Boyd Gallati

Boyd was born and raised in Eau Claire WI. From the age of four he was always playing an instrument, such as, Drums, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Banjo, Keyboards, and Vocals. He finally found his passion with singing and playing keyboards. He has also spent many years as a professional sound engineer on large concert systems or performing with acts like Colin Rae, Lonestar, Bellemy Brothers, Brooks and Dunn, Travis Tritt and many more. Boyd is also an amazing songwriter who has charted music in the Country Top 40 and catching the eye of many Nashville Singer/Songwriters such as Taylor Swift. He has found his true music soul mate in Josh and is living his dream through the Bootlegg Brothers. He has put his heart and soul into this unique two man band that is spreading like fire, with the first original from the upcoming cd being played on Nashville radio. Boyd brings all of these talents and more to every show he is a part of making this the show to see.

Josh Hastings

Josh was born into a family where music runs deep, at a very young age he began to sing a song and play a bass guitar with a passion that has stayed with him today. He has since developed his talents into so much more as he explores the guitar and his vocals to new heights. In the summer of 2011 he met Boyd and soon realized where his talents could take him. Boyd recognized his passion and willingness to put his heart and soul into every song and every show; they decided it was time to take it to the next level. And thus began the Bootlegg Brothers. With that passion and heart they realized they were true long lost brothers. On the average day you can find Josh in the gym, golf course, cooking, or the occasional fishing trip. But he is never far from his music. In the last 8 months he has written his first original (Night and Day) with many more on its way. He has found his new home with Bootlegg Brothers where every stage is a new experience he has been waiting for. With his exceptional vocals, unforgettable smile, and love for having a good time he provides an experience that you cannot get enough of.

Beginning with that historic first show, Texas ’55 has become a legend in the Southeastern Wisconsin country music scene. For going on 24 years now the band has maintained its drive and focus toward spreading the sounds of traditional honky-tonk and rockabilly music everywhere they go. Fans have come to expect high energy and superior musicianship alongside an original sound that nevertheless remains firmly rooted in traditional country music.

Named after a Johnny Cash song (Rockabilly Blues-Texas, 1955), band originator and lead vocalist, Rob Laplander, explains, “The name is very apropos for what we do. Eastern Texas in 1955 was the place to be for what was hot in music. Honky-tonk was born there, as was traditional western swing. And that was also the first place where rockabilly took hold outside of Memphis. It’s those original sounds that Texas ‘55 was born to recreate, though with something of a modern edge.”

And recreate it they have – with style – right from the beginning. Showing their writing talents early, Texas ‘55 had been together less than six months when their first recording of original material was released; a 45 rpm single As the Steel Guitars Cry b/w I’ll Be Right There For You which quickly became a jukebox favorite throughout the state in 1989. Since then the writing hasn’t stopped, with two full length CD releases augmenting their catalogue; 1999’s Amplified Modulation (which spawned the regional radio favorite single Rockabilly Cadillac Gal), and 2001’s Extreme Hillbilly. Texas ’55 is also well known for other ‘signature’ original material, as well, such as the driving favorite Burnin’ That Honky-Tonk Down and the brilliantly incredible Lost in the Blues.

Texas ‘55’s credits have been many and varied over the years, from opening up for such acts as Sawyer Brown, Tracy Bird, Confederate Railroad, Brooks & Dunn, or Neil McCoy, to headlining at the International Food Festival and the old West Allis Western Days, as well as featuring at Country USA. At home on stages of all sizes, Texas ’55 has truly made a place for themselves in the country music market of Southeastern Wisconsin and the hearts of their many, many fans. Ever continuing what they call ‘The Eternal Tavern Tour’, the band has done nearly 4,000 shows in their long career.

But even after 24 years Texas ‘55 refuses to rest on its laurels, but is instead ever reaching out to new heights in traditional country music and striving to bring that music to yet another generation of country music fans. “Legendary or not,” Laplander says, “It’s the music that counts – that’s why Texas ’55 exists. As long as there are fans there to listen, we’ll be here playing for them. It’s our mission.”

Our music can be described as Pop Rock; although we like to describe it as fun. We write songs that people can get stuck in their heads, songs that people can have fun listening to. Whenever we play live we always make it our number one goal to get the crowd involved as much as possible whether it be something as simple as having someone come up on stage and be the lead singer for a song, or as incredible as getting the entire crowd to chant the “Oh’s” on the chorus for our song “Making It.”

Watching the audience become a part of the band is one of the coolest things we have experienced since becoming a band and it is one of the main reasons we keep driving for success.

Right now we are still a small town band trying to figure out how to make it in the music world, but bands such as Weezer, Fountains of Wayne, and Motion City Soundtrack are bands that have not only influenced us in how we write and play music, but have also given us hope that we can do this with a lot of heart and a little bit of luck. Our main goal as a band is to achieve the success that those bands have, but we also want to stay true to ourselves and be happy with what we are sending out to the masses.

As of right now, we have played numerous shows around the Fox Valley area. We have also recorded a 4 song EP with Tony Anders of the band Verona Grove and Benjamin Picker of the band A City Alive. We have also recorded a song with award winning producer Marc Golde which we’ve also made a music video for. We have won several Battle of the Bands Competitions around the state and have even had one of our songs on the daily play list for a radio station based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. With all this success we feel we can really do something big for not only ourselves, but for people and fans in general.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/juneauband
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The band boasts talented lead singer Tim Thielbar, two exceptional guitarists in Michael Rortvedt and Kevin Smith, rock-steady drummer Skeeter Bronson, award winning bassist Bruce Towle , Terry Grinde on piano & synth, and a great sound system and light show. You’ll experience a concert style event – don’t miss your opportunity to see THE up and coming southern Wisconsin Top 40 Country band – 5th GEAR!

WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis., (April 5, 2011) – Noah’s Ark Waterpark announced today the winners of the statewide “Rock the Ark” Battle of the Bands. The 10 winning bands will receive $1,000, a 2012 season pass for each band member and will perform this summer at Noah’s Ark.

In Madison, the rock group winner from WZEE-FM 104 and WIBA-FM 101.5 is a Pop Rock group, called Juneau, from Madison, Wis. The country winner from WMAD-FM 96.3 is 5th Gear, a talented Top 40 Country cover band from Poynette, Wis.

In Green Bay, the WIXX-FM 101.1 winner is Doozey, a Pop Rock band from Appleton, Wis. The winner from WNCY-FM 100.3 is Spitfire Rodeo, a high energy, modern country music group based out of the Fox Cities.

In Milwaukee, Big Buck Country’s (WZBK-FM 106.9) winner is Texas ’55, a Milwaukee area band who has been performing honky-tonk and rockabilly music together for the past 24 years. Its sister station WHQG-FM 102.9, The Hog proclaims Thy Dirty Deuce as their winner. The all-original Rock band from Sturgeon Bay, Wis., says their sole purpose is to keep true rock n’ roll alive on earth.

In Wausau, the winner on WIFC-FM 95.5, is Critic, a young female rock group from Rhinelander, Wis. The WHDG-FM 97.3 winner is from Merrill, Wis. Brad Emanuel is a singer songwriter and entertainer who has been performing for more than 10 years in central Wisconsin.

In Eau Claire, Bootlegg Brothers, a duo with the sound of a full piece band and who plays almost every genre of music from rock to country, is the winner from WAXX-FM 104.5. The winner on Big Cheese 92.9 and I-94 Online is Truth Before Treason, an original hard rock band from Durand, Wis. The group was a previous “Rock the Ark” winner in 2010.

“Rock the Ark” competition started Monday, March 5 on radio stations in Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Eau Claire, Rhinelander and Wausau. Musicians were asked to register performance videos of their music act on the websites of the radio stations. Station-approved music videos were uploaded for anyone to view and vote on from Monday, March 26 through Sunday, April 1. Individuals could only vote once per day. The rock and country music acts with the most votes in each market were declared winners.