Local musician and band fight for success in music city.

Saturday, December 13, 2014
Nathan Rorabaugh during Alamo Black's last performance at Mothers Brewing Company in Nashville, Tenn. Photo courtesy of AlamoBlack.com

Nevada Daily Mail

"The music industry is dead, it is just tearing apart the scraps now," former Nevada resident, Nathan Rorabaugh said in a brief phone interview. Rorabaugh was asked what he thought about the recent comment made by famous author Stephen King in a Rolling Stone magazine interview. The quote was "when the music industry died" said King in reference to that books are not going away as they have been around for centuries, but recorded music has only been around for 160 years.

"People are still making profits, but they are not what they use to be." Rorabaugh went on to explain. "The music industry has to now look for new revenue, streaming is not doing that. It's dead and basically if you want to be in this industry you have to pull from other industries that need your services"

Recently Rorabaugh's band "Alamo Black," in which he began while he was still living in Nevada, performed in one of the original rock venues that opened in Nashville, Tenn. "The End" is one of the first if not the very first to begin hosting the rock genre in Music City. The likes of Tool, the White Stripes, and the Flaming Lips all began to rise to stardom playing shows there. Now Alamo Black has been added to the roster of bands to rock their stage.

The next show slated for Nathan Rorabaugh, and his band or altered persona as you may look at it also performed with national touring act Harpooner, and another Nashville based band "Screeming Eagle" at "Foobar" a venue that has been around the rock block of East Nashville for about 10-15 years.

Former Nevada resident and Nashville friend of Rorabaugh, Marci Mitchell said, "Nathan has always impressed me with his passion for music. You can see it in his eyes and hear it in his music. I know how hard it is to pack up and move to Music City alone to follow your dreams, but he has done that and is submerging himself in it! That's how we grow -- and he is doing just that. People may think that Nashville is all country music, but the variety of up-and-coming talent in all genres of music here is amazing. Continue to keep an eye on this guy -- he is going somewhere!"

So is there hope for bands like "Alamo Black" to still be able to go big time in this so called dead music industry, and what can a person do to support an artist or band and help them toward the top?

"Large scale is not as large as it use to be," Rorabaugh said as he was asked about his new release, which is available on a successful indie music streaming and download website www.bandcamp.com. Nathan summed it up that seeing live music and buying the music are the best two ways to make a difference, but the music will prosper if we can get "people to care again," Nathan stated and "Support the people who share their soul with you."

David Byerly, a Vernon County musician, said, "Nathan has a unique sound from his diverse set of influences -- he was the only other guy I knew who wasn't afraid to use octaves and unison bends melodically in his riffs, and I dig that."

"Nathan is one of those rare people that when they are around, amazing music just happens. I've shared the stage with him many times, including my very first live show, and every time was uniquely amazing. Nathan is an incredible singer, songwriter, musician, and friend." Brice Leonard also said.

Nathan Rorabaugh's new project titled "Stormy Weather" was the second EP from "Alamo Black" and was reviewed on a website www.theequalground.com that is dedicated to recording artists performing rock music. "Alamo Black" the first Nevada area rock band to re-locate to Nashville, began to perform at notable venues, put out two recording projects, and fight for the music. As the industry crumbles Rorabaugh pushes forward and is set for success in Music City. Other local musicians that previously performed in the band were, Cody Reed, Ryan Wallace, Justin Larkin, and Brice Leonard.

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