(WESTFIELD, NJ) -- Union County-based country band Southpaw has had a string of successes since launching their debut album “Unhitched” in February. Their self-produced album peaked at #3 on Amazon’s Hot New Country Releases chart, they’ve gained radio play around the world, and now they are a national finalist in the Jack Daniel's Battle of the Bar Bands, sponsored by iHeartRadio.
Just 46 bands nationwide were chosen for the competition. One national winner will receive a $10,000 check and an opportunity to perform on an iHeartRadio stage. Voting is open to fans until 11:59pm on July 25, the same day Southpaw will take the stage at the NJ Festival of Ballooning, which also features headliners Styx and Barenaked Ladies.
“We’re really excited to be in the running for this honor, especially with all the extra hard work it took to produce and release ‘Unhitched’ in the headwinds of the COVID pandemic,” said lead singer Christine Radlmann.
Southpaw’s early success is a testament to the pluckiness of the New Jersey trio, who draw on an unusually wide range of skills beyond music, including broadcast production, videography, film editing, web site design, and social media marketing, to carve their own path in country music from the heart of New Jersey.
“Most people don’t think of country music when they hear New Jersey. But early country never would have happened if not for Victor Records in Camden signing Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter family,” said Southpaw guitarist Colin McConnell. Added keyboardist Sean Garnhart, “Country music is really about what’s in the heart, not where you’re from, and that’s why it’s so popular all over the world.”
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Southpaw gained entry to the Jack Daniel's Battle of the Bar Bands with their intoxicating honky tonk country single, “Ain’t As Easy As You Drink I Am.” Said Radlmann, “Let’s just say it’s a tongue-in-cheek homage to every guy who ever got a little too confident when drinking at the local watering hole.”
Southpaw is presently starting its first tour and producing its second music video, which follows a video for their single “Within You” that quickly gained 15,000 views on social media.
Formed in 2018, Southpaw is a collaboration of three Union County, New Jersey musicians with distinctly different acclaimed creative careers—published poet and literary editor Christine Radlmann, Emmy-winning sound designer Sean Garnhart, and award-winning advertising professional Colin McConnell.
PHOTO: (left to right) Sean Garnhart, Christine Radlmann, and Colin McConnell
Here is a look at shows taking place from February 10-16, 2026 along with our featured listings and a look at some upcoming shows. New Jersey Stage offers previews of concerts throughout the Garden State as well as select shows in New York City and Philadelphia areas.
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey presents Buddy Guy on Saturday, August 8, 2026 at 8:00pm. At nearly 90 years old, Buddy Guy remains a singular force in American music. Fresh off earning his ninth Grammy® Award in 2026 for Best Traditional Blues Album (Ain't Done with the Blues), the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and one of the last living architects of electric blues will celebrate a historic milestone with the Buddy Guy 90 Tour, featuring select headline performances across North America in 2026.
Alex Dawson is full-time faculty at Rutgers University, where he teaches creative writing with a focus on folklore, fantasy, and horror; hosts Inside the Writers House, a video chat with acclaimed authors from all over the world; and leads fable-fueled Study Abroad programs to some of the planet's most mythical places.
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