Last Saturday night, one of Knoxville, Tenn. teen bands’ dreams came true, as they were crowned “Best Teen Band in the USA,” at the National Association of Music Merchants’ (NAMM) SchoolJam USA competition at Downtown Disney District.Last Saturday night, one of Knoxville, Tenn. teen bands’ dreams came true, as they were crowned “Best Teen Band in the USA,” at the National Association of Music Merchants’ (NAMM) SchoolJam USA competition at Downtown Disney District.
Competing against seven other bands, Ergo We Play banged out a 15-minute set, comprised of original music to a crowd of nearly 500 fans and a panel of music professionals. With thoughtful lyrics, a non-conformist style and commanding stage presence, Ergo We Play swept the competition.
In addition to earning the evening’s grand title, Ergo We Play also took home $5,000 for Farragut High School’s music education program, $1,000 toward the purchase of new band gear, a private music video recording session on the John Lennon Educational Bus, and a grand-prize trip of a lifetime to perform at the 2013 SchoolJam Germany finals in Frankfurt in April.
The eight band contestants were chosen from more than 116 applicants by a combination of music industry professionals and more than 260,000 public votes.
Prizes for the “Best Of” awards were provided by NAMM Members JamHub, Inc, Peavey Electronics Corporation, Future Sonics, Kelly Concepts, ZT Amplifiers, Jammit Inc, Pickbandz, Mighty Bright, and Yamaha Corporation of America.
