HOUSTON – Hard Rock Café and Kenny Chesney gave one Houston-area band the chance of lifetime.  They have the opportunity to open for Chesney in front of 60,000 fans at Houston’s Reliant Stadium. 

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Cody, the lead singer from Cody Kouba, said entering the competition was a long shot.

Throughout Chesney’s 2008 Poets and Pirates Tour, Hard Rock Café locations across the country hosted a series of “Next Big Star” competitions in search of local bands to open for Chesney.

“The bands we heard throughout the competition were all over the board.  Some were so great, we couldn’t believe what we were hearing,” said Kate McMahon, Kenny Chesney’s Director of Tour Marketing and one of the four judges.

The competing bands chosen to perform at Houston’s Hard Rock Café came from all over the Houston/Dallas area.  And many of them, including last night’s winner, Cody Kouba, said that they were surprised they made the final list.

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Members of Cody Kouba

“It was a long shot.  I just sent in the video almost as a joke thinking we’d never win,” said Cody, the band’s lead singer. “We had given up and then a couple hours later we got the confirmation.”

Cody said his influences are more “old school” with artists like Waylon Jennings and Meryl Haggard inspiring him.  The band had been together for eight years and all the members lived within an 80 mile radius of Houston.

When asked if they were nervous, the group said they were just there to have a good time.  Joking around, one of their members teased that they were going to spend the hour before their time slot writing the songs they were going to play that night. 

Cody Kouba’s band wasn’t only one trying to keep their cool before the event.  Three other local acts Bill Archer, Zane Lewis, and Bleu Edmondson were also getting ready to battle it out in front of a panel of judges for their chance to be Hard Rock Café’s “The Next Big Star”.

“I’m nervous. Very nervous,” said Jeremy, from Zane Lewis’ group.

“I just want to get up there and party,” said Josh, another member of Lewis’ group.

Zane Lewis’ band already has a record contract and was celebrating their second hit off the album which was released on March 26. Playing together for two years, they said they were ready to take the next step in their music careers.

“We just played at the CMA in Nashville and we’ve opened for Pat Green and others.  They weren't as big as Kenny Chesney, but if we win, we’re ready,” said Zane Lewis. 

Bill Archer was the only solo act competing on Friday.  Hanging out with his wife and daughter before the show, he said he had been playing country music for 15 years.  This competition was a chance for him to get his name out there.

“There’s a lot at stake at this one.  It’s a door opening opportunity for an entertainer.  Whoever wins tonight, tomorrow they will be a household name,” said Archer.

Cody Kouba’s band agreed and after winning Friday’s competition, they will have the chance every band dreams of on August 16.  They will have the chance of becoming the next big star.