When they take the stage, everything seems to come easy, for they pull a heartstring each time they sing a song and woo a crowd. Calling themselves the “Cotton Country” Band, the six member group has gone around staging numerous shows and winning hearts in various places of Nagaland and outside.
Deeply influenced by oldies, their motives behind singing country is not merely to entertain but also give the crowd something they can understand and relate to. “Most of the musicians can understand all types of music but not everyone in the crowd can”, they explain.
However, their greater goal lies in promoting “the spirit of love, friendship, humanity and charity” through music, as they go back in time and chorus “Music brings people together” for the musicians namely - Senti (Lead Vocalist), Carlos (Lead Guitarist), Adi and SK (Bassists), Kekhrie (Drums) and Alo (Backup Vocals and Rhythm Guitar) never knew each other until they graduated and were all from different backgrounds.
“It’s our passion for music that brought us together” they express as they worked their way up to form the band in 2003, even though they were already performing on stage before that in their own respective ways. When asked why “Cotton Country”, they are quick to explain that cotton is cultivated by farmers, related with country and village people, a life so closely associated to Nagaland. And that’s how we have one of the only two country bands in the state, getting all popular with people above the age of twenty five who never fail to find a piece of soulful music when Cotton Country plays.
Coming out content wherever they perform, they are elated that “everywhere we go, we are given overwhelming response”. “We don’t count the numbers but we are content to play for a happy crowd” is what they profess. To which end, they also add “we play country music because we like it and people like it”.
Senti, the lead guitarist feels that “Music is not music when it fails to reach out to other people’s hearts or fail to entertain the audience” while for the most part, the band says that “we get ourselves easily connected with the crowd because our music suits with every occasion.”
They have done over 100 shows since they came together as a band and have performed for Unions, Weddings, State Banquets, Seminars, Schools and Colleges, Outreach Ministries, Workshops, VIP parties but they recall a get-together rock concert in 2003 as a memorable one where the event was a mixture of rock, heavy metal, rock and roll, blues and jazz etc.
In February 2010, Cotton Country also represented Nagaland State along with two others at the Nehru Yuva Kendra “North East Musical Festival Expo”. Alongside, they staged performances in Chandigarh, Patiala, Muktsar, Kapurthala and Amritsar respectively. Mention may also be made that they were given three consecutive terms to perform in the Hornbill Night Carnival.
For its many fans and anticipating well-wishers, it may be great news that Cotton Country will be giving a Mega Concert in Tseminyu come November besides a Humanity Concert for the Orphanage and 3-5 other private shows that are on the pipeline.
For them, the commercial aspect is secondary as they insist on serenading and bringing on the spirit of joy. They’ve had their share of hardships but the passion within has driven them to commit themselves to music all their lives although they all have their own professional lives to take care of.
Interestingly, they can play all kinds of music- ‘it works that way most times’, one of the members quips… “People ask us to play a particular song on the spot and we get along with it just fine, whether we practiced it or not”. Talk about efficiency, the band has more than it is known to for.
On the music scenario in Nagaland, Cotton Country proclaims that “the state government declaring Nagaland as a Music Industry is music to our ears”. Senti, the lead Vocalist expresses that “one good thing is Naga people enjoy all kinds of music and is not limited to a particular genre. Nagas are musically educated”. He however emphasizes that “we should not only be carried away by the western music” and while stressing on originals says “that’s how our local talent can be promoted”.
Finance, he says should not only be the ulterior motive and adds that “Talent should come first and money secondary”. He feels that “today most youths are into drugs, alcohol and involved with anti-social elements…wasting their lives…I want to tell the people that through music, we can contribute something and bring the good feelings of peace, understanding and love.”
Carlos, the Lead Guitarist expresses that “Music has no language- whether it’s Hindi, English or Korean, when you play with all honesty, people will definitely like it” while Alo, the Backup Vocalist and Rhythm Guitarist sticks to his belief that music should serve the purpose of touching a heart more than it entertains.
Among those who helped them come this far, the band is grateful to a big fan of theirs- T.T Angami, Additional Director of SCERT for donating a sum of Rs.50,000/- when they needed it the most and making their set of instruments complete. Also to the overwhelming response they received from several crowds, they humbly express “…without people’s support, the music will not go along”.
Coming a long way from being influenced by the likes of Eagles, Eric Clapton, Elvis Presley, Beatles, Bob Dylan, Don Williams, Kenny Rogers, John Denver etc, they’ve often played “Hotel California” apart from the popular country “Cotton Fields” and interestingly, even “Sweet Child of Mine”.
However, one of their favourite lines remains “…we may lose, we may win, come on, Take it Easy” and surely enough as they declare alongside that “our passion and love for music is very strong”, Cotton Country promises heart rending songs when they bring on an album of their own someday. And whether they lose or win, their passion’s definitely going to stay.
Deeply influenced by oldies, their motives behind singing country is not merely to entertain but also give the crowd something they can understand and relate to. “Most of the musicians can understand all types of music but not everyone in the crowd can”, they explain.
However, their greater goal lies in promoting “the spirit of love, friendship, humanity and charity” through music, as they go back in time and chorus “Music brings people together” for the musicians namely - Senti (Lead Vocalist), Carlos (Lead Guitarist), Adi and SK (Bassists), Kekhrie (Drums) and Alo (Backup Vocals and Rhythm Guitar) never knew each other until they graduated and were all from different backgrounds.
“It’s our passion for music that brought us together” they express as they worked their way up to form the band in 2003, even though they were already performing on stage before that in their own respective ways. When asked why “Cotton Country”, they are quick to explain that cotton is cultivated by farmers, related with country and village people, a life so closely associated to Nagaland. And that’s how we have one of the only two country bands in the state, getting all popular with people above the age of twenty five who never fail to find a piece of soulful music when Cotton Country plays.
Coming out content wherever they perform, they are elated that “everywhere we go, we are given overwhelming response”. “We don’t count the numbers but we are content to play for a happy crowd” is what they profess. To which end, they also add “we play country music because we like it and people like it”.
Senti, the lead guitarist feels that “Music is not music when it fails to reach out to other people’s hearts or fail to entertain the audience” while for the most part, the band says that “we get ourselves easily connected with the crowd because our music suits with every occasion.”
They have done over 100 shows since they came together as a band and have performed for Unions, Weddings, State Banquets, Seminars, Schools and Colleges, Outreach Ministries, Workshops, VIP parties but they recall a get-together rock concert in 2003 as a memorable one where the event was a mixture of rock, heavy metal, rock and roll, blues and jazz etc.
In February 2010, Cotton Country also represented Nagaland State along with two others at the Nehru Yuva Kendra “North East Musical Festival Expo”. Alongside, they staged performances in Chandigarh, Patiala, Muktsar, Kapurthala and Amritsar respectively. Mention may also be made that they were given three consecutive terms to perform in the Hornbill Night Carnival.
For its many fans and anticipating well-wishers, it may be great news that Cotton Country will be giving a Mega Concert in Tseminyu come November besides a Humanity Concert for the Orphanage and 3-5 other private shows that are on the pipeline.
For them, the commercial aspect is secondary as they insist on serenading and bringing on the spirit of joy. They’ve had their share of hardships but the passion within has driven them to commit themselves to music all their lives although they all have their own professional lives to take care of.
Interestingly, they can play all kinds of music- ‘it works that way most times’, one of the members quips… “People ask us to play a particular song on the spot and we get along with it just fine, whether we practiced it or not”. Talk about efficiency, the band has more than it is known to for.
On the music scenario in Nagaland, Cotton Country proclaims that “the state government declaring Nagaland as a Music Industry is music to our ears”. Senti, the lead Vocalist expresses that “one good thing is Naga people enjoy all kinds of music and is not limited to a particular genre. Nagas are musically educated”. He however emphasizes that “we should not only be carried away by the western music” and while stressing on originals says “that’s how our local talent can be promoted”.
Finance, he says should not only be the ulterior motive and adds that “Talent should come first and money secondary”. He feels that “today most youths are into drugs, alcohol and involved with anti-social elements…wasting their lives…I want to tell the people that through music, we can contribute something and bring the good feelings of peace, understanding and love.”
Carlos, the Lead Guitarist expresses that “Music has no language- whether it’s Hindi, English or Korean, when you play with all honesty, people will definitely like it” while Alo, the Backup Vocalist and Rhythm Guitarist sticks to his belief that music should serve the purpose of touching a heart more than it entertains.
Among those who helped them come this far, the band is grateful to a big fan of theirs- T.T Angami, Additional Director of SCERT for donating a sum of Rs.50,000/- when they needed it the most and making their set of instruments complete. Also to the overwhelming response they received from several crowds, they humbly express “…without people’s support, the music will not go along”.
Coming a long way from being influenced by the likes of Eagles, Eric Clapton, Elvis Presley, Beatles, Bob Dylan, Don Williams, Kenny Rogers, John Denver etc, they’ve often played “Hotel California” apart from the popular country “Cotton Fields” and interestingly, even “Sweet Child of Mine”.
However, one of their favourite lines remains “…we may lose, we may win, come on, Take it Easy” and surely enough as they declare alongside that “our passion and love for music is very strong”, Cotton Country promises heart rending songs when they bring on an album of their own someday. And whether they lose or win, their passion’s definitely going to stay.
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