Wild Honeybees to celebrate a decade of music and dancing at Eclipse

At the end of this month, Athens’ beloved Wild Honeybees will celebrate their 10th anniversary.

Comprised of 10 members, the local New Orleans-inspired band performs a variety of music, such as rhythm and blues, rock, blues and reggae.

The band’s horn section features Mark Burhans on trombone, Ethan Haning on saxophone, Joe Walker on trumpet, and Paul Risler on trumpet. Chris Pyle plays the bass guitar, David Sanders the electric guitar, Michael Tobar the keyboard, and Bill Rawlins the drums. Vocals are provided by backup singer Laura Risler and lead vocalist Emily Singer.

The Wild Honeybees stand out not just because of their size, but also due to the diversity of their members. The age range spans from 23 to 67 and includes pastors, retirees and business owners like Chris Pyle, who owns Donkey Coffee.

Trombone player Mark Burhans describes the group as a dance band.

“We feel it is our mission to lift people’s spirits by getting them to lift their feet and express the joy that is in their soul,” said Burhans. “To that end, we cover a wide variety of songs, not just New Orleans, but R&B and rock ‘n’ roll, as well as some blues and reggae. Even though we do covers, we do not consider ourselves to be an oldies band. We’re not here to take you on a trip down memory lane; we are to get you moving!”

Their performances aim to do more than just entertain, or to relive older decades of music. Their goal is to get people in the groove.

Although they play a lot of covers, along with some originals, they put their own spin on each song by doing their own arrangements.

Some of their inspirations include the Neville Brothers and Fats Domino, but it’s clear when you hear them perform that they make every song their own, so it’s not just an identical cover.

“We have a couple of rules of thumb regarding covers: One is to choose a song that is a little more obscure that has not been overplayed but still may be recognizable,” said Burhans. “An example of this is a song by Wilson Pickett called ‘Don’t Let the Green Grass Fool Ya’. It isn’t well known, but it has become a favorite of both the band and our audience. We often end the evening with it.

“The other rule of thumb is we always write our own arrangements, and especially if it’s a well-known song, we try to add our own Honeybees’ stamp to the mix. An example of this is our arrangement of another Wilson Pickett song, ‘Midnight Hour’, which was a huge hit back in the day that probably everyone in our audience has heard. We’ve added some really fun stuff in the middle with both the vocals and the horns, which takes it to another level.”

Another interesting dynamic within the band is that Burhans’ daughter, Emily Singer, is the lead vocalist. Raised around music, Singer’s involvement in the band adds a family touch to their performances.

The band has been performing at different venues around the county, but there are some limitations due to the group’s size of the group.

They mainly play at Eclipse Company Store in The Plains, but also have played at Uncle Bucks, Charlie’s Red Star Barn, and on the Ohio University campus.

The Honeybees have performed at local festivals as well, including the Paw Paw Festival, Nelsonville Music Festival, and several Sternwheel festivals. They also perform at weddings a few times a year.

The band plans to celebrate the 10-year milestone on June 22 at Eclipse Company Store. Music and dancing will begin at 7 p.m.. Passion Works Studio and Devil’s Kettle will also be a part of the event, with Devil’s Kettle providing a Honeybees-inspired ale for attendees.

This anniversary is significant for the group, marking a decade filled with memories and experiences. Between the horn section and the powerful blend of vocals, this band has been a very prevalent part of the Athens community.

“What I enjoy most about the band is the camaraderie and joy we all share playing together, and our ability to get that feeling across to our audience,” added Burhans. Musically, it’s the wall of sound that we create with the horn section. There ain’t nothin’ like it, as they say.

“Also (taking my own prejudice into account): I have to say our vocal section is superb. It’s not just Emily Singer, but it’s Laura Risler as well, along with David Sanders, who often contributes a third vocal line. They blend their voices perfectly, and it’s not just the sounds, but again the joy, which emanates from the stage and gets people dancing to the music.”