SnakeBite gets in your blood

Marty Marsh has spent years writing, arranging and vocalizing songs in his mind, on paper and in the studio – just don’t ask him to sing them in public.

The primary songwriter for the emerging country band SnakeBite can’t sing and he’s not bashful about it.

“I’ll record myself, hear how it sounds in my head and then play it back and go wow….that is seriously off key,” he laughed.

Luckily Marsh is in with the right bunch of fellows as his band mates take his songs and make them popular- so much in fact that the band just released its first CD, My Road.

Recorded in Cambridge with noted Canadian producer Scott McQuaig the ten songs on the CD reflect Marsh’s life during the past several years. “I didn’t intend for that to happen but when I played some tracks for a friend that’s what he noticed,” he said.

Honours and awards are beginning to pile up for the band, named Artist of the Month by the Country Music Association of Ontario.

The band has been together ten years in one form or another, having been formed by guitarist Marsh and lead singer Paul Lowry, both from Bothwell.

London rock bassist James Vermue, joined two years later and the band “went through 13 drummers” before Shawn Tasker joined along with guitarist Eric Demuynck in 2013.

“The band has really clicked for the past two years,” Marsh said. “The guys really bring out the best in each other.”

Named London’s “Best country band” in 2014, the group has played more than 200 shows in the last two years. While honing its sound, the band covered material from Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan and Florida Georgia Line.

The debut single from My Road, “All Night Long” has reached number 81 on Canadian Country Radio charts.

Performing from Windsor to Sudbury playing everything from clubs, fall fairs, tractor pulls and country-themed weddings have strengthened the group.

SnakeBite has played alongside country music stars such as Shelton, Lonestar, Jason McCoy, Kentucky Headhunters, Jo-Dee Messina, and Jason Blaine.

“You can learn a lot from watching that caliber of talent,” Marsh said.

“Our goal is to get the audience in a good mood and leave them wanting more.”

The sky’s the limit for the band’s style of rock and roll country with four-part harmony.

“We love to perform and we love the rush that comes from a good performance,” Marsh said. “It can be hard work but in the end, it’s worth every minute.”

The group will be playing a performance at the St. Clair College Capitol Theatre Oct. 17.