When one’s thinking about artists who would successfully crossover genres from rock’n’roll to country, it’s easy to see how Darius Rucker or Jon Bon Jovi would make that jump. But Aaron Lewis? The former lead singer of nu metal hitmakers Staind has reinvented himself and is now presenting an extremely accessible country persona.
Lewis was born in 1972 in New England and spent his youth in New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts—not exactly known as a country music hotbed. Country wasn’t prominently featured in his musical history. An early band of his, J-CAT, featured initial renditions of two of Staind’s biggest hits: “Outside” and “It’s Been A While.” The latter went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart for 20 weeks. The song’s video, featuring a sullen Lewis, was directed by fellow early 2000s alt metal hitmaker, Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit.
It’s been quite a transition for Lewis, who released his first country EP, Town Line, in 2010. He found success with “Endless Summer” from the album The Road in 2012. Lewis is currently on tour for The Sinner, his second country album, which was released in 2016. It reached No. 1 on the US Top Country Albums chart, proving that country stars can come from anywhere, even New England.
The Orleans, 8 p.m. April 14-15, starting at $49.95 plus tax and fee. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster
