Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers
Encyclopedia
Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers is an American rock band formed in Western Massachusetts in 2003. The band features lead singer Stephen Kellogg (Born: November 28, 1976), bassist and keyboard player Kit 'The Goose' Karlson, drummer Boots Factor, and electric guitar/pedal steel player Sam 'Steamer' Getz. Most of the members hail from the Northeast, and went to school at UMass Amherst
.
critic Brian Mansfield
.
Their recent release The Bear, Vanguard Records, was voted "Best of 2009" by No Depression and JamBase. Their single "Shady Esperanto & The Young Hearts" cracked the Billboard Top 20 for AAA. They were named 2009 Entertainers of the year by Armed Forces Entertainment. An exceptional live act given to high-energy showmanship, "The Sixers" celebrated their 1000th show together on April 3, 2010 in New York City.
SK6ERS songs have been featured on the television shows One Tree Hill and Mercy. Their song "Maria" was covered by Canadian country band Doc Walker and was a top 10 hit. SK6ERS are also known for annual commitments to the St. Jude Children's Hospital.
In 2009, the band recorded a music video of "Shady Esperanto & The Young Hearts" with the University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band
. Some of the band members are former members of the marching band.
In 2010, Stephen decided that the band needed a way to connect with their fans on a more personal level. The result of that is "Sixertown" the band's fan club. Members of Sixertown receive free merchandise upon joining as well as monthly mp3s in their email. Also, before most shows, the band plays a two-song acoustic set, for members only.
Soon after ringing in the new year (2011) at the Fairfield Theater Company in Fairfield, CT, the band took a break from touring while members Brian "Boots" Factor and Stephen Kellogg embarked on their own solo tours, but they released a new album called Gift Horse on October 11th, 2011.
Brian "Boots" Factor
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
.
General Information
“SK6ERS,” as they’re also affectionately known, have carved a determined, inspiring path since forming in Western Massachusetts in 2003. They have recorded albums for Universal Records, Everfine Records (a subsidiary of Atlantic) and their current label Vanguard Records. Their album Glassjaw Boxer, recorded for Everfine Records, was honored as one of the top five albums of 2007 by USA TodayUSA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
critic Brian Mansfield
Brian Mansfield
Brian Mansfield is an American writer and journalist. A longtime music writer and critic for USA Today, Mansfield is also the writer/producer of syndicated weekly radio program America's Opry Weekend for American radio network Dial Global Radio Networks and author and co-author of a number of books...
.
Their recent release The Bear, Vanguard Records, was voted "Best of 2009" by No Depression and JamBase. Their single "Shady Esperanto & The Young Hearts" cracked the Billboard Top 20 for AAA. They were named 2009 Entertainers of the year by Armed Forces Entertainment. An exceptional live act given to high-energy showmanship, "The Sixers" celebrated their 1000th show together on April 3, 2010 in New York City.
SK6ERS songs have been featured on the television shows One Tree Hill and Mercy. Their song "Maria" was covered by Canadian country band Doc Walker and was a top 10 hit. SK6ERS are also known for annual commitments to the St. Jude Children's Hospital.
In 2009, the band recorded a music video of "Shady Esperanto & The Young Hearts" with the University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band
University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band
The University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band is the marching band for the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The band currently has about 352 members and was directed by George N. Parks from 1977 until his sudden death in September 2010. Assistant Thomas Hannum was named interim...
. Some of the band members are former members of the marching band.
In 2010, Stephen decided that the band needed a way to connect with their fans on a more personal level. The result of that is "Sixertown" the band's fan club. Members of Sixertown receive free merchandise upon joining as well as monthly mp3s in their email. Also, before most shows, the band plays a two-song acoustic set, for members only.
Soon after ringing in the new year (2011) at the Fairfield Theater Company in Fairfield, CT, the band took a break from touring while members Brian "Boots" Factor and Stephen Kellogg embarked on their own solo tours, but they released a new album called Gift Horse on October 11th, 2011.
Band Members
Each member of the Sixers brings a unique musical contribution, with expanded instrumentation in live shows. Although their principal instruments are listed first below, they will often switch to other instruments for particular songs.Current Band Members
- Stephen "Skunk" Kellogg - lead vocals, acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
, electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... - Kit "The Goose" Karlson - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, keyboards (including keytarKeytarA keytar is a relatively lightweight keyboard that is supported by a strap around the neck and shoulders, similar to the way a guitar is supported by a strap. Keytars allow players a greater range of movement compared to conventional keyboards, which are placed on stands...
), accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
, tubaTubaThe tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the...
, backing vocals - Brian "Boots" Factor - drums, backing vocals, mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new... - Sam "Steamer" Getz - electric guitar, pedal steel guitarPedal steel guitarThe pedal steel guitar is a type of electric guitar that uses a metal bar to "fret" or shorten the length of the strings, rather than fingers on strings as with a conventional guitar. Unlike other types of steel guitar, it also uses pedals and knee levers to affect the pitch, hence the name "pedal"...
, bass, backing vocals
Former band members
- Chris Soucy - electric guitar, bass, vocals (2004–2007)
- Kyle RiabkoKyle RiabkoKyle Riabko is a Canadian pop singer, guitarist, and actor who was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He resides in New York City....
- electric guitar, bass, vocals (2007–2008) - Left band to pursue solo musical and Broadway interests.
Released with SK6ERS
- Bulletproof Heart - 2004
- Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers - 2/15/2005 (some editions bundled with limited edition 1st release of "One Night in Brooklyn" EP)
- The First Waltz - 9/26/2006 - CD/DVD set, includes a re-release of the "One Night in Brooklyn" EP and "One Night in Boston" DVD taped on 12/30/05 in Boston, MA. Also includes bonus features.
- Glassjaw Boxer - 7/10/2007
- The Bear - 9/8/2009
- Live from the Heart: 1000th Show, Irving Plaza, NYC(recorded on 4/3/10) - 6/15/2010
- Gift Horse - 9/27/2011
Released as solo albums
Stephen Kellogg- Invest in Us - 1994
- South of Stephen - 2000
- Mesh Caps, Mullets, and Muskrats - 2001
- The Early Hits (1992-1997) - 2002
- Lucky 11 - 2002
Brian "Boots" Factor
- "January Bridges" - 2006 (iTunes link)
- "Dead Language Demos" - 2007 (iTunes link)
- "Part or Execution" - 2010
Other releases
- Rain Summer - The Stephen Kellogg Band - 1995
- Buffalo - Stephen Kellogg and the Root Cellar Band - 1997
- Kyle Riabko and Boots Factor Are...- Trevor Jackson - 2008
Featured on
- The Letterbox EP - Heath Brandon - 2006 (Kit Karlson - bass)
- Time for Good - Todd Martin - 2005 (Kit Karlson - Bass, Boots Factor -Percussion, Stephen Kellogg - Harmonica & Vocals)
- "Smoke"- Stepanian -2005 (Stephen Kellogg - Vocals)
- "Mont Clare" - Todd Martin - 2007 (Kit Karlson - Bass, Boots Factor - Percussion)
- "One Tree HillOne Tree Hill (TV series)One Tree Hill is an American television drama created by Mark Schwahn, which premiered on September 23, 2003, on The WB Television Network. After its third season, The WB merged with UPN to form The CW Television Network, and, since September 27, 2006, the network has been the official broadcaster...
" -October 2008- Song: "Hearts in Pain" - "Men of a Certain AgeMen of a Certain AgeMen of a Certain Age is an American comedy-drama television series, which premiered on TNT on December 7, 2009. The hour-long program stars Ray Romano, Andre Braugher and Scott Bakula as three best friends in their late forties dealing with the realities of middle age. The show ran for two years,...
" - Fall 2010 promotional advertisement- Song: "Shady Esperanto and the Young Hearts"