The Truman show: Brothers know making it big in music isn't easy

Published: Thursday, June 11, 2009 6:57 p.m. MDT
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Ben and Chad Truman know a little about music. Their father, Dan, after all, is a member of the megastar country group Diamond Rio.

But they also know that while family may give them a slight edge, it offers no guarantees. They know that what they do with their band, Truman, they will have to do on their own.

"For one thing, we're in a different realm," Ben says. "Truman is pop/rock, not country."

The band will release its first CD, "Hold Onto Love," at a launch party tonight. "It'll be a block party in a little alley in Provo. It's going to be a fun night out," Ben says. "And it's all free."

Joining them will be former "American Idol" contestant Jackie Tohn.

The CD features all original songs, written by Ben and Chad, and a third member of the group, Doug Collins.

Ben and Chad have been students at BYU. Ben just graduated in finance; Chad just "finished." He's two years into a media music major and has plans to get his degree. But the guys believe that the time is now to make their move.

"It took my dad 10 years to get his degree, so I have some time," Chad says.

Truman was formed in 2005, just after Ben return from an LDS mission to Mexico. "We started to write

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songs and do some playing," he says. "Then Chad left on his mission. While he was gone, I kept writing songs. We like to think that while he was gone for two years, he was progressing spiritually, but the band was progressing as well. In a way, it's like no time was lost."

The CD was recorded and produced in a studio in their hometown of Nashville.

"We'd go in and put the music together, and work on songs. It worked out really great, and we were able to keep it within our budget," he says. They will be working on distribution through iTunes, as well as Deseret Book and other outlets, and it can be ordered through trumanmusic@gmail.com.

They also have an agency in Nashville. "It's been booking shows in Texas and Minnesota, which seems really random, but they are predominantly college towns," Ben says. "Eventually, we hope to do the L.A. thing, try to land a good record deal. We've had some interest from a couple of labels. We're going to try to make a living at it."

Like any budding band, they dream of being on the radio, of No. 1 hits, of Grammys. But because they know something about the music business, they also know it isn't going to be easy.

"We're from Nashville. We know it's a competitive business," Ben says. "We know what is involved. As kids, we saw our dad and his group load everything into trailers and hit the road. We saw all the adventures and trials they had. They had it rough for quite a while."

Recent comments

Daimond Rio is a grea group. These new country artists should take a...

wallofvoodoo | June 12, 2009 at 12:21 p.m.

If they're anywhere close to the quality of message and music that...

Diamond Rio Rocks | June 12, 2009 at 6:50 a.m.

I want to wish these boys the best of luck. I really like to see...

CP | June 12, 2009 at 5:46 a.m.

Image

Ben, left, and Chad Truman are the sons of country music star Dan Truman of Diamond Rio.

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