bLaCkHaNdEr profile picture

bLaCkHaNdEr

About Me

THIS IS AN UPDATE ON BLACKHANDER MANAGEMENT:--THIS STATEMENT IS BEING MADE "WITHOUT ANY PREJUDICE AT ALL"--**WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT UPCOMING FESTIVALS & MANAGEMENT THAT WE THE BAND WANTED TO CLARIFY**BLACKHANDER IS NO LONGER UNDER PURE -N- SIMPLE MANAGEMENT OUT OF CANADA (RONNIE DREWITT) NOR DOES MR. DREWITT REPRESENT THE BAND IN ANY WAY NOR DOES THE BAND REPRESENT MR. DREWITT. WE DO WISH MR. DREWITT MUCH SUCCESS---AGAIN THIS STATEMENT IS BEING MADE "WITHOUT ANY PREJUDICE---THANK YOU BLACKHANDER BAND


Myspace Layouts - Myspace Editor - Image Hosting


Blackhander “They‘re Coming“……don’t just stop by for a visit, pick up your feet and stay for awhile. Blackhander are from the Hills of West Virginia and was formed by Shawn Marra. They are a group of friends with a massive Southern Rock sound at its best. Blackhander is a dedicated group of friends who crave performance and music. The members of Blackhander have been performing separately and together since childhood. As dedicated musicians looking to follow a dream, they have accomplished a fan base from around the world and have shared musical perfection with some of the best known musicians in the country. All of Blackhander's songs tell a story...a true story of the lives of the musicians. Thirty Years is a tribute song actually wrote in rememberance of the fatal crash that happened in October 1977 when Free Bird fell from the sky. Thirty Years was originally an untitled song that Leon Wilkeson started and did not finish before his passing. Shawn Marra Acquired the UNTITLED AND UNFINISHED LYRICS (Music was not composed for this untitled song) version of Thirty Years through his ex-wife Ms. Tammy Michelle VanZant, Ronnie VanZant's oldest daughter. With guitar in hand Shawn and members of Blackhander along w/Tammy Vanzant, Producer Robert White Johnson, and Engineer Gary Dales finished lyrics and titled the song now known as "Thirty Years." Thirty Years is a true testament of how the late Leon Wilkeson felt and how Shawn Marra along w/Blackhander feels about Lynyrd Skynyrd. Even though Blackhander is definately honored to have finished something that Leon Wilkeson never had the opportunity to finish.....they have many of their own songs that mean just as much. Leon is definately given credit in Thirty Years. Blackhander also remade "Michelle" which Ronnie Vanzant wrote for his first born child Ms. Tammy "Michelle" Vanzant. Shawn Marra sang Ronnie's song as Tammy spoke to her greatly missed father Mr. Ronnie Vanzant through out the song. It was definately a ghostly experience in the studio that day and Tammy did a remarkable job. Tammy has been very good to Blackhander. Blackhander drummer and singer Shawn Marra played drums for the Jimmy VanZant band, along with other band members opening up for Blackfoot, Molly Hatchet, Blake Shelton, The Southern RockStars, and was honored in when asked to open up at a tribute show in honor of the late Jakson Spires of Blackfoot. Nothing Blackhander has been involved in does not go unfelt with the greatest respect. Blackhander has a great love for all music but as you can tell their biggest inspiration came from LYNYRD SKYNYRD. Brothers Brandon and Chris Marsh have been playing sence they were young and make their guitars sing with Griff hand in hand. Blackhander has a massive bass sound with bass player Bob Jackson. Back-up and lead vocalist Melissa Hardesty also adds her own special spin on things from whaling out some Janice Joplin to bringing it up a notch with some Pat Benetar along with Blackhander originals. Tosha Marra back-up vocalist is the new voice of Blackhander and completes the unique blend of the band.Blackhander also loves to perform cover tunes as well as their own. They play music from all walks of life such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Janice Joplin, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Kiss, Guns ‘N Roses, Seven Mary Three, Pat Benetar, Charlie Daniels, along with many others.Blackhander’s main focus right now is promoting their own music and following their dream of bright lights, big cities, and most of all demanding fans. Blackhander went to Nashville, TN and recorded in June of 2005 and recorded on Music Row at Universal Studios. It was a great experience, being able to work with such professionals as producer Robert White Johnson and Engineer Garry Dales, actually getting to see how it is really done. Along working side by side with Tammy VanZant in remaking of “Michelle”. Blackhander also had the unique experience of recording with Curt Towne. Curt is now playing with the VanZants. Curt is a good friend blessed with an amazing talent. Performing on stage is a feeling of freedom for this Real Southern Rock Band and it shows on the faces of fans everywhere.Thank You to all of the Blackhander fans and family that support the band and hopefully will continue to support them throughout their journey. Without you they would have nothing. Most of all thank God because without him they wouldn’t have been blessed with such amazing talent! Stay tuned for more updates….coming soon!!!***On a more personal note......God Bless Our Troops, US MEANING BLACKHANDER wave the CONFEDERATE flag as merely a symbol of southern culture, a "country music flag" without ANY political or racial connotation. An example of this would be the Bocephus Rebel Flag often sold at concerts performed by country music star Hank Williams, Jr., and southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. (TAKEN STRAIGHT OUT OFF OF THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE) ....http://en... wikipedia. org/wiki/Flags_of_the_Confederate_States_of_America..!!!! ***WE ARE NOT RACISTS, WE SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, AND WE BELIEVE AND TRUST IN GOD, AND ARE PROUD TO BE AMERICANS. WE FELT THIS NEEDED SOME CLARIFICATION .....THANK YOU!!!


Blackhander is a very down to earth band and tip their hats off to anybody that enters the cave they fear....because it hold the treasure they seek. They always go the extra mile because it's never crowded and remember good habits are as easy to form as bad ones. The true Blackhander Motto in the music industry is: NEVER JUDGE A PERSON BY WHAT OTHER PEOPLE SAY ABOUT THEM....BUT BY WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT OTHERS...RESPECT FOR ALL IS THE REAL DEAL! In life if you start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible, suddenly you are doing the impossible. When you want something you've never had before, you've got to do something you've never done before!!

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 22/06/2007
Band Website: Forthcoming.....under construction
Band Members:
Shawn Marra (Lead vocals & Percussion) Bob Jackson (Bass Guitar) Chris Marsh (Lead/Rhythm Guitar) Griff Haddad (Lead/Rhythm Guitar) Brandon Marsh (Rhythm Guitar) Melissa Johnson-Hardesty (Lead and Back-Up Vocals) Tosha Marra (Back-up vocals)--SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE LEAP, AND BUILD YOUR WINGS ON THE WAY DOWN. ~KOBI YAMADA~
Influences: Blackhander has many influences. Each member of Blackhander has been influenced by many walks of music. Some of their influences include: Lynyrd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchett, Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, Ozzy, Kiss, Blackfoot, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Sublime, Led Zepplin, The Stones, The Allman Brothers, Marshall Tucker Band, Thin Lizzy, Willie Nelson, Patsy Cline, Conway Twitty, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Dolly Parton, Lita Ford, Alice N' Chains, Metallica, Elton John, Supertramp, Pink Floyd, Neil Young, Rush, Zakk Wylde, Sublime, Ted Nugent, Peter Frampton, The Guess Who, Lenny Kravitz, Prince, Pat Benetar, Def Leopard, Megadeth, Steve Earl, Waylon and Shooter Jennings, Tony Bennett, Queen, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Social Distortion, Phish, Grateful Dead, Pearl Jam, Johnny Cash, Stevie Nicks, Fleetwood Mac, Sugarland, Loretta Lynn, Charlie Daniels etc.....Other more personal influences are family members.Shawn Marra doing a drum solo

Add to My Profile | More Videos
Sounds Like: Blackhander has been called the new beginning of old Southern Rock. Blackhander has their own unique sound. They are a cross between a Southern Rock Band and Pure Rock N' Roll. ALWAYS BE A FIRST-RATE VERSION OF YOURSELF INSTEAD OF A SECOND-RATE VERSION OF SOMEONE ELSE. ~JUDY GARLAND~HEY ALL CHECK OUT THESE WEBSITES THEY ARE GOOD FRIENDS OF BLACKHANDER AND THESE LADIES ROCK ON!!!! WWW.BIKERWORLDSINFO.COM----WWW.HARLEYRADIO.COM
Record Label: CURRENTLY UNSiGNED

My Blog

R.I.P. BILLY POWELL

Blackhander loses another Skynyrd FryndTragically Billy Powell passed away last night at his home.  Shawn got to know Billy Powell through being married into the Vanzant family.  But before that ever ...
Posted by on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:11:00 GMT

RISING STARS MAGAZINE

Music's Rising Stars is proud to announce its Online Magazine Launching November 1st! www.musicsrisingstarsmag.com Their online issues will be dedicated to showcasing up and coming artists in all genr...
Posted by on Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:27:00 GMT

Rock N Roll Lives on!!

WOW!!!  Blackhander is so overwhelmed with excitement from the response that we have been receiving WORLD WIDE on our Original tunes!!!!  Thank you for all of the awesome feedback!!!!  ...
Posted by on Thu, 24 Jan 2008 19:47:00 GMT

New Song written by Ronnie Vanzant to his oldest child Tammy "Michelle" Vanzant

Hello everybody!  Blackhander has posted a new song to their site.   The title of the song is called "Michelle".   Blackhander would like to give those of you whom have never ...
Posted by on Tue, 04 Dec 2007 20:58:00 GMT

How Thirty Years was born....

Blackhander has had some recent requests on where the inspiration from Thirty Years came from......So for all of  your inquiring minds Thirty Years was a song that didn't fall to far from the tre...
Posted by on Tue, 27 Nov 2007 20:09:00 GMT

If you luv Skynyrd check out our Thirty Years tribute song

Blackhander "They're Coming"&&don't just stop by for a visit, pick up your feet and stay for awhile. Blackhander are from the Hills of West Virginia and was formed by Shawn Marra. They are a group of ...
Posted by on Mon, 26 Nov 2007 17:50:00 GMT