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Home:TKE News:Frater Leads Band to Become The Next American Star

07/08/2009 - Frater Leads Band to Become The Next American Star

CHICAGO, Ill. - Awake in Reno, a band led by Frater Jonathan Rojas (Gamma, Univ. of Illinois), is in a heated competition to be The Next American Star . The band recently performed at the House of Blues in Chicago with a number of other acts in the regional finals for a chance to compete at the next level, but they need your help to win.

After a month of voting, they were chosen to participate in the finals along with two other male led bands. There is also two other regional finals for the West and East. The winners of each region will receive $5,000 and the chance at $25,000 in the National Finals. Frater Jon said this experience has been more than he could have imagined.

"The House of Blues is amazing," he said. "To have our first show at such an infamous venue was unbelievable. I played with a new guitarist and drummer that have only been in the group for two weeks, so the preparation for this event was stressful. But we worked extra hard, and got through. We had the largest crowd and we stole the show for sure. It was surreal to have a sea of people in front of me singing the words and melodies I wrote. I can't say that there is anything more satisfying."

Though he had a job when the competition began, he is pretty sure since he hasn't shown up because of this competition it's probably not there anymore. He is feeling pretty good about the decision to go after his dream, however.

Listen to a song they have just remade.

"If we win the competition it would give us a huge boost in our success. In only four months we've gotten over a half million hits and plays on myspace. That's how The Next American Star found us. We sound different, and we've been building this buzz around Chicago and all over the net. A win in this competition will only help me to be able to concentrate solely on the music and making this work."

He credits his Teke experience as a boost to his success so far. "Learning how to work well with others has been an integral part of keeping this project together. There are so many obstacles that I have had to overcome in this short period of time. Working from the bottom is very similar to the new member process. Having to count on other people for your success isn't easy, so having patience and thick skin is key. Also, the bonds and friendship I made while being a TKE are very similar to the ones I am currently making with my band mates. When you work closely with others towards a common goal, it makes the end result that much sweeter."

Frater Jon believes that will the help of the TKE Nation, Awake in Reno can win this competition. You may even get a sneak peak at them at Conclave in New Orleans, but it all hinges on you. So take a few moments out of your day and sign up at The Next American Star, become a fan and "Super Vote" every day. That will give them five (5) votes each day. Please note you do not need to complete steps two or three of the sign up, it's free and the site does not spam or sell your email addresses to commercial companies.

If you would like to see your chapter or alumni news here, contact Director of Communication Tom McAninch.