the basics::bios
youngstown
Young dreamers everywhere fantasize about becoming overnight
sensations. The scenario goes something like this: One day they're
unknown, the next they're discovered and being chauffeured around in a
limousine. But in reality, most overnight sensations are years in the
making. In the case of Youngstown, the male vocal trio comprised of
James Dallas, David Yeager, and Sam Lopez, they've earned their
chance in the spotlight through countless hours of songwriting,
harmonizing, and creating honest music that is bound to capture the
hearts of listeners everywhere. "We kept our heads up, we got out pens
and pads, and we just kept doing it until we finally did it," explains David,
aka DC, about the road to recording their Hollywood Records debut
album, "Let's Roll."
Taking the challenge of recording their first album head on, the group
explores new terrain on the eclectic "Let's Roll." Though the disc is filled
with tender pop-R&B ballads that display Youngstown's pitch-perfect
harmonies, there are also plenty of musical surprises. Their premiere
single, "I'll Be Your Everything" -- also featured on the "Inspector
Gadget" soundtrack - is an instantly addictive uptempo number. "Pedal
to the Steel," which showcases the rapping skills of Kenan & Kel star
Kel Mitchell, threads a searing electric guitar riff around a funky tune
about a wild night on the town. And "Dance Floor" takes the group from
the studio right into the club with its pulsing rhythms. "Basically, what
we love we try to put into our music," Dallas says.
The threesome, who are based in Youngstown, Ohio (hence the name),
have been working on their craft individually since they were teenagers.
Dallas, who's 24, met 23-year-old DC through mutual friends several
years ago. When Part 4, Dallas' original group, needed a fifth member to
complete their harmonies, DC was brought on board. Eventually, they
moved to Atlanta to jump-start their music career. But when the other
members of the group quit to pursue other avenues, Dallas and DC were
left to figure out their next move. That's when Sammy, at 21 the
youngest member of the trio, entered the picture. He already knew the
guys from Youngstown, and during a visit to his mom in Atlanta he
learned that they were looking for a new member. "I was like, 'Yo, I want
to do music, so let's do this,'" recalls Sammy. "It wasn't like we were put
together," concurs DC. "We did it ourselves."
Instantly, the newly formed Youngstown started a songwriting
partnership. "We pretty much hibernated ourselves for a good year and a
half and just started writing and built our own little studio and just started
vibing," says Sammy. The fruits of their labor can be heard all over "Let's
Roll." Besides demonstrating their considerable vocal talents, Dallas,
Sammy, and DC cowrote five tracks on the album. "Dallas would play a
melody and as soon as we'd hear it we'd all sit down and then, boom,
the lyrics were on the paper," explains DC about their rapid writing
process. Adds Sammy, "We work really well together. Pretty much
everything comes naturally."
"Remember," a piano-driven ballad about a love gone wrong, is the song
that began it all. "That was the first song that we ever wrote together,"
Sammy says. "We looked at each other like, 'Wow, we really have
something here.' Every time that song comes on, it brings back
memories from when we first started out." "Whenever You Need Me" is a
personal group favorite because it seamlessly blends the styles of their
musical influences, from Prince to Brian McKnight. Other self-penned
songs are the romantic "Through Your Eyes" and the cascading slow
jam "Angel."
The track on "Let's Roll" that is closest to Dallas' heart is "Jamie
Lee," a
tribute to his mom. "My mother calls me Jamie Lee. I wanted to write a
song to let my mom know that even though she never made the most
perfect decisions, I know she tried to do the best for us at all times," he
reveals. "And that includes sacrificing her happiness to try to give us
what she thought we needed."
A native of Kansas City, Missouri, Dallas was a hip-hop dancer before
trying his hand at singing. A talented guitarist and pianist (Dallas plays
piano on three of "Let's Roll"'s tracks), Dallas is the self-described music
fiend of the group. He also coproduced several of the album's tracks and,
according to DC, can usually be found "on his guitar, strumming away."
Youngstown, Ohio, boy DC didn't take his vocal talents seriously until
his late teens. That's when he launched into performing at talent shows
and singing favorites like the Righteous Brothers' "Unchained Melody" at
karaoke bars. "Whenever I'd get the chance I'd sing," he explains. DC
cites artists "with longevity" like Michael Jackson, Babyface, and even
Metallica as inspirations. When he's not testing himself at PlayStation,
he loves to play hackey sack or go rollerblading.
Sammy, who hails from Rochester, New York, considers his family his
main reason for making music. "Everybody in my family was taught
young to play an instrument. All of my cousins, my uncles, my parents,
play instruments and sing," he says. "It rubbed off on me." When he
was four years old, Sammy was already banging away on his Muppets
drum set. And singing has always been a part of his life - he participated
in youth choirs and sang solos throughout his school years. A devoted
athlete, Sammy works out five days a week (basketball is his real
passion). He's also an avid reader.
The pop moods, R&B grooves, and funked-up rhythms of "Let's Roll"
prove that Youngstown are no flash-in-the-pan studio creation. As for
Dallas, Sammy, and DC, they've got one goal in mind: to move people
with their music. "As long as some of our songs touch other people,
that's cool with us," DC explains. "We just want to be onstage and
watch people singing our songs. That would be the best feeling in the
world."
Information courtesy of Official Youngstown Website