Photo courtesy of Young Pioneer.
Out of the MSU student population, many students will follow the steps of MSU alumnus Austin Howard and will travel to different places, experience different situations and meet different people.
Howard attended MSU as a graduate student in the Jazz Studies program. He graduated in spring of 2014.
The band is working on a new record and are hoping to receive attention from major record labels by finding its new groove.
“MSU has one of the best jazz programs in the country and the professors are world-class musicians that are also incredible instructors and mentors,” Howard said via email. “I am extremely grateful for the short time I got to spend at MSU.”
Howard said his professors helped him come out of his shell.
“My drum set professor Randy Gelispie dropped wisdom on me every time I was around him,” Howard said. “Randy Napoleon told me to get out and find a scene and just let people know that you’re alive and available to play.”
Howard said while he attended MSU, he had no idea his future would hold this amount of success.
“The thought of me being in a local band that is getting attention from major producers and songwriters in LA (Los Angeles) is an incredible feeling,” Howard said.
The band is made up of five members: lead singer and acoustic guitar player Ben Awrey, guitar player Jonathan Walker, backup vocals and guitar player Jason Marr, bassist Bobby Schmid and Howard.
Young Pioneer released its most recent album, “When Does the Night End,” in 2015. Marr and Howard both joined the band in May of this year.
Marr said he and Howard joined Young Pioneer after their old band Lights and Caves broke up.
“I had some huge shoes to fill when I joined Young Pioneer,” Marr said via email. “I put countless hours into learning their music. ... I want Young Pioneer to be the most successful project I have ever been a part of.”
Marr said he started performing live in 2006 and has recorded albums in Los Angeles, Chicago and Michigan since.
“Most people think being in a band is hopping on stage and playing your songs, what they do not realize is that every day we put countless hours into promotion, writing, rehearsing and networking,” Marr said.
Awrey said Young Pioneer is different from most local bands.
“Local bands around here are not writing alt-rock really, and they're really not writing a lot of pop,” Awrey said. “I want to write a good record. I want to get that record into more ears than ever before. And then I want to get on the road.”
Walker said they take influence from bands that include Anberlin, Mae and Coldplay.
“As an artist we strive to have our own sound, but we take influence from artists that have impacted us,” Walker said via email. “I would describe our current sound as pop/rock.”
Music is Schmid's only hobby outside of his responsibilities.
“(My favorite part about performing live) is seeing the crowd get into it and sing the music with us,” Schmid said. “(The most rewarding part about playing in Young Pioneer is) being able to write music and hangout with some great friends while making an impact in people’s lives through music.”
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Young Pioneer has a headlining show on Dec. 3 at The Loft in Lansing.
