Sawyer Brown back for eighth Country Jam

Thursday, July 22, 2010 6:59 AM July 22--For area country music fans, Sawyer Brown must seem like the Energizer Bunny -- they just keep going and going.

When Sawyer Brown takes the stage at 7:15 p.m. Friday at Country Jam, it will be their eighth appearance at the Eau Claire music festival, the most by any national act.

Alabama and Clay Walker are tied for second, each having appeared at Country Jam seven times.

Sawyer Brown's first appearance at Country Jam came in 1990, which coincided with the festival's inaugural event. The band also appeared at Jam in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2006 and 2009.

"It is so cool to hear that we've played Country Jam in Eau Claire more than any other act," said Hobie Hubbard, who plays keyboards for Sawyer Brown.

"We pretty much consider Eau Claire our summer home, and who could blame us," he said. "I mean, great audiences, great weather and cheese curds. Who could ask for anything more?"

Hubbard's attitude is indicative of Sawyer Brown's secret to success and longevity -- its connection with its fans -- two local Sawyer Brown fans say.

Carlene Bruha of Eau Claire estimates she's seen Sawyer Brown perform more than 20 times at Country Jam, Country Fest and in Nashville.

"Ever since the first time I saw them, they've got the energy that I like. After you've seen them once, you want to see them again because of the energy they show," she said. "They really care about what the audience thinks. And I think that pumps them up too."

Kim Sturz of Altoona, who has seen Sawyer Brown in concert at least five times in the Chippewa Valley and Arizona, said she enjoys the energy of the band's frontman, Mark Miller.

"He's such an entertainer," she said.

Bruha, a regular Country Jam attendee, has noticed that many Jamgoers come to the music festival to see a different act "but end up talking about Sawyer Brown because they enjoyed the show."

Those observations are shared by Kathy Wright, Country Jam's sponsorship and marketing director, and George House, a longtime morning radio personality at WAXX-FM (104.5).

"There is no other band like Sawyer Brown. Jam fans love them," Wright said. "They continue to be the band that is requested year after year."

Every year fans request a Country Jam appearance by a big name in country music or an up-and-coming artist. And after dropping the name of that performer, the fans finish their sentence with "and Sawyer Brown," she said.

Sawyer Brown provides incredible energy and an amazing catalog of songs, Wright said.

"Watching the crowd from the stage during one of their shows is one of my favorite things to do.

It's a free-for-all out there -- conga lines, dancing in aisles, you name it," she said. "And they are honestly one of the nicest groups to work with. They are first-class, polite, laid back, on time, not demanding and come to do a great show."

Even though Sawyer Brown has performed in the Chippewa Valley numerous times, "every show is still a little bit different. They're unpredictable," House said. "People just love their show. They love their energy. People still like to watch (frontman) Mark Miller dance."

Just as the Rolling Stones wouldn't be the same without Mick Jagger and The Who wouldn't be the same without Roger Daltrey, "Sawyer Brown wouldn't be the same without Mark Miller," he said.

Sawyer Brown also is the perfect band for an outside music festival like Country Jam, House said.

"They wouldn't be right in an art house," he said. "They know how to play to that fun. They give the fans what they want."