One Eyed Rhyno is comprised of brother and sister, James (16) and Elaine Hunter (18), and longtime friend, Andrew Daniels (17), this group’s mission is to rock with a cause. Compared to Led Zeppelin, Johnny Lang and Stevie Ray Vaughan, these teens are not only turning heads with their sound, but also with their drive to do something.
Formed in 2004 for a school talent show, the classic rock and blues band have been rocking Sacramento and the Bay Area for the past six years. Blending the vocals of John Mayer and Kurt Cobain with guitar riffs modeled after legends Jimmy Page and Stevie Ray Vaughan, James leads the band with true rock finesse. Drummer and back-up singer, Elaine, harmonizes beautifully with her brother, adding a White Stripes flare to the mix. Life-long friend and original bassist, Andrew Daniels, who left the band for a few years, recently reunited with James and Elaine in 2007.
Courtesy of Bill Reitzel
Their latest endeavor, a single entitled “The Bird,” addresses the devastating and deadly conditions that impact wildlife after an oil spill. James originally wrote the song when he was 10, after learning about the Exxon Valdez spill. Because of the current crisis in the Gulf, they decided to record the song and release it to raise awareness (and money) to help restore the area’s devastated ecosystem. The song’s video displays powerful visuals of the life-threatened wildlife in the region.
In the wake of the Gulf Oil Spill, Sacramento-based teen band One Eyed Rhyno has teamed up with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) to raise awareness and funds for its ongoing ecosystem restoration efforts in the region. 100% of proceeds from download sales of One Eyed Rhyno’s environmentally conscious song “The Bird” will go toward SCA, to aid the organization’s work inspiring thousands of young people to get involved and take leadership roles in conserving our nation’s outdoor spaces.
“The Bird” is a soulful rock anthem employing powerful lyrics and driving rhythms to impart a message of urgency about the [kwlink 24170]Gulf spill. Accompanied by a host of imagery taken in the aftermath of the disaster, the haunting music video drives home the necessity for immediate action to reverse the harm suffered by this fragile ecosystem.
Watch "The Bird"
The band and video were recently featured on DoSomething.org, both in their cause videos section and ‘Weekend Without Oil’ campaign. In case you are not familiar with DoSomething.org, they are one of the largest organizations in the U.S. that help young people get involved in their communities. A driving force in creating a culture of volunteerism, DoSomething.org is on track to activate two million young people in 2011.
Many think that the crisis is over, however, despite the fact that the spill has been capped, the rescue and cleanup is far from over; the Gulf disaster is still unfolding for people and nature. Scientists say it will take up to 30 years for the environment of Prince William Sound to return to its original form after the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill of 11 million gallons of oil. The Deepwater Horizon spill leaked 180 million gallons of oil in the Gulf making it one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. History.
Courtesy of Bill Reitzel
Gigging everywhere from school and church fundraisers, to charitable events and local non-profit venues, OER is on a mission to truly make a difference with their music. The band headlined Teens Turning Green in April 2010 and took home first place in the 2010 Jammies; Sacramento’s Youth Music Competition. They are also in the running for “Best Teen Band” in the 2010 Sammies competition (Sacramento Area Music Award).
To learn more, visit their Myspace page www.myspace.com/OneEyedRhynoRocks.
