The
newest band in Birmingham turning people’s heads is Right Over Left. Combining
sharply written original songs with the best covers from past and present,
Right Over Left is able to grab the crowd’s attention with their eclectic,
feel-good sound and tunes to which people of all ages and musical tastes can
relate.
Right
Over Left performs for many establishments throughout the Southeast. The Mill, Oasis, Superior Grill, Liquid 360,
Mindgames Lounge, the Rockin’ Horse and Halfshells of downtown Birmingham and
the Jubilee Lounge of Oxford, MS are just a few examples of Right Over Left’s
regular haunts. The band also frequents music festivals such as Chattanooga,
Tennessee’s Riverbend Festival. No
matter what the venue might be, Right Over Left has a connection with the crowd
resulting in a large following of students from Mississippi State, Ole Miss,
Alabama, Auburn, Birmingham-Southern, Samford, and especially the University of
Alabama at Birmingham. The band is especially devoted to their college fan
base, as celebrations for various fraternities and sororities in both Alabama
and Mississippi are still primary settings for their performances.
Right
Over Left’s special relationship and appreciation for their fans causes them to
make certain everyone at any given show is moved by their music. They feel it is important to provide the
variety that today’s intelligent audience craves. Well-known acoustic versions
of songs from artists such as Dave Matthews and Train, two of the band’s
inspirations, can be found in Right Over Left’s set lists. Older songs like House of the Rising Sun, The
Joker, and For What It's Worth
are played with an equal fervor. While the band also performs original tunes
and other lesser-known songs, the ability to capture the audience's attention
is ever present when Right Over Left takes the stage.
When
asked what he considered to be a memorable moment thus far in Right Over Left’s
journey to fame, Rob Hayes cited their performance at Alabama’s Lake Martin
Amphitheater and replied, “With the lake in the background and over three
thousand people sitting on a the grassy hillside in front of us, we couldn't
have asked for a more beautiful evening to play music….Right Over Left had the
opportunity to open up for what could be considered the greatest bluegrass band
assembled today, Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder.” Thoughts such as these further solidifies Right Over Left’s
commitment to diversity and appreciation for all genres of music, a facet since
their beginnings.
The
band originated in the spring of 1999 when the two front men, Rob Hayes and
Corey Daugherty, first started playing acoustic gigs together at Liquid 360 in
Crestline Village of Mountain Brook, AL.
Both graduates of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Corey and Rob
come from strong musical family backgrounds.
They have both been singing and playing since they were young, be it in
church, on the stage, or for basement sing-a-longs. The two are extremely unique individuals who have found a common
bond in making music. The name of the
band, Right Over Left, epitomizes the juxtaposition of Rob and Corey’s
personalities and also reinforces the intertwined rhythms of two acoustic
guitars and distinctly different voices. They aim to sing true, meaningful,
original songs that stem from the minds of two growing young
singer/songwriters. Their passion for
evoking feelings about life, love, and having fun is evident and prominent in
the music played.
When
selecting members for their band, the two were careful to select those who were
as musically capable and possessed similar beliefs and backgrounds. Backing up
Rob and Corey on bass guitar is Zach Morgan, who adds an incredible accent to
the overall performance, resulting in a remarkably full sound. Rob’s brother Nick Hayes and long-time
friend Jeremy Harper team up to lead the percussion section. Nick provides rhythmic stability on the drum
kit while Jeremy offers a variety of alternate percussion with shakers, congas,
chimes and more. Since Right Over Left’s sound is based around an acoustic
feel, the combination of drums, congas, and bongos spans the gamut of
percussion from earthy to hard rock and gives the band many options to define
their rhythms.
With
more shows on the horizon, songs to be written and albums to be recorded, Right
Over Left is a band on a mission. Their
goal is to not only bring unique harmonies and diverse performances to the
world of music but to effectively and artistically convey their feelings so
that soon everyone will be singing along.
Contact
information:
Rob
Hayes
c/o
Right Over Left
3764
Chestnut Ridge Circle
Birmingham,
AL 35216
205.682.1098
On
the web at --- http://www.rightoverleft.com