We have been so proud of the musicians and talent that we've been able to be a part of over the years. Utah really is a hub for incredible bands and excellent musical ability. A decade ago, Salt Lake was not on even on the radar for national event planners or talent agencies. Now, our bands and performers are known all over the world. Original artists like Imagine Dragons, Neon Trees, and David Archeletta proved to the world that something big is happening in Utah.
The same thing is happening for Party and Event Bands; bands like the Party Crashers and the Groove Merchants are being flown all over North and South America to play big shows and entertain audiences. One of the showcases for new talent in Utah is playing at Provo's "Stadium of Fire." Last year, local artist Ryan Innes opened for Stadium of Fire and this year, he went far on the the hit TV show "The Voice." This year, it's Groove Merchants turn.
The Groove Merchants Party Band definitely has some of the best vocal and musical talent in the country and not only would it be a blast for them to play in front of thousands of screaming people, they just...plain...deserve it. These guys have the talent and experience to ROCK the stadium!
Go to www.gigg.com and vote for the Groove Merchants to play the stadium! Let's show the country what talent their really is in this state. Utah has what it takes to become a major player in the new music scene.
Since Utah Live Bands owns & books the best cover bands around, we thought it fitting to do a post ranking the best and/or most memorable covers of all time. Some will be old, some will be new; some will be ridiculous, and some will be fantastic & musical. So without further adieu, here the top 14 covers (by bands & soloists) of all time:
14.
William Shatner -- Rocketman
I actually had to return and add this one in... How silly of me. I've never seen a more deep and compelling rendition of an Elton John song :) My favorite part about his clip is how the audience isn't sure if he's being serious or not. I'm convinced that the majority of them do. It's not really a song, so I put it at number 14. Take it away Mr. Shatner:
13.
Fiona Apple – Sally’s Song
This song comes from the genius of Danny Elfman—Tim Burton’s go-to guy for all things creepy and mystical. Not only does he make incredible scores for movies (Men in Black, Spiderman, Beetlejuice, and pretty much any Tim Burton film you’ve seen), he also has an incredible singing voice and is the emotional voice of Jack Skellinton in “Nightmare Before Christmas.” Fiona Apple fits in perfectly with Danny’s creepy but mystifying style with this cover of a ‘Nightmare…” song:
12.
Gary Jule’s – Mad World
This cover became ridiculously famous when it was used on the movie Donnie Darko. This Tears for Fears remake is just another example of how we LOVE taking pseudo-obscure songs and turning them into creepy & ethereal covers.
11.
Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah
This is the ultimate cover, simply because it seems to be a cover of a cover of a cover. This song came back into popularity (for the 4th or 5th time) for our generation as Rufus Wainwright’s version was used in the movie Shrek. This captivating rendition takes it to another level as Jeff Buckley covers Rufus Wainwright, covers John Cale, Covers Leonard Cohen...
10.
Cardigans/Tom Jones – Burning down the house
Remember when I mentioned “Ridiculous?” This little gem is far from the best cover of all time, but it is certainly one of the most memorable. First of all, the Cardigans & Tom Jones? Really? Who thought THAT was a killer combination? When push comes to shove, there is just something about this cover that weasels its way into your mind and you’ll never forget it... much to your shagrin:
9.
Cake – I Will Survive
Now I have to specify, this isn’t my favorite cover in the world, but I know lots of people who would disagree with me, so much so that here it is. Cake takes this song and definitely turns it into their own, cake-y style. Complete with trumpet & their signature “who cares” vocals.
8.
IZ – Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World
A DOUBLE cover! You’d have to be living under a rock to not have heard this song in the last decade. The wedding & cover band industry is littered with brides requesting this rendition for their first dances. And who can blame them? There is a reason IZ is the most revered and popular Hawaiian artist of all time (even in death- Rest In Peace Israel Kamakawiwoʻole):
7.
Wilson Pickett – Mustang Sally
Sorry to say, but this song would not be a song to remember without Mr. Pickett. Originally written and performed by Mack Rice in 1965, the Wilson Pickett version is played by cover bands all over the world; partly because it’s so soulful & mostly because it’s so easy to play J
6.
Life is a Highway – Rascal Flatts
Catchy? Yes… Overplayed? Most definitely…. Memorable? Ummm, yeah, that too. Whether it’s your thing or not, Rascal Flatts makes this song rock! There is really no listening to the Tom Cochrane original, because “that is not the song I heard on CARS!”
5.
UB40 – Red Red Wine
This band certainly knows how to pump out a good cover. Hey, who doesn’t want to listen to Reggae covers of … EVERYTHING? I personally think the Temptations cover, “The Way you Do the Things You Do” is catchier, but there is no denying that Red Red Wine is the most popular song about getting Classy-Drunk (Thank you Neil Diamond)
4.
Lauryn Hill – Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You
This was one of my favorite CD purchases of all-time. Lauryn Hill is not only one a killer Hip-Hop rapper, but she has a fantastic voice! When she was with the Fugees, they made a cover that was probably more famous (Killing Me Softly), but you know what? I don’t really care; this one’s better. Now all it needs is a couple of boys to add their signature tag lines: “One time, one time!”
3.
Ike & Tina Turner – Proud Mary
As a musician, there are a few songs in your trick-bag that will almost always get people shakin’. The CCR original is kinda slow… and long, but you can always count on Tina to start off “nice & easy” and tease you for the build. At least in Utah, party bands learn that nothing rocks a party like Tina.
2.
Johnny Cash – Hurt
This is number one on most peoples countdowns, and I would have to say, it really is an incredible cover. There is just something about the performance & lyrics. It’s almost as if Johnny wrote it himself. I think more country artists should hire heavy-metal rockers to write their lyrics. It also adds meaning and impact to the song knowing about Johnny Cash’s life and the fact that he died shortly after making this video.
1.
And the number one most memorable cover song of all time………**Drum Roll**
..........................................:
Aretha Franklin – Respect
I didn’t even know this was an Otis Redding Song. So even though you gotta give props to its original… I’m sorry Otis, dead or not, this is no longer your song. Aretha OWNS it:
Covers bands, cover songs, we will never be satisfied with our original artists. And for those of you who are dying for more.... This last one I dub, the future best cover of all time:
- This article was written by Stephen Tobian, manager at Utah Live Bands
Ryan Innes is one of the most exiting upcoming artists in Utah. In just the last couple of years you may have seen him performing sold out shows, as a featured performer at the Stadium of Fire Fourth of July Celebration or at any number of corporate events and performances. This year you may just see him auditioning on NBCs hit show "The Voice". Ryan's lips are sealed about the results but we Spotted him on the tv commercial for season 4 (second 19) and he looks like he is having a good time.
We interviewed Ryan and this is what he had to say:
Me: Ryan Innes in the flesh. How are you my man?
Ryan: Doing excellent. How are you?
Me: I'm good. It seems like things are excellent for you. I see your name all over the place now. I saw you in a tv spot for The Voice on NBC. Tell us about that. When can we tune in to see you?
Ryan: Yeah man, some great things are happening right now. I auditioned for The Voice and it premieres March 25th.
Me: So, I guess we just have to watch and find out what happens there right? No hints?
Ryan: Exactly. Gotta watch and find out how I did.
Me: Ha ha. Will do. So it has been a little while since we have played together. I know you do a killer job with the vocal covers/piano thing. Now, it seems like you are doing a lot of the singer/songwriter thing right now as well. Do you have some specific goals with that or are you just kind of trying to see where life takes you?
Ryan: Well, you're right I've done the piano/cover thing and worked as a lounge singer and done a lot of corporate work, parties, weddings, etc. but that was always a great way for me to work towards being able to eventually do my own thing as my own artist. I've been able to get in tons of practice, learning great songs and paying attention to the craft of that, make some great friends and contacts and have time to keep working on my own stuff. In the future I want to write/co-write and release a new record. The best one I can. I want to play those songs live everywhere I can that makes sense and go on the journey and have the experience of sharing in the love of music with an audience that feels something they enjoy from my shows.
Me: What has been your favorite part of the journey so far?
Ryan: The little victories here and there of seeing hard work, growth, and passion come together. Whether it be on a song, vocal growth, a better show than the last, and it's connecting with people
Me: Do you feel like you are becoming a better vocalist chops-wise as time goes on or just kind of getting more solid in what you can already do?
Ryan: As a vocalist, I'm always paying attention to my voice and how I'm using it. Always fine tuning. Always trying to do it better, easier. I would say I've grown and am still growing at both.
Me: Okay, I've got to ask about the image. You have done a great job of branding yourself with the beard, sunglasses and hat etc. You look like a darn rock star. Did that just sort of happen or did you plan it that way? What's the story there?
Ryan: Oh my image? That all just happened. I just wore what I liked.
Me: Ha ha. Good answer. Thanks for the interview Ryan and we wish you the best of luck on the Voice. Hopefully we will perform together soon or at least get you booked on some gigs
Ryan: My pleasure and thank you! Yeah, let's make something work and let's make it rad. Thanks Michael!
This blog post and interview was done by Michael Tobian, Owner of Utah Live Bands
Social Responsibility used to be a "fun idea" or a novelty in the economic world. If your business was thriving, you might take a few minutes to think about some charitable contributions you could use as a tax write-off. Large businesses were dabbling in it and most small businesses didn't feel like they had the time or resources to do anything besides focus on their profits. Fast-forward to the present: social responsibility is no longer a "good idea," it is (or should be) a natural part of being in business. In fact, it is so rooted in entrepreneurship it isn't even academically called "corporate social responsibility (CSR) anymore," it is lumped in with corporate sustainability. Karma is finally sinking in with corporate America.
Some may say that this is due to trends in spending or government regulation; in actuality, it's because people, specifically Americans, are successfully holding companies responsible with their spending. People are doing their research and encouraging companies who take care of their communities with their pocketbooks. Now this all sounds a bit boring, but this is the exciting part: consumers have more power than they know. We like to say that "The Man" is holding all the chips, but it's just not true. We are changing things.
Back in the day of Hearst & Pulitzer, you could not bribe large companies to give away their products; today, we see companies like Whirlpool giving away appliances to Habitat for Humanity because they see it as good marketing. We see pharmaceutical companies like Johnson & Johnson recalling millions of products on the suspicion of dangerous substances. Businesses and individuals alike are more involved in Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) than any other time in history. SRI is projects that actually make money, but also help out a community in immense ways; such as micro-loans to the poverty stricken or sanitation companies employing locals to clean up third-world slums.
We don't have to fly across the world to make a difference; we just need to support organizations and companies that make their own communities better. You can read about Utah Live Band's community outreach by following this link: ULB Community Outreach -- the point is that we as consumers hold the key to changing how capitalism works. We are always taught that Supply and Demand are what makes our economy go 'round, lets continue to demand that the organizations we do business with are supplying their communities with a better future.
In absence of a good video on the subject, here's a foreign social ad, enjoy :)
Written by Stephen Tobian - Manager at Utah Live Bands
If you are planning a wedding, here is a good tip video featuring ULB staff that will help you coordinate the first dances:
"Hi, I'm Stephen Tobian"
"And I'm Mike Tobian with Utah Live Bands. This next tip is about making sure your first dance goes smoothly. In our experience the best time to position your first dance is right before you'd like your guests to start dancing. Usually this is right after the dinner or right after the toasts."
"Unless you've choreographed your first dance, most people find that a full, 4 minutes song is a little too long to be dancing alone on the dance floor. If your band is playing the song, you can ask them to play a shortened version of the song--usually a one to one and a half minute version is plenty. The same thing applied to your daddy-daughter dance or your mother-son dance."
"Another way to break it up would be to have your emcee invite your guests to join half-way through the song. This is also an excellent way to transistion to your dance party. A good band can kick off the upbeat dance music right after the parent-child dances and your guests will be all on the dance floor, all ready to party."
"These are just some suggestions from the experts at Utah Live Bands. For more tips, visit BrideAcess.com"
Wednesday, May 8, 2013 at 1:36PM 
The Groove Merchants Party Band definitely has some of the best vocal and musical talent in the country and not only would it be a blast for them to play in front of thousands of screaming people, they just...plain...deserve it. These guys have the talent and experience to ROCK the stadium!
