Local artists go global

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The Olson Bros Band performs at the 7th Annual Elma Chamber Wine & Seafood Festival in Elma, Wash., Jan. 18.

Isaac and Luke Olson only started playing guitar together when Luke graduated from high school a couple of years ago. But now, their song “Sunrise” has made them the 2013 Grand Prize Winners of the Texaco Country Showdown Songwriting Competition.

Luke, a junior guitar performance major at WSU, said the inspiration for the song hit while he was driving to Tacoma in the morning last spring when he was attending Pacific Lutheran University. He said he was “wowed” by the view of the sunrise and Mt. Rainier.

“I wrote the guitar lick and then started writing some of the first few lines, and then we wrote the rest together,” he said. Isaac was already home for summer break from WSU at that point.

The Olson Bros Band began as a duo in 2011, but now includes Nate Collins on bass and James Blackburn on drums.

The brothers said they have been singing their whole lives in choir as well as taking voice lessons. Even though Isaac, a senior, is an engineering major, he said becoming a professional musician has been the goal since the brothers started playing guitar. He added that their family is very supportive.

“They’re at almost every show,” he said. “And my dad’s always getting everyone to vote and Mom’s getting everyone to vote for us in the competition.”

He said their parents also help them sell CDs and T-shirts at shows.

Soon after writing the song, the brothers shot a music video “just for the hell of it,” Luke said. They now have several music videos on YouTube.

Luke said their mom was the one that found out about the Texaco Showdown.

“We thought, ‘why not enter the song?’” Luke said.

Judges chose one winning song each month from a pool of five songs voted on by fans. In November, a panel chooses one Grand Prize Winner from the songs that won each month. The Olson brothers won the month of July.

Both brothers were confident in their song, but weren’t necessarily expecting to become the Grand Prize Winners, an award that includes meeting with industry professionals as well as a $5,000 prize.  

“We thought we had the best song,” Luke said. “But you never know with judges.”

After being announced as the Grand Prize Winners, Luke and Isaac went to Nashville in mid-January to meet with professional songwriters. They will be going back again sometime this spring or summer to co-write with writers at Tom-Leis Music.

Luke said he thinks one of the strongest parts of their performances is stage presence.

“He has a very enthusiastic positive attitude and that’s what it takes to succeed,” said Bradley Ard, Luke’s guitar teacher at WSU, adding that he wishes all students were like that.

Isaac said the band has been booking more shows recently. The brothers will perform as a duo at Rico’s Pub Friday and Saturday. They will also play March 1 at Stubblefields for Mardi Gras and an all-ages show at the Grays Harbor County Fairgrounds in late March. Additionally, they plan to compete in the WSU Battle of the Bands. 

“Sunrise” will also be used in a commercial for Sunrise Tacos in Thailand.

As for the $5,000 prize, Luke said, “I bought a nice keyboard I will be integrating into our live shows soon. Isaac bought a fiddle. And we may be upgrading our PA system soon.”

He said they’ll use the rest to improve the band, whether through advertising or buying better equipment.