In the early days, Blue Horizon was a huge band that featured 4 guitarists, 2 drummers, bass, keys, and a guy on spoons. Essentially, the band began as vehicle for several really talented musicians to play some gigs while enrolled at The Atlanta Institute of Music. The scholastic experience at AIM is intense, and becoming close with your classmates is a crucial part of survival. For the members of Blue Horizon, the band was their study group. It became an escape from the academia and a laboratory for applying the school’s unwritten message: learn as much as you can, practice more than you ever thought possible, then forget it all and play with your heart.
Near the beginning of 2010 Blue Horizon began to solidify its lineup. Paul Sorah (Chattanooga, TN) had been the vocalist from day one and remained as the group’s only guitarist. Dave Ragsdale (Atlanta, GA) was recruited from the top ranks of a very competitive graduating class of drummers, and had actually been working in the Atlanta music scene since he was in junior high. Adam Shay (Vermont, USA) had earned the job on bass, but was beginning to set himself apart as a multi-instrumentalist within AIM’s guitar program. In March of 2010, however, his tenure at school was abruptly cut short by a car accident that left him unable to attend classes. The band became Shay's best chance to remain in Atlanta and pursue a career in music, so he invested himself completely. With the lineup set, Blue Horizon played its first gig as a trio on April 5th, 2010. Specifically, the event was the Jam for Dan, which is an annual event hosted by Atlanta stalwart 5 Seasons Brewing. Exactly one year later, the Jam for Dan would serve as the release party for the band's debut EP and 5 Seasons would serve as an incubator and home base for the promising young group.
Within a month of graduating from The Atlanta Institute of Music, Blue Horizon signed a long term lease on an Atlanta home that would also serve as a rehearsal space. The house allowed them to keep their collective expenses low, while also giving them maximum opportunity to write and rehearse music. The other housemates would be Adam Carder (AIM ’10 and 5 Seasons) and Ryan Langseth (5 Seasons) who, at the time, were trying to find a way to make use of Ryan’s Robert Plant-like voice and tremendous red afro. It didn't take long to reach the obvious decision to form a Led Zeppelin tribute band, and with Blue Horizon at it's core, Red Zeppelin provided a unique opportunity for the guys to learn and perform the music of one of the most influential bands of all time. The two projects working in tandem have laid the groundwork for a business model that is establishing a template for independent success in modern professional music.
