Here are bands and artists you may not have heard of yet…but they have major potential and you get to read about them here, right before they make it big! And “Graduates” are musicians we highlighted in past issues whose careers, as we predicted, have really taken off!

GRADUATE: The Ted Painter Band

By Suzy Geers

This isn’t the teen set’s pop country music. Nope, not by a long shot. The Ted Painter Band is neo-traditional country. Think Willie to Johnny to Alan Jackson ~ songwritin’, hard drinkin’ outlaws hangin’ out with Brad Paisely and Dierks Bentley.

Take a listen to charming, talented songwriter/ guitarist/singer Ted Painter and bassist/ arranger/ all around prodigy John Prunier and you will become a [willing!] student in the school of traditional country music ~ and embrace it and want to preserve it with the same gusto the band does.

With a new five song EP, Keepin’ It Real, The Ted Painter Band is doing just that, featuring the real life, coming-of-age road trip tune “When We Were 18” to the murder ballad (Yes, I said “murder!”) “She Knew.” Painter elaborates, “Usually it’s the man killing the woman — BUT in our song, the woman does in the man and gets away with it!”

I can’t help but laugh and exclaim, “YES!”

Both “Drink A Lot” and “I Wanna See You Naked” are FUN, good time, “It’s happened to everyone” (myself included ~ ladies, you know what I mean when a guy drinks his social skills away?!) kind of tunes. Says Painter about “Naked,” “People will probably think I am a chauvinistic asshole but I am not — I have two daughters! This is the REAL deal. We have all been at a bar on Friday and Saturday nights!” Rounding out the EP is a humorous, saucy, sweet ode to Painter’s wife, “Turn Me On,” which he wrote for her birthday.

So where is this guy from? Oxford, MA, by way of a tumbleweed, desert kind of town in Southern California where walking into a bar and listening to Waylon Jennings is a way of life. So after being stationed in the South during a long stint in the Army, Painter’s appreciation for country music really blossomed. And although Oxford may not exactly be a hot bed of country music (with the exception of Painter!), it did allow him to hook up with Auburn’s Prunier ~ and the two have proven to be a perfect musical match.

I took in a short set with the two and was blown away. Painter has a great animated voice and stage presence and Prunier’s jug band bass style (OK, so I’m no country connoisseur, but that’s what first came to mind) made my head bob and toes tap nonstop. I was getting just what I want when I go out ~ to forget the day’s comings and goings and have nothin’ but a great time.

I’d tell you to ditch your country stereotypes and give these guys a listen, but Painter summed it up perfectly: “In every show we get the same comment, ‘I don’t like country BUT like what you guys are doing!”

Head to myspace.com/thesouthcountyband or tedpainterband.com for ALL Ted Painter Band info, music and shows ~ and try to catch the band on Jul 24 at Countryfest out at Indian Ranch in Webster.

BAND: Plainville

By Jillian Locke

The boys that brought your Cleartheway, Almada, Prevalence and Superhinge are back, happily bringing you the simplest of pleasures. “We really wanted people to sing and just move,” says bassist/vocalist Sean McGorty, former vocalist for Cleartheway. Thus, Plainville was born.

Joining forces with guitarist/vocalist Jon Harrington (formerly of Almada/ArkRoyal) and drummer John Oliveira (formerly of Prevalence and Superhinge), McGorty is just stoked to be playing with some like-minded friends. He’s even more stoked to be working on a fresh, new project. “We’re really excited, and we haven’t felt that in a while.”

The idea materialized when McGorty and Oliveira bumped into each other at a local show, realized they were neighbors, and decided it was time for a new project. With the role of drummer filled, McGorty turned his sights to another local musician. “I had/have the utmost respect for Jon [Harrington] as a singer and always loved his band and songs…enough so that I just wanted to play with him and switched back to bass (my first instrument).”

The sound of Plainville is the sound of pop. “We’re a total pop band ~ very catchy ~ lots of vocals. You could say we’re Weezer-ish, and we’ve been listening to a lot of Fountains of Wayne too. Just really catchy sh*t. We’re leaning more towards the singing aspect of the music,” shares McGorty. “We’re riff heavy, but with lots of singing ~ Jon and I aren’t even concerned with being lead singers.”

Truly, they’re not. All Plainville is concerned with is getting the crowd involved and having a good time. “We’ve all played in bands that were heavier and louder, but we kind of just want people to move and dance and sing along. That’s really important to us,” says McGorty. “I’ve played a million shows and sometimes you’re just watching a band, and you’re just trying to get through it to the next one. We want to be one of those bands that are fun to see, like you feel like you’re a part of it.”

Plainville is scheduling some studio time with their friend Kevin Figueiredo, who happens to be the drummer for Extreme, at Figgpenn Studios in Hudson, MA, to firm up their rough demo. Then, it’s on with the show! Watch out for shows listings at www.plainvillerock.com and jump on board for some feel good, sing-along pop-rock euphoria.

SOLO: Dan Cloutier

By Tine Roycroft

Dan Cloutier, musician and co-founder of Birch Beer Records, is a humble, lovable, raw type of soul. He gives no jive talk, speaks without the clutter of vocabulary that fame-obsessed “artists” often use and loves nothing more than getting up on stage with his guitar and telling it like it is in a bluesy, folksy sort of way. His latest album, recorded live, is aptly entitled Live at the Masquerade Ball~ and this guitar-strumming storyteller is aiming to steal your heart with his lyrical honesty. Yes, ladies, this Hopkinton boy is sexy, but the 30 year old musician is a devoted husband. Sorry to disappoint.

Oddly enough, other than lessons, Cloutier did not go to school for music and took much inspiration from his father, a minister. “I went to Gordon College,” Cloutier reveals, “and I majored in Ancient History and Biblical Studies. My father was a minister so that lifestyle is at the backbone of my music.”

His songs on his latest album bleed the blood of life ~ “Peanut Butter,” for example, relays the story of a boy who spreads peanut butter on his face in order to defeat a bully. Whether you can empathize with the story or not, you will jive to the guitar strummings and appreciate the story that Cloutier tells.

Cloutier sings it loud, sings it rich and sings it raw on this release and confesses that he has gravitated to this style of music for a reason.

“Being a history-loving kinda guy,” he says, “I am really interested in where all of our songs come from and I love going back into the early traditions ~ like the blues, folk music, turn-of-the-century stuff.”

Cloutier, with Birch Beer Records and his obvious talent behind him, has a bright future. He hopes to sign several new quality artists to his label in the upcoming year (he shares co-ownership with fabulous Kim Jennings) and is excited about headlining at Boston’s Club Passim. He encourages everyone to support local music ~ and in fact just started a Facebook Group called “I Support Local Music in Massachusetts ~ so if you’re an FB person, join up!

For more info on Dan Cloutier, go to www.dancloutiermusic.com or www.birchbeerrecords.com.