Tre Aaron
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Tre Aaron

Minneapolis, MN | Established. Jan 01, 2016

Minneapolis, MN
Established on Jan, 2016
Band Country Jam

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"Tre Aaron Headlines Halloween Show In St. Paul"

Local music veteran, Tre Aaron, will be headlining Halloween Hell Yeah, at Wild Tymes and Palace Stage, located at 33 West 7th Place in St. Paul on Friday, Oct. 28.

Doors for the 21-plus show open at 8 p.m. and the show begins at 9 p.m.

Although the modern musical landscape has changed dramatically, in recent years country artists of color are still a rarity – especially in the Twin Cities. A multi-instrumentalist, Aaron is best known for his energetic playing, and offbeat style (he usually plays barefoot).

Though Aaron had established himself as a distinctive figure in the Twin Cities local music scene, a Black man playing country is still a rare sight, and many booking agents, venue owners and audiences didn’t quite know what to make of it at first.

“Being a Black artist is already challenging enough, without playing country music, a genre in which there are very few artists of color. But authenticity outweighs preconceptions. I play from the heart, and that’s what people connect with,” said Aaron.

Aaron credits his mother and his late paternal grandmother (an accomplished stride/boogie piano player) with igniting his passion for country music. He took piano lessons when he was young, but at age 12, he switched to guitar, and on a subsequent trip to Guitar Center inadvertently bought a “guitar with four strings” not realizing it was a bass. By high school, he was playing both guitar and bass proficiently. In high school, he picked up trombone, and played upright bass with the marching and concert bands.

Headlining the Halloween Hell Yeah show at Wild Tymes and Palace Stage in St. Paul is an honor for Aaron.

“I’m ecstatic,” said the unique artist. “There are going to be hundreds of Halloween parties at the clubs and bars, but they aren’t going to be playing country. Halloween Hell Yeah is going to be amazing. I can’t wait.” - Insight News


"Local country artist headlines ‘Red, White & Boom’ July Fourth celebration"

With a rough airy voice, Tre Aaron is hoping to make a space for himself in country music. Aaron is often shy concerning his good looks and muscular build, but exhibits the personality of an extrovert when his feet hit the stage.

Tre Aaron and The Sidewalk Blues Boys decided to make themselves official as a country music band in October 2016. The band, made up of five members, consists of Aaron on vocals and guitar, Phil Miller on guitar, Robert King on drums, Matt Vernon on guitar and vocals, and Santiago Fernandez-Gimenez on bass guitar and vocals. Each member has bounced around in various bands for 15-25 years.

Aaron gained his musical chops from his mother who’s a singer and his father who plays the drums. When asked who he’d want to share a stage with, Aaron said, “My grandmother, Julia. She passed [away] back in 2013 and she was an amazing stride piano player…

“I never really got a chance to [perform] with my grandmother. I don’t think I could keep up though. She was born in 1919, but even to the end, she could still play circles around most folks.” Harlem Stride Piano originated in the 1920s and 1930s as a jazz style of music in larger east coast cities such as New York. Notable stride pianists are James P. Johnson, Thomas “Fats” Waller, Louis Mazetier, Butch Thompson and Stephanie Trick.

When asked about defining “Black music” Aaron replied, “Black music is American music. You can’t have American music, both literally and figuratively, without Black music and Black musicians.” Aaron also said, “To me, Black music is music — there is no separation, no differentiating.”

He has been challenged on this view point since junior high school when other students would ask him why he’s not a rapper. Aaron contended, “If the music is made by Black artists, then it’s Black music. If the music is enjoyed by, and connects to Black listeners, then it’s Black music.”

For Aaron, being a Black artist in the country music genre has had a few challenges, but in the end his response is, “I’m keeping it real to what’s in my heart, and it’s the only way I can get it out.” He recalled a time when a venue that initially showed interest in their music, wouldn’t book them once they reviewed the band’s website full of pictures. Aaron wouldn’t say which venue it was.

He told of another occasion at Acadia on the West Bank when a few college kids started throwing the N-word around and no one in the venue addressed the college students. Aaron said, “But even on the toughest days, I wouldn’t and couldn’t trade it for any other genre — it’s who I am.”

Aaron and the band have been making their way around town at local events, bars and music joints, including the May Day Festival in Powderhorn Park and popular St. Paul locations like Fern’s Bar & Grill and Wild Tymes Bar & Grill.

The band has had the most opportunity in Minneapolis on the West Bank Campus of the University of Minnesota where they started at Palmer’s Bar.

Aaron mentioned that in the future, he has his sights on playing the Minnesota State Fair, Pizza Lucé Block Party, the Cabooze, and First Avenue, where parts of the movie Purple Rain were filmed.

“It’s amazing that we’re playing at ‘Red, White and Boom’” the band’s next gig, which is usually held on the Mississippi Riverfront of downtown Minneapolis and hosted by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board in observance of Independence Day, July Fourth.

“Red, White and Boom” kicks off July 4 at 6:30 am with the Twin Cities Half Marathon, and ends with live music from 6-10 pm. Fireworks begin at 10 pm. The festivities are free. Go to www.minneapolisparks.org for more details.

To keep up with Tre Aaron and the Sidewalk Blues Boys, visit www.treaaron.com online. - Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder


"Tre Aaron on KFAI"

Taylor Cisco, or if you know him by his pen name- T Aaron Cisco Author, OR his musical alias Tre Aaron, will be joining us tomorrow morning of @kfai.am.drive to talk about his upcoming appearance at the CONsole Room (@mplsconsoleroom), the Official Twin Cities #DoctorWho fan convention on the weekend of January 17-19. - KFAI A.M. Drive


Discography

Still working on that hot first release.

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Bio

One of the only Black Country Artists gigging out in the Twin Cities, Tre Aaron (and his backing band, The Sidewalk Blues Boys), grew up listening to everything. Genres meant nothing. That open enjoyment influenced his own writing and compositions. Over the years, Tre has played all over the country, performing all sorts of tunes, for all sorts of people. Big stages, small stages, hell- sometimes even no stage at all, writing, recording, playing and performing is in his blood. Tre doesn't want to change the world. He just want to make it bob its' head, move its' feet, and enjoy music. Midwest Music. For you. For me. For real. Tre Aaron has been featured in Insight News, Minnesota Spokesman Recorder, City Pages, KFAI, 107.1 MyTalk, and numerous podcasts. He currently lives in South Minneapolis, and is as passionate about the Twin Cities as he is about his music.

Band Members