Justin and Ryan Harris, formerly of West End, are rocking their way through the country music capital with their “Nashville-based, Carolina-raised” songs.

The brothers’ band, McKenzies Mill, recently won the world-famous Wildhorse Saloon’s “Battle for the Saddle” band search contest in Nashville, Tenn.

Winning the contest earned them a showcase with music industry executives, permanent rotation in the Wildhorse’s band line-up, an artistry photo shoot and an appearance at the Country Music Association (CMA) Festival.

“It was such a great experience in a sense to play at the largest music venue in Nashville and for such a good audience,” Ryan Harris says. “We had a packed house.”

With music inspired by Southern rock legends Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers, it does not come as a surprise that people love the band’s music. And with their reputation of being good ol’ Southern boys, it is no surprise that people love them.

“The one thing that I am most proud of my children for,” says Ricky Harris, Justin and Ryan’s father, “the most important thing is that when we go to Nashville, or when we go anywhere where our children have been, what is the first thing out of people’s mouths?”

“How polite they are,” answers their mother, Sherilyn.

Both parents admit that they never expected their sons to work and live together when they got older, even describing them as two different people who happen to be brothers.

Sherilyn admits that she was not sure how it would work out when they first moved to Nashville. The brothers, three years apart, have different personalities and acted like most siblings when growing up — they didn’t get along well.

Justin and Ryan grew up in West End on — you’ll never guess — McKenzies Mill Road. The brothers attended West End Elementary School. Justin went to Pinecrest and Ryan to North Moore.

Both men graduated from East Carolina University. Their home and experiences have inspired their down-home lyrics. They have a song on their first CD titled “Route 73,” a highway which connects with McKenzies Mill Road.

Both parents and Justin agree that, growing up, Ryan was the more musically gifted of the brothers. When Justin went to college, he learned to play the guitar and began writing music. They created McKenzies Mill seven years ago and have been playing music ever since.

“It all started just sitting around a living room,” Ryan says. “Next thing you know we were sitting on the back porch jammin’.”

“When you first start, you don’t know if you’re good or not,” Justin says. “You realize that people care, people dig it, or people at least are enjoying it. From that moment on, we’ve been full speed ahead watching it grow from there.”

McKenzies Mill got its start at O’Donnell’s Pub, the first venue where they were paid to play. Pat O’Donnell, the owner, says the band “rocked it” the first time they performed.

“Of all the bands I have, they by far make the most,” O’Donnell says. “They’re nice guys. At the end of a really good night they’ll tip the door guy and the bartender. They’ve got a little bit more class than a lot of other bands that are just in it for the bucks.”

McKenzies Mill still performs at the pub anytime they are in the area. O’Donnell says that their friends and family come out, and the brothers reserve seats for their parents. He adds that because their father owns Harris Printing Company in West End, the brothers’ band always has plenty of posters.

Ryan says that they hope to come home in late July or August and want to perform.

Justin and Ryan moved to Nashville five years ago and have slowly seen their career grow ever since. McKenzies Mill recently recorded its second CD with Dave Fowler and Kent Wells, who is Grammy-nominated for work he’s done with Dolly Parton. The self-titled record can be purchased online on the McKenzies Mill website.

Ryan says that the band looks forward to “opening doors and avenues and taking McKenzies Mill as far as it will go.”

Both brothers hope that winning the Wildhorse Saloon contest will present new opportunities for them. Many of the saloon’s in-house bands only play during the week. McKenzies Mill has already been scheduled to play on a weekend and at new venues.

“I feel like the best is yet to come,” Ryan says.

The Wildhorse Saloon received more than 200 submissions for the “Battle for the Saddle” competition. Of that, 18 were chosen to compete in four preliminary rounds leading up to a finale featuring five bands from the earlier rounds.

McKenzies Mill had to beat out the bands in the preliminary and finale to win the competition.

As a new in-house band for Wildhorse Saloon, McKenzies Mill now has monthly gigs at the largest per capita restaurant in Tennessee. Justin says that those steady gigs are the main reason the band chose to enter the competition.

Numerous bands such as Trick Pony and Lonestar got their start at the saloon. Wildhorse was opened by the same company that owns the Grand Ole Opry.

Sherilyn watched the “Battle for the Saddle” competition and thinks it is no surprise that McKenzies Mill won.

“They were the only ones who sounded like a band that meshed,” Sherilyn says. “They worked together, and you could tell that they had played together for a long time. Most of the others were just one singer and the people playing for them.”

The proud mother also attended the band’s recent concert at Rapids Jam. Shortly after winning the Wildhorse Saloon contest, the band played at the three-day country music festival in Roanoke Rapids. The festival also featured Sugarland, Darius Rucker and Lady Antebellum.

“They have a good audience response,” Sherilyn continues. “A lot of the younger people are dancing, and they really have a good following because you see people singing along with their music. We found that even some of the older people enjoy their music.”

Sherilyn hopes that Justin and Ryan can “make a living doing what they love,” whether they are famous or not. Ultimately that is what the brothers want to do.

“Performing is what McKenzies Mill is all about,” Ryan says. “We are a live band. If we never get a record deal, as long as we get to play and travel that’s all that matters.”

Justin thinks it’s “funny” how the brothers’ goals constantly change. When they first started, he says they simply wanted to have “some degree of success in the music industry.” Now he believes they are moving in the right direction to attain success on a greater level.

“We’re shooting for the stars with this thing,” Justin says. “I don’t think we’re too far away from having some really big opportunities to play on some really big stages.”

Summer Hennings is a rising sophomore at UNC-Chapel Hill. She is a summer intern at The Pilot.