In the thriving college bar scene of Statesboro and beyond, a new band is rapidly establishing itself through discipline and a commitment to storytelling.

 Red Oaks Music—comprised of lead singer, Lane Whidden (lead vocals), Payson Sullivan (lead guitar), and Michael Campbell (drums)—is quickly becoming the local band to watch.

The group defines itself with three powerful adjectives: tenacious, disciplined, and entertaining. This work ethic is essential, given the members’ diverse and demanding lives, which include Lane and Payson navigating school as well as Michael managing a full-time career commitment.

The constant need to manage time between work and music has become the band’s biggest obstacle.

A Sound for Everyone

The band’s ability to draw a crowd comes from its refusal to be just one genre-bound. 

While Lane’s core influences lean toward country folk music that “creates imagery” and “is a storytelling song,” the band intentionally embraces a wide spectrum.

As Lane explains, this approach is central to their community interaction:

“We make that impact such as like we’ll play for everybody. It’s not one specific group of people that will enjoy our music. We do a little bit of everything. So everybody feels like they’re a part of it.”

For lead guitarist Payson Sullivan, the current goal is straightforward: maximum exposure. “As a new band, we just want to get as much… exposure,” Payson says. “I feel like we do have a bunch of potential to be a very good band.” 

Their current strategy involves consistent local gigs at spots like the Blue Room and college bars, as well as traveling across the Georgia border to cities like Athens and Tallahassee to widen their reach.

With their sound taking root in their local community—a heritage Michael Campbell believes makes the band “speak Georgian”—Red Oaks Music is well-positioned to grow from a local favorite to a regional tenacious powerhouse.

Keep watching this space for more updates about the band!