FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n
August 18, 2014<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/b>CHRISTIAN LOPEZ BAND SIGNS WITH BLASTER RECORDS<\/b><\/p>\n
New EP, <\/b>Pilot<\/i><\/b>, to be released on October 14<\/b>th<\/sup><\/b><\/p>\n \n <\/p>\n Having one foot planted in the folksy, fiery twang of modern-day Americana and the other inching toward the rootsy rock & roll of early Sun Records, the West Virginia-based Christian Lopez Band is ready to make a lasting mark. Recently signed to Blaster Records, the band is set to release their debut EP, Pilot<\/i>, on October 14th.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n At 19 years old, front man Christian Lopez is growing into one of Americana\u2019s most promising new performers and songwriters.\u00a0 Lopez sought out and signed a management deal with Rock Ridge Music at the end of 2013, who in turn, immediately played the initial demos for Blaster Records President, Derek Simon.\u00a0 In old school style befitting an artist who cites classic influences like The Band, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson, a deal was struck after the first listen.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThe decision to sign Christian practically made itself,\u201d says Blaster Records President Derek Simon.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s such a special talent and his poise and presence make it easy to forget just how young he is.\u00a0 There\u2019s a shared vision between Christian, his management and our team and it just makes sense for us to be working together.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cBlaster Records truly believes in me, and that’s really the greatest thing an artist could ask for in a label,\u201d says Lopez.\u00a0 \u201cI’m very proud and excited to be working with Blaster, and the work we’ve done so far has felt very natural and very right. They are passionate about music and have made the songs that I’ve carried with me for my entire lifetime actually come to life.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Lopez began playing piano at 5 years old, picked up the guitar at 9 and began writing songs as a teenager. Backed by a group of local pickers, he started touring before he could legally drive and racked up a long list of accomplishments along the way, including stints on the Warped Tour and the Belk-sponsored \u201cModern Southern Music\u201d tour, which found him\u00a0performing pre-show on bills with Zac Brown Band and Dave Matthews Band. \u00a0Armed with their first label release and a passionate team behind them, the band will remain on tour throughout the fall while Lopez continues writing new material for a forthcoming full-length album.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n CHRISTIAN LOPEZ BAND TOUR SCHEDULE<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n 8\/20 \u2013 Cumberland, MD \/ Downtown Cumberland Concert Series<\/p>\n 8\/21 \u2013 Floyd, VA \/ Dogtown Roadhouse<\/p>\n 8\/23 \u2013 Nashville, TN \/ Antique Archaeology<\/p>\n 8\/23 \u2013 Franklin, TN \/ Grey\u2019s On Main (evening show)<\/p>\n 8\/29 \u2013 Charlotte, NC \/ PNC Music Pavilion<\/p>\n 9\/3 \u2013 New York, NY \/ Rockwood Music Hall Stage 3<\/p>\n 9\/12 \u2013 New Hope, PA \/ Triumph Brewery<\/p>\n 9\/13 \u2013 Winchester, VA \/ Bright Box Theater<\/p>\n 9\/18 \u2013 9\/20 \u2013 Dewey Beach, DE \/ Dewey Beach Music Festival<\/p>\n 9\/27 \u2013 Blacksburg, VA \/ Sycamore Deli (w\/Deer Run Drifters)<\/p>\n 10\/4 \u2013 Thomas, WV \/ The Purple Fiddle<\/p>\n 10\/10 \u2013 Clear Springs, MD \/ Knob Hall Winery<\/p>\n 10\/11 \u2013 Bethesda, MD \/ Taste of Bethesda Festival<\/p>\n 10\/17 \u2013 Bedford, VA \/ Bedford Library Concert Series<\/p>\n 10\/18 \u2013 Shepherdstown, WV \/ Shepherdstown Opera House<\/p>\n 10\/25 \u2013 Centreville, VA \/ Cox Farms Fall Fest<\/p>\n <\/p>\n www.christianlopezband.com<\/a><\/p>\n www.facebook.com\/christianlopezband<\/a><\/p>\n
\nThings kicked into high gear after bringing on producer Dave Cobb (http:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/news\/producer-profile-dave-cobb-20140723<\/a>), the man behind critically-acclaimed Americana albums like Jason Isbell’s Southeastern <\/i>and Sturgill Simpson’s Metamodern Sounds in Country Music<\/i>. A window in the producer\u2019s busy schedule allowed Lopez to get into Cobb’s Nashville studio in April 2014 to record Pilot<\/i>, a five-song EP that also highlights bandmate Chelsea McBee, an old-time banjo picker.<\/p>\n