A Nashville-based band with local roots was named breakthrough artist of the year Sunday night during the American Music Awards, according to CBS News. Brothers Tom and Michael Gossin, both formerly of New Hartford, organized the country band Gloriana in 2007 after moving to Nashville and meeting fellow band members Rachel Reinert and Cheyenne Kimball.
Gloriana is an American country music group founded in 2008. It is composed of brothers Tom Gossin and Mike Gossin (vocals, guitar), as well as Rachel Reinert (vocals, tambourine) and Cheyenne Kimball (vocals, mandolin). Before the band's foundation, Kimball was the 2002 winner of the competition America's Most Talented Kid and a solo artist on Epic Records. Gloriana released its debut single "Wild at Heart" in February 2009, which has become a Top 20 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The group's self titled debut album, Gloriana, was released on August 4th, 2009.
Once the four members of Gloriana were in place, they began recording demos, and sent one to Emblem Records, a label owned by Matt Serletic, a record producer who has worked with Matchbox Twenty.[1] The four members worked with Serletic, and Nashville songwriters such as Jeffrey Steele, Brett James and Wayne Kirkpatrick, among others.[1]
In early 2009, the group released its debut single "Wild at Heart", which Serletic wrote with Josh Kear and Stephanie Bentley, another former Epic artist.It became the highest-selling country music debut single of 2009. The group also signed to Taylor Swift's 2009 Fearless tour. In May 2009, Gloriana released a four-song digital EP, comprising "Wild at Heart" and three other songs from the album. On August 4, 2009, the band released its self-titled debut, which peaked at #2 on Top Country Albums and #3 on the Billboard 200, shortly before "Wild at Heart" peaked at #15. The album's second single, "How Far Do You Wanna Go?", was released in September.
The group isn’t new to the spotlight. Gloriana also received the Nationwide Insurance "On Your Side Award" at the 2009 CMT Music Awards. Tom and Michael Gossin are the children of Marcy resident Stephen Gossin and Utica resident Maryann Witte, and are both graduates of New Hartford Senior High School.
