The Stickers

The Stickers
The Stickers have opened for Hank Williams Jr., Little Big Town, Alan Jackson, Zac Brown Band, Billy Ray Cyrus, Clint Black, Travis Tritt, Mark Wills, and a host of other country biggies.

They play the country fair circuit like madmen. Heck, today will mark their third fair appearance in three days in two states, and they have another handful booked. The band has four tracks from their debut CD that made Billboard's Country List, including two in the top 100.

Not too bad for a rock band that turned country just four years ago. They said that their writing style prompted the change (they are three time Billboard Song Writing Award Winners for original songs), and their musical influences - The Eagles, Hank Williams Jr, Keith Urban - made the switch natural.

The band members are brothers John Woderak (bass), Joe Woderak (lead vocals, lyricist), and Jim Woderak (drums) along with childhood bud Miguel "Tito" Garcia (guitar), sometimes adding Mark Zucco (keyboards).

Joe Wodarek is used to big crowds. He's sang the National Anthem several times for the Pittsburgh Steelers (who are undefeated when he opens for them), once even teaming up with Bret Michaels of Poison.

It didn't hurt that John Woderak is an events coordinator for the Steelers. Brother Jim is a graphics arts teacher at Baldwin High; rumor has it that he's trying to work out a gig for Joe before one of the Fighting Highlander clashes (OK, we started the rumor, but hey, Mt. Lebanon and Bethel Park are tough!)

The Stickers, who spent a year as the opening act for the now defunct PovertyNeck Hillbillies, are doing it the hard way, without the support of a label. But they're getting a lot of local help pushing their sound.

Their CD, "The Stingers," was produced in Nashville (where else?) at the renowned Curb Studios. And it has a local country legend's hands all over it, Bob Corbin of Corbin/Hanner note.

Corbin has written tunes for Alabama ("Can't Keep A Good Man Down," "Fire In The Night," both #1), Hank Williams Jr., George Jones, Mel Tillis ("Blind In Love," #1), Kenny Rogers, and The Oak Ridge Boys, and produced The Sticker's album.

The band worked through the winter of 2008 laying down the tracks, and it was released in June of 2009 at Saddleridge.

The Pittsburgh country radio guys, unlike their rock counterparts, pushed the home boys' music hard. WFGA 94.9 - Froggy - and Y108 put the songs in rotation, and other country stations picked them up from there.

Since then, The Stickers have charted four singles on the national country charts, including "Girl in a Pick Up Truck" which is at #60, and their new single "You Put the Woo in Me," breaking at #84. "Young Wild & Free" and "Let's Make Some Memories" also charted.

Now their songs have gotten airplay on some 150 radio stations, and "Pickup Truck" was even picked up in France.

Hey, a country band from Pittsburgh hitting the big time is a long shot, especially one without a label. But The Stickers are looking to break that mold. They just shared a stage with the Zac Brown Band at the Morristown Ohio "Jamboree in the Hills," often called "the Super Bowl of Country Music." Maybe they'll be the next, like stagemates Zac Brown, to hit paydirt.


The Stickers - "Girl In A Pick Up Truck"

Sarah Marince

Sarah Marince
Hey, sometimes you run across things while looking at stuff that's totally unrelated. For example, while checking out the Pirates' Opening Day on Monday, we saw that Sarah Marince will sing "God Bless America" during the festivities.

Marince has been on Old Mon's radar for the past couple of years, ever since the Moon native released her first CD, "Somebody Like You," at the Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center in Midland, Beaver County. She migrated to the charter school after coming up through the Moon and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart school systems.

That was in January of 2008; a month later, she made the move to Nashville, where the majority of her CD tracks were recorded. Songwriters/producers Joe West & Dave Pahanish of Gasoline Productions, who originally hailed from Pittsburgh, took care of the Tennessee end; Rick Witkowksi produced the Pittsburgh tracks.

"Just Look At Me," her first single, was in heavy rotation on Froggy 98. She has another song out now, "Big Time," that Froggy and WDSY are pushing.

And she just released her second indy CD, "You're My Summertime," in January. Her tunes are available at CD Baby, iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster, and a couple of local retail outlets.

Marince is currently being shopped to the labels, according to her parents, Gary (a radio engineer) and Mary Kay, who is her manager and booking agent. Her grandpap was the now departed Tom O'Donoghue, who owned the old Etna landmark, the Blarney Stone.

Marince is doing her part to take center stage. She's gigged at Austin's South by Southwest, the Jamboree in the Hills (Morristown, OH) and the old Dollar Bank Jamboree at Point State Park.

She's shared the stage with Lonestar, Trisha Yearwood, Phil Vassar, Gretchen Wilson, Taylor Swift, Jake Owen, Gary Allen, Trace Adkins, Mark Wills, Travis Tritt, The Oak Ridge Boys, Rachel Fuller, Kelly Pickler and even Pete Townsend. Just in February, Marince opening for Kenny Rogers at the Pepsi Cola Road House.

She's more than used to singing before huge crowds. The National Anthem is a staple in her repertoire of songs. Marince performs regularly for Duquesne University basketball, the Steelers, Pirates, Penguins, and now the Nashville Predators hockey team, and has sung the National Anthem for President Bush.

In fact, she became the John McCain - Sarah Palin official opening act after McCain's handlers heard her sing at a campaign rally in Little Washington, where McCain unveiled (some might say unleashed) running-mate Palin to the country.

At any rate, the young Republican songstress traveled throughout Pennsylvania and Ohio, even making a stop in Missouri, opening the GOP rallies with a playlist of "Independence Day," "I Am Woman," and "Man, I Feel Like A Woman." Hey, she was even savvy enough to hand out some glossies and autographs; the odds are that her career is a little brighter than McCain's right about now.

But you wanna talk pressure? Marince recorded an updated version of the classic Eat n' Park "Place for Smiles" jingle, a Pittsburgh musical icon if ever there was, and not only survived, but thrived. It was cut to celebrate EAP's 60th Anniversary, and she was featured in a gazillion commercials and a caravan of concerts at stores and malls. Not a bad kickoff for a teenager's career, hey?

And while Marince's modern country sound is her ticket to the big time, she's a pretty talented young lady artistically. She was a highly touted, medal-winning Irish singer, with her sister Lizzie, and step dancer. She also worked the stage for Lincoln Park theatrical productions. And did we mention that she writes her own songs?

Now she's in Nashville, the cauldron of country music, reaching for the gold ring. There's a lotta people making a grab for that ring; we can only wish her luck. She's got the ability; now she needs the break.

One thing you don't have to worry about is catching her act; Marince is still a home girl at heart, and does quite a few local jams, the five hundred mile drive from Nashville notwithstanding. She's already got four gigs scheduled here this summer after Monday.

If you miss her on Opening Day, she'll be back to PNC Park on July Fourth. For those that prefer a real show, Marince will be at the Carnegie Library in Oakland on April 8th, on stage for the 4th of July Celebration Concert with Steel Magnolia, and August 6th she'll be appearing at Moon Park in a true homecoming.


Sarah Marince - medley from Jamboree In The Hills 2009