Sister Hazel, scheduled to play at Rick’s Caf on Tuesday, is a band many college students have probably heard of.
The group, formed in the early ’90s in Gainesville, Fla., has sold over two million records and recently released Chasing Daylight, their first independent album in seven years.
Although the band scored with some popular hits in years past, they were never media darlings. Television airplay was close to nonexistent, and music publications never rushed to put the band on the cover of their magazines. Ken Block, Sister Hazel’s lead singer and acoustic guitarist, said the “grassroots” image they have maintained, however, is the core of what the band is all about.
Block said he grew up surrounded by musical talent. His father, who played piano, hosted parties that ended up being creative jam sessions. Block said he remembers hearing his father and his friends play music together.
“My dad would have parties at our house and all of his friends would come over. I remember being completely enamored with the guys that had guitars,” Block said. “They were always making up crazy little songs. They could weave together stories with their music.”
He said Sister Hazel, who recently split from Universal Records to work independently, reflects the same honest and humble mindset that Block had as a child. Because they hail from a small town, he said they enjoy the advantages of playing small venues like those in Starkville. Although larger cities like New York and Los Angeles offer a more intense atmosphere, college towns, especially those in the Southeast, appreciate the music more, Block said.
“It becomes more of an event when bigger names play places like Starkville. And we’re able to create a relationship with college students who take our music with them when they graduate,” Block added.
MSU student Lauren Shelton said she is glad Sister Hazel still plays places like Starkville.
“It’s great to see Sister Hazel back in Starkville,” Shelton said. “I’m from Memphis and I’ve had the opportunity to see them a
few times, but it’s nice to know that they haven’t forgotten how important it is to stay connected to the smaller places like this one.”
As far as their newly attained independent status goes, the band believes the split from Universal Records was the smartest decision they could have made. Aside from the issues of freedom and control, Block said it just didn’t make sense for the band to stay on with a major label any longer. The three-year waiting period between album releases coupled with the fact that most people in charge of the music “machine” are not musicians themselves, he said, helped guide Sister Hazel in their decision.
“Where art and commerce meet is a nasty intersection,” Block said. “In the music business, there are too many people with different opinions and it makes you begin to over-think. We just want to be honest and do what feels right for us.”
Block said that the split was easy for the band because they have fans that just keep coming back for more. Sister Hazel has maintained a positive relationship with Universal and is aware of how much they owe their former label. Block does not deny that the band would not be where they are today without the experience gained and knowledge gleaned from working under a major label. He said his excitement over the indie music scene, however, continues to grow.
“We’re on the verge of a revolution,” Block said. “Some band is going to explode that’s not on a major label and it’s going to change the way everybody thinks.”
He said another important issue on Sister Hazel’s agenda is providing endless support for the Lyrics for Life organization. Created by Block after losing his younger brother to cancer, Lyrics for Life helps raise awareness of serious illnesses such as cancer and funds researchers working to find cures for those illnesses.
The organization has already raised over $250,000 through events that enlist big-name artists to perform as well as sell their handwritten lyrics. Block said being able to have a significant impact on people’s lives is endlessly fulfilling.
“The guys and I are walking the walk. We’ve all been affected in some way by cancer, and we want to do all that we can to improve the situation,” Block added.
Sister Hazel will play at Rick’s Caf in Starkville on Sept. 9. Owner Rick Welch said in a press release Sister Hazel hasn’t changed much in the years he has known the band.
“I’m very proud of the success they have achieved, and even prouder of how they have stayed real,” Welch said in the release. “Sometimes success changes people. Not Sister Hazel.”
Block said the band has no plans of slowing down in the years to come. They want to play more music more frequently, and hope to do some “acoustic stuff” in upcoming days. A Sister Hazel DVD is due out in the fall and the group plans to release a holiday album next year. Block says that the group would like to release an album every year as well as continue participating in events like The Rock Boat, a yearly Caribbean cruise featuring many popular artists.
No matter where the road takes them, Block seems confident that Sister Hazel will continue to leave its mark on the music world.
“We’re more creative than we’ve ever been and we’re all very supportive of each other,” Block said. “Sister Hazel is our heart.”
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