Thursday, October 11, 2012

We The Kings' Travis Clark says they're 'better people because of Bradenton' on one-year anniversary of big day


We The Kings' Travis Clark (center) during a Manatee County Commission meeting in Bradenton proclaiming Oct. 11, 2011 "We The Kings Day."

A year ago to the day, the members of Bradenton's nationally acclaimed pop-punk band were honored by the Manatee County Commission with "We the Kings Day." The group's many accomplishments include the hit single “Check Yes Juliet,” which has garnered nearly 14 million views on YouTube and sold more than 1 million copies.

Singer/guitarist Travis Clark, who grew up in Bradenton and has a home here, checked in with The Herald on Wednesday following a trip to Brazil to talk about the honor.

"It's hard to believe that it's been a year," Clark said. "When we think back to all of the amazing things that have happened so far, we always remember the key to the city, the annual hometown shows, and We The Kings Day!"
 
Clark graduated from Manatee High School in 2003. The front man, along with his We the Kings band mates Hunter Thomsen (guitar, backing vocals) and Danny Duncan (drums), grew up in Bradenton and attended King Middle School, which is where the group got its name.

"You don't know how much your hometown can shape you as a person until you leave," Clark said. "And I can safely say that each one of us in the band are better people because of Bradenton, because of our family, because of our friends, and because of our fans."

"941 forever," he added, referencing the Manatee County area code. "We'll see you at the 6th annual hometown We The Kings show."

The 5th annual We the Kings homecoming show took place Dec. 29 at The Hall in Palmetto. Stay tuned for details on this year's We The Kings concert in Manatee County.

Jamie Gregorich, the sous chef at award-winning Longboat Key restaurant Euphemia Haye and a culinary instructor at Manatee Technical Institute, was also honored at the county commission meeting last year for the classy way she displayed her immense cooking skills on the hit Fox television show “Hell’s Kitchen.”The county had proclaimed Oct. 12, 2011, “Jamie Gregorich Day.”

—Herald file photo by Paul Videla.

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