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Musical group Colors keeping fans happy with new hues and tones By
Jane Cardall
Seven years ago three guys met in their high school junior choir class. They began by just goofing around, playing their acoustic guitars and percussion music together, not even thinking of putting lyrics with it. One day, one of the guys wrote a poem titled Rain and wanted to put music to it. That day, the music went with the poem and Russell Dixon, Ryan Merrill and Brian Tibbets began their singing career by starting their group, Colors. Dixon recalls, "One day Brian and I were just messing around, playing some Simon and Garfunkel on the guitar when Ryan brought some words to a poem he had written and asked if we could turn it into a song. We gave it a shot, played it for a school assembly and that's how Colors got started." Colors, getting their name from a singing group that Dixon's mom was in during the '60s, performed a benefit concert for the American Red Cross in April at Ellen Eccles on Main Street in Logan. After Colors made their first song, they had so much fun that they decided to create a CD. "We made like 500 copies for our family and friends, trying to see if we could sell any of them," says Dixon. "We ended up selling all of them so we decided to make 500 more copies and they all sold too. We were so surprised and had so much fun with it that we wanted to do another one." By the time they had finished high school, Colors had already began their second album. The three of them decided to move from their hometown, Kaysville, and start their college education at Utah State University. They moved into a house together, continued playing their music for a year, finishing their second album. This one is titled Standing on the Sun. At the end of the year they all decided to take a break and each served a two-year mission for the LDS Church. "We didn't know if we'd pick it up again or not after our missions, but we did and ended up doing another CD." Sherie Johnson, a true fan of Colors, says she's glad that they decided to keep doing their music. "I heard about them a couple of years ago from one of my roommates, and they are really good. It was fun to listen to them knowing that they went to Utah State and all their music makes you want to just sing along with them." Over the past seven years Colors has created four albums. Outside the Lines is their most recent. Since it was released in November, it has sold 14,000 copies. Each album's name and every song that has been written have some type of meaning to the boys. Outside the Lines was a chosen a little bit different than the rest, though. "We put a list of a couple of names that we wanted to name the album on our web site, www.colorsmusic.com," says Dixon, "and we let the fans choose what name they liked best. Outside the Lines won by far." On this album, Colors wrote and played a few reggae songs to mix it up a little bit. Dixon says that they are some of his favorite songs that they have ever performed. Johnson agrees, "On their newest album, I really like the reggae songs because it's different than what they've ever done before and you can really get into it." Since Colors began in 1994, they have traveled many places all over the world including Thailand and Canada, playing for many corporate events, college campuses and activities, high schools and benefit concerts. The group recently got back from performing in Virginia and Dixon says that every weekend until the end of May, the group will be traveling all over the United States to perform. "The traveling gets tiring, but I love it," Dixon says. "I've always loved to fly and it's so much fun being able to see the world doing what I love most, performing." Because Ryan and Brian are married, it's harder on them to travel, but the band does really enjoy it. When Colors has done performances, nothing too dramatic has gone wrong. Just little mistakes that usually no one can pick up on except for the boys. "I do remember one time right before a performance, Brian was walking up the stairs and it was completely dark. He ended up falling off the stage and hurt himself. No one saw it but us. That's about the worst thing that has gone wrong though," Dixon says. Overall the best thing Dixon says he loves about Colors is "making the music because it's what we are passionate about." The next best thing is the friendship that the three of them share. "We have never had any contention or arguments. We are all best friends and we know each other like brothers." All three of the men have about a year left to finish college and are all looking forward to whatever is next for them after the college life is over. If possible the three of them would like to continue their music careers as far as it will take them. "I think we'll ride this wave as far as we can. We're sure having a great time with it right now," Dixon says.
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