Twenty Hands High at Rock & Rails

There aren't many bands fans can hear at Rock & Rails and also enjoy in a store's music feed while shopping at WalMart, Target or elsewhere. But that's the case for Twenty Hands High, the nationally touring Southern rock band that's this week's performer. We talked to CW, the band's founder, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist, about the band and the upcoming performance.

Q: So, what are your thoughts in advance of Rock & Rails?

CW: We're stoked to be part of the whole lineup. When you do get to the point that you can play for several hundred people, that makes what we do all the more fun.

Q: And you haven't played Rock & Rails before, have you?

CW: No, not yet.

Q: So how did you hear of the concert?

CW: My music mentor has been Hazel Miller and she had invited me to do a fundraiser for the Marshall Fire Victims back in February. That's how I met Satir DeMarco who books for Rock & Rails and she asked us to the show. So I guess I really get to thank Hazel Miller for connecting us.

Q: Can you tell us about your background?

CW: I was born in the very small town of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, near Ohio and near Appalachia. Such a small town. A dot on a dot on the map. I graduated in a class of 46. The movie "The Mothman Prophecy" about a bridge that fell into the Ohio River? That bridge connected my mom's hometown to my dad's. Our town was also where Bob Evans got started.

I left my hometown and joined the Navy and spent most of my military career in Virginia. Once I retired, I went to work in traditional jobs until about five years ago when I pursued music full time. I've been living in Denver for about eight years.

Q: So, after all that, how was the group formed?

CW: All of us met here in Denver, many of us about four years ago, and this month is our anniversary in fact. There have been some changes over the years, and we recently picked up a drummer and bass player that Sammy Mayfield used to use. We've been having a lot of fun and playing a lot of shows.

Q: Can you tell me about some of the memorable performances you've had

CW: Sure. We've opened for Pat Green and Pam Tillis. We played the Grizzly Rose to 1,500 people there on a Thursday Night. Middle of the week! It was awe inspiring. We went to Montana for the first time and played a fantastic outdoor stage, right by the river. That place was hoppin'. For that performance, I said, "If we're going to show them what we're all about, we have to show them NOW."

Q: What kinds of things do you look for when you do a show?

CW: Well... I'm thinking of compliments. I can say that there are two kinds of compliments that probably carry more weight than most. One is from staff. They know what they've seen. The other is, "I'm not really a country fan, but I love what you guys do."

Q: And...last question. What can audiences expect from your performance on Thursday?

CW: One thing..it'll be energetic. We'll ask the crowd to sing along. We want people to say, that's the most fun I've had in a long time. We might even break out a couple of brand new songs as a treat. We'll have some fun.