Our Artists > Bryan Cleese

2007 Georgia Country Music Entertainer of the Year

Bryan grew up in Tampa, Florida. Coming from a musical family, Bryan was born with music flowing through his veins. At a young age his family exposed him to country music by listening to Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, The Oakridge Boys, and other great country artists.

Bryan was surrounded by musical influences. Around the age of 8 years old, his mother, grandmother, two aunts and a cousin formed a gospel group called the Kindreds. The Kindreds sand and played in various locations for the next several years.

In the fourth grade, Bryan started taking violin lessons at school. He chose the violin because it was the only string instrument besides the piano that they offered lessons in. he continued with his violin lessons through the sixth grade.

When Bryan was fourteen his Pop bought him his first guitar from a mail order magazine. His Pop told him that if he stuck with it and continued to show an interest in playing the guitar that he would get him a real guitar when he was a little older. So, when Bryan turned sixteen his Pop bought him first real guitar from a local music store. Bryan took what he learned from his violin lessons and taught himself how to play the guitar.

At the age of seventeen, Bryan joined a rock band playing lead guitar for about a year. At eighteen he became the lead vocalist for the band as well as the lead guitarist. He continued to sing and play with this rock band over the next year.

Bryan started writing songs at the age of nineteen. The was only one problem. All of the songs he wrote were country. He knew then that his heart belonged to country and knew that he was destined to pursue a career in country music. He then quit the rock band to pursue his solo career in country music.

He spent the next eight years as a solo artist. As a solo artist he shared the stage with many great acts such as Kenny Chesney, JoDee Messina, Tracy Byrd, and many more. As a solo artist, he took several trips to Nashville to play at The Blue Bird Café and at Tootsie's. In 1997, Bryan attended the International Country Music Expo where he won an award for his songwriting, "The Most Promising Writer." In 2000, he traveled to Arrington, Tennessee (a small town outside of Nashville) to record his first three song demos at Cedar House Productions.

Bryan also won several local competitions. He won the Jimmy Dean True Value Country Showdown in Savannah, Georgia in 1998. In 2001, he competed in The Great Savannah Talent Competition where he won an award for Best Male Vocalist. In 2003, he won the local Colgate Country Showdown in Lyons, Georgia. After winning the local competition in Lyons, he went back into the studio to record a second three song demo in Alma, Georgia at Sound Masters Studio.

Bryan has been asked on several occasions to open various events and ceremonies with the National Anthem. The has sang the National Anthem to open many Savannah Sand Knats baseball games. He has sang the National Anthem for various school functions and for various charities.

However, as time went by it became harder and harder to get solo gigs. Very few places had the need for solo acts anymore. They all wanted full bands. One year Bryan was asked to open for Lonestar at Wild Adventures in Valdosta, Georgia. When the found out that he was a solo act they told him that they were sorry that they only hire acts with bands. Bryan decided that very day that he would no longer be a solo act.

Bryan's solo days were basically over. He then started an area wide search for members to make up his new band. He hung flyers in town and some of the surrounding towns. He put ads in local newspapers. Bryan had several responses but none panned out, but one. A drummer named Michael Brown-and Michael has been his drummer ever since. He and Michael spent the next year looking for other band members. One day a bass player, Mike Thompson, called him and was interesting in joining the band. He came over and practiced for several hours, but was offered a job with another band to start playing and making money immediately. He took the job. A short while later, Mike Thompson's new band needed a drummer to sit in for a few gigs so Michael Brown helped them out. Then, shortly thereafter, they needed a lead singer/lead guitarist to fill in temporarily for their sick member, so they asked Bryan to help. After a few months of playing with the band, it became clear that the right thing to do was to adopt each other with Bryan as the new leader. Bryan named the band The Electric Cowboys and they have been playing ever since.

Bryan still does an occasional solo event for family and friends, but most of his time is dedicated to taking care of his growing base of fans and venues with his band.

Bryan then teamed up with Gold Bar Records and has been working on his first album since January.