Exposed Vocals Interviews The Band Hennessy

Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?

Christian, Heather and myself (Ashley) all grew up in various parts of Houston. Christian started playing guitar when he was a kid, I started singing as soon as I started kindergarten and was active in choir until college. Heather was in choir all throughout junior high & high school…. and we both were in numerous musicals, plays, etc. Christian and I come from very musically-centered families, and Heather really discovered her voice around her freshman year. I think it’s safe to say that we all had major influences that really gravitated our love for music to be harnessed into our own styles.

 

Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?

 The Band Hennessy name came about because it’s my last name (Ashley). We were previously under a different name as a cover band… and when we decided to focus on writing our own material, we took a poll, and quite a few people said that it just SOUNDED right.

Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?

As a band that is trying to get ourselves HEARD, noticed, and in front of the RIGHT industry executives… I think under certain circumstances, free downloads and/or shares are necessary. You’re more likely to gain traction with new fans that your current market isn’t outreaching to. We aren’t signed to a label yet, so if that’s what helps get us to that point, then we’re all for it!

Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?

 You have to BELIEVE in yourself, your brand, and your music. You HAVE to hustle. NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK AND PROMOTE!!!. Play as many shows as you can. Be extremely involved in social media & utilize the tools out there to differentiate yourselves from the rest. There are a ton of free apps out there to connect you on a global scale with new fans, followers, and contacts.

 

Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?

 All of our songs have a story to tell because they are extremely personal. Whether is be about heartbreak, a psycho ex girlfriend, or just having a conversation with yourself… 95% of our songs are through personal experiences. Christian composes a lot of the music, but lately, Heather and I have been contributing to songwriting sessions of our own and as a group. We also have a large network of friends that are EXTREMELY talented and huge fans of ours, and their songs will be on our upcoming album.

Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?

 Our band website is www.hennessyband.com. We share our music on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, BandsInTown, Reverbnation, Periscope, Blab.IM, StageIt.com, Soundcloud and best of all….ON STAGE!

Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?

I think it’s safe to say we would be touring everywhere, finishing our album, sharing our music like crazy… and giving back in any way we could, especially to the people who have truly been there & supported us along the way.

Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?

 We have a badass manager, Jerry, with Premier Bands Unlimited that usually handles researching new, upcoming, and efficient ways of getting us heard. His work ethic, drive, passion, and complete belief in us as individuals & as a band really has made the best impact for us as a whole. He handles A LOT, keeps us updated, and keeps us actively involved in every aspect.

Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?

 We are looking forward to signing with Edgewater Studios in order to get our crowd-funding campaign going live so that we can record the completion of our album. Their entire team is so “hands-on,” active & passionate about making AMAZING, radio-ready music so that we can grow in our careers and take the next steps to being where we want to be. It’s all about a collective team effort, and we feel very confident that this relationship, alongside our management company’s, will be the perfect recipe for success.

Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?

Music is such a HUGE part of who we are, so either way, I think it’s safe to say we would all be involved in the music industry at some compacity.

Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?

It’s definitely challenging, but we all work as a team to get things done. Stress is always there, but our close group of friends and family are always there to make things easier when we need the help. Our “band family” can’t be matched!

Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?

Our crowd-funding campaign, the completion of our studio album & it’s release, and some more amazing shows! There are a few top-secret opportunities that we can’t release just yet, but once we have the go-ahead to let our fans get the inside scoop… They will always be the first to know!