Each year, numerous WHHS students enroll in the school’s ensemble music classes. However, some students decide to take it upon themselves and form their own music groups.
“There’s nothing like being on a stage making people happy,” Aidan Ward, ‘25, said. “The money you can get from it is pretty nice; you can get a lot of tips. The sense of community is really fun, joking around with your friends and everything.”
Ward plays keyboard and performs vocals in two bands, Black Cherry and The Hot Rileys. While Black Cherry primarily performs Aerosmith covers, Ward co-writes and composes some songs for The Hot Rileys.
“I have a friend, Finn Riordan [‘26], who runs cross country with me, and I realized he likes the same exact kind of music as me,” Ward said when asked how the Hot Rileys formed. “He’s really creative and I like to play guitar, so I was like, ‘Hey, do you want to form a band?’ and he said, ‘Yeah.’”
While many student bands typically work as a group, some have found success on their own as a solo act. Ben Wright, ‘25, self-produces and records alternative music under the moniker Wizard Ben.
“When I was in my sophomore year, I had a lot of free time and I decided that I would get together a set list, take my guitar, and go [out],” Wright said. “I’d go to Newport and I’d do this thing called busking, which is playing in public for money, and I’d do it for five hours at a time once or twice a week, and I made like hundreds of dollars. One time I got an entire Chicago-style pizza because some guy just came up to me and he was like, ‘Here you go.’”
Each artist and group has their own style and source of inspiration; some are motivated by their favorite artists, while others wait for ideas to come to them throughout the day. However, being a full-time high school student creates inevitable time constraints for all aspiring musicians.
“We have to practice during the summer; it’s time-consuming,” C.C. Wise, ‘27, drummer for the band Tangerine, said. “When we go on stage, it’s a little bit nerve-wracking to perform in front of a whole bunch of people, but just being able to play with my friends and play these songs I like, it’s a lot of fun.”
Many of the members of these bands are enrolled in some music classes at WHHS, giving them the chance to perform live in the auditorium and numerous venues across the Greater Cincinnati area. For example, Black Cherry has performed at Seven Hills High School and Tangerine performed at the Northside Rock and Roll Festival.
“This is in my dreams, wishful thinking, [but] I really want to play on the SNL stage because it’s supposed to have amazing acoustics,” Wise said.
Music for Tangerine and Wizard Ben is available on Spotify and Apple Music. A portion of the revenue they earn from live performances and streaming services goes towards equipment and gigs. Additionally, The Hot Rileys intend to release their first album sometime this year.
“I’ve made like $7 or $8 [off of digital platforms], but hey, that’s $7 or $8 doing nothing,” Wright said.
With the ability to perform outside of school, students not only get to hone their musical skills but also foster relationships with friends and their community that resonate for years after high school.
“Don’t just [join a band] for money and do it with musicians you don’t really know,” Wise said. “Do it with your best friends, who you know you’re going to work well with. That’s what bands are for. They’re not for revenue; they’re just to have fun with your friends and play music that you love.”