers, Richard Marx, Jewel, Edwin McCain and Al Jareau, among others.
After more than a decade of touring and working on side projects, Tilley and four fellow musicians decided to put their own band together. They named their band Sixwire after their term for a six-string guitar.
The band consists of Andy Childs on lead vocals and guitar, Steve Mandile on vocals and guitar, Robb Houston on vocals and guitar, John Howard on bass and Tilley on drums.
After the band formed, they started writing and recording, and played a lot of shows around Nashville that eventually led to a record deal with Warner Bros. Records in 2001, Tilley said.
In 2002, the band's first single, "Look at Me Now," was a top 20 single with the video for the song making the top five on CMT and GAC.
"The video did really well for us," Tilley said. "The video did better for us than the record did, which was hilarious."
The band left Warner Bros. in 2002 after the label changed management, but the band continued to tour and write music in hopes of getting a new record deal in the future - one of the main reasons they decided to do "The Next Great American Band."
Flash forward
Sixwire heard about the show in the spring when they were playing shows around Nashville and were encouraged to apply.
"We had a lot of friends who were like, 'Man, you guys should do that, y'all should send in an audition video.' We were like, 'I don't know. What the heck, we've got nothing to lose,'" Tilley said.
Taking their friends' advice, the band submitted a video and was selected among the 60 bands out of roughly 8,000 that were asked to audition. They auditioned in Las Vegas and went on to beat out 48 more bands to get a spot on the show.
Tilley said Sixwire is a country-rock band based on the singer-songwriter bands of the '70s and '80s.
"I stress the word 'rock' when I say 'country-rock band,'" he said.
While the top 12 bands selected were musically diverse, Tilley said Sixwire has some distinct qualities.
"For us it was cool, because we are the only straight guitar and vocal band, so we just kind of have our own niche," he said.
With the show more than halfway over, the band has increased their fan base and is still in contention to win the record deal.
"What's cool is that you are playing for several million people on the show every week," he said. "You can't go out and play shows and get those kind of numbers, so we are very fortunate to have gotten on the show and had the opportunity to showcase ourselves."
With the success the band has had thus far, Tilley said the most rewarding part of what he does is seeing the fans enjoy the show.
"Watching people in the crowd who know us and know our songs, and watching them enjoy it, that's the best thing and that's why we did this," he said. "That's why we all started out practicing our guitars in our bedroom when we were 7 years old."
Fan appreciation
Tilley said he and his bandmates are grateful for the support they've received from Tuscaloosa residents and fans all over the country.
"I know we've got a lot of fans and family in Tuscaloosa who've been calling local radio stations, and I'd like to say thanks to everybody so much for watching and voting," he said. "Obviously we're still on the show, so somebody out there is voting for us, and it's much, much appreciated."
Students and Tuscaloosa residents interested in supporting a UA alumnus can watch the Queen-themed episode of "The Next Great American Band" on Fox tonight at 8 and vote to help keep Tilley and his band for the next round.
He went to class, cheered on the Crimson Tide and studied for exams. But unlike most students, he knew exactly what he wanted to do from the start.
Ever since childhood, Tilley knew he was interested in music.
"As a child, my radio was always on so I learned hundreds of songs at a very young age," he said. "I could hear something once or twice and then have it."
Twenty years later, Tilley is playing in many more places than his old stomping ground in Tuscaloosa.
Tilley and his Nashville-based band, Sixwire, are competing on the first season of Fox's "The Next Great American Band," from the producers of "American Idol," in which 12 bands compete for a contract with 19 recordings and the title of the "Next Great American Band."
The University
Tilley played his first instrument before he was 5 years old.
"I think I started messing around with it when I was 3 or 4 and then really started getting serious and taking lessons when I was 8 or 9," Tilley said. "I played guitar and bass before focusing on the drums, which led to me be a music major."
Working toward a career in music, Tilley attended the University on a music scholarship where he took every opportunity to hone his craft.
"When I was a music major there, I played in everything out there. I was in the orchestra, the jazz band and the Million Dollar Band," Tilley said.
Due to his activities, Tilley spent a lot of time practicing.
"I slept in my practice room a lot," he said. "We had these old music practice rooms in Comer Hall, and I had a little drum set in there. I would practice for hours and hours a day and sometimes I would just sleep in there, which was not to the pleasure of the faculty, but they didn't really know."
Not only was he involved with UA music groups, but he also played in a four-piece rock band, Grey Matter, that played in all the bars along the Strip as well as UA fraternity houses.
"We were a very unique band in that we had a front man who played the sax and guitar, and so we did the most random song list you can imagine, which is why I think we got so much work," Tilley said.
It was on the Strip where Tilley met someone special.
"The girl that became my wife, who I've been together with for more than 18 years, I met at a bar on the Strip," he said. "I was playing at Egan's that night. I was making 20 bucks and all the booze I could drink. That's what I got paid."
He said his wife Kathleen was a member of Phi Mu sorority, and she graduated in 1985 with a bachelor's degree in dance. They have two children, Kyle and Leah, both of whom Tilley says will attend the University.
The journey
After graduating from the University in 1987 with a bachelor's degree in music administration, Tilley took what he had learned in Tuscaloosa to Nashville where he worked hard to jumpstart his career.
During this time, he toured with acts such as Dolly Parton, Lee Greenwood, Engelbert Humperdinck, Kenny Rogers, Richard Marx, Jewel, Edwin McCain and Al Jareau, among others.
After more than a decade of touring and working on side projects, Tilley and four fellow musicians decided to put their own band together. They named their band Sixwire after their term for a six-string guitar.
The band consists of Andy Childs on lead vocals and guitar, Steve Mandile on vocals and guitar, Robb Houston on vocals and guitar, John Howard on bass and Tilley on drums.
After the band formed, they started writing and recording, and played a lot of shows around Nashville that eventually led to a record deal with Warner Bros. Records in 2001, Tilley said.
In 2002, the band's first single, "Look at Me Now," was a top 20 single with the video for the song making the top five on CMT and GAC.
"The video did really well for us," Tilley said. "The video did better for us than the record did, which was hilarious."
The band left Warner Bros. in 2002 after the label changed management, but the band continued to tour and write music in hopes of getting a new record deal in the future - one of the main reasons they decided to do "The Next Great American Band."
Flash forward
Sixwire heard about the show in the spring when they were playing shows around Nashville and were encouraged to apply.
"We had a lot of friends who were like, 'Man, you guys should do that, y'all should send in an audition video.' We were like, 'I don't know. What the heck, we've got nothing to lose,'" Tilley said.
Taking their friends' advice, the band submitted a video and was selected among the 60 bands out of roughly 8,000 that were asked to audition. They auditioned in Las Vegas and went on to beat out 48 more bands to get a spot on the show.
Tilley said Sixwire is a country-rock band based on the singer-songwriter bands of the '70s and '80s.
"I stress the word 'rock' when I say 'country-rock band,'" he said.
While the top 12 bands selected were musically diverse, Tilley said Sixwire has some distinct qualities.
"For us it was cool, because we are the only straight guitar and vocal band, so we just kind of have our own niche," he said.
With the show more than halfway over, the band has increased their fan base and is still in contention to win the record deal.
"What's cool is that you are playing for several million people on the show every week," he said. "You can't go out and play shows and get those kind of numbers, so we are very fortunate to have gotten on the show and had the opportunity to showcase ourselves."
With the success the band has had thus far, Tilley said the most rewarding part of what he does is seeing the fans enjoy the show.
"Watching people in the crowd who know us and know our songs, and watching them enjoy it, that's the best thing and that's why we did this," he said. "That's why we all started out practicing our guitars in our bedroom when we were 7 years old."
Fan appreciation
Tilley said he and his bandmates are grateful for the support they've received from Tuscaloosa residents and fans all over the country.
"I know we've got a lot of fans and family in Tuscaloosa who've been calling local radio stations, and I'd like to say thanks to everybody so much for watching and voting," he said. "Obviously we're still on the show, so somebody out there is voting for us, and it's much, much appreciated."
Students and Tuscaloosa residents interested in supporting a UA alumnus can watch the Queen-themed episode of "The Next Great American Band" on Fox tonight at 8 and vote to help keep Tilley and his band for the next round.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Larry McCook
posted 12/13/07 @ 9:37 AM CST
Six Wire is the best band on The Next Great American Band Show. Call in and vote for them this coming Friday after the Fox Television Show!
Post a Comment