By Andrew Greer
Brian Bunn has been playing music a long time. Though the fresh-faced late 20-something jumps around on stage night after night with the reckless energy of a youth, DecembeRadio’s lead guitarist has been jamming with front man Josh Reedy in some formation since he was 11-years-old. After adding guitarist Erik Miker to the mix while touring during high school, the southern trio needed a backbone to anchor its hard-hitting sound.
“Boone [Daughdrill] is the newest guy,” Bunn, a native Virginian, explains with an oh-so-perfect southern dialect. “We got his number from our producer, gave him a call and he flew up to New Hampshire to meet us, and the rest is history. It worked out perfect.”
Speaking of working out perfectly, the young quartet has had non-stop success since the release of its debut two years ago. Winning a 2007 Dove award trophy for “Rock Recorded Album of the Year” (and nabbing “Best New Artist” and “Song of the Year” nods), celebrating its first GRAMMY nomination, watching three singles climb the charts (including “Drifter”’s 10 week stint in the Top 5) and hearing its songs on CBS’s “Cane” and the Discovery Channel’s “Hazard Pay” (where “Dangerous” became the theme song), it’s no wonder DecembeRadio hasn’t had time to even think about resting on its laurels.
“We had some great stuff go on with the first record, but I think the biggest thing over the past two years has been trying to make sure Satisfied is not a sophomore slump,” Bunn admits. “That’s put some pressure on us.”
Though the build-up is big, DecembeRadio has little reason to worry. Satisfied’s “Find You Waiting” has already become a Top 5 radio hit with its compelling based-on-a-true-story invocation. “We had the chance to meet Chris, a man from Atlanta who had been diagnosed with cancer. A week later he passed away. At his funeral his wife stood over his casket with her hands raised, praising God through it all,” Bunn remembers. “That was an amazing thing. We thought about how many times in our lives we’ve turned away from God, but we always find Him waiting when we run back to Him.”
Marathontouring affords the guys opportunities to meet and hear unique stories from the multitudes directly impacted by the band’s impassioned brand of southern rock. “A few weeks ago a guy told us that we had ridden on an airplane with him three years ago. After we told him about the band he checked out our music and came to know the Lord through that.” The fellow flyer told the guys how their music “had a big part in changing his life.”
“It’s not always easy when you’re traveling in a van and playing 200-something shows per year,” Bunn explains. “Our wives sacrifice a lot. It’s the stories that make it worthwhile.”