MANSFIELD, Ohio – A local southern rock group is spreading holiday cheer by offering a free download of its eight-track Christmas album.
Jimmy Warner, of the Jimmy Warner Band, said giving away the album was an idea the band talked about for several months.
It can be downloaded at the group’s website, jimmywarnerband.com.
“It mostly started as a way to get people to listen to our music because there are so many bands trying to make it on YouTube and everything else,” Warner said. “And we figured one way is to, first of all, give it away for free.”
The Jimmy Warner Band consists of four members – Jimmy Warner, lead vocals/guitar; Fred Anderson, bass/vocals; Adam Hansen, drums; and Nick Clay, lead guitar. Warner said this lineup has been together for about 14 months.
Putting together the album took about a week and a half, according to Warner, who added that the band recorded it alone.
“Jimmy came to me with the idea probably six months ago, and it kind of sparked that little kid back into you getting out there like bands used to do to get their music out – they used to pass out flyers and what not,” lead guitarist Clay said.
On Black Friday, the group handed out more than 800 copies of the album to people standing in lines at various shopping spots. Likewise, there have been more than 500 downloads of the album.
The track list includes holiday favorites such as “Blue Christmas,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” and “O Holy Night.” It also features one original song titled “Christmas Eve.”
“There wasn’t a whole lot that we put into the track listing,” Warner said. “We picked a couple that we could kind of show our soul and our true colors on, and that was some of the faster kind of southern rock feel that we have when we play.
“And then around here we also do acoustic shows where there are just acoustic guitars and a little drum kit, so that was our reasoning for wanting to some of the one that are a little more mellow.”
The members of the band are from the area – from Bellville to Shelby, Lexington, and Loudonville – and all bring a slightly different musical style to the band.
“We’re kind of spread out not too far apart musically, but we kind of all meet around the southern rock, classic rock style,” Warner said. “Nick’s a little more rock-and-roll in some areas, and I may be a little more blues, but we can really meet in the middle where we all connect.”
One of their biggest influences musically is the Atlanta-based rock band Blackberry Smoke.
“We do a lot of smaller venues like Phoenix [Brewing Company] and City Grille [in downtown Mansfield] – kind of where we do our acoustic sets – and we play at Legends [Sports Grill and Pub] in Shelby and Weber’s [Bar],” Warner said.
The group likely will start doing fewer gigs locally, Warner added.
“We’re finding out that is an advantage because when you play every Saturday, it’s hard to get people out when they know you’re going to be back next Saturday,” he said. “We’re going to be doing more Cleveland and Columbus shows in 2016.”
The foursome also plans to continue bringing original music back to the forefront. Typically the band had done roughly 25 percent original music and 75 percent covers.
“There are so many cover bands that are losing everyone’s interest slowly,” Clay said.
Warner agreed, adding that people seem to be fans of venues more than bands nowadays.
“We’re kind of getting tired of being karaoke machines,” he said. “So 2016, our goals are we’re going to start pushing this original music, and when we pick covers it will be intentional so it sounds like something we would have written.
“And we’re going to give stuff out. I don’t think we’re going to sell albums anymore, if we do T-shirts, we’re not going to sell those anymore because none of us even buy full albums of our favorite bands. We may buy a song here and there, but I have no reason to think if I put out a 12-song album locally that everyone is going to buy it. They’re doing us a favor by just listening to it.”
For information about the band or for its upcoming schedule, visit jimmywarnerband.com or “Like” the band on Facebook.
