Tremayne wins again

WINSTON COUNTY - Trips to Bessemer just keep getting sweeter for Tremayne.
The local band won its fourth Alabama Music Award recently during the 10th annual award ceremony, held at the Bessemer Civic Center.  Tremayne was named the top country band in Alabama once again during the ceremony, their second time to win this honor.  They won that award initially in 2022.  Prior to 2022, Tremayne was also named best male country artist twice.
For Mike Mayhall, of Haleyville, who founded the band, the thrill of hearing the band’s name called never gets old.
“It’s so much excitement.  It’s incredible. It’s like you have really done something right that year.  It also reminds us that we have the best fans in the world because the Alabama Music Awards are fan voted,”  Mayhall said.
Voting took place from mid-April through mid-June.
Not only did Tremayne bring home the win, they also got to perform at an award show that always presents the best of Alabama’s music across a variety of genres.  Tremayne is a cross-blend of country, blues, rock with a bit of bluegrass thrown in for good measure.  For their performance at the awards show this year, they chose to go with a blues number, “747.”  They got a great response from the other artists.
“We’re just like one big family.  Everyone is very nice, very polite to each other.  They are very good to us, very responsive, very complimentary when we perform,”  Mayhall said.
Mayhall has been playing music since he was just a child.
“My dad bought me a guitar when I was 9.  I have been playing ever since.  I started playing in public at 10,”  Mayhall said.
Mayhall formed Tremayne in 2009 with other musicians from Alabama, Virginia and Tennessee.  The current composition of Tremayne is as follows:
Mike Mayhall, of Haleyville - guitar, fiddle and vocals; Maurice Lacey, Fort Payne - bass, vocals; Lauren Ritter, of Decatur - vocals; Ed Bisquera, of Muscle Shoals - keyboards; Jimmy Riggs, of Hartselle - drums; Ronnie Eads, of Muscle Shoals - saxophone and Hailee Faith, of Brookwood - vocalist.  Faith fills in for Ritter when she isn’t available.  Mayhall said both Ritter and Faith are excellent vocalists and assets to Tremayne.
“We have had some great times, a lot of fun, made some good money and been able to do what we love,”  Mayhall said about performing with the band for 15 years.
Tremayne has put out two CDs.  Their last single release was “Bama Lama Boogie.”
“We have been very blessed, very fortunate.  We have worked hard to get where we are at.  We have paid our dues,”  Mayhall said.
Mayhall has been showing a little bit of his softer side - musically speaking - away from Tremayne lately with some performances titled  Mike Mayhall and Friends, Mayhall sits down with fellow musicians and vocalists such as Ken Randolph, Chad Bufford or Tasha Hill.
“They all play acoustic guitars.  It makes it sound more full if it’s going to be just the two of us.  It allows me to loosen up and do more solos besides rhythm guitar,”  Mayhall said.  “We all split the singing up.”
Tremayne is playing a lot of festivals, bars and private parties all over the northern half of Alabama, with occasional forays to south Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi. More locally, Tremayne has also played at Looney’s Tavern.
“We’ll probably be playing some more there.  We enjoyed it,”  Mayhall said.
To see Tremayne’s current performance schedule, visit Mike’s personal Facebook page or the Tremayne Facebook page.  Posts are made weekly. Tremayne’s schedules can also be found at thebash.com.
“Out of right around 200 bands, we were ranked No. 1 on The Bash, with a 5-star rating,”  Mayhall said.
Mayhall is thankful to have the opportunity to play music.
“I’m real thankful for what I can do.  A lot of people are too busy being jealous of what somebody else is doing. I don’t ever let that worry me.  I’m just thankful to the Good Lord for what I can do,”  Mayhall said.  
Mayhall also has a special message for Tremayne’s fans.
“You are absolutely the greatest fans in the world.  You have shown that time and time again,”  Mayhall said.