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The Blue News

The Blue News is an American rock band from West Terre Haute, Indiana, now also based in Nashville, TN. The Blue News is known for their blues, alternative rock, post-grunge sound. They are influenced by bands across many genres such as: The Black Keys, Beck, RL Burnside, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Donny Hathaway. The Blue News has received increasing critical acclaim in the form of music placements, published album reviews and press coverage, college radio charting, and blues awards. The band has recently gained high-profile fans in the music industry including Sublime with Rome, producer Sylvia Massy & Stephen Wrench, original manager for Lynyrd Skynyrd who now works with the band.

Formation and early years: (2005–2006)
The Blue News (originally called "Blue News") was formed in 2005, taking its name from a Spoonerism of the words "New Blues". Singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer Brent Orndorff formed the band after signing a release agreement with "Statue Records" of Hollywood, California after the label heard his self-produced and self-released solo album "Never Stop Playing". The original lineup in the band included Clayton Page as bassist and Shawn Morgan as drummer. The original band recorded the debut album "Blue News" in a private studio and began to tour, playing shows both locally and in several cities around the Midwestern United States. After initially gaining the attention of the Chicago music scene and interviewing with "Chicago Music Guide", people around the United States and beyond quickly took notice of the band.

In 2007, the band left the Statue Records label, the lineup changed and the band released their follow-up EP "The Signs" featuring additional "guest performers" including bassist Eric Rasley and Travis Dillon on blues harmonica. The album was released as "The Blue News Project" to reflect that the songs were the result of a collaboration with more musicians. It was also in 2007 that the band placed their first two songs on national television in the PBS documentary series Roadtrip Nation and the band also carried out their first small college radio campaign with Vigilant Promotions of Minneapolis, MN.

The Signs: (2007)
The band first gained national attention after placing two song on national television in the United States. The song "Love's So Strong" and "Next Time" were both featured in the PBS documentary series. At the time the songs aired the band was playing live clubs regularly and promoting their music with a small college radio campaign which reached the airwaves of 75 college radio stations across several states. In between live shows the band was recording for their next full-length "Strange Light', a full-length album that was self-produced and self-released by the band's Blame Records label.

In 2007 the band signed with INgrooves Digital Distribution in San Francisco, Califorinia (now part of Universal Music Group) and the band's independent music was released through their large global network. This agreement would eventually lead to legal struggles over the band's music in later years and issues continue presently.

Strange Light: (2008–2009)
By 2008, The Blue News was touring consistently while developing a concrete original style and sound and their 3rd studio album "Strange Light" was self-released to good reviews in the blues and rock communities. The band during this period included guitarist Reggie Raisner and bassist Eric Rasley and it was also in 2008 that drummer Dusty Richardson entered the band. The band produced their first high-definition music video featuring the song "Shelter". The HD music video was shot and directed by Chris Thornberry of "Green Sky Media" and "The Price of Admission" and aired regularly on Indy's Music Channel (IMC), an independent 24-hour music television channel on cable station WDNI-CD. Although there was no official radio campaign for the album, songs from the album "Strange Light" still received substantial radio airplay. Multiple songs from "Strange Light" were placed in 2009 on the UCF TV cable channel at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, FL and that same year the station's programming received a 2009 Suncoast Emmy Award.

Good At Falling: (2010)
Partly recorded at Stable Studios in Spencer, IN and the band's private studio, the EP "Good At Falling" had an indie rock sound and was a departure from their earlier sound. In May of 2010, the songs "So Easy" and "You've Got Someone" were released for the popular music video game Rock Band 2 on Xbox 360. Also in 2010, the band was invited to perform for a live "one-take" style video series called "Folked Up!". This resulted in 2 new HD music videos featuring stripped-down acoustic versions of the songs "Be Yourself (And You'll Go Far)" and "Wasted Days". As of November 2012 the video for "Wasted Days" has over 35,000 views on the VISO Music Channel.

Wartime Songs: (2011-2012)
In February of 2011, the band recorded their 5th studio album "Wartime Songs" at Retrophonics Recording Studios in St. Augustine, FL. Retrophonics is the private studio of producer Jim Devito who has recorded several famous bands included Lynyrd Skynyrd, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Don Henley, Creed and JJ Grey & Mofro. The band recorded to analog reel-to-real tape and tracked all 6 songs during one session. The album features several vintage instruments and amplifiers from the 1950s-1970s and the song "Be Yourself (And You'll Go Far)" was recorded with a rare 1953 Guild acoustic guitar. In addition, the album was mixed with producer Sylvia Massy at her RadioStar Studios in Weed, CA.

The album was originally released on the band's Blame Records label on July 4, 2011. The album received mostly good reviews and two songs ("Hitman Blues" and "Just A Game" were placed on the video game Rock Band 3 for both Xbox 360 and the Playstation Network. Another song from the album, "Two Lovers", was selected by Sublime with Rome to be included on Guitar Center's "Fresh Cuts Volume 7" and 50,000 CD copies were given away in stores nationwide. The Blue News was also awarded 2nd place for the Blues Foundation's "Best Self-Produced Blues CD" in the state of Indiana in October of 2011.

In 2012, The Blue News charted on both CMJ and Blues radio charts during a successful radio campaign with Tinderbox Music. The band also signed with Musik and Film Records in and the band's entire discography was re-released through The Orchard (company), a New York City based digital distribution and entertainment services company. Most notably, The Orchard also distributes the music of Butch Walker and Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings.

As of 2012, the band has started working on their 6th studio album, which will be released sometime in 2013 through the new label deal with Musik and Film Records. In between recording sessions at both their private studio and Dark Horse Recording Studio in Franklin, TN the band has performed for charity events and produce a biweekly video series online. In 2013, the band will release radio single globally for the first time and produce a new HD music video ahead of releasing their new album.

In popular culture
The songs of The Blue News have been featured in several TV series and video games. Some of the notable appearances are:
 * Love's So Strong is featured in episode 2 of the fourth season of the documentary television series Roadtrip Nation.
 * Next Time is also featured on the soundtrack for Roadtrip Nation in 2007.
 * "Shelter" was featured on the UCF TV cable channel at the University of Central Florida in 2008.
 * Break of Day is featured in the episode "Lost Song" in season four of Heartland on CBC TV.
 * Rattlesnake Blues is featured in an episode of Heartland on CBC TV.
 * Love's So Strong was featured in an episode of the first season of Necessary Roughness on USA TV.
 * Songs by The Blue news appear on several video games, including Rock Band 2, Rock Band 3, Rock Band Blitz, Tap Tap Revenge 3 and soon Tap Tap Revenge Tour.

Discography

 * Blue News (2006)
 * The Signs (2007)
 * Strange Light (2008)
 * Good At Falling (2010)
 * Wartime Songs (2011)
 * New Album (2013)