Authentic Unlimited
Sets Sail
Upon Doyle Lawson’s retirement, three members of his band, Quicksilver—Eli Johnston-banjo, Stephen Burwell-fiddle, and Jerry Cole-bass—decided to launch into the already familiar waters of musical entertainment with a new band. Cole explained, “When Doyle announced he was going to retire, Stephen, Eli, and I decided to stay together.” Burwell added, “We didn’t even have to think about if we wanted to continue on, we just knew we had a good team and relationship with each other and so that’s what we’d do.”
With Lawson’s blessing and guidance, the three set sail. The trio petitioned a young newcomer, a sensational vocalist, John Meador, and mandolin extraordinaire, Jesse Brock, to join their crew. They christened their new vessel, Authentic Unlimited.
“The key to longevity for a band is creating a distinctive sound of music. Authentic Unlimited is doing just that, and with the wealth of talent among these five men, they are destined for a bright future!” the trio’s former bluegrass boss, Doyle Lawson shared.
Cole, Johnston, and Meador share the spotlight as lead vocalist during their performances. Johnston knew they had a winning combination. “Ben James decided to play with Dailey & Vincent so we were on the hunt for a good tenor man. We were fortunate enough to stumble upon John. Just wait until you hear this fine young man sing! John’s addition to the group ultimately rounds out the trio for the vocals.”
Since he has the least amount of experience, Meador was humbled by the invitation. “There’s not another band I’d rather play with than them. They are class acts with great character. Everybody respects everybody as musicians and gentlemen.” Even though the TN born guitarist is young, his musical prowess was recognized early. “I competed in several different contests as a teenager. I also received a full scholarship to the Kentucky School of Bluegrass and Traditional Music.” Johnston admitted filling their former captain’s slot proved challenging. “There was only one spot left, and that was Doyle’s. Those are some pretty big shoes to fill. So we got one of the finest mandolin players of our genre, Jesse Brock.”
Brock, twice-named IBMA “Mandolin Player of the Year,” responded, “I knew Mr. Lawson would be retiring, but I never anticipated being asked to carry the baton. I was happy in the band with Fast Track, but this opportunity came about and I couldn’t pass it up. What a benchmark for me! I’ve always been a Doyle Lawson fan and blended his style into my playing. It will be heard at every performance with Authentic Unlimited. Even though I will be paying homage to Doyle, he and I agree that I must make my own statement and (in Lawson’s words) ‘not try to fill anyone’s shoes, but your own.’”
Burwell stressed, “Jerry, Eli and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have Jesse and John on board.” Even with a prize crew, properly naming their ship was a huge feat. Johnston shared, “We needed help with a band name so we leaned upon Doyle for some guidance.” Burwell interjected. “We had been thinking of band names for a couple months and Doyle came up with Authentic Unlimited in five minutes. We thought it was a cool name.”
Cole elaborated on Lawson’s input. “His reasoning was that we were going to be ‘authentic’ by presenting a lot of original material and that material was ‘unlimited.’ So we ran with it.”
“The catalog of original material is just that…authentic and unlimited.” Brock readily agreed. “An Unlimited show is exactly what we aspire to present.”
The trio from Doyle’s band is ecstatic over their new ensemble. Johnston shared, “The best feeling is when you get the right group of guys together and you know the music you make together is going to be top of the line!”
Burwell affirmed. “I’m beyond excited for this new musical adventure! This group of guys already has a special bond with each other. We want to play and be the best we can for folks. We’ll work hard for them and keep it classy.”
“When I was hired by Doyle that was my ultimate goal, then he retired,” Cole reflected, but is pumped about the future. “I couldn’t be more pleased with the guys in the band. Each one is a skilled musician. They are all really good at what they do.”
What makes Authentic Unlimited unique is the fact that they write, record, and produce their own music, giving a genuine East Tennessee feel to their sound. Johnston elaborated. “Our music will be different. We currently have almost three albums worth of material, including gospel. It’s all original, never been heard.” Burwell pointed out, “From the start, our goals have been to make the best music we can and present it in a professional manner. Music is from the Lord and we want to continue to honor that with some gospel music in our shows and some solely gospel concerts. If even one person is saved hearing the gospel side of AU, it will be worth it. We want to give the music world something unique and authentic. Something exciting as well as be able to perform music that people can relate to…the good times and the bad.”
“Ultimately, our goal is to make our mark in the world of music,” stressed Johnston. “I think that somehow bluegrass music has lost a little luster and some of the music has drifted from its roots. We want to reach and connect with people through our original songs. We hope to provide a wide variety of songs in our own style. We’re all going to sing, even Stephen! We’re blessed to have as equally talented musicians as we have vocalists.”
Burwell stressed, “Our sound will be unique because we want to do mostly original material and I feel that all the guys in the band have a very creative way of singing and playing. You will hear the tradition presented in a fresh way along with some modern music as well, but nothing you can’t tap your foot, dance, laugh, or cry to.”
Brock shared his take. “We have no limits. We are shooting for the moon and if we make our fan base happy, in turn, it makes us happy. Audiences will hear gold standard vocals and instrumentation, with tone and taste. We have spent a lifetime searching for our instruments (tools of the trade) to present the best in tone. Equipment chosen to help deliver that and reproduce those tones is imperative.
“I can hear a mixture of all that music in my playing which is melody-driven. I play to the singer vs. learning a plethora of hot licks. The singer is the most important part of a band, as well as the instrumentation being solid. If the singer wants it in a key you are not comfortable with, learn your instrument in order to compliment the vocals.”
Cole simply stated. “What will define Authentic Unlimited is delivery. Audiences will see well-dressed guys and hear music made by people who love their craft.” Johnston added. “We’re going to have hard-driving bluegrass and gospel with a whole lot of red-hot picking as well. I think the icing on the cake will be our a cappella quartet. We have been doing gospel music with Doyle and we know our strengths. The most exciting part for me is knowing how strong the vocals are going to be.” Brock summarized the band’s sound. “Whatever it will be, it shall be crisp and clear, at the highest level.
The members shared how they first started in music. Meador began to sing at an early age. “I started playing guitar about the age of 10. My dad started teaching me on his old Sigma. Then my mother bought me my own guitar. The first part of my life, I grew up in Macon County, Tennessee, on my family’s cattle farm. My family listened to many styles of music and then I heard bluegrass. I was officially hooked. Bitten by the bug, all I could do was think about music. My first influences were Flatt & Scruggs, the Osborne Brothers, Tony Rice, and Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver.”
Brock said, “I began singing with my family band when I was only seven years old. This was the beginning of my ear-training while growing up in Illinois. The training continued with the implementation of fiddle lessons the following year. By age nine, I switched to mandolin thanks to my oldest sister (Dawn) teaching me three chords and rhythm. This stayed with me for another 40 years. My father (C.W. Brock) guided me to LPs of Bill Monroe, The Osborne Bros., Jimmy Martin, anything with J.D. Crowe, The Louvin Brothers, Doyle Lawson, Country Gentlemen, The Bray Brothers, Jim & Jesse, The Stanley Brothers, The Dillards, The Whites, and Tony Rice (in the Bluegrass Album Band volumes). While on the festival circuit (1982-1988), I found myself intellectually communicating with my heroes. Dempsey Young (Lost & Found) was a huge influence and friend, as well as best friend, David McLaughlin (Johnson Mountain Boys) and Jimmy Gaudreau (The Country Gentlemen & The Tony Rice Unit).
“My father started playing banjo in the ‘60s. He loved the sound of the banjo via Earl Scruggs and J.D. Crowe. Standing next to a banjo player for years in the family band taught me timing and energy in my own playing while supporting vocalists (my two sisters) and playing in keys that were uncommon for an instrumentalist. This skill set served to be beneficial down the road, as I had to perform with other female singers with the same challenges. It is as simple as learning your fingerboard and how to get around difficulties with closed positions. There’s no real secret to it.”
Cole’s story goes, “When I was eight years old, my dad (Jerry Lee Cole), taught me to play guitar. My first song was ‘The Wildwood Flower’. Also, during this time, my dad was teaching me how to sing. He played in a bluegrass gospel group called The Betterway Quartet. When he needed to practice his part, he would teach me the other parts to sing. So if he needed to practice a baritone line, I would sing the lead. If he needed to practice his lead, I would either sing the baritone or tenor. I was dad’s practice dummy. I learned a majority of how all those parts go by singing with Dad.”
Burwell shared his backstory. “I was born in Lake Jackson, TX, and lived in Angleton until age four. My family then moved to Maple Valley, WA. I started playing when I was about eight. A lady, Anita Disney, from our church was offering free group violin lessons, so my parents decided that would be a good thing for my sister and me to learn. My sister, Sarah, and I soon switched to private lessons with Anita. After a few months, I began taking lessons from my sister-in-law, Kristen. Shortly after, she fired me as a student because I didn’t want to practice any of the classical music she gave me, but I did enjoy the fiddle tunes she taught. Let me just be clear I was a terrible student.
“I then took four or so years of fiddle lessons from Pete Martin. I really loved lesson time with Pete. He challenged me and made lessons fun at the same time. My influences consist of many different fiddlers and other instrumentalists, but mostly Stuart Duncan, Aubrey Haynie, Kenny Baker, Alison Krauss, and Bobby Hicks. Those musicians really make me feel what’s happening when they pull a bow.”
Johnston reflected on his beginnings. “My dad, David Johnston, got me started playing in church. I had a lot of encouragement from him and my late Grandpa Joe. I was about 15 when I took an interest in bluegrass music. My dad had borrowed an old, white fiberglass upright bass and he had a dreadnought guitar. We went all over the country to bluegrass festivals.”
Faith-based and family oriented, several Authentic Unlimited members wanted to acknowledge loved ones for their support. Johnston shared, “My beautiful wife, Keasley, and I have been married for five years. I have two handsome boys, Huxley Thomas, age 3, and Boone Wilder, 4 months. We live in the Great Smoky Mountains tucked away deep on the Tennessee/North Carolina line.”
Newlywed, Stephen Burwell, added. “I have a wonderful family. I have five brothers, two sisters, and a multitude of nephews and nieces. On September 18, 2021, I got to marry my best friend, Haley. She’s way too sweet and good for me. She comes from a wonderful family!” Meador chimed in, “I am married to the love of my life, Grace Meador, who has the most beautiful voice I’ve ever heard. She is also a professional bass player. We have a beautiful baby girl named Bethany.”
“My wife is Kristine Tallent-Brock from Maryville, TN. We were married April 27, 2019. She is extremely supportive, generous and loving, as well as beautiful,” added Brock.
Each musician started in the business differently. “My brother and I, along with our cousins, started a bluegrass group, Kentucky Just Us. I played with them from the age of 14 to 19,” began Meador. Brock had family ties as well. “My father and sisters were already established in the late 70s with a healthy repertoire of songs to learn when I came into the picture. We traveled for six years and covered 28 states with an offer to go to Europe, but declined at that time.”
Burwell played with several Seattle area bands, and then headed east. “I joined Shannon Slaughter’s band for a few months and moved to Sylva, NC. My thought was that if I wanted to take music seriously as a profession, I needed to be close to all the action and be available. A few days after moving, I got the call to audition for Quicksilver. I began playing with Doyle in October of 2014 at the age of 20. I had to quit the band for a year when the pandemic hit. I played some with Chosen Road. Those guys were good to me. Then Doyle was kind enough to let me come back until his retirement at the end of 2021.”
Cole, too, had an early start in the music. “I started getting paid to play as early as high school, but didn’t do it for a living until I took a job with Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad. The next road gig I took was with Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out. Then the job opened up with Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver and I took it. I was with Doyle for three years until his retirement.”
Johnston hit the road right out of high school, playing with numerous groups: Nothin’ Fancy, Pine Mountain Railroad, and Monroeville. He also played various venues in the eastern part of Tennessee. “In 2013, I joined Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver and stayed for about five years. I took a short hiatus from the road when my first son was born. In 2020, shortly after the pandemic put a major halt on the economy, Doyle called me to come play banjo and I toured with him until he retired.”
Each band member shared highlights from their musical careers. Meador, the youngest in the band, was brutally honest. “Haven’t had a lot (of highlights). I’m only 21!”
“At age 11,” shared Brock. “I performed on the Grand Ole Opry with my family. That was the beginning of a list of highlights. Once I joined the Lynn Morris Band, my career started to flourish. I am a part of YouTube footage with over one million views, performing with Michael Cleveland, doing ‘Jerusalem Ridge’.”
Burwell stated, “There are many special things to me, but a few are: playing with the original Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver on a few occasions, playing with Doyle, Paul Williams, and J.D. Crowe for a few shows, playing a Bluegrass Album Band tribute at SamJam 2021, and playing the Grand Ole Opry. Playing on Doyle’s albums is a highlight to me because of his encouragement and teaching. I can say it’s work that I am proud and honored to have been a part of. One my most special highlights is becoming friends with some of my all-time favorite musicians. I’m honored to be able to start band with them.”
Cole recalled special recognitions. “Major highlights include for me: a Dove Nomination for ‘Pickin’, Praisin’, and Singin’’ while with Pine Mountain Railroad and a Grammy Nomination for ‘Live in Prague’ while with Doyle Lawson.” Johnston reflected, “With Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, we were awarded (IBMA’s and SPBGMA’s) Vocal Group of the Year and nominated for two Grammys. I got to sing the national anthem at the Bristol Motor Speedway and play the Ryman Auditorium and the Grand Ole Opry. I can say the highlight of my career is coming to fruition, knowing what great singers and musicians I am currently working with.”
Already this crew of talent has drawn the attention of their peers. “Three of the founding members of this band were mentored by Doyle Lawson, who has a long history of choosing the best musicians. This energetic band is on the cutting edge of bluegrass music and will leave their audiences wanting more!” stated Milton Harkey, promoter of Bluegrass First Class.
Johnston responded, “As far as being similar to Doyle, we have taken a lot with us from our tenure with his band, including learning how to sing tight bluegrass harmonies, how to run a smooth-sailing bluegrass business, and how to conduct ourselves as a group. I always feel like I’m over-referencing Doyle’s name, but can you tell me a better business model than Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver?”
Signed as Billy Blue Record’s newest artists, Authentic Unlimited will definitely make a big splash in the music pool! For additional information on Authentic Unlimited, contact Johnston at [email protected]
or 1-423-608-2592. You can also visit the band’s website at authenticunlimitedband.com or search for Authentic Unlimited Band on Facebook and Instagram
@authenticunlimitedband.
