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Band featuring twin teens from Portageville releases debut album
PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. — Double Take, a Southeast Missouri band featuring twin teenagers, is hitting a high note with their debut album.
Twin brothers Wyatt Stinnett and Will Stinnett, 16-year-old sons of Amy and Chris Stinnett of Portageville, Missouri, have been in their own band for years. On Saturday, March 23, they will celebrate their album release.
Will shared the background of how and his brother got into music.
“Our dad started singing when he was really little on stage with a band, Marvin Arsta, and my papa played bass for them, so me and Wyatt have kind of always been around music,” Will said.
Will explained that once he and Wyatt were old enough, they started learning how to play instruments.
“I started learning how to play drums when I was 5, and Wyatt started on the keys, and it kind of just all went from there,” Will said.
When the boys were 11 years old, they performed their first live show together, and they have since played at a variety of local events and venues, including The Library in Cape Girardeau, Missouri; Music in the Park at Sikeston, Missouri; the Hot Air Balloon Festival in Sikeston; and even out-of-the area locations such as Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee.
Will said in January of last year, he and Wyatt began talking about releasing music. Will and Wyatt started creating songs, and in February, they finally stepped into the studio.
“Being in the studio for the first time was a really cool experience for us,” Will said.
Wyatt agreed.
“Once we were in the studio, it was a whole new thing for us so it was cool getting to see how all that stuff worked,” Wyatt said. “We know pretty much a lot about doing music live, but we had never been in a studio and actually recorded stuff so it was really awesome to see and learn about a new side of music.”
Wyatt said they went to Cape Girardeau’s Sound Studios to record the album.
According to the teens, their album release party will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday at the St. Eustachius Parish Center in Portageville.
The duo will perform their new music at 8 p.m., and snacks and soft drinks will be available.
“We have a total of six songs on the album, and that includes our new single that is out right now, ‘Levi Jean Queen,’” Will said.
The boys said there will also be new merchandise available. Wyatt said T-shirts will cost $20, coozies $5, hats $25 and CDs $10. Their album is also available for download on Spotify and iTunes.
Will described music as something very special that he and Wyatt enjoy and do together as brothers.
According to Wyatt, their band also has a drummer, Luke Tanner, son of Matt and Erin Tanner of Sikeston, and their father, Chris, occasionally plays bass for them.
The boys and their family said they’re very excited about the new album and release party.
“I’m really excited for them,” Chris Stinnett said of his sons. “But at the same time, it can be scary. Music is a very hard industry to get started in and my thought for the boys is whether they make it big or they don’t make it big, it will always be something they can do together — not only now but for the rest of their lives.
He continued: “Music heals the soul, and if you can share that with other people, I think that’s a wonderful thing.”
To keep up with the band Double Take, follow their Facebook page by the same name.