This Nashville recording artist has earned the reputation of "Hardest Working Woman in Country Music” due to her uncompromising work ethic, established during her upbringing in rural Georgia. With her captivating songs and a truly engaging personality, Erica is traveling the world, gaining new fans in every city, state and country she plays in.

She draws crowds in with her unfiltered tunes such as ‘I’m Just Your Woman, ‘Ho in Rio,’ 'The Walk Of Shame' and 'Put Some South In Your Mouth'. "What It Takes To Be A Country Man" released worldwide and hit #6 on the country charts throughout Europe and Oz. “This is the kind of authentic music country DJ’s have been asking for,” says Nashville’s Al Brock.

Musically, Erica is taking each album to new heights. "The South will Rise Again" is no exception. DJ's all across Europe are raving about Sunshine’s music and bragging about the “infectious and catchy hooks of this prolific songwriter, who holds nothing back, and brings a gallop of energy with her true country roots shining. She also puts her heart and soul in each ballad.”

Whether she's driving across the US, touring internationally with her band, or writing songs in her living room, you can rest assured there's a bright future for SUNSHINE. New Years Day 2014 won't come fast enough when ‘The South Will Rise Again.’

She will be supported musically & vocally onstage by Mitchell Shadlow.

www.EricaSunshineLee.com

Unsurprisingly, no reference to Deftones was intended in the band’s name. Instead, it is just two words which Warren thought would combine nicely. 'We’ve got a bit of a retro-pop thing happening and we liked the whole “tone” concept, and so we just wanted to find a cool word to go with “tones”,' Douglass explains. From there, the band took to Facebook to determine which word would be most effective with ‘tones’.

As the frontman, Ryan navigates the band through a sound and presence on stage as protean as Bernard Tomic’s forehand. He explains that their sound is unique because 'there’s four of us who have come from relatively diverse musical backgrounds … we’re each able to bring our own influences into the collaboration.' Ryan and Douglass compile an eclectic list of influences including Jimi Hendrix, John Mayer, Jack Johnson and Dire Straits. Meanwhile, Schwenke is apparently more into the 'epic rock' of the likes of Dream Theatre. With Schwenke and Warren also jazz students at the ANU, it is easy to see where this heterogeneity comes from.

On most occasions, Ryan writes the lyrics and brings an outline to the others, who then rearrange his chords and input their own styles, leaving a completely different finished product. 'It’s very democratic, which is what Hunters & Collectors were before they broke up.. '

The Steptones are yet to experience playing with many other bands in Canberra, explained Ryan, before cheekily suggesting that this is because the four-piece are 'mavericks'. What they have tasted, however, are the humbling experiences inevitably faced by bands intent on hauling themselves out of the woodworks – like the time they outnumbered their audience at a gig in Tuggeranong. Nevertheless, Ryan spoke glowingly of gigs played at The Phoenix and Smith’s, in which the solid crowds reacted well. 'I’d like to think that our music is really crowd-involved, “dancey” kind of stuff.' 

www.thesteptones.com
www.facebook.com/thesteptones

Current line up is Dave Tice (vocals, guitar,harmonica), Peter Waker ex Bakery (lead guitar), Vharlie ex Blues Pirates, Ward 13 (bass, vocal), Chris Tagg ex Radiators (drums).