Sister Hazel is made up of lead singer Ken Block, bassist Jett Beres, guitar player and vocalist Andrew Copeland, lead guitarist Ryan Newell and drummer Mark Trojanowski.
On performing at Gramercy Theatre in New York City, Block said, “This is our first time playing this venue, but as soon as we walked in, we thought it felt like home. We sold a bunch of tickets for tonight so the energy is already ramping up.”
The acclaimed band opened up about their latest studio album, Lighter in the Dark, which garnered a rave review from Digital Journal. “To be honest with you, it’s another Sister Hazel record. It just so happens that it fits in a different slot since it encompasses what we are doing now. It is another evolutionary step for Sister Hazel,” Copeland said.
Regarding the album’s song selection, Trojanowski said, “We had a lot of songs to choose from, so we tried to take the listener on a journey. We have a couple of ballads and a couple of fast-tempo songs. We tried to make the record a whole body of work, so there’s a mixture of things.”
The new country album features their lead single “That Kind of Beautiful.” “The reason we liked it the most is that it sounded the most like Sister Hazel when we played it, and we really connected to the vibe of the song and the meaning behind it,” Newell said.
Beres noted that it’s been a good experience to be on Average Joes Entertainment. “They really dug in and they are a really good record company. We seem to have the same vision. They are organic and grassroots and they service the fan-base,” he said.
The band listed “Something to Believe In,” “Kiss Me Without Whiskey” and “Almost Broken” as their favorite songs on the album. Their dream female duet choices include Carrie Underwood, Stevie Nicks, Sheryl Crow, Brandi Carlile and Patty Griffin.
Their signature song, “All For You,” is still played consistently on the adult contemporary airwaves after all of these decades. “It’s amazing to have a song that continues to resonate with people, and makes them smile, no matter where we are. We really enjoy seeing people react to that song in a joyful way. It’s really a gift to be able to have something like that,” Block said.
Trojanowski’s advice for aspiring musicians is for them to practice. “Be a leader and set your own trends,” Trojanowski said.
Sister Hazel revealed that they are hardcore fans of the basketball team Florida Gators. “We’ve been friends with a lot of those coaches and players. Four out of the five of us actually graduated from Florida, so we bleed orange and blue,” they said.
Fans and listeners can check out Lighter in the Dark on iTunes by clicking here.
For more information on Sister Hazel and their new music, check out their official website.
