Acklen

Acklen is an up-and-coming Alternative/Rock band from Nashville, Tennessee. The group was formed by Casey Benefield and Kyle Burnside during their freshman year at Belmont University in the fall of 2010. Some would say that the stars aligned and caused the songwriting duo to meet in a dorm parking lot, no more than twenty minutes after arriving to summer orientation. By the time September came along, the two had already begun writing music together. Though at the time they didn’t know it, Benefield and Burnside had started to lay the foundation for what would soon become known as Acklen. The 4-piece band is now made up of Casey Benefield on vocals and lead guitar, Kyle Burnside on vocals and rhythm guitar, Jason Kollar on drums, and Brent Layman on bass. The four members come from largely diverse musical backgrounds, ranging from blues and rock to jazz and even gospel church music. These influences have worked their way into Acklen’s songwriting, creating the band’s unique sound. Traces of Augustana, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, and Matthew Perryman Jones can also be found in their music. Acklen released their debut album, Postcards, in July of 2012. This 10-track LP is a combination of songs written by Benefield and Burnside. The two singers routinely trade off the role of lead vocalist, reminiscent of John Lennon and Paul McCartney of The Beatles. Though the band performs as a standard 4-piece, the album includes a live string quartet on two songs, a small brass section on two songs, as well as keys, tambourine, and several other auxiliary instruments. Postcards also includes two acoustic tracks that showcase the band’s more intimate side. While the band has performed at many Nashville venues, including 12th & Porter, The Rutledge, and the famed Bluebird Café, Acklen continues to focus on building their fan base in the Midwest, where they’ve seen much success. The band has toured extensively through the state of Missouri, frequently going on what Acklen calls “small town” tours. “We love playing in some of these tiny towns, because they usually become extremely loyal fans. People are genuinely excited that you would take the time to play in their town, so they’ll go and tell all their friends and family about your music. Plus, people in the heartland really know how to party,” says Burnside. Based on these experiences, Acklen has coined their music as “Heartland Rock.” “A lot of the people who come to our shows tend to love Tom Petty, and so do we, so we like to write and play music with a similar feel,” says Benefield. Acklen’s song, Your Way Back Home, is a great example of Petty’s influence on their writing. This song, which starts off the Postcards album, is a blazing classic rock song with a feel-good, southern energy. It tells the relatable tale of how love, amidst the troublesome maze of life, can help you find your way back home. Adelicia, one of the two acoustic songs on the album, is a historically accurate folk song about a woman by the name of Adelicia Acklen. Once considered the most powerful woman in the South, Adelicia also founded Belmont University in the late 1800s. The band sees Belmont as a bridge that brought them all together, and thus chose to name the band after the school’s founder. The song tells the story of her opulent, yet tragic life. Acklen recently finished work on their second release, the Holiday Away EP. This 4-song Christmas record demonstrates a more organic, rootsy side of the band. The album will be released as a free download shortly before the holiday season. It includes three traditional Christmas favorites, and one original song written by Benefield. With music that fans have described as “honest” and “true to themselves,” Acklen seems poised to continue growing their fan base and finding success. “Writing songs is what I love to do. I think I’d still have to do it even if nobody were there to hear them. Fortunately, people seem to care and want to listen. We’re very grateful for that,” Benefield explains. One thing’s for sure: Acklen’s music is guaranteed to make you bob your head and tap your feet. Find Postcards on iTunes, Amazon MP3, or Spotify, and give it a listen while you roll with the windows down. Acklen's sophomore EP -- Let In The Night -- is available now on iTunes & Spotify! www.AcklenMusic.com