It has been described as the way you feel when you have no worries. To be irie means to be at total peace with you current state of being. For singer Matt Irie (www.myspace.com/mattirie), the name possesses a sort of double entendre. It is not just a state that he strives to maintain at all times, but also one to impress upon those who hear his music.

While the idea of focusing on creating thematically-oriented material wasn't the goal from day one for Etcetera, it did arise after years of experimentation. Originally called the Firefly Epidemic, the band's original incarnation came together around four years ago and settled into the current lineup two years later.

Thomasville’s the Travisty (www.myspace. com/thetravistyband) is comprised of the stories of some of its individual members. The band is building up plenty of buzz in their hometown and beyond for their aggressive playing, emotional lyrics and mesmerizing stage presence, but at the root of their burgeoning success is the inspiration provided by family hardships and a shared love of music.

Though the Triad might never be considered as a bustling haven for reggae music to flourish, there are still a handful of artists who have dedicated themselves to both the music and the spiritual way of life that accompanies it. One of those is Ras David Graves, vocalist and bassist for Winston- Salems Pure Fiyah

The family tree of Josh and Trevor Booth is filled with artists of all breeds. Most recently, their father was a member of Backyard Tea, which found some regional success in the '60s and '70s. The lineage, however, began with a great, great, great uncle by the name of John Wilkes Booth who was an acclaimed actor in his time.

If theres anything that a funk musician can learn from James Brown (and there are a few things), its that it takes just a little bit more work to be successful playing funk music than with other musical genera. The Godfather himself earned the title.

Its easy to believe that buying and listening to an album will provide a fan with enough information to form an opinion on the band. After all, its a reasonable assumption that artists wish to be defined by the music that they make.

Thanks in large part to that inexplicable quality, his road into country music stardom has been anything but bumpy. Though he describes himself as just a laid-back Southern guy from Greensboro, that road has been one that should invoke at least a small sense of envy in most.

Chris Jackson probably wont be the first to tell you that putting out music as a small but up-and-coming band is a lot different today than how it used to be. Were so far into the digital age now that the last time most music fans actually set foot in a brick-and-mortar music store is but a distant memory.

They dont actually consider themselves a punk band, but Electromatic is truly thankful for the alternative music scene that supports other bands of that nature. It has, after all, given them assurance of not just places to make a name for themselves, but a place to crash while on the road.