The Zinc Kings

The piedmont is roughly the plateau between the mountains ( the Appalacians) and the coast, stretching from Jersey all the way down to Alabama. I've got to admit, I've not really heard many groups who were comparable to the Zinc Kings.......perhaps it's the multi-cultural influences they've dawn from in this Piedmont region that gives them such a unique sound. There's some old timey mountain folk music here, a bit of high lonesome bluegrass there, and a definite Cajun influence. They throw all this together like a music gumbo and man, let me tell you, it is one tasty collection of tunes.

- emusic

Listening to a CD that was just dropped off in my mailbox by the Zinc Kings, shut the Front Door Great. Will be playing some tunes off of it tomorrow night on my interview on WQFS 90.9 with Marty Noe on his weekly Saturday Show, Music For The Common Man 6:00-8:00pm . If you love, Americana, Roots, real down to Earth Freaking Great Knee Slapping Great, then pull up a chair and sit a spell and join us tomorrow night. - WQFS 90.0

Listening to a CD that was just dropped off in my mailbox by the Zinc Kings, shut the Front Door Great. Will be playing some tunes off of it tomorrow night on my interview on WQFS 90.9 with Marty Noe on his weekly Saturday Show, Music For The Common Man 6:00-8:00pm . If you love, Americana, Roots, real down to Earth Freaking Great Knee Slapping Great, then pull up a chair and sit a spell and join us tomorrow night, as we talk about Lesliepalooza and spin some tunes from all the bands that are playing an giving of their time and talent. Your One and Only Alternative Stationl . WQFS 90.9 - WQFS

Listening to a CD that was just dropped off in my mailbox by the Zinc Kings, shut the Front Door Great. Will be playing some tunes off of it tomorrow night on my interview on WQFS 90.9 with Marty Noe on his weekly Saturday Show, Music For The Common Man 6:00-8:00pm . If you love, Americana, Roots, real down to Earth Freaking Great Knee Slapping Great, then pull up a chair and sit a spell and join us tomorrow night, as we talk about Lesliepalooza and spin some tunes from all the bands that are playing an giving of their time and talent. Your One and Only Alternative Stationl . WQFS 90.9 - WQFS

Listening to a CD that was just dropped off in my mailbox by the Zinc Kings, shut the Front Door Great. Will be playing some tunes off of it tomorrow night on my interview on WQFS 90.9 with Marty Noe on his weekly Saturday Show, Music For The Common Man 6:00-8:00pm . If you love, Americana, Roots, real down to Earth Freaking Great Knee Slapping Great, then pull up a chair and sit a spell and join us tomorrow night, as we talk about Lesliepalooza and spin some tunes from all the bands that are playing an giving of their time and talent. Your One and Only Alternative Stationl . WQFS 90.9 - WQFS

University of North Carolina Greensboro students Christen Blanton, Dan Clouse and Mark Dillon formed their group The Zinc Kings originally as a side-project in the fall of 2010. The young musicians realized that while they loved Appalachian music, they recognized that there seemed to be an absence of the music of the North Carolina Piedmont style.

Music from that region of Carolina tends to be more heavily influenced by the blues tradition, and shows up in the music that generates from that area of the country. It seemed like a natural transition for the band and the desire to help preserve the unique musical culture led to the final musical direction. They quickly found themselves overwhelmed by the demand for music from the North Carolina Piedmont.

Each the three founding members have long backgrounds in music. Blanten is a professional viola player, Dillon a longtime songwriter and Clouse a professional tuba player. Very few of these skills make it into the Zinc Kings but their experience in playing the music is reflected in their lively performances.

Since their inception in the fall of 2010, The Zinc Kings have seen a consistent run of non-stop performances at local venues and regional festivals. And in the summer of 2011 The Zinc Kings became the house band for the North Carolina State University (NCSU) Theaterfest production of Where Music Kills Sorrow.

In the spring of 2011 The Zinc Kings released their self-titled debut album of the same name. Recorded over the course of a extended weekend, with no overdubs and two microphones; a very accurate representation of The Zinc Kings live performances. - Americana Rhythm Music Magazine

Those who still have the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack at the top of their iTunes playlists should get a kick out of WMKS: Where Music Kills Sorrow. Playing in repertory at N.C. State's TheatreFest 2011, it's a very slight but occasionally entertaining irony-free look at Southern old-time radio that boasts every rustic cliché from a singing cowboy to the Ku Klux Klan. Under the direction of Allison Bergman, this production occasionally generates audience goodwill with its spirited performances.

Frank Higgins' script takes place over a night's broadcast of a small-time rural radio station in 1935. Radio was live in those days, and this station—and production—boasts a house band (Christen Blanton, Doug Baker and Ryan Mack, providing plenty of energetic, toe-tapping music). But there's a whiff of menace tonight: The station owners and hosts (T. Phillip Caudle and Elizabeth Williams), wary that their support of striking miners will inspire violence from the mining companies, have posted guards outside.

The mining companies prove to be the least of their worries, though, in an evening that sees the return of their now-famous yodeling cowboy (Mark Dillon), a love triangle and a couple of special guests who bring another threat of violence with them. Also, there's an audience participation sing-along with oatmeal cookies.

What you get, essentially, is a series of standards such as "Tom Dooley," "John Henry" and the like, usually the result of a decision made by a character that comments on a recent plot development (in a way, it almost feels like a bluegrass version of Glee). There is something charming in the show's old-fashioned "let's hang out and sing songs!" mentality, but there isn't anything terribly deep in the story or characters.

The singing, though, is excellent all around; Dillon does a mean yodel, Caudle breaks out a strong harmonica and Elizabeth Williams' strong voice carries several numbers. (Brett Williams, as station girl Cindy, also does several fine musical numbers and manages to distinguish herself even in sections that simply require her to silently react to what the others are singing.) In addition, credit is due to John C. McIlwee's set design, which convincingly re-creates the feel of the old lumber warehouse where the show is broadcast.

WMKS: Where Music Kills Sorrow isn't terribly ambitious, but for fans of the type of music the characters perform, it's a pleasant enough night out. Make sure to get there early—the band plays a few numbers before the curtain. If you're nice, you might get in a request, or possibly an oatmeal cookie. - Indy Weekly