By Chuck Whiting
MCAU Editor
Leather
& Lace is a family oriented country rock band in Clarion, Pa., featuring
veteran musicians Andrew Weckerly, Darla Weckerly-Warren, David Weckerly, and
Bill Warren. After opening for Colt Ford with standing ovations at the
Washington County Fair near Pittsburgh, they are on their way to local,
regional and national success.
The
Weckerlys founded Leather & Lace in 2011 to continue a storied family
tradition that started with musical grandfathers in the Allegheny foothills of
Pennsylvania. They bring heart, grit and soul to the stage with hints of Zac
Brown Band and Little Big Town -- yet with a passionate, high-energy country
rock sound that is all their own.
Leather
& Lace immediately began to receive major bookings and radio airplay after
its first album, "Family Tree", was released in 2013. The project,
which was produced in Nashville by Kim Copeland, includes original songs about
romance, temptation, heartbreak, faith and forgiveness. The band has already
performed at noted venues such as the Washington County (Pa.) Fair, the
Canfield (Ohio) Fair, and the Peek'n Peak Resort & Spa in Clymer, N.Y.
Selections from the project, including the title cut, are receiving radio
airplay.
"Our
song, 'Family Tree', pretty much represents what we're all about," said
David Weckerly, who was more than happy to join his brother and sister, members
of the former duo Southwind. "We depend on each other during good and hard
times, performing our music to celebrate, heal, and just let loose. That's the
way it's always been in our family. Our love of country, music and faith in God
pours out with every performance."
Three
lead vocals and expert instrumentation add depth and variety to the band's live
performances. Andrew plays guitar; Darla plays piano, mandolin and violin;
David plays bass, banjo; and Bill plays drums and percussion. Their
one-of-a-kind mix of originals and country classics encourage and entertain
fans of all ages. Soaring vocal harmonies, weaving melodies, and thought-provoking
lyrics bring "real stories" to life.
The
band's one to three-hour shows include popular originals from the album such as
"Family Tree", "Red" "Rain on the Windshield",
"Ready to Fall" and "If I Run". Audiences also enjoy
creatively arranged covers such as "Toes"/Zac Brown Band,
"Pontoon"/Little Big Town, "Whenever You Come Around"/Vince
Gill, "Folsom Prison Blues"/Johnny Cash, "Down South
Jukin'"/Lynyrd Skynyrd, "Seven Bridges Road"/Eagles, and
"Copperhead Road"/Steve Earl.
The
act is receiving rave reviews from music industry professionals across the
nation.
"Leather
& Lace is an outstanding band," says Jeff Lash, a board member for the Washington
County (Pa.) Fair. "They sound awesome and harmonize second to none. They
are a very easy band to work with. They came ready to play and had a great
interaction with the crowd. They did an excellent job opening for Colt
Ford."
"This
band is destined for greatness," notes Nashville producer Kim Copeland.
"The vocals are powerful, the harmonies are infectious, and the songs are
hits. They are a triple threat in every way. Three distinctive lead singers
with a sibling blend both excite and astound. Leather & Lace has great
musicians and performers as well."
"I
get to listen to lots of new country artists as part of my job," says Bill
Hughes, host of the "Rising Stars" show for radio stations Y 99.5-FM,
101.7 WJSQ-FM and WYGO-AM in Tennessee. "Listening to Leather & Lace's
new album, 'Family Tree', is pure pleasure from beginning to end, and I'll be
sharing every track with my 'Rising Stars' listeners. My prediction is that the
band is going to enjoy a very large family of new fans real soon."
All
of the band members carry life-changing family and musical experiences to
Leather & Lace.
Andrew,
Darla and David tear up when they talk about their grandfathers, Lawrence
"Babe" Elmadollar and "Stormin'" Norman Weckerly. Impromptu
performances by the coal miners at backwoods music gatherings in the 1930s
eventually led to a courtship between "Babe's" daughter, Lorraine,
and "Stormin's" son, Darl.
The
Weckerly music legacy continued when the three grandkids backed up
"Babe" on a weekly radio program. Andrew and Darla later pursued a
15-year career as members of the popular country duo Southwind, playing venues
across the region. Darla also teaches music for a youth correctional facility.
Venturing
out on his own, David served as a lead soloist for the Penn State University
Choir and later as the co-producer of the CD, "Neon Skies", a
collaboration with his brother Andrew. Ironically, he also has carried on the
family tradition in the coal industry as a mechanical engineer for Joy Mining
Machinery.
Darla
didn't know it at the time, but her marriage to touring Canadian musician Bill
Warren would complete the framework for Leather & Lace.
More
tears (and lyrics) come when the siblings reflect on their mother's miraculous
recovery from a life-threatening stroke and the heartbreak of coal mining loved
ones who have lost everything. When the four musicians got together to
"jam" for the first time, their emotions came pouring out. But
leaving their individual music roads behind wasn't easy. Rave reviews from fair
operators, fans, friends and family members changed everything. With major
performances already under their belts, including a rousing opening for Colt
Ford in Pittsburgh, they are ready to make a big impact on the country music
scene.
The
act performs at concert venues, fairs, nightclubs, hotels, casinos and
festivals. For booking information, contact Leather & Lace by e-mail at
Info@LandLRocks.com; by phone at (814) 758-0613 or (814) 221-3295; or by
visiting www.LandLRocks.com.
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