Green River Ordinance (band)
Encyclopedia
Green River Ordinance is an American rock band from Fort Worth, Texas
. Their name refers to Green River Ordinance
s, laws which prohibit door-to-door sales unless the house's owner gives permission to do so.
in Texas, and by 2005 had toured with Collective Soul
and played with Eisley
and MUTEMATH, among others. The band's initial releases, a 2005 full-length and a 2007 EP, were both released on the small independent label For Mona. Their debut release for Virgin Records
, Out of My Hands, was released in February 2009, and garnered comparisons to 1990s mainstream rock acts such as Sister Hazel
, Third Eye Blind
and Matchbox 20, as well as contemporaries like Augustana
and The Fray
. Out of My Hands peaked at #10 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. The single "Come On" reached #17 on the Billboard Adult Top 40 late in 2009; "On Your Own" reached #37 on the same chart in 2010.
", "The Hills
", "The Young and the Restless
"), two music videos on MTV and VH1, as well as tours with many famous music artists, such as American Idol winners David Cook
& Kris Allen
, Goo Goo Dolls
, Collective Soul
, Train
, and Lifehouse
. Billboard Magazine even stated that "Green River Ordinance has established itself as a pop-rock act to keep an eye on in 2010." GRO's Original Song “Rise Up” was featured on the AT&T Team USA Soundtrack (2010)
alongside Mariah Carey, 3 Doors Down, Train, Rascal Flatts. Their Capitol/Virgin Records debut album "Out of My Hands" and various singles have been featured on Zune, Walmart.com, AmazonMP3, iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster – as Staff Picks, Song of the Day, What’s Hot, Track of the Week, and other promotions.
GRO left EMI on August 6, 2010 and proceeded to go on tour with the Goo Goo Dolls and Switchfoot 14 days later. Also, They were featured on every episode of MTV's show "If You Really Knew Me" and also had their video "On Your Own" featured after shows during credits on MTV, all of this while being independent of any label ties. On September 6, 2010, GRO released "The Morning Passengers - Acoustic Sessions EP" to iTunes only, and it was the #3 Billboard Heatseeker, as well as the #39 Billboard Independent Release.
On October 8, 2010, International Justice Mission released the Freedom CD exclusively through Family Christian Stores as a joint effort to raise funds and awareness to end global slavery. Green River Ordinance is featured on this CD with their song "Don't Give Up." They are alongside the biggest names in contemporary Christian music and are one of the only secular artists on the compilation due to their zealous passion on the topic of slavery. 13,000 physical units were sold the first week in stores.
On October 15, 2010, Green River Ordinance was direct support for Bon Jovi in Gulf Shores, AL as part of the BP-sponsored concert series "Concerts for the Coast," done in hopes of attracting tourists to the region in the off-season during the oil spill recovery. There were 37,000+ people in attendance.
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
. Their name refers to Green River Ordinance
Green River Ordinance
The name Green River Ordinance is given to a common United States city ordinance prohibiting door-to-door solicitation. Under such an ordinance, it is illegal for any business to sell their items door-to-door without express permission from the household beforehand...
s, laws which prohibit door-to-door sales unless the house's owner gives permission to do so.
Early years
Bassist Geoff Ice and guitarist Jamey Ice are brothers. Early in their career (circa 2003), the band regularly did opening gigs with FlickerstickFlickerstick
Flickerstick was a Ft. Worth, TX rock band who gained national attention after winning VH1's acclaimed and Emmy-nominated talent/reality show Bands on the Run.-Birth and local fame:...
in Texas, and by 2005 had toured with Collective Soul
Collective Soul
Collective Soul is an American rock band originally formed in Stockbridge, Georgia. Collective Soul broke into mainstream popularity with their first hit single, "Shine", which came from their debut album Hints, Allegations, and Things Left Unsaid, released in 1993...
and played with Eisley
Eisley
Eisley is a rock band from Tyler, Texas, consisting of four siblings and their cousin , all of whom were born and live in Texas. Although the band's name translates to ice island in several Germanic languages, it was actually selected by the bandmates because of its link to the Star Wars saga...
and MUTEMATH, among others. The band's initial releases, a 2005 full-length and a 2007 EP, were both released on the small independent label For Mona. Their debut release for Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
, Out of My Hands, was released in February 2009, and garnered comparisons to 1990s mainstream rock acts such as Sister Hazel
Sister Hazel
Sister Hazel are an alternative rock band from Gainesville, Florida, whose style also blends elements of folk rock, pop, classic rock 'n' roll and southern rock. Their music is characterized by highly melodic tunes and generally optimistic lyrics. The band's instrumentation often features abrupt...
, Third Eye Blind
Third Eye Blind
Third Eye Blind is an American alternative rock band formed in the early 1990s in San Francisco. The songwriting duo of Kevin Cadogan and Stephan Jenkins signed the band's first major label recording contract with Elektra records in 1996 resulting in two multi platinum albums. The band's lineup...
and Matchbox 20, as well as contemporaries like Augustana
Augustana (band)
Augustana is an American rock band from San Diego, California who are signed to the Epic Records record label. They are best known for their singles, "Boston" and "Sweet and Low."-Beginning years:...
and The Fray
The Fray
-Literature:*Fray, a phenomenon in Terry Pratchett's The Carpet People*Fray , a comic book series by Joss Whedon**Melaka Fray, titular character of the comic book series-Music:*"Fray", a song from the album 14 Shades of Grey by Staind...
. Out of My Hands peaked at #10 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. The single "Come On" reached #17 on the Billboard Adult Top 40 late in 2009; "On Your Own" reached #37 on the same chart in 2010.
2009/2010 recap
This fall season marks the 10th Anniversary of Green River Ordinance as a band. In 2009 and 2010,GRO saw tastes of much sought after success: Two Top 40 radio singles, songs on over 20 TV shows ("So You Think You Can DanceSo You Think You Can Dance (U.S. TV series)
So You Think You Can Dance is an American dance competition and reality show that airs on Fox in the United States.The series first premiered on July 20, 2005, and was created by American Idol producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe and is produced by 19 Entertainment and Dick Clark Productions...
", "The Hills
The Hills
The Hills is a reality television series which originally aired on MTV from May 31, 2006 until July 13, 2010. The show uses a reality television format, following the personal lives of several young adults living in Los Angeles, California, but tends towards a narrative format more commonly found...
", "The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City, which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name, Genoa City, Wisconsin...
"), two music videos on MTV and VH1, as well as tours with many famous music artists, such as American Idol winners David Cook
David Cook (singer)
David Roland Cook is an American rock singer-songwriter, who rose to fame after winning the seventh season of the reality television show American Idol...
& Kris Allen
Kris Allen
Kristopher Neil "Kris" Allen is an American musician and singer-songwriter from Conway, Arkansas, and the winner of the eighth season of American Idol...
, Goo Goo Dolls
Goo Goo Dolls
The Goo Goo Dolls are a Grammy-nominated American rock band formed in 1986 in Buffalo, New York, by vocalist and guitarist John Rzeznik and vocalist and bass guitarist Robby Takac. Since the end of 1994, Mike Malinin has been the band's drummer, a position previously held by George Tutuska...
, Collective Soul
Collective Soul
Collective Soul is an American rock band originally formed in Stockbridge, Georgia. Collective Soul broke into mainstream popularity with their first hit single, "Shine", which came from their debut album Hints, Allegations, and Things Left Unsaid, released in 1993...
, Train
Train (band)
Train is an American pop rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1994. The band currently comprises a core trio of Patrick Monahan , Jimmy Stafford and Scott Underwood ....
, and Lifehouse
Lifehouse (band)
Lifehouse is an American rock band from Los Angeles. The band came to mainstream prominence in 2001 with the hit single "Hanging by a Moment" from their debut studio album, No Name Face. The single won a Billboard Music Award for Hot 100 Single of the Year, beating out Janet Jackson and Alicia...
. Billboard Magazine even stated that "Green River Ordinance has established itself as a pop-rock act to keep an eye on in 2010." GRO's Original Song “Rise Up” was featured on the AT&T Team USA Soundtrack (2010)
AT&T Team USA Soundtrack (2010)
"AT&T Team USA Soundtrack" is a compilation album of various artists, put together for the 2010 Winter Olympics in British Columbia, Canada. It features 12 tracks from artists such as Rascal Flatts, 3 Doors Down, Sugarland and Train, among others...
alongside Mariah Carey, 3 Doors Down, Train, Rascal Flatts. Their Capitol/Virgin Records debut album "Out of My Hands" and various singles have been featured on Zune, Walmart.com, AmazonMP3, iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster – as Staff Picks, Song of the Day, What’s Hot, Track of the Week, and other promotions.
GRO left EMI on August 6, 2010 and proceeded to go on tour with the Goo Goo Dolls and Switchfoot 14 days later. Also, They were featured on every episode of MTV's show "If You Really Knew Me" and also had their video "On Your Own" featured after shows during credits on MTV, all of this while being independent of any label ties. On September 6, 2010, GRO released "The Morning Passengers - Acoustic Sessions EP" to iTunes only, and it was the #3 Billboard Heatseeker, as well as the #39 Billboard Independent Release.
Charity work
In April 2010, Green River Ordinance launched their own charity site, theHopeGROs.com, in order to help make a difference for those less fortunate. Through this site, Green River Ordinance offers ten songs for purchase and information on five charities each member of the band picked. The consumer can select which of the songs they would like to purchase and select which band member's charity they would like their money to go toward. 100% of the proceeds go to the charity of the consumer's choice.On October 8, 2010, International Justice Mission released the Freedom CD exclusively through Family Christian Stores as a joint effort to raise funds and awareness to end global slavery. Green River Ordinance is featured on this CD with their song "Don't Give Up." They are alongside the biggest names in contemporary Christian music and are one of the only secular artists on the compilation due to their zealous passion on the topic of slavery. 13,000 physical units were sold the first week in stores.
On October 15, 2010, Green River Ordinance was direct support for Bon Jovi in Gulf Shores, AL as part of the BP-sponsored concert series "Concerts for the Coast," done in hopes of attracting tourists to the region in the off-season during the oil spill recovery. There were 37,000+ people in attendance.
Members
- Josh Jenkins - vocals, guitar, and piano
- Geoff Ice - bass and background vocals
- Denton Hunker - drums
- Joshua Wilkerson - guitar and background vocals
- Jamey Ice - guitar
Discography
- The Beauty of Letting Go (For Mona, 2005)
- Way Back Home EP (For Mona, 2007)
- Out of My HandsOut of My Hands (Green River Ordinance album)Out of My Hands is the debut release album for Virgin Records by the band Green River Ordinance. Its sound has been compared to that of bands such as Third Eye Blind, Matchbox 20, Goo Goo Dolls, Maroon 5, Sister Hazel, and Gavin DeGraw. It peaked at number ten on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. It...
(Virgin RecordsVirgin RecordsVirgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
, 2009) - Wait A Minute More EP (2010)
- The Morning Passengers EPThe Morning Passengers EPThe Morning Passengers EP is the acoustic sessions album recorded and produced by Green River Ordinance. GRO returns to their Texas roots by opening with folky strumming and picking on this brand new acoustic soundtrack...
(2010)
Singles
- 2009: Come On
- 2010: Rise Up (Released on the Team USA Olympic soundtrack)AT&T Team USA Soundtrack (2010)"AT&T Team USA Soundtrack" is a compilation album of various artists, put together for the 2010 Winter Olympics in British Columbia, Canada. It features 12 tracks from artists such as Rascal Flatts, 3 Doors Down, Sugarland and Train, among others...
- 2010: On Your Own