Native son Jamey Garner brings High South band to Chester
The international recording group High South will bring its music to Benson’s Wine Bar next weekend.
The shows take place at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday night, Jan. 27 and Jan. 28 - with doors to open at 6 p.m. - but both sold out quickly and admittance will be by reservation only.
“We’re all looking forward to our Chester shows,” said band member Jamey Garner, a Chester native. “But certainly, I’m excited to be coming back home to share our music with family and friends.”
High South bandmates Kevin Campos and Phoneix Mendoza will join Garner and all are gifted lead singer-songwriters who deliver a harmonious one-voice sound that takes audiences back to a wonderful time and era when harmony vocal groups of the late 1960s and early 1970s featured the Eagles, the Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.
High South’s first recording, “Now,” was recorded at the private studio of Dire Straits legend Mark Knopfler in London, England.
Knopfler was present at the recording to offer his praise to the band, as was former Eagle Don Felder of “Hotel California” fame, who was enthusiastic about High South’s musical authority.
“It was if the music gods looked down on us and blessed us,” Garner said.
The album was released on Universal records in Europe in 2013 and it reached the Top 10 album sales charts there virtually overnight.
After several very successful tours across Europe, which included many live concerts, radio and television schedules through Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Holland and more, the group released a second successful album in Europe titled “High South.”
“We believe we have found ourselves, both as artists and personalities,” Campos said. “We are ‘High South.’”
The album was produced in 2014 and entered the Top 20 in several European countries.
After a busy writing and recording schedule in 2015, High South is currently working on their debut in the U.S.
With the addition of producer and legendary songwriter Josh Leo at their side, the group is very excited about what is to come.
Leo brings with him the invaluable experience of collaboration, having worked with the finest of the music industry and has produced albums for many country artists and groups - including Alabama, Restless Heart, Kathy Mattea, Reba McEntire and LeAnn Rimes.
Leo has also served as vice president and head of A&R at RCA Records in Nashville and will accompany High South to Chester this weekend.
High South has recently recorded their third studio album, an eight-song EP which was completed at Nashville’s legendary Blackbird Studio A. The group will be performing their new material in Chester.
High South - which has drawn descriptions as the young brothers of Crosby, Stills & Nash and the Eagles - recently performed for several days in Key West, Fla., where the band members were invited to take part in the BMI Songwriters’ Fest.