Aaron Benward and Scott Reeves are Blue County.
PHOTO COURTESY BLUE COUNTY

Blue County brings
country to Criterion

By Mark Good

Blue County, one of the hottest up-and-coming country duos, is performing at the Criterion Theatre in Bar Harbor on Saturday at 8 p.m., 2006 in a benefit concert for the Hancock County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).
Blue County is Aaron Benward and Scott Reeves. They are on tour in support of their latest single, “Firecrackers and Ferris Wheels,” which follows on the heels of their hit, “Good Little Girls.”
“They’re a great group,” said Billy Charles, who hosts a morning country music show on Lucky 99 radio. “Everybody is wondering just when they’ll have that big breakthrough. They’re on their way.”
Mr. Charles will serve as master of ceremonies for the concert.
Blue County was formed after Mr. Benward and Mr. Reeves met five years ago, during the filming of a music video in Nashville. The men quickly forged a close friendship and, with some urging from their wives, decided to perform together. In 2004, they released a self-titled CD on Curb Records.
The duo’s music touches upon themes familiar to country music: nostalgia for simpler times, the loneliness of the road and the pleasures of a good woman. But these aren’t crying in your beer songs; the lyrics are upbeat and positive with music to match. As vocalists, Mr. Benward and Mr. Reeves harmonize flawlessly as they tell their musical stories. This is contemporary county music, where rock ’n’ roll guitar licks are more common than the wail of a pedal steel guitar.
Proceeds from the concert will benefit the SPCA’s two-phase capital campaign, which has a goal of $2 million.
“We are honored to have so many people coming together to help the SPCA,” said Doug Radziewicz, director of the organization.
The first phase of the project is construction of a 1,100-square-foot building off Route 3 in Trenton. The road is in, foundation poured and the walls are being erected. With a capacity of five adult dogs and 20 adult cats, the building “will quickly see its capacity, Mr. Radziewicz said.
Phase two involves an expansion that would allow the organization to house 20 dogs and 100 cats. The need for the shelter is great.
“There is no facility able to handle the number of animals needing care in Hancock County,” Mr. Radziewicz said.
The SPCA will have a display in the lobby of the Criterion to provide more information about its work.
The concert is sponsored by The Swan Agency Sotheby’s International Realty, Fairmont Residences at Bar Harbor, The Swan Agency Insurance, Lucky 99 radio and the Criterion.
Tickets are $28 for balcony seating and $23 for floor-level seating and can be purchased by calling the Criterion at 288-5829.
mgood@mdislander.com