Pennsylvania band credits their success to now = defunct Web site (phillyBurbs.com)

Pennsylvania band credits their = success to=20 now defunct Web site
By ERIC=20 MAYES
The Associated=20 Press

LEWISBURG, Pa. - Music lovers have one less place to download a = tune.

MP3.com vanished from 40 million subscribers' "Favorites" list = across=20 the world when the Web site's new owner, C-Net, a company based in = San=20 Francisco, closed down the popular site on Dec. 2.

The move will not only have an impact on music lovers but will = hit many=20 independent artists as well.

The Front Porch Country Band, a country band based in the = Central=20 Susquehanna Valley, was one of MP3.com's biggest success = stories.

The group is made up of: Johnny Jolin of Hughesville; Kim = Reichley,=20 from Lewisburg; Alison and Richard Rupert of Hughesville and = Joseph P.=20 Hauserman of Elimsport.

The Web site has been instrumental in the their success as a = group. "I=20 thank MP3.com from the bottom of my heart," said lead singer = Jolin.

The band racked up a million plays on the MP3.com site. = According to=20 Web site's statistics, it was the most listened to country band in = the=20 world over the last 15 months.

Those numbers have landed the band in contract talks in = Nashville. In=20 fact, Jolin said he hopes to announce a record deal early next = year.

Snagging a coveted recording contract would have been much = harder=20 without MP3.com. The Web site allows musicians to speak directly = to their=20 audience.

"It was just a great tool for us to get in contact with = listeners,"=20 said Jolin.

That accessibility allows independent musicians to avoid the=20 traditional struggle to get noticed by the big record labels or = radio=20 stations and speak directly to music lovers.

"Otherwise you get discovered the hard way," he said. "While = cleaning=20 toilets or waiting on tables. This way it was a lot easier."

And once discovered on MP3.com, The Front Porch Country Band = took=20 off.

"It allowed us to compete with huge, huge, country = legends."

MP3.com statistics ranked the band's songs higher than country = music=20 heavyweights, such as Shania Twain, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton and = Willie=20 Nelson.

The reason is simple, said Jolin.

"I think it's just the music, you put all the hype aside and = the music=20 speaks for itself."

It's an option other struggling artists won't have with the = demise of=20 MP3.com.

"Hopefully something else comes along," said Jolin, noting = there are=20 other similar sites, but none as large as MP3.com had been.

"I'd like to see another web site like MP3.com or I'd like to = see it=20 continue. It's been a great opportunity for us."

MP3.com was launched in 1997. By 2000 it had 40 million = subscribers and=20 featured a mix of major and independent artists. The site boasted = 1.6=20 million songs and over 250,000 artists.

In 2001, the company was sold to Vivendi Universal, which in = turn sold=20 it to C-Net on Nov. 14.

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On the Net:

The Front Porch Country Band: http://www.frontporchcount= ryband.com/

December 7, 2003 4:01 AM

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