Removing stress is easy with the down-home sounds of a country song and the irresistible energy of Latin music.
Guests will experience that and much more when they see the groups Wildheart and Banda Pluma Blanca during the Diversity Music Fest: One Mic, One Sound on June 11 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds’ Blue Ribbon Pavilion.
Wildheart and Banda Pluma Blanca will be among seven exciting acts scheduled to perform, each representing a different genre of music.
The Diversity Music Fest is being held by Indiana Minority Business Magazine, and is sponsored by Daddy Real Entertainment.
“We’re really excited about it,” said John Bultman, lead singer and founding member of Wildheart. “It’s going to be something new and exciting that will be beneficial to everyone who participates.”
Bultman noted that the timing for the Diversity Music Fest is excellent because it reflects a growing trend of artist collaboration in the music industry.
“If you just look at country music, for example, you’re seeing artists releasing crossover songs with rappers,” Bultman said. “More people are mixing their different talents. The Diversity Music Fest will be another way that we can kind of feed off each other and get fresh ideas for music.”
Wildheart is an Indiana-based concert band that was formed in 1995. Although it is primarily rooted in contemporary country music, the group can easily play material by rock, pop and R&B artists.
“We’re known for country music, but we offer a mix because we believe it’s all about a song,” Bultman said. “If the crowd likes a song and we can do it justice, we’ll do it.”
Wildheart’s song list has numerous arrangements by country artists, ranging from classic icons such as Eddie Rabbit and Alan Jackson, to contemporary favorites like Kenny Chesney and Keith Urban.
Audiences can also hear versions of classics by artists from other genres such as classic rock (Lynard Skynard’s “Simple Man”), party-flavored blues-pop (Eric Clapton’s “After Midnight”) and R&B vocalist James Ingram’s “Wherever You Are.”
The group has become a favorite choice for various corporate events, fairs, fundraisers and other activities around the state, including the upcoming Regatta hydroplane boat race in Madison, Ind. in July.
Bultman said many “club” bands play the same Top Ten material or classics every weekend.
“We really don’t want to be that kind of band,” Bultman said. “We want to be out playing and hear someone say ‘man, I haven’t heard that song in 10 years, this band is great.’ We don’t want to be a predictable band that plays the same stuff everybody else does.”
Banda Pluma Blanca is another Indiana group dedicated to providing excellence. In a relatively short amount of time, the band has built a loyal international following with catchy, energetic music.
I was formed in 2003 in North Carolina, but moved to Indianapolis to meet the musical needs of the city’s growing Latino-Hispanic population.
Banda Pluma Blanca combines traditional Mexican music with the up-tempo sounds of techno and party grooves.
“We want to make people feel like dancing,” said Antonio Romero, vocalist and leader of Banda Pluma Blanca. “Some people may not understand what we’re singing, but they feel the rhythm. We try to make them happy in the moment they are in with music that has a festive style.”
Banda Pluma Blanca travels for concerts around the country, as well as Mexico. Their videos have been played on Univision, the Spanish language television network that is shown on stations around the world. Recently, the band began recording its fourth album.
The group’s name translates into the White Feather Band in English. Romero explained that Pluma Blanca (White Feather) was the name of a great Cherokee chief who served as a capable leader as his tribe went into battle.
“We have read the history of Indian leaders in the U.S., and like those guys, we see ourselves as working hard and fighting to make our dream a reality,” Romero said. “We want to play music all over the world. Not for money, but because we love it.”
Romero said the group is excited about the Diversity Music Fest, saying that its goal complements their vision.
“This is very important to us,” he stated. “Music is international. It is not bound by languages, races or countries. Music can go everywhere in the world, and we’re glad to have this opportunity.”
Did you know?
• Wildheart has organized or participated in several community benefit concerts, including those for the ALS Association of Indiana and the family of Eric Wells, a motorcyclist killed last August during a traffic accident allegedly caused by an IMPD officer.
• Wildheart’s lead guitarist Larry Horton owns 27 guitars, including some made by Charvel, Gibson and Paul Reed Smith.
• Before forming Banda Pluma Blanca, Antonio Romero performed for 16 years with the popular Latino “super band,” Super Bandido.
Check them out
• See Wildheart† and Banda Pluma Blanca œ at the Diversity Music Fest on Saturday, June 11 in the Blue Ribbon Pavilion at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, 1202 E. 38th St.
• Doors open at 5 p.m.; concert begins at 6 p.m.
• Admission is $11 general price, $26 for VIP seating and $6 for active duty members of the military.
• Tickets are available at the Indianapolis Recorder office, 2901 N. Tacoma Ave., and Ticketmaster.com.
• For more information about Wildheart, visit www.wildheartband.com. For samples of songs by Banda Pluma Blanca, search for them on YouTube.
