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There aren’t too many bands whose lead singers are twin brothers. But then again, The Readings (pronounced ’Reddings’) aren’t your typical band. Fraternal twins, Chris and Eric Reading, who are native San Diegans, have unique and varied backgrounds; one gave up a professional baseball offer, the other, medical school, to pursue their passion for creating songs and making music together.
The Readings were inspired to pursue their dreams by the tragic loss of their mother, Bonnie, who died in 1995 at the age of 51 from Multiple Myeloma, an aggressive and emerging form of bone marrow cancer. Shortly thereafter, their hearts and dreams led the brothers to Nashville, and they’ve spent the last several years in Music City making a name for themselves and making a difference.
Perhaps the best way to get a feel for who The Readings are, and for what their music says about them, is to judge by the reactions of people who see them live, for the first time. Not long ago, The Readings found themselves stranded for several hours, along with a few thousand strangers, at Chicago’s Midway Airport during a weather delay. An exchange with several waiting passengers turned into an impromptu two and half hour acoustic concert for hundreds of weary travelers. One of the travelers recounted the event in an email to The Readings:
“.Airports are usually dreary places. Even under the best of circumstances, people are in the middle of a means to an end: “Just get me where I am going and have a nice day”. Delays of course, are worse. But your concert, and your generous spirits, transcended all that. You created a group dynamic, allowed people to come together, you got past age and racial boundaries, created happiness.My friends, you did it! It was so cool to watch, to observe, and to see the happy faces of everyone forgetting their circumstances for just a few hours. Thank you so much for the experience. Flight 500 rocks!”
The Readings like to describe their sound as “real life, set to music”, or simply put, “good American music”. Their video “She Brings Me Down” which can be seen on CMT.com, and on their myspace page and personal website, was selected by CMT as one of the nation’s best independent videos. They are passionate performers who have opened for major label acts, and have two full-length albums under their belts, a catalog of hundreds of songs written, and a few cut by other artists.
But what sets The Readings apart from other artists is their mission and dedication to use their music to bring about positive change; to not only entertain, but also to motivate and inspire. “One of Those Days”, which was written in honor of their mother, has been adopted by the American Cancer Society as well as The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The Readings are launching a nationwide tour in partnership with Borders Book Stores and several foundation partners to raise money for Multiple Myeloma research. Launching in the Spring of ’08 with national media exposure, the Tour 4 Cure will raise much needed awareness about the disease that took their mother’s life. Visit the Tour website at www.Tour4Cure.net. And visit the Tour slideshow at www.thereadings.net/t4c.
Another of The Readings’ projects was inspired by “Wanda’s Song”, perhaps their most artistic and poignant piece yet. The song carries a strong message about the powerful effect, and lasting impact, words can have on other people. It has been circulating around the Internet for the last few years and has been embraced by people of all backgrounds, from young teenage girls and middle aged victims of childhood bullying, to organizations dedicated to stamping out bullying. Several national advocacy groups are now using “Wanda’s Song” in anti-bullying educational campaigns and developing curriculums around the song and lyrics. The Readings have partnered with several of these groups to develop a video and documentary that will ultimately be used in schools across the country, and were recently contacted by D.A.R.E. to bring the message to their nearly 30 million teenage participants. Visit the Wanda Project link at www.thereadings.net/wanda.
In addition to the grass roots support for Wanda’s Song, and the adoption of One of Those Days by cancer organizations, The Readings’ timely “I Do This For You” has been embraced by military support groups around the U.S. The song was written as a tribute to the sacrifice military personnel make after The Readings saw news stories of people protesting at the funerals of fallen soldiers. I Do This For You was a Finalist in the International Songwriting Competition, selected as one of the final songs from more than 15,000 submissions. Heard by a member of the Dept. of Defense at one of The Readings’ live shows, the song is now on the desk of the Chief of Army Public Affairs at The Pentagon, and is also circulating around the Internet as a tribute slideshow.
With these, and other songs and ideas, The Readings are determined to make a difference. The positive response they receive to their music inspires them to continue down this path. If you look The Readings up from time to time, you’ll find them still working hard, creating music and putting on shows that make a difference in the lives of others.
The Readings can be found online at many locations, including iTunes. Their own personal websites are: www.thereadings.net and www.myspace.com/thereadings.
Find out more at iTunes, or Echomusic.com
Buy songs and cd’s there too. Stay tuned for the upcoming video release of "She Brings Me Down". And let us know if you have ideas where we should play next.always looking for the next great gig: college bar, festival, corporate event, private party. check out all the stuff at
FOR BOOKING EMAIL: thereadings@thereadings.net
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