BAND HISTORY

Country music fans in the U.K. are already rocking out to the sounds of Road 88. Their original song “Not Gonna Happen,” launched the group to # 32 on the European Country Music Association (ECMA) chart.

Not too shabby for a band only two years in the making.

“We really have a lot of fun!” exclaimed Lead Singer Rachel Steele. “We totally love what we’re doing.” Everyone has a blast when Road 88 takes the stage with their energetic and sassy style that blends rock and country.

In March 2009, they released their original eight-song debut album, “No Speed Bumps.”
The Sacramento based seven-member country rock band is eager to take their act across the United States. And why not? They’ve already garnered the spotlight in Europe and Australia. “We’d like to share our music with other people,” Steele said.

After posting their songs on MySpace, Steele said, “the response was overwhelming.” Although the band is only two-years-old, the members of Road 88 are not newbies to music. Road 88 is comprised of a “who’s who” of Northern California musicians.

Each person in the band has years, in some cases decades, of experience- singing, playing and performing in some of the hottest country rock bands in Northern California. Lead singer Steele, and vocalist and lead guitar player Scott Prentice are the songwriters of the group.

The two met when they worked at Cache Creek Casino Resort’s Club 88 (a number that would have significance later)- Steele was a performer and Prentice was a sound engineer. They formed the band Road 88 with David Phelps, Joe Irwin, Joe Anderson, and Sherry Eidhammer.

“Our music is really about having a good time,” Steele said.

Vocal harmony is easy for this group, especially because Eidhammer is Steele’s mom. The singing relatives “make for an interesting vocal quality that you normally don’t get,” Prentice said.

The band’s popularity is fast accelerating beyond the Sacramento region. Audiences in Northern California and Nevada all raved about their music and fun-loving vibe at shows in Reno, Quincy, Vacaville and Dixon, to name a few.

Road 88 has also appeared on worldwide syndicated radio shows. And they certainly bring out the crowds whenever they perform in their hometown of Sacramento!

Road 88 takes pride in their lively music made for a rip roarin’ good time. But what would a country music band be without some heartfelt ballads for slow dancing with your sweetie? Or a lazy guitar melody perfect for lying in the grass and staring up at the summer sky. Road 88 writes and performs those jams too.

“Some songs are really touching,” Steele said. “And then there’s some crazy stuff and some sassy stuff we wrote when we were working at the Casino!”

Road 88 even brings out the “non country” music fans whenever they perform. “We play in front of country and non-country people, and they all enjoy it,” Prentice said.

BAND MEMBERS

Rachel Steele

Scott Prentice

David Phelps