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.

UPDATED 12/29: Travis Clark promises special We the Kings hometown show tonight

UPDATED 12/29:

"We the Kings to play 5th annual Palmetto show"

Bradenton’s We the Kings return again from touring the states and abroad to play a special show in front of their most loyal fans for the fifth year in a row. The pop-punk band will perform Thursday (Dec. 29) at The Hall in Palmetto.

It marks the only WTK performance of 2011 in Manatee County.

“This one will be a little more loosely structured than a normal show,” singer/guitarist Travis Clark said today while on his way to lunch in Bradenton. “People shout out songs and we’ll play it.”

Check back here or here Dec. 29  for complete story, including info on some cool covers Clark plans on playing.

—Photo by PAUL VIDELA/pvidela@bradenton.com Travis Clark, right, of We The Kings performed a concert just for students Sept. 13 at The Bridge Church in Bradenton.

If you go
What: We The Kings 5th Annual Hometown Show with Official Hot
Mess and more band to be announced
When: 7 p.m. Dec. 29
Where: The Hall, 1330 U.S. 301, Palmetto Tickets: $12 (advance); $15 (day of show).
They can be purchased at The Hall; Georgia Carpet World, a 5425 14th
St. W., Bradenton; or at Jiffy Lube, 5220 Manatee Ave., Bradenton.
Information: 941-552-2248 or www.thehallinpalmetto.com.

UPDATED 4 p.m.: 'We the Kings Day' in Bradenton and across Manatee County; 'Jamie Gregorich Day' Oct. 12

UPDATED at 4 p.m.:

Celebrated chef Jamie Gregorich and We the Kings singer/guitarist Travis Clark being honored in Bradenton. Photo by Wade Tatangelo

Singer, guitarist Travis Clark, wearing sunglasses and a short sleeve shirt that revealed his ample tattoos, gave the Manatee County commissioner a hug before addressing the audience.

“This is one of the awards you remember the rest of you life,” he said. “In 2008 we received the key to the city and now this from our hometown, it’s remarkable. We’re so appreciative of all of you.”

Click for entire story and more pics.

We the Kings members are in downtown Bradenton for special day.

Million-selling Bradenton rock band We the Kings are being honored today by Manatee County Commission.

Headed over there right now with photographer. Will update post ASAP.

Celebrated local chef and "Hell's Kitchen" contestant Jamie Gregorich also being honored.

Read all about it:

"We the Kings and celebrity chef receive local honors"

—publicity photo

Platinum-selling rockers We the Kings and celebrity chef Jamie Gregorich to be honored by Manatee County

 Travis Clark, right, of We The Kings plans to attend Manatee County Commission meeting. Photo by PAUL VIDELA/pvidela@bradenton.com.

The next Manatee County Commission will feature some of the area's top celebrities.

Platinum-selling rockers We the Kings and “Hell’s Kitchen” contestant Jamie Gregorich are scheduled to attend the Oct. 11 Board of County Commission meeting to receive proclamations in their honor.

"We the Kings’ Travis Clark to play solo show in Bradenton"

Gregorich, culinary instructor at Manatee Technical Institute in Bradenton and sous chef at Longboat Key’s Golden Spoon-winning restaurant Euphemia Haye, will receive a proclamation naming Oct. 12 “Jamie Gregorich Day.” The 25-year-old Bradenton native was featured prominently on the hit Fox reality show earlier this year.

 Jamie Gregorich, center, chats with students Joe Matthews, left, and Kala King during class at Manatee Technical Institute. Photo by PAUL VIDELA/pvidela@bradenton.com. 

"The angel of ‘Hell’s Kitchen’

In the kitchen with Bradenton’s Jamie Gregorich"

We the Kings will receive a proclamation naming Oct. 11 “We the Kings Day” in Manatee County. The band’s hit single “Check Yes Juliet” has garnered 12 million views on YouTube (see below) and brought the band platinum-record status in 2010 for selling one million copies of the song.

“Manatee County is proud to recognize Jamie and We the Kings,” said Commission Chairman Carol Whitmore in a statement. “They all have grown up in Manatee County attending King Middle School and Jamie grew up on Anna Maria Island. Their national attention has put us on the map.”

The proclamation presentations will begin at 1:30 p.m. in the first floor chambers of Manatee County Administrative Building, 1112 Manatee Ave., W., Bradenton. The meeting can be viewed live online at www.mymanatee.org/mga or Bright House channel 622, Verizon channel 30; Comcast channel 20.

UPDATED 9/12: We the Kings' Travis Clark to play solo show in Bradenton

UPDATED 9/12: Full story running today in Bradenton Herald:

"We the Kings’ Travis Clark to play solo show in Bradenton"

Travis Clark of We the Kings. Photo by Tara Vetro courtesy of Clark family.

Here's some news that should excite fans of Bradenton's most famous pop-rock band.

Travis Clark of We The Kings will perform 5 p.m. Tuesday (Sept. 13) at The Bridge Church in Bradenton. It's a special community event open to middle and high school students only. Tickets are $10 at the door.

I just got off the phone with Clark and he sounded stoked about the gig.

“I just really like doing a solo, acoustic show,” he said before his band performed in Washington, D.C. “People really dig it when it’s that intimate.”

We the Kings is touring in support of its latest album, “Sunshine State of Mind,” the group’s third on S-Curve Records, now part of Universal Music. We the Kings’ new single, “Say You Like Me,” goes to radio Monday (Sept. 12.)

Visit my Bradenton Herald page Sunday (Sept. 11) Monday (Sept. 12) for complete Clark story. I'll eventually link back to it here as well. In addition, I'll have separate blog post containing some interesting stuff the singer/guitarist told me that didn't make final cut.

Information on Travis Clark show Sept. 13, The Bridge Church at Palma Sola Bay.

Clark shares solo, acoustic performance of the officially unreleased “Party, Fun, Love and Radio,” which we discussed during today's interview:

Bradenton band We the Kings at State Theatre in St. Pete

Travis Clark being interviewed for upcoming We the Kings DVD on top of the Bradenton Financial Center in downtown. Photo courtesy of Travis Clark.

Internationally acclaimed Bradenton pop-rock band We the Kings are performing tonight just across the Sunshine Skyway Brdige.

"Back home in Florida!!! Playing in St. Petersburg tonight at State Theater," lead singer/songwriter Travis Clark tweeted today. "Who's coming FLA?!"

We the Kings latest full-length release, "Sunshine State of Mind," came out  July 12 on S-Curve Records/Universal Music Group.

I interviewed Clark while he and the band were recording the album:

“The new record goes back to our roots and we’re writing songs that make people go crazy and have a blast,” Clark said. “It’s music to blast out of your car stereo. We might have one or two softer songs on it but the majority will be upbeat.”

Read rest of "Local rockers We the Kings home for holidays."

Details about tonight's show.

Bradenton rock band We the Kings studio update from New York

Bradenton pop-rock nobles We the Kings continue to work on their as-yet-untitled third album at a studio in New York. Singer/guitarist Travis Clark recently posted this picture on his popular blog WhoIsTravisClark:

"Started with drums today and finished ‘Kiss Me Last,’ ‘Rock Steady,’ ‘The Secret To New York,’ and ‘Over You,’" Clark wrote. "So far everything sounds amazing and with each and every piece of recorded music I get more and more excited to show you all."

Travis Clark interviewed for We the Kings DVD on top of Bradenton Financial Center Dec.22, 2010.

Clark discussed the song at the top of the chart, "Party, Fun, Love and Radio," with the Herald recently when the band came home to play the Hall in Palmetto and to shoot a live DVD there and around Bradenton leading up to the performance.

“I started writing ('Party, Fun, Love and Radio') and eventually it was so catchy instead of making it a typical song, I just put together all these musical hooks,” Clark said. “The whole thing is a lot like 'Check Yes Juliet.' It’s real radio friendly and a good way to kick things off.”

Official video for We the Kings' hit single "Check Yes Juliet"

UPDATED 4:35 P.M.: We The Kings DVD in Bradenton: concert Dec. 23

UPDATED 4:35 p.m.: Just got off the phone with Travis Clark of We the Kings. He's enjoying shooting DVD on Old Main Street in downtown Bradenton. The band will be filmed singing karaoke tonight at Tequila Beach Sport Grille, 7423 Manatee Ave.,W., Bradenton.

UPDATE 4:09 p.m: Travis Clark being interviewed for We the Kings DVD on top of what appears to be the Bradenton Financial Center in downtown:

UPDATE: Photo Gallery of Travis Clark arriving at SRQ Wednesday morning.

Photo by Paul Videla

Bradenton pop-rock band We the Kings, which recently were awarded for more than one million sales of single "Check Yes Juliet," are shooting their first DVD.

Singer/guitarist Travis Clark (pictured far right) will be met by camera crew and fans at SRQ airport at 11 a.m. today.

Filming began Wednesday at 9:41 p.m. and continues through 9:41 p.m. Thursday when WTK takes the stage at the Hall in Palmetto.

Clark explains in interview he did for this story running today in the Herald.

We the Kings track list for third album revealed

The image above appears to be track list for upcoming We the Kings album, or at least a rough draft of it.

"Here's where it starts," Travis Clark Tweeted, along with link to the photo, 35 minutes ago.

I spoke with Clark, of Bradenton pop-rock band We the Kings, today at noon for a story that will run Wednesday.

He mentioned working on the band's third album and said he'd like to see it released in spring of 2011.

Clark sounded most excited about "Party, Fun, Love and Radio."

"It may or may not be the first single," he said.