The boys from Red State Update will release their first CD on Nashvilles Dual Tone records July 22. 'How Freedom Sounds' follows the format of the duos YouTube clips that have been viewed by millions and were recently featured on CNN.
Finally, the cats out of bag and the top-secret mission swirling about RSU headquarters for the past week is a secret no longer. Jackie Broyles and Dunlap, the dynamic and deviant duo that make up the good ol boy humor of Red State Update, have announced their alignment with one of Nashvilles most prominent independent labels, Dualtone Music Group.
The uncouth Tennessee two have created quite a niche acting as comedic political pundits during the current presidential campaign season. Jackie and Dunlaps first big shot at mainstream celebrity happened last July when CNN chose their video to feature during the YouTube Democratic debate. Since then, Red State Update comedy shorts created for You Tube and MySpace have attracted thousands of subscribers. Total online views between YouTube and MySpace is over 10 millionand several of their videos have been featured on YouTubes main comedy page, including one of their most current sketches entitled, Hillary Wins, McCain Clinches, Huck Out.
Dunlap, naturally clad in his trade mark American flag T-shirt and tipping back a can of Budweiser couldnt be happier since signing with Dualtone: Listen, I'd love to give you a quote for a press release, but since becoming an Important Recording Artist, I'm pretty busy. I just bought a Rutherford County school bus and am having it converted into a Rolling Awesome Party Carriage. Right now I'm picking out carpet for it. I'm looking for something that will brighten the interior and not show vomit. Like most Important Recording Artists, my afternoon will consist of making a video. It's gonna be chock full of sexy girls in lace bras and cheerleader skirts, washing my Rolling Awesome Party Carriage. They're gonna get soakin wet and soapy, and I'm hoping the hot sun will disorient them. It's gonna be like a Hank Williams Jr.-directed remake of /Calligula/. It ain't a music video, it's just somethin' for me to enjoy later.”
“You go on and blow all your money,” responds an aggravated Jackie. “You'll be back in my store beggin' for free beer in a week. I just want to let y'all know that I had a ball singin' all these songs, whatever they were. I think we've made a pretty good record that'll stand the test of time, like George Jones' /I Am What I Am/ or Garth Brooks' /Chris Gaines/. I ain't sayin' I'm Dottie West, God bless her soul, but I did the best I could. When I was a boy, I used to sing in choir. Course, that was back when they'd let you smoke in church.”
The guys from Red State Update are hilarious, says Scott Robinson, President of Dualtone Music Group. Weve been aware of these guys for a while now and had been watching their videos on YouTube just like millions of other folks. When we reached out to them about recording an album, we had no idea if theyd be interested but were really excited they were! So we brought them to Nashville and put them in the studio and weve just been amazed with their talent theyve really been able to come up with some funny stuff.
In making their decision to sign a big-time recording deal, Dunlap adds, “Joining forces with Dualtone not only enables me to meet my short term goals, like makin a hit album, scorin with Rihanna, and buying a castle, but it also gets us to our rightful place on the world stage. People listen to Important Recording Artists. That's how Fergie stopped the genocide in Darfur. And the timin is perfect, what with Jackie runnin for president and all. We can finally show off Jackie's brilliant political mind to a much larger audience, because nothing gets people into the voting booth like when a candidate has a new CD droppin'.”
“I ain't runnin for president, I don't want nothin to do with that mess. You need to stop sayin' that before I smack you in the damn mouth,” fires back the irritated Jackie, clad in his infamous red plaid flannel and overalls with a Marlboro Red cigarette dangling dangerously from his bottom lip.
“Y'all get ready. This is going to be the biggest selling album since albums stopped sellin, exclaims Dunlap. Hell, if we sell like thirty, I bet we'll chart in the Top Ten.”
“How we gonna sell all that? You know thirty people?”
“Yeah, if they let 'em out of jail to go to the Wal-Mart CD section.”
Founded in 2000, Dualtone is the same label that brought you the quarter-million selling comedy act, Hayseed Dixie. The label that has won three Grammy Awards and been nominated for twelve Grammy Awards has also been home to such acts as June Carter Cash, Guy Clark, Brett Dennen, Charlie Robison, Jim Lauderdale, Chely Wright and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Red State Update will release their first album entitled /How Freedom Sounds /under the Dualtone imprint in July 2008.
Watch for Red State Update on the campaign trail as they make featured appearances on both TV and the Web throughout the rest of the year leading up to the Presidential election.