2009: The Year-of-LoCash
The song lyrics literally mimicked the thoughts, feeling, ambitions and words of the million-strong audience in the Big Apple.
As the LoCash Cowboys counted down from 10 in their hit single “Parade,” one million fans in Times Square – and countless millions more watching on the FOX News Network – counted down to 2009. The LoCash Cowboys, however, were continuing their countdown to a country music meltdown of epic proportions – and bringing this embattled nation with them.
For Chris & Preston, 2009 is the Year-of-LoCash. For any American who has ever struggled to find their way in this ever-changing society, 2009 is also the Year-of-LoCash. If 2008 was not a good year – and for many Americans it was a tough one – one need only hearken back to the true definition of “LoCash.”
The boys always say: “LoCash is a way of life. It doesn’t mean you are poor or have no money. It just means that some of the best things in life are free – or LoCash. It’s remembering who you are and where you came from.”
But just who are these LoCash Cowboys who have already invaded 2009 with their hot, hybrid, musical style that is one part country and one part rock-n-roll with a dash of hip-hop just for flavor?
Chris Lucas, a high school football luminary from Pasadena, Maryland, grew up accustomed to center stage, playing in front of the masses each Friday night. When not quarterbacking his team to victory, he sang and danced in his home, or performed at local establishments under the guidance of his close relatives. His love for country, rock and R&B was evident from an early age. Chris arrived in Nashville in 1998, seeking his way among those who had made it, those who had not, and most importantly, those who would.
Preston Brust quite literally grew up as the son of a preacher man, his father an ordained minister in the Church of Christ. Born in Dermott, Arkansas, he was raised in Kokomo, Indiana. Growing up in the Heartland of the Nation, he naturally gravitated toward country and rock. Belting out Gospel tunes at a young age in church, Preston prepared himself for his future, in front of the Sunday-morning crowd – and perhaps a higher audience. Preston arrived in Nashville in June 2002. Two weeks later, Chris & Preston, the duo, was spawned.
Seven short years later, LoCash was on the national stage indoctrinated millions to the lifestyle that defines them.
The irony in the LoCash lifestyle is that is has very little to do with money. It’s about what is truly important: friends, family, remembering who you are, remembering where you came from and remembering who helped you become who you are today. What are you doing to be a better person? What are you doing to be a better friend? What are you doing to be a better parent or sibling? What are you doing to be a better American in these troubled times, both home and abroad? Most importantly, what are you doing to make sure the next generation has it better than this one?
2009 is the Year-of-LoCash. To prove it, Chris and Preston are on stage and in the community to help folks enjoy it and spread it.
Before there could be a 2009, there had to be a 2008 … and what a 2008 it was for the LoCash Cowboys. Their most productive year to date, 2008 launched the boys into the risen ranks of Nashville’s finest. The year that most recently passed saw the boys headline the Red Man Roadhouse Tour, a 12-city jaunt, co-sponsored by Maxim Magazine.
2008 also saw the LoCash Cowboys grace the Country Music Association (CMA) Top 10 Ballot for Duo-of-the-Year for the second time in three years. While the hardware was being handed out at the CMA Awards, LoCash performed – at the request of the CMA – the “What a Trip!” Concert at their old stomping ground: The Wildhorse Saloon. Proud members and supporters of the CMA, Chris & Preston also rocked the CMA Music Festival for the fourth consecutive year, the second time on the River Stage. A publishing deal with Sony Tree and an appearance on the FOX News Network’s New Year’s Eve Broadcast capped a captivating year.
Many Nashville insiders, however, believe 2009 is the year the boys crash the party and take home some CMA hardware of their own.
The success of 2008 comes as a surprise to very few people as LoCash has hit the national scene hard in the past three years. The celestial markings of the sky seem to be in order from California to Kansas, Missouri to Maryland and every state in between.
“They say when the stars line up, great things happen,” Chris said. “The stars lined up and have kept lining up. The more we play, the stronger we grow as musicians and as brothers. From our first meeting until this present day, LoCash Cowboys were meant to entertain and meant to be.”
Developing a Style & Doing it LoCash Style
With all the success of 2008 behind them, and new challenges ahead, many fans – new and old – wonder: Just how did Chris & Preston, the duo, become LoCash Cowboys?
The two met in Nashville at the famous Wildhorse Saloon in July 2002 where Chris was employed. After a brief encounter, Chris offered Preston a job working with him on stage. While not in name just yet, the LoCash Cowboys had been born. On stage at the Wildhorse, Chris & Preston shared the spotlight with each other, and their talents with the audience. For four years, they entertained fans at the Wildhorse, including corporate outings and private parties. As those early shows went on, the tandem swiftly learned their collective value. Chris & Preston had launched their career.
“Looking back, we realize that we thought that we were just going to work to rock the house every night,” Preston said. “But we were really building the foundation and designing the blueprints of what would become LoCash Cowboys.”
The new-found brothers signed with Buddy Lee Attractions in July 2002 as Chris & Preston and then officially launched as LoCash Cowboys in late 2004. Since then, the brothers have indoctrinated the nation to the concept and the attitude that defines LoCash.
Singing two-part harmony to musically-educated audiences, LoCash electrifies fans with their upbeat brand of music – a hybrid of country, rock and even hip hop. A country-music fan has not experienced LoCash Cowboys, however, until they have seen the complete show, one that has left established artists and industry executives searching for their dropped jaws and popped eardrums. With high-energy dance moves that compliment their wide-ranging vocal abilities, LoCash Cowboys’ show has carved its niche in 40 states thus far.
“We’re like stage Marines,” Preston said. “We walk out, take one look at the audience and attack! We never let up whether it’s a 30-minute appearance or a four-hour show. The energy stays at a peak the entire time.”
Their show strikes a stark contrast to what many would consider traditional country music. With a flair for the dynamic, this hybrid show thumps, smacks and batters fans with a sensation of LoCash stimulation. Each song in the LoCash library pushes the boundaries of traditional country music, blending old sounds with new, mixing and juggling genres, and removing the restrictions of what is considered customary in country.
This chameleon-like approach to their performance has allowed these two musical brethren to criss-cross the nation, playing everything from honky-tonk, roadside saloons and country bars to country festivals and county fairs. LoCash has also played corporate parties for the likes of Starbucks, Expedia, Outback Steakhouse and Gaylord Entertainment.
LoCash: The Formative Years
When LoCash started touring in 2005, the boys made an immediate impact on the country-music world. Not many entertainers get to showcase their talents in front of millions of television viewers their first year on tour, but in ruthless, raw and robust LoCash style, the brothers introduced themselves to the world on CMT – live! While in Vega, Texas shooting CMT’s “Popularity Contest,” the boys took the stage and gave country music fans a glimpse of the future – and even a little of the present.
“At the time, people all over the country, including CMT, only knew us as the Wildhorse guys,” Preston said. “CMT was awesome for including us live in Vega, Texas. I remember our phones blowing up after the show aired on CMT.”
Catching the attention of producers around the nation, LoCash found themselves working with a country legend: Tanya Tucker. In 2005, the boys appeared on seven episodes of “Tuckerville” on CMT and ultimately wrote, produced and recorded the theme song for the show: “My Life in Tuckerville.” The show began re-runs in summer 2007, giving LoCash Cowboys even more television exposure.
“Working with country legend, icon and all-around wonderful woman Tanya Tucker, we appeared on seven episodes and hosted the marathon show on TLC (The Learning Channel),” Chris said. “Maybe we could host our own show on The Learning Channel. There is certainly a lot to learn about country music and the LoCash way of life.”
LoCash Cowboys kept the music-television connection intact for 2006, appearing on “Pageant School: Becoming Miss America,” in Los Angeles and writing the theme song: “Boom, Boom.” LoCash Cowboys had landed on the West Coast. The pageant was broadcast on CMT, MTV and VH1, launching the lads and “Boom Boom” to the stratosphere of American cable television.
When the invite came in 2007 to play Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling’s SlamiVersary, the boys exposed their true flamboyance and flair, rocking more than 10,000 raging spectators at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in front of a national Pay-Per-View audience. 2007 also included their first performance on the River Stage at the CMA Music Festival, a major gig for Chris & Preston that unlocked the opportunity for their performance at the CMA Official After-Party.
“We have always worked very closely with the CMA,” Chris said. “They have stood by LoCash for quite a while now, and we were honored to play both the CMA Music Festival and CMA Awards After Party.”
Since Chris and Preston joined forces and morphed into LoCash Cowboys, Buddy Lee Attractions has handled all the duo’s booking and laid the foundation for Team LoCash. In addition to headlining shows booked by Buddy Lee, LoCash has shared the bill with the likes of Blake Shelton, Josh Gracin, Keith Urban, Toby Keith, Charlie Daniels, Gretchen Wilson, Big & Rich, REO Speedwagon, Clay Walker, ZZ Top, Tom Petty and countless others.
In addition to their exploits on stage and in the studio, the boys have always found time to reach out and serve the various communities through which they travel. For the past three years, Chris and Preston have served as spokesmen for D.A.R.E, Drug Abuse Resistance Education. Playing fundraisers and relief efforts throughout the nation are not uncommon events for LoCash. When a natural disaster strikes, the boys can often times be found pitching in and helping their American brethren in their time of need.
The Future & The Year-of-LoCash
Though the son of the preacher man and the American football hero have marked their country-music territory in America, electrified audiences in 40 states, on the radio and through television, there is much more to accomplish, more fans to entertain, more admirers to absorb. Through their collective and collaborative nature, LoCash Cowboys, with their ruthless, raw and robust sound, have solidified their place among the brilliant and breathtaking artists Nashville has to present.
But they cannot do it alone. In terms of recording, LoCash works exclusively with Nashville singer/songwriter/producer Jeffrey Steele. With the talented and time-test Steele on board, Team LoCash continues to grow.
Working with Steele has added substance and style to the LoCash sound. His artistic approach is imaginative, original and almost untouchable – much like the artist he now produces. In addition to producing the 2009 LoCash album, Steele has put his years of song-writing skills to work for the boys, penning hits such as “Parade.”
Anyone standing in Times Square on New Year’s Eve, or watching the broadcast on the FOX News Network, heard “Parade” in one of its most appropriate settings. The song celebrates the LoCash lifestyle and the American way of life.
Whether it is New Year’s Eve on the biggest stage in America, a hometown, summertime fair or the local team winning the big game, there isn’t an American town – large or small – that doesn’t like to get together and celebrate.
2009 will celebrate LoCash, and they have invited the nation to come along the parade route. With an album due out in 2009, and more than 200 shows currently booked, this year truly promises to be the Year-of-LoCash.
Live the lifestyle; message the masses: Long Live LoCash!
