Mandi Layne & the Lost Highway

Mandi Layne isn't too far outside of the big time. Along with her band The Lost Highway, her comfort zone is nestled right within the stars and she's perfectly happy basking in that glow.

Sweeping up six wins at the 2009 Review Awards in the Country category, plus one for band website, the vocalist has been playing out with her group regularly since April of 2007, which marks quite an astonishing feat for such a new young band. The musicians that help make up The Lost Highway feature a group of veterans, including multi-instrumentalist Greg Kevorkian, bassist Craig Wright, guitarist Barry Forster, and drummer Dan Wright.

Currently in the studio recording her debut CD with singer/songwriter pop master Andy Reed, The Review caught up with Layne via Email during a break between cutting vocals and putting together fresh mixes and they took the time to answer some quick questions.

REVIEW: Tell us about sweeping up the Country Awards and how you accomplished that feat.

Mandi Layne: That was a great night. We honestly didn't think we'd win anything, we thought maybe Rookie of the Year, you know, being a new band. But when we ended up with seven awards on our table we were ecstatic, really blown away. We've all been reading the Review for years and have always wanted to be a part of it so when we were nominated, we just made it a point to talk to people at our shows in the area and tell them we were up for some awards and that they should go online and vote.

Review: How long has the band been playing together now.

ML: We've been together for almost two years, but really serious about it for just over a year now.

Review: What are some of your favorite venues to perform? Where can people catch you?

ML: The Woodshed in Clio has really been a second home to us. They were the first club to book us steady and they really were taking a chance, because they're more of a rock club. But after a few shows we started packing the place out and it's been great ever since. We're playing the Pinconning Cheese Town Festival on June 19th and the Davison Motorcycle Club Charity Bike Run for Breast Cancer on June 20th. They call it Save The Ta-Ta's which is just great! Later on we're opening for a national act - Carter's Chord out of Nashville in downtown Saginaw for Pride's Friday Night Live Country Night on July 17th and then we're opening for Darryl Worley (who just posed for Playgirl, YIKES!!!) at the Labadie Pig Gig in Bay City on Aug 8th.

Other than that you can usually catch us at The Woodshed in Clio, The Long Branch Saloon in Mt. Morris or The Wagon Wheel in Flint.

Review: Tell me about the new CD that Andy Reed is helping you produce.

ML: It's called Drunk In Love and is all about just that...drinking, being in love, good times, you know. The big three; Good friends, good whiskey and good lovin'! I honestly cannot imagine this project without Andy. To us he's a member of the band and a true friend. Andy has amazing gear and an incredible working knowledge of that gear. On top of that he's super talented and creative. He's one of those rare individuals that truly love music with all his heart and that shows in this project. We've got a nice variety on this CD - a few down and dirty rockers, a couple smoky love songs, some good, fun, summer time stuff and a couple of real old school country, sing along, jam songs.

Review: Tell me about the process of writing for the new CD.

ML: It's so much fun. Honestly, there is nothing in this world like creating new music! What's really been happening is this: Something will happen or someone will say something that makes one of us say that sounds like a country song. Then we just work out keys, lyrics, chord structure and maybe some instrumentation ideas. We try not to over-write a song and let the song breathe. Each member of the band is given absolute freedom to do what they feel is right for the song. Craig writes all the bass lines, Dan comes up with all the drumming ideas, and Barry writes all his own fills and leads. Then we just let it marinate to see what the song wants to do.

Then we lay it down in the studio and Andy completely trashes and re-writes everything we've worked so hard on...just kidding; but he does really add quite a bit to our music that takes it to the next level.

And then we obsess about it forever. Eventually you come to a point where you say we got it! And if not, you scrap it and start over or move on.

Review: Greg says it is hard to get an honest opinion on the music you are creating. What are your goals for the group, long and short term?

ML: There seems to be a stigma attached to country music. The fact is that if much of what was rock in the 70's was recorded and released today, those acts would be relegated to country stations. Most of what the Eagles, The Band, The Allman Brothers and Bob Dylan did would have no home on today's rock radio stations. Country has become an alternative for people who simply like good, melodic music that speaks to them.

But so many people are just blindly prejudiced to country, especially today's country. We hear things like I like real country, you know Johnny Cash, Hank Williams and George Straight. Well, who the hell doesn't? But I think off handedly disregarding an entire genre of music based on a few new artists is just stupid and those people are missing out on some really good stuff.

As far as goals go, we're going to Nashville in June and doing a songwriters showcase there. Then we're off to Memphis in July to record two original songs at Sun Studios where Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins all recorded much of their stuff. I think the next logical step after the CD is finished would be to shop it to record labels and hopefully get on a tour to support it. Then take over the world and make it illegal for radio stations to play only one format and force them to play local artists! Yeah, right

Review: Tell us about the members of the band.

ML: I consider my band to be my best friends. Really we're more like a family than a band. I can't imagine doing all of this with anyone else. Greg, Craig and Dan, have been playing together for years and really provide a solid rhythm that allows Barry and I to do what we do. Barry is our lead guitarist. He's just now 16 years old and quite possibly one of the best guitarists around. Honestly, you've got to see this guy for yourself. But I've working on guitar and mandolin a lot recently so hopefully I'll be playing live with them soon.

Review: Who has the most influence on the marketing of the group?

ML: We all have a vision of what this band is and why it exists. We're very lucky that we all share the same vision. There honestly has not been a single moment where the direction of the band has ever been debated or questioned. We are all on the same page.

Review: Since you are a band that for the most part shuffles day jobs with playing, how and where do you find time for your passion in the music?

ML: This band and this CD are an obsession for every single one of us. It's pretty much all we think or talk about. The thing is when it really becomes a passion; you don't have to make time for it. You find yourself having to make time for work and other things that are a distraction from your passion. Besides, I'm Wonder Woman...I thought you knew that!

Review: Who are your influences?

ML: Trisha Yearwood was the first to inspire me to start singing country music and I honestly think that Martina McBride has one of the most beautiful and powerful voices ever recorded. Later on I started writing my own songs and was really influenced by the Bangles, believe it or not, and Susan Tedeschi. In high school I was introduced to the southern rock of Drivin N Cryin and Kevn Kinney and that has a profound effect on my writing. Most recently though I've discovered the genius of Leonard Cohen and the really great new stuff by Colin Hay - remember him? He was the lead singer for Men at Work. But even now I find myself listening to a new unknown artist and think to myself, man that's great! Why didn't I write that!