Meet the 20 Contestants Competing on the First Season of ‘Clash of the Cover Bands’
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The anticipation is building for the Clash of the Cover Bands premiere on Oct. 13. The full cast has finally been announced and it is nothing short of dynamic. Every genre is represented by the contestants who are all expert tribute performers. They will all go head to head for the chance to win a cash prize and the opportunity to perform on The Tonight Show.
1. Amanda Kate Covering Carrie Underwood
Amanda Kate is the lead singer of Blown Away: A Tribute To Carrie Underwood. She released her album Time in October 2019. She started singing professionally when she was 14 and was inspired by her mother who was also a musician. The Texas country singer just released a cover of Underwood and Jason Aldean’s “If I Didn’t Love You.” Amanda has an authentic country sound and you can tell by her covers that she loves being up on stage.
2. Connie Pena Covering Jennifer Lopez
Connie Pena became popular in the media for bearing a striking resemblance to Jennifer Lopez. The Peruvian and Mexican singer is a mother of two just like Lopez. Her experience working in the Latin nightclub scene taught her a lot about the entertainment business. She became the Lead Coordinator of hair and makeup for The Latin Grammys and served as the host, producer, and director of 702 En Vivo. It was at the 2018 Latin Billboard Awards that spectators confused her with Lopez. She decided to turn all of the buzz into a tribute act. In 2019, Connie got to meet Lopez for the first time.
3. Erika Moul Covering Lady Gaga
Erika Moul first performed as Lady Gaga during a cabaret show in college. It was such a success that people began calling her “Baby Gaga.” She began performing in the Legends in Concert show in Las Vegas and has taken her act all over the world. She most recently began performing it at Tropicana in Atlantic City. Erika met Lady Gaga for the first time in 2017. She shared with her 17,500 Instagram followers that she just got married.
4. Katie Murdock Covering Britney Spears
Katie Murdock also performed during the Legends in Concert show with her Britney Spears tribute act. She began singing at the age of two with her musical family. After continuously hearing that she looks like Spears, she decided to turn that into a career. She sounds exactly like Spears and even has the same incredible dance moves too.
5. Fooz Fighters Covering Foo Fighters
Fooz Fighters are a Foo Fighters tribute band that was nominated for Tribute Artist of the Year at the 2020 Musivv Digital Music Awards. Lead singer Nicky Rich looks exactly like Dave Grohl and has the classic rock voice to match. The band is currently on tour across the U.S. through December. Fooz Fighters have performed in so many packed venues. This onstage experience will certainly come in handy on Clash of the Cover Bands.
6. Adam Rutledge Covering Keith Urban
Adam Rutledge is a Nashville artist who is no stranger to performing with huge country stars like Old Dominion and Toby Keith. Once he heard Keith Urban’s Golden Road album, he knew right away that he wanted to be a country singer. He also plays in a KISS tribute band, KISS America. He’s got the rocker edge and the country twang which will be unstoppable on the Clash of the Cover Bands stage.
7. Elaine Gibbs Covering Aretha Franklin
Elaine Gibbs was 13 when she began singing. She competed on the first season of The X Factor and was mentored by Nicole Scherzinger. Her career has been full of amazing opportunities including voiceover work for Disney Studios and performing with Justin Timberlake. She has a legendary voice that perfectly pairs with Aretha Franklin’s huge song catalog.
8. Fix You Covering Coldplay
Fix You is a Coldplay tribute band, named after one of the group’s most popular songs to date. The group from Charlotte, North Carolina has been performing together for 11 years. The band radiates the same energy as Coldplay up on stage. They nailed everything from Chris Martin’s mannerisms to his incredible style. They look like total rockstars and are the ones to watch on Clash of the Cover Bands.
9. Blank 281 covering Blink-182
Blank 281 is a Blink-182 tribute band. They are all about performing nostalgic songs from Blink-182’s early years. They have been performing together for over 12 years at venues all over the U.S. The band has dominated the college scene, performing at 48 schools since 2007. Blank 281 absolutely slays all of Blink-182’s angsty songs and brings humor to the stage, setting them apart from other tribute acts.
10. Strangelove – The Depeche Mode Experience Covering Depeche Mode
Strangelove – The Depeche Mode Experience is a Depeche Mode tribute band. The group honors all of the musical contributions Depeche Mode has made to the world of electronic music in their 40-year career. Strangelove has perfected everything from the Essex accents to their overall passion for Depeche Mode’s work on stage.
11. Annika Weaver Covering Cher
Annika Weaver is a singer from Sweden who hails from a musical family. She performs with the Legends in Concert show like a few of the other Clash of the Cover Bands contestants. Her Cher tribute act is amazingly uncanny. She’s multitalented and has also built a career as a Faith Hill tribute artist.
12. Shot of Poison Covering Poison
Shot of Poison is a Poison tribute band from New England. Lead singer Frank Pupillo looks exactly like Bret Michaels. To celebrate the 35th anniversary of Poison, Shot of Poison will be performing shows through November. They also have some shows on their schedule for the spring of 2022.
13. Slippery When Wet – The Ultimate Bon Jovi Tribute Covering Bon Jovi
Slippery When Wet – The Ultimate Bon Jovi Tribute formed in 2003. It all started when Jason Morey was often confused for Jon Bon Jovi. Dave Chapelle invited him backstage at a comedy show thinking that he was actually Bon Jovi. He decided right then and there to take advantage of the resemblance. They have performed all over the world and even played the pre-game of Super Bowl 48 in New Jersey. In 2019, they were chosen to perform on the Runaway to Paradise Cruises with Bon Jovi.
14. Lori Mitchell-Gay Covering Tina Turner
Lori Mitchell-Gay performs a Tina Turner tribute act for the Legends in Concert show. She grew up singing in her church choir. Lori also performs tribute acts to Diana Ross and Whitney Houston, a career she started in 1992. She was one of the performers on the first-ever Legends in Concert cruise ship. Her favorite era of music of Turner’s to perform is the ’90s.
15. Adam Tucker Covering Tim McGraw
Adam Tucker is also known as Vegas McGraw, a Tim McGraw tribute artist. He has been performing this act for over a decade. His idea for the act came after everyone kept saying he sounded too much like McGraw. He has opened for artists like Taylor Swift, Blake Shelton, and Luke Bryan. He performs some of McGraw’s biggest hits from the ’90s which are totally swoon-worthy.
16. Rus Anderson Covering Elton John
Rus Anderson is a musician from Glasgow, Scotland who performs an Elton John tribute. He was selected as John’s official body double for his Farewell Yellow Brick Road world tour promotional footage. Rus performs in The Rocket Man Show, a colorful stage show featured in venues all across the U.S. He is going to be a major force to be reckoned with on Clash of the Cover Bands.
17. Elisa Furr covering Celine Dion
Elisa Furr was 14 years old when she began singing. Her incredible voice has led her to share the stage with Chaka Khan. People began to notice how similar her voice was to Celine Dion’s. She decided to turn it into a full-fledged career. Elisa is a music composer for television and film and an audio engineer. Her songs have been heard on thousands of television shows throughout her career.
18. Unforgettable Fire Covering U2
Unforgettable Fire is a U2 tribute band that came together in 1995. They are one of the first U2 cover bands that ever performed in America. In 2015, Unforgettable Fire was performing at The Cutting Room when U2 members The Edge and Adam Clayton showed up. They performed two songs together and was certainly a memorable day for Unforgettable Fire.
19. Crazy Babies covering Ozzy Osbourne
Crazy Babies performs a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne’s solo catalog and his biggest hits with Black Sabbath. The group was formed in 2015 and has since dedicated its time to create a realistic concert experience by pulling out all of the stops. Michael Boyd Quinton is a dynamite vocalist, nailing Osbourne’s powerful sound and distinct looks.
20. Karen Hester Covering Dolly Parton
Karen Hester is phenomenal in her Dolly Parton tribute act. She performed in the off-Broadway version of The Marvelous Wonderettes and opened for Trace Adkins in the past. Karen has taken this act abroad and has performed it on World’s Greatest Tribute Bands.
How about the shock Rock genre? Alice Cooper? Www. Detroit nightmare. Com
Almost Queen should be contestants
You missed two great ones. Leonid & Friends, covering Chicago (plus Earth, Wind & Fire + others); and Abbacadabra covering Abba.