Name of the Band/Act: Rte. 212
When did band form: 2016
Members: Chad Wayner – Vocals/Rhythm Guitar; Raj Ghahremani – Fiddle; Steve Penfound – Lead Guitar; Arthur Lewis – Bass and Rob Miller – Drums.
About the band: There was a time in country music where you almost had to have a pedal steel or fiddle player in the band. Times have changed and so have many of the country bands and their sound. But, the Rte. 212 band bridges the gap between older and newer country with a fiddle player in the band.
The group formed when former band mates, Wayner and Ghahremani, decided to put something together that not only performed hits of today’s country, but paid homage to the classic sounds of country from year’s ago. The group consists of musicians that collectively have over 75 years of performing to their credit, and though the group is less than a year old, their experience shines through.
The band performs music from today’s country including songs from Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Lee Brice and Justin Moore, but also relies heavily on performing some older songs in their show. Their set list will usually have some George Strait, Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash, along with some of the hits from artists like Trace Adkins and Josh Turner, which fit the lower registry of Wayner’s voice perfectly.
Having Ghahremani on fiddle also opens up the band to play songs that most bands couldn’t even attempt. That, mixed with the prowess and musicianship of everyone in the band, has led them to slowly begin to fill up their schedule. Some of the members also perform with other local bands, including Ghahremani who performs with the Tom Frietchen Band.
Why you should see their show: When you see Rte. 212 you quickly realize that their set is full of songs that you don’t get to hear from most other local groups. The band does add in the modern favorites, but mixes it up well to keep everyone happy. The group definitely brings the “fun” factor to their music and are just as much fun to watch. They can definitely keep folks on the dance floor, especially when the fiddle fires up for a rousing rendition of “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.”
Websites/Socials/Videos: You can follow Rte. 212 on their Facebook page, and also get show updates and watch some of their live videos from past performances.
Upcoming Dates: Saturday, September 23 at Nashville Nights in Akron, Ohio and will also be performing on Saturday, October 21 for the Cleveland Country Charities annual fundraiser.
