Volume 2, Issue #6

Dean and The Devil Wind Band

Country music singer/songwriter Dean Yount is about to make the most of his second chance in life. The Reno, Nevada native could have easily shelved his artistic dreams once he was stricken with prostate cancer two years ago, but that wasn't the case. Instead, Yount overcame the disease and has recalled the original members of his Devil Wind Band to head back into the studio.

Yount, who continued writing throughout his battle with cancer, has tons fresh material including the tentatively named tracks "Bartenders", 20 Memories and the uptempoed "If I've got a Woman."An album title is still under construction, but his plan isn't.

5 Facts About Dean and The Devil Wind Band:

- Back in 1992, Yount recruited Jerry Evans, Jimmy Youngblood and Darryl Massey to record his original demos for what would become their first album “Deena Ray”. The record received such an immediate buzz that club owners in Reno invited the band to play several gigs before the completion of the album.

- In 1999, they landed a job as the house band for Reno's Palomino Club where they backed such artists as the legendary Hank Thompson and Tommy Overstreet for three years. During that time, they also opened up for a few newer artists such as Jeffery Steel, Mark McGwinn and Wild Horses.

- Yount has been mainly influenced by Marty Robbins, Faron Young, George Jones, Eddy Arnold and Ray Price. And members of the band, who have been involved in the music world for 30 years, have all worked with such stars such as Henson Cargill, David Frizzell, Rose Maddox, Buck Owens, Wynn Stewart and Rick Nelson

- Besides the bands own material, they also mix in some covers at their shows. Among the artists they play are Tracy Bird, Hank Snow, Garth Brooks, Toby Keith, Hank Williams and Elvis Presley.

- In addition to performing at bars and clubs, Yount loves to make his band available for intimate settings. For a negotiable price somewhere between $600-$2000, The Devil Wind Band will appear at weddings, birthday parties, fund raisers, anniversaries, banquets and many other gatherings.

Vivienne

Dominican R&B singer Vivienne is on the verge of exploding. The sultry, Washington Heights native has been in the entertainment game since most of her girlfriends were stressing over who was going to light their sixteenth candle. Vivienne started living her dream in the early 1990's on MTV's dance show “The Grind.” Since then, she’s has embarked on a world tour with C&C Music Factory, modeled, landed roles in movies and television and has started a solo career in music.

Questions For Vivienne:

What was life like as a dancer on “The Grind”? “I was so young on that show. But I would go on to benefit from the exposure. It was amazing to see myself on TV. At first I was nervous, but then I realized that I could make it.”

Your next big step after that was touring with C&C Music Factory. What was it like to leave home and tour at a youthful age?
“My mom supported me because she trusted me and knew that I would do the right thing. I was a little scared to be away from home, but I realized how big the opportunity was for me.”

You’re the definition of a triple threat. You can act, model and sing. Why is the latter the most important to you? “Music is personal. It shows how I feel inside. With music, you get to see people reacting to what you’ve created. It’s a thrill to see people dancing and having fun to your music.”

You’ve done your share of collaborating and being part of a group. It’s time to go solo, right?“I have a very creative side that sometimes you can’t have when you’re in a group. Not to say you can’t be creative in a group, but you have to consider everyone else’s opinions. I’m at the point where I want to do my own thing.”

Explain how you intend to create your own buzz with your new single “Hold Me Down” which samples G-Unit’s “Poppin‚ Them Thangs”?“What unsigned artists are doing now is taking a beat that’s popular and adding your vocals to it. It’s such a small world anyway. A friend of mine works with 50 Cent and G-Unit, so it turned out to be a very big coincidence. My goal is that the single will catch someone's attention and lead to an entire album.”

Music From the 90's Will Leave a Lasting Music Legacy

Once VH1’s “I Love The 90’s” premiers this week, it’ll be just as easy to look past the significance of the music made in that decade as it has been for the station to forget about playing videos. And with Bill Clinton’s oval office antics, Tanya Harding’s Olympic embarrassment and Lorena Bobbitt’s knife wielding skills it‚s almost understandable. But try to filter out the trash so you can focus your energy on some of the most artistic and original music you’ll ever hear.


A trio born in the rain soaked Seattle scene ambushed a nation of rock fans who’d been praying for a savior to rescue them from an uncountable number of image induced, joke bands. Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” exploded onto the airwaves and caused a grunge quake throughout the States. Kurt Cobain acted as John Adams in leading a musical revolution that reminded people of what real rock music was supposed to sound like. Rattling drum rolls, coupled with blazing guitar riffs and intriguing lyrics that brought respectability and interest back into an industry that had spent the prior five years on a respirator. Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains and Mudhoney unleashed their own dynamic albums that tore up the charts and remain classics.


The birth of grunge woke up other bands outside of Seattle, as well. Stone Temple Pilots emerged behind the bellowing vocals of Scott Weiland. Green Day, Live, Radiohead and other noteworthy bands soon followed. If rock didn’t envelop you in that decade, rap had to. The incomparable Dr. Dre hooked up with Snoop Dogg to unleash „The Chronic‰, a potent hit of funkadelic gangsta rap that went platinum within three weeks. The East Coast followed Dre‚s lead when Puff Daddy protégé The Notorious B.I.G. released “Ready To Die.” The Wu Tang Clan and Nas, among many others, secured the prominence of hip hop with unbelievably talented records of their own to cement the 90‚s in music history.

Q: What is better a Major or Indie Label ?

-- Dee Buzz, Wrecking Crew

A: Quite frankly, the two are very similar. In fact, many Indie labels are smaller subsidiaries of larger labels. However, these two entities can have very distinct qualities, characteristics and personalities. Understanding these differences is the key to determining which is right for you.

Indie labels focus on very specific genres and sounds. They leverage their expertise to help push that sound at the college and/or street level. This in turn is a great method to generate initial buzz for a new group or artists. Indie labels also have smaller staffs and some groups like the attention of being the number 1 item at their label. However, Indie labels don't have the financial muscle of their larger, more established breathen.

The larger labels have the financial clout to market and sell millions of albums before they're off the press. They also have huge, influential staffs that can turn around tasks in a significantly shorter time span. However, what the majors offer in terms of financial capability can be quickly compromised if your group isn't ready to move mountains.

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