The band consists of Daniel Atkins, 19 lead singer, Josh Barnes, 19 guitar, Bryan Yeager, 17 guitar, Clark Pickel, 18 bass, and Shane Pezent, 29 drums.

Atkins said Clark is the one that is responsible for coming up with the name of the band. He also Five Shades Red is the name of the band, but this wasn’t the original name of the band.

“We’ve gone through two different names Shiloh and Karis due to them already being copyrighted names of other bands,” Atkins said, “Clark is the one that came up with the current name of the band.”

Pickel said the red in the name symbolizes the blood that Jesus Christ shed on the cross. He also said the term five shades symbolizes all five members of the band are shaded red by being Christians, but they are all shaded red in different ways.

The band was recently chosen as one of the top six finalists in the Erie Finals of the Kingdom Bound International Talent Search. Atkins said the band had to send in a song to the radio station and then people would get on the website and listen to the songs and vote for their favorites. He also said then the top six vote getters would travel to Erie, Pennsylvania to compete for a chance to go to New York to compete in the national finals.

“Thanks to our families, friends and fans, we are not only just going to compete in Pennsylvania, but we were the top vote getters of the competition,” Atkins said.

Barnes said the band minus Clark because he is flying up and back was going to leave on Wednesday and start the long 915-mile drive from Demopolis to Erie. He said it would take close to 14 hours to get there.

“This contest will show us were we are as a band,” Barnes said.

The band was originally formed back in October of 2001 with just four members, while Yeager was added a little while later. Their first performance as a band was at the Presbyterian Church in Livingston back in Feb. 2002.

“We started off just as a praise and worship band for the youth group at Fairhaven Baptist Church and now we’re playing music in front of hundreds of people,” Atkins said, “It’s just god’s blessings that we’ve done what we have so far.”

He said the band has done about 50 to 60 different performances over the few years they have been performing together. He also said the biggest concert they’ve played in was the Atlanta Fest last year.

“There is nothing like being in front of a crowd of people and praising God’s name in music,” Atkins said.

The band has written 15-20 original songs that they have performed over the years. Pickel said Daniel and Bryan are the backbone of the song writing for the band.

“Daniel and Bryan write most of the lyrics for the songs and the rest of us come up with the music,” Pickel said.

Atkins said the first song that the band ever wrote and played was ‘Walk with you.’ He also said that his favorite song of the group’s so far was ‘None the less.’

“We feel like this is the way God is pulling us right now,” Atkins said, “If we broke up tomorrow, everyone one would be happy just because it has been so worth it.”

Yeager said he would like to thank all the people that have helped the band get to where they are today. He also said he would like to thank the people that voted for them during the contest.

Pezent said the band couldn’t do this without the love of other Christians.

Atkins said if anyone would be interested in having the band perform please call (334) 289-8345 and there is also some demo cds for sale. He also said the band will be playing Friday at 7 p.m. at the Grace Baptist Church in Erie, Pennsylvania.

“I would just like to again thank everyone that has helped us in the past, present, and in the future,” Atkins said, “May God bless you.”

By Patrick Ellis

Demopolis Times Writer