Edwardsville native and well-known local artist Sean Hileman and carefully hand-picked band members to rock the Loading Dock

EDWARDSVILLE - Whether you’re a big fan of country music or not, most everyone has heard of Jason Aldean and his music.  With more than 14 number one hits, he’s one of the hottest country artists of our time.  

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With that being said, there’s not too many singers around that are talented enough to pay tribute to such an artist.  “Wheels Rollin, a Jason Aldean Tribute Show,” with the vocals of Edwardsville native, Sean Hileman, has recently formed the perfect collection of artists to do just that.

“The idea was brought about when I was singing in contests and I always found myself doing Jason Aldean songs,” said Hileman. “My voice sounds similar to Jason Aldean and even my style of singing is much like his.”

Wheels Rollin was officially established in February, though it was something Sean has been eager to form for the past five years.

“I have a great band and we have been working really hard to give everybody the best show possible,” said Hileman.

Born in Alton and raised in Edwardsville, Sean certainly is no stranger to performing on stage.  Competing in local contests like Harris Lucky Break, his voice has won many competitions around the St. Louis region. He lived a short while in Nashville doing backup vocals for many artists and performing in the local venues. Sean made it through rounds of auditions for American Idol, Nashville Star and other talent contests in the Nashville area.    

Eventually, Sean returned to Edwardsville and continued to sing competitively around the area and was employed as a wedding singer on the side. In December of 2010, Sean competed against several contestants and won the Country Strong Singing Challenge for the St. Louis region. 

“I’ve been singing competitively since I was 15,” said Hileman. “Singing is my passion and something I just love to do.” 

Most weekends, you can find Sean performing locally as the lead singer for Blackwater Revival Band.

Sean is known for his power house vocals and has heard people tell him for years how much his sound resembles Jason Aldean.  Being a fan of Aldeans’ music himself, a tribute show sounded like the perfect direction to go and in February of this year, Wheels Rollin, Jason Aldean Tribute Show was born.    

Ray WarrenSean’s vision of what he wanted this tribute show to be has come together triumphantly.  Backed by 6 of the area’s most talented musicians, Hileman has assembled a tribute band that will definitely be one to remember.  If there’s one thing that’s apparent from listening to these guys during a practice in the studio, it’s that they are the real deal.

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“I could stand up there and sing all night long, but it takes a complete band to bring a great show,” said Hileman. 

Glenn SiesSean shares the stage with Ray Warren (Keyboard & Acoustic Guitar), Glenn Sies (Guitar & Vocals), Mike Crider (Guitar), Mark Ray (Bass Guitar), Danny Rolens (Drums) & Scott Lesinski (Fiddle).  Sean has over 100 years of combined talent and experience backing up his vocals for this tribute show. 

Ray Warren was born into a musical family and by the age of 14, he was already playing with musicians all over the St. Louis area.  He lived in Branson, Mo. for a while working with many artists and met people who worked with the legendary Johnny Cash.  Ray also worked as an engineer for the Branson Radio Café, a live show that broadcasted from coast to coast.  Ray’s talent caught the eye of country artist Ricky Skaggs and was asked to join his band.  Since Ray has returned to his roots in St. Louis, he has been preforming with Doc Holiday over the years and continues to perform weekly all over the region.

Mike CriderGlenn Sies is a highly talented performer, bringing both his skills on the guitar and his strong vocals to the stage.  His passion for music began over 40 years ago when he learned to play the guitar and the keyboard.  Glenn has been a vital component in many bands over the years and has had the opportunity to work with many artists.  He currently plays with the band Doc Holiday and looks forward to every performance.

Mike Crider brings his own unique style to the stage in every performance.  He has been playing guitar and bass guitar for over 17 years. Over his career, he has played with many bands and many genres of music, from heavy metal to country. He definitely brings his energy and talent to the stage at every show. Mike currently performs with the Blackwater Revival band, entertaining crowds across the region.

Mark RayMark Ray is a lifelong resident of Alton, Il, and a veteran of the St. Louis music scene.  He has played bass guitar in many of the area’s top performing bands both rock & country music and feels he is only getting stronger.  Mark is a “pocket player” and greatly enjoys the unique rhythms of every song he plays.  You can find Mark almost every weekend performing right alongside Sean and Mike in Blackwater Revival.

Scott Lesinski found his love for music at an early age.  He began playing the keyboard at the age of 5 and learning the violin at the age of 10.  That very first violin is one of Scotts’ prized possessions, now kept in a glass case and has even been signed by Charlie Daniels himself.  His passion for music is overwhelming and it shows in every performance.  Scotts’ talent earned him the privilege to open for many artists such as Jamie Johnson and Craig Morgan. 

Scott LesinskiDanny Rolens started playing the drums professionally at the age of 12 in his father’s country band.  Over the years, he played for many well-known talented bands such as Baywolfe, The Long Haired Country Boys and General Lee.  He is a perfectionist at what he does and takes the roll of being the driving beat of the band very seriously.  For the past 13 years, Danny’s passion is being the drummer for a contemporary Christian band named On The Path.  He has been married to the love of his life for 22 years, has 2 beautiful children and in his words, “I am truly blessed.”

Danny RolensOn August 14th, the Wheels Rollin, Jason Aldean Tribute Show takes the stage inside the historic Boatworks building at The Loading Dock Bar and Grill in Grafton. This all-ages show will be jam packed with over two hours of Jason Aldean’s greatest hits and some of Hileman’s personal favorites from Aldean’s albums.  

“Our fans can look forward to a high energy show with many of Jason Aldean’s favorites,” said Hileman. “We will also play some other Aldean songs that may not have made it on radio play, but are some of his best songs.”

Tickets are $15, general admission and available online at www.ticketweb.com, at the Riverbender building in downtown Alton or available at the door the night of the show. 

“It’s an honor to be able to sing these songs for people,” said Hileman. “Everyone that comes out is going to have a blast, because we are coming to party!”

LIKE WHEELS ROLLIN ON FACEBOOK!Brittany Kohler also contributed to this story.

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