THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 18, 1996 TAG: 9604180038
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E3 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Interview
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
YOU KNOW BY now that country music is taking over the airwaves, the concert stages and the nightclubs.
It is heard these days where it was never heard before. Now, it is being seen where it's never been seen before.
Teen, Teen All-Stars, 16 Magazine and Tiger Beat - rock mags for teens and pre-teens - have all carried pictures and stories on Bryan White.
``This thing with the teenage magazines came out of nowhere,'' said White, who will be at the Norfolk Naval Air Station for a free concert Sunday. ``About 18 months ago, we noticed that a lot of younger folks were showing up. They were too young to get into the clubs, so we started having shows for them whenever we could.''
They are presented before regularly scheduled concerts - and they are alcohol-free.
``The magazines heard about all this and approached us,'' White said during a phone interview from Los Angeles. ``It took me by surprise.''
One reason for the teenybopper popularity is, well, look at that face. Another is his age. He is all of 22, a babe-in-arms compared to most of the country singers.
``I think the teens were actually waiting for somebody who they could relate to, somebody their age,'' White said.
In Dallas, he played to 2,500 young people; in Kansas City, police had to escort him to keep him from being mobbed by several youngsters who had camped out, waiting to meet him.
Not bad for a guy who has only been on the scene about a year. His first hit was a novelty, ``Eugene, You Genius.''
That was followed by ``Look at Me Now'' and White's most popular offering, the ``teen'' love tale of ``Rebecca Lynn.''
Next? ``An uptempo piece, `So Much for Pretending,' '' said the singer-songwriter, who co-wrote the Sawyer Brown hit ``I Don't Believe in Goodbye.''
No career goodbye for White anytime soon.
``You can achieve longevity if you remain true to what you do,'' he said. ``I cut the best music I can.''
He cut ``Brickyard Boogie'' on Steve Wariner's instrumental album, ``No More Mr. Nice Guy.'' He does not play guitar on that, but his first instrument, drums.
White describes Wariner as his mentor. ``He was my biggest influence. No one can take his place.''
White's place in country seems safe. ``Someone Else's Star'' and ``Rebecca Lynn'' went to No. 1, and his self-titled debut album went gold.
He was selected as Country Music Television's ``Rising Star'' for the network's 1995 year-end video countdown.
He was nominated in the Top New Male Vocalist category for the Country Music Awards, which will be announced Wednesday, and is nominated in the Star of Tomorrow - male category - for the TNN-Music City News Country Awards. That will be announced June 10. ILLUSTRATION: ASYLUM RECORDS
Bryan White gives special concerts for young people.
CONCERT FACTS
What: Bryan White's free concert follows air show
When: 5:30 p.m., Sunday
Where: Norfolk Naval Air Station, Hanger LP34
Information: Call 445-6647
by CNB