Simpleton (disambiguation)

Simpleton is a rising Pop/Rock band from Stillwater, Oklahoma. Many local music fans say that Simpleton is following the footsteps of fellow local act The All-American Rejects. The band is comprised of Chris Jones(Guitar, Keyboard, Vocals), James Hall(Guitar, Vocals), Brandon Ingham(Drums, Cymbals and Precussion), Tony Valencia(Bass, Vocals, Jimmy Kappel(Extra Musician, Bass). In the spring of 2006, the band's bass player, Tony Valencia, was sent off to Kuwait to serve in the United States Army. The band recruited Jimmy Kappel to fill his bass position until his return in the fall of 2007. The band released their first CD titled "Hopes & Heartbreaks" to a capacity crowd at Oklahoma State University in November of 2004. During the spring of 2007 the band plans to follow up "Hopes & Heartbreaks" with their first full length CD titled, "It's All Changing Now." All members of the band are undergraduate students attending Oklahoma State University. Also, all of the band's members grew up in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and attened graduated from Stillwater High School in 2002. File:SIMPLETON1.jpg

Band Biography

The band originally formed in 2000 when James Hall, Chris Jones, and Andy Robinson started writing comedic diddys featuring Chris Jones on the acoustic guitar. The group called themselves RadioStatic. In 2001, the band added a drummer, Kelly Freiden and a singer, Cody Freiden. The full band experience was short lived as all of the members except for James Hall and Chris Jones dropped out of the band by the end of the summer. In 2002, the band found a unique drummer in Matt Beier. The new trio changed the band's name to Simpleton that summer and jumped into the live music scene in the early stages of 2004. In March of 2004, the band took home first place in the Instrumental Category of the first annual "Cowboy Showcase," a talent show put on by Oklahoma State University. Later that year the band signed a contract with Searching For Red Productions and found themselves playing at several popular local music venues including Mike's College Bar, Willie's Saloon, Eskimo Joe's, ect. They were also a featured guest on the local KSPI radio Hott 93.7. The band parted ways with drummer Matt Beier in the fall of 2004 and recruited a new precussionist in Brandon Ingham. Soon after they released their first CD, "Hopes & Heartbreaks." In 2006 the band switched things up again and added a new bassist and vocalist, Tony Valencia. James Hall switched his instrument from bass to guitar. Chris Jones began playing the keyboard along with the guitar. Despite the fact that the band's newest member was called to duty in the later months of 2006, the band still plans to keep playing show and eventually release their first full length CD titled "It's All Changing Now," which will feature the track "Had Enough."

Venues

Mike's College Bar (Stillwater, Oklahoma) Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, Oklahoma), Happy Narwhal Records (Stillwater, Oklahoma), Eskimo Joe's (Stillwater, Oklahoma), Big O'Tires (Stillwater, Oklahoma), City of Stillwater Event - Krazy Days (Stillwater, Oklahoma), Rock 'N Roller Rink (Edmond, Oklahoma), Yale City Music Hall (Yale, Oklahoma), Stillwater Community Center (Stillwater, Oklahoma), Buzz Subs (Norman, Oklahoma), Bricktown Live (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), Dirty Dog (Stillwater, Oklahoma), Willie's Saloon (Stillwater, Oklahoma), The Showroom (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), The Pinkeye (Tulsa, Oklahoma),

Bands Played With

The Zac Maloy Band, Gooding, Wither, Slingshot Method, Minutes Too Far, Lazurus IV, Distal, DHS, Headroom Bishop's Alley, The Midwest Kings, O'Phil, Pomeroy, Stock Market Crash, Stella Polaris, Jillian Holzbauer

External Links

Articles