THE START OF HONKY TONK SCHOOL: THE ONES WHO WERE HERE FIRST "PROFESSORS"
BRAD WOLF
Born in Caryville, Tennessee, Brad Wolf is an American country music singer. He is the great-great-grandson of Fiddlin' John Carson. Wolf recorded for Warner Bros. Records in 2003, releasing the single "Strictly Business." The song appeared on a NASCAR-themed compilation album titled Inside Traxx and was used by NBC on the TV series The Apprentice. The song spent four weeks on the Hot Country Songs charts, peaking at No. 56
ROD JANZEN
Rod Janzen has been working for Honky Tonk School for about 10 years now. He has been a well-known guitar player and songwriter for years. His previous credits include: Tanya Tucker/Wylie and the Wild West in 1996, LeAnn Womack in 2000-2002, Dierks Bently 2002-2010, along with touring for George Strait, Brooks and Dunn, Dierks Bently, Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley and many more. He also played at the CMA Awards, ACM Awards, Grammy Awards, Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, GMA and others! Rod now helps out new students here at the Honky Tonk School and plays in bands all over broadway along with staying involved in the songwriting industry here in Nashville!
JOHN STONE
Stone’s performances do not fail to please, with Vulture Magazine describing John and his performances succinctly, “Completely EPIC!!… This man has got the gift. Edgy, energetic and he completely tore it up on stage from start to finish”.
During a career spanning over a decade in America’s country music capital, Nashville, Stone can recall countless highlights, including entertaining world leaders at the White House Christmas party – and performing 6 times for the President of the United States. Stone is also a resident of Kid Rock’s Chillin’ the Most Cruise, where he has performed to a cruise-ship full of music-loving fans for seven years running. When he’s not touring, Stone can be found performing his long-running gig at the renowned Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge in Nashville. In Nashville, he is known as “The King of Lower Broadway” as he is well-known for being one of the best Honky Tonk performers around.
After making his Gympie Muster debut in 2013, the demand for John and the Trailer Park All-Stars to perform in Australia has been overwhelming. Fans were amazed not only by what was seen on stage but also the entire band’s engagement with festival goers in and around the campsites and festival grounds. Stone returned the following year, by popular demand, performing sold out shows at Tamworth Country Music Festival, and throughout South East Queensland. John and the Trailer Park All-Stars also played the Gympie Music Muster that same year where they closed the festival, performing to an overflowing venue. Stone decided to record the music video for his single ‘Please Please’ at this performance which made the Top 20 Country Airplay Charts at the time. Australian fans just can’t seem to get enough, with Stone headlining the 2015 Plantation Music Festival and performing at the 35th anniversary of the Gympie Music Muster in 2016.
Prior to realizing his childhood dream of becoming a singer/songwriter, Stone spent eight years in the United States Army as a gunner on an M-1 Tank. He served in Iraq during Shield and Desert Storm, an experience he says has given him the resilience and determination needed to forge a successful career in the music industry.
Having picked up the guitar at the age of six, the multi-talented and self-taught singer/songwriter also plays the bass, drums, harmonica and piano. At any live performance, Stone draws upon all of his musical talent to deliver what he is best known for – energetic, crowd-pleasing performances that leave his audiences wanting more.
CHELSEE FOSTER
True Blue Rocker Chelsee Foster has been a veteran of the music industry for over a decade. In Los Angeles, Ch3ls sold out legendary venues such as The Viper Room, The Whisky a Go-Go, and the Troubadour. She also worked in performance licensing for years utilizing her music business degree. In 2019, Chelsee toured the Caribbean with Norwegian Cruise Lines. Headlining at Syd Norman’s Pourhouse of Rock, Ch3ls and her cast became the most popular entertainment in the entire fleet! She now also continues to use her degree to help other musicians with vocal coaching!
As an experienced figure skater, Chelsee also toured nationally prior to coaching the sport. She credits her experience as a competitive skater with giving her the strength and endurance necessary to put out a powerhouse performance every night. These days, she is burning down Music City at Broadway’s largest bar: Kid Rock’s Bigass Honkytonk. You can find original music from Ch3ls on all streaming platforms, including her latest single: Hellbound. As fiery as Chelsee’s red hair, her rock vibe stands out in Nashville’s music scene!
THE STUDENTS: SOME OF BROADWAYS UP AND COMING MUSICIANS MAKING A NAME FOR THEMSELVES AT HONKY TONK SCHOOL
JAKE MAURER
Jake Maurer is a product of Metamora, Illinois, which to this day remains his favorite place on Earth. Jake spent his grade school and high school years listening to Garth Brooks and dreaming of becoming a football star for the Redbirds. He then became just that, as an All-State linebacker and the Redbirds leading rusher. He attended Eastern Illinois University, where he continued his football success as a linebacker, starting his career as a walk-on and ending it on a full-ride scholarship. At EIU, he earned a high school teaching degree and every now and then entertained his friends around a bonfire picking and singing some of his favorite “Red Dirt” Texas country songs. Inspired by Pat Green, Jake picked up a pen and started putting some thoughts to music. Those first Jake Maurer songs are still some of his friends’ favorites.
Jake is not only a talented song-writer, but is also a gifted singer, plays acoustic guitar and his best quality just might be his natural ability to entertain. He loves to talk to the crowd and make them laugh by saying just about anything that might pop into his mind; the more ridiculous, the better. People walk into Tootsie’s for a beer and before they know it they have spent four hours with the Jake Maurer Band.
Jake drove into Nashville, knowing that he loved playing music but was not exactly sure what he was looking for. Years into this business and he has realized he has what he wants…. a fun place to sing and entertain in Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge and the ability to play the songs he wants, the songs he writes, at the places he loves. He gets to play at Tootsie’s, travel the country playing huge and small venues alike and all of that still allows him to spend time at home, tending to his 2nd love—cattle, chickens and 5 kids. He loves every day of work, whether at Tootsie’s or entertaining at any event across North America.
Look for Jake’s newest album, "Lower Broad," and his self-titled album, “Jake Maurer” on i-Tunes, on Facebook, at jakemaurer.com or at any live Jake Maurer show. He’ll be at Tootsie’s and anywhere else the wind blows him.
RACHEL BLOUNT
Rachael Blount is a singer-songwriter. Raised in St. Augustine, Florida she was drawn to a variety of music genres from a young age. Her passion for entertaining and singing brought her to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue a career in music. She has shared the stage with artists such as Kid Rock, Gretchen Wilson, Morgan Wallen, Randy Houser, Gavin Degraw, Travis Tritt and others. She began her career performing at Tootsies Orchid Lounge. She now has a residency and headlines Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk weekly.
NOAH GARDNER
Noah Gardner is a singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist who is currently based in Nashville. Having grown up in the mountains of Maine, he left the north and journeyed out to Miami where he obtained his bachelor’s degree in Music Business at the University of Miami. He now gigs across the country as a fiddler and singer for various up and coming artists. In Nashville, every week Noah fronts his own honky-tonk band, Banned from Nashville, for thousands of people on the main floor at Kid Rock’s while also developing original material characterized by his signature “FIDDLEROCK” sound. His songs combine the honesty of a country lyric with the energy of rock and roll, channeled through his electric violin. With his music, Noah strives to promote authenticity and to help people form real connections with each other by enabling them to experience the power of honest stories and shared truths.
IVOREE AND MORGAN
Country singing and songwriting duo Ivoree Howell and Morgan Ray AKA Roxan met in in the Summer of 2017 at Tootsies Orchid Lounge
where they both worked as singers.
Ivoree being new to Nashville from Northern California and Morgan from West Texas hit it off as fast friends.
When Morgan received an offer to play the Millport Music Festival in Scotland, Ivoree decided to go tag along. Long story short, the girls ended up singing a few songs together and people knew they had something special with their similar tones and sister like harmonies!
They soon began writing music together and recording their first song “He Went Back To Her”. The honest lyrics comes straight from the heart and is an experience they both shared. Their debut EP is available on all streaming platforms.
@roxanmusic
DALTON BLACK
Dalton Black is an East Tennessee native who now calls Nashville home. First picking up a guitar in 2015 and writing his first song in 2016, Black made the move to Nashville in the summer of 2017 and has become a staple performing regularly with his band The Dalton Black Experience in historic Tootsies Orchid Lounge on lower broadway. Dalton has a passion for connecting with and giving the crowd a night to remember, he strives to make every person in attendance feel special. He has a new single coming out in early 2022, that he is very excited about called “Fallin’ for California” Catch Dalton at one of his shows in Nashville and be sure to stream his new single that is releasing 01/28/22
MADISON PISANI
Born in Staten Island, New York, Madison Pisani has been performing music since she was 9 years old. She was inspired by her father’s guitar playing growing up and began teaching herself guitar and piano at age 12. After her family moved to New Jersey when she was 16, Pisani officially started her solo performing career and began performing for audiences all across the state. Pisani covers a variety of songs from the 60s, 70s, and 80’s all the way through to today’s hits.
Pisani also has a passion for country music, which led her to take her angelic voice and rock-and-roll energy out to the stages of Nashville, Tennessee. Soon after arriving in Nashville, her incredible stage energy and wide repertoire of music led her to be noticed by one of the most respected bands on Broadway at Kid Rock’s Honky Tonk Rock N’ Roll Steakhouse. She quickly became a member of this band, which includes many talented career musicians such as Will Doughty, the piano player for the legendary rock band Poison. While simultaneously working on her career as an artist, Pisani performs four nights a week with this band for audiences of over a thousand people. In her shows at Kid Rock’s Honky Tonk, Pisani grips the crowd with anything from high-energy performances of classic rock-and-roll songs from bands like ACDC to soulful renditions of songs by artists like Aretha Franklin. Every show, she continues to grow as a performer, a band leader, and a singer, captivating audiences from all over the world.
JACKSON CAPPS
Capps has been based in Nashville, TN since early 2018, after he graduated high-school early to relocate from his hometown of Trussville, AL. He has spent the last 4 years consistently writing and honing his live performance skills, performing in Nashville 4-5 times a week with his six-piece band.
2021 saw Capps’ perform as the opening act for Jamey Johnson at a charity event in Birmingham, AL, which led to an incredible opportunity of Capps’ performing a full band set as the opening act for the band Alabama at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA.
Capps has released three singles: “Yesterday’s Makeup” charted at #83 on the Australian iTunes Country Charts; ‘Alabama Gone’ saw Capps’ debut music video performance with over 65,000 combined views; and ‘LAX’ which premiered on Australian country radio, and has continued airplay.
GRACIE CAROL
Country-Pop singer-songwriter, Gracie Carol, steps into the world of Country Music with a powerful force. With early roots in the genre, Carol found her love for Country Music and it’s songwriting from listening at a young age and performing around her hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio.
At the age of 17, her true colors emerged after singing with Country Music Legend Keith Urban on his Raise Em’ Up Tour at Riverbend Music Center. He then invited Gracie to audition for American Idol, making it to the first round of Hollywood Week.
Gracie moved to Nashville at 18, graduated from Belmont University and continues to record and release original music. She also performs several times a week at Tootsies World Famous Orchid Lounge on Broadway in Downtown Nashville. Her latest music has taken on a life of its own due to her viral success on TikTok and Instagram with her independently released song, Breakup SZN, collecting 2+ million streams together on all streaming platforms.
PIERCE WHITE
Pierce White is a young singer songwriter, with aspirations to make it as a recording artist. He grew up in Greenville, SC and spent his time playing guitar and baseball. In August 2017 he moved to Tennessee to pursue a career in music at MTSU. After a classmate gave him some insight on how to move forward, he reached out to Uncle John at Honky Tonk School and has been playing gigs for the Tootsies company for the past 3 years.
THE MANTZ BROTHERS
The Mantz Brothers are a duo composed of Jordan and Holdan Mantz. They are brothers that grew up in Central Wisconsin like two normal kids. Little did they know they both had a very special talent that would be shared with many in the years ahead of them and change their lives forever!
They started out singing together at a very young age and continued throughout high school. After graduating, they formed a band and started performing. Recently, they moved to Nashville to pursue their dream!!!
The Mantz Brothers recorded their first EP at Loud Studios Nashville with Record Producer, Eddie K from Montgomery Gentry. They released their first single, “One Kiss at A Time” in September 2014 as a “Highway Find” on SiriusXM The Highway. In October it debuted on The Highway Hot 45 Countdown at #42. The following week, it was the “Biggest Jump of the Week” moving up to #30.
They’ve opened for many national acts, including Montgomery Gentry, Lee Brice, Randy Houser, Kip Moore, Love & Theft, Jerrod Niemann, Emerson Drive, JT Hodges, Parmalee, Chase Rice, Cole Swindell and others. They’ve performed at major events such as, the Largest Country Music Festival – CMA Fest – Milwaukee’s Summerfest and the Largest Music Festival at Sea – Country Cruising!
This dynamic country duo has a strong passion for music and they deliver high energy performances that engage audiences. They play today’s hottest hits and classics that built the foundation of country music, and their originals. They have a very strong following and keep the crowd engaged. They bring a unique sound with their harmonization; they create one voice from two great singers and they naturally connect with their audience!
MAC GREER
Mac Greer is originally from the mountains of North East Georgia but lived in Boone, Nc for 5 years before moving to Nashville in 2020. The rest hasn’t been written yet, Stay Tuned.
MAGGIE BAKER
Country-Rock singer Maggie Baker has always dreamed of living and performing in Nashville, TN. Indiana Native is so thrilled to be showcasing her talents with Broadway's Best, Honky Tonk School.
Maggie grew up in Carmel, Indiana pursuing performing from a young age. Maggie attended Carmel High School where she participated on competitive dance teams and show choir all 4 years. Maggie was a part of the Code Red Dance Team at Ball State University, as she also joined Indiana’s local talent signing at many well known venues.
Maggie also enrolled and graduated from The Aveda institute, Nashville as a licensed Esthetician.
Her true passion lies in performing and she is full of gratitude to be working amongst such a supportive and talented group of people who continue to propel her forward with her music career.
PIPER BATEMAN
Piper Bateman is a singer, performer and songwriter currently residing in Nashville, TN. Born and raised in Fallston, Maryland, she is a multi-talented musician who began singing as a toddler, and playing and performing on stage at age 5. She has been playing guitar, singing performing steadily for the past 20 years. Piper went to college after high school and graduated from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia to study Digital Marketing and Music, while continuing to perform around Philadelphia and the surrounding region. Post graduation, she moved to Nashville to pursue her love for writing and performing.
Piper’s sound is unique; a combination of blues, pop, rock and country. She is entertaining for an audience of any age, and loves performing and music more than anything. You can often find Piper playing creative, soulful covers, or her original repertoire. When writing music, Piper is inspired by Sheryl Crow, Miranda Lambert, Janis Joplin, Alanis Morissette and many more.
Piper now plays music full-time on Lower Broadway at venues including Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, Honky Tonk Central, Kid Rock’s Honky Tonk and Rippy’s Bar & Grill, while also focusing on writing and building her artist career. Piper can be found performing in downtown Nashville with her band, or in writers rounds around town.
For more information and to book Piper, please contact:
pbateman13@verizon.net
CAT FLINT
From a small town in New York called Addison, Cat Flint has always known she wanted to be a singer. Not really knowing where life would take her, she went to Nazareth College and graduated with a Musical Theatre and Communications/Marketing degree. After graduation, she realized that theatre wasn't really what she wanted anymore and decided to pack her bags and move to Nashville. She attended Tootsies Birthday Party the first weekend she moved here and met some of the musicians which made her decide to audition there in the upcoming week. She was thrilled to be hired and now honored to be singing at Tootsies, Kid Rocks, and Rippys with some of the most talented people she has ever met. She also helps Uncle John out with social media and marketing needs that way she can use both sides of her degree! (she hopes you are enjoying the website she designed, lol)
Known for her powerful voice which is influenced by Heart and Miranda Lambert, along with her Kacey Musgraves like features, and funny personality, she is someone you don’t want to miss when you’re down on Broadway! For upcoming gigs, follow her on instagram: @catflint_