Testify
Channel: Renee Brown
Date: 2011-09-20

Genre 
Rock/Christian Rock
Members 
Isaac Riddle - Lead Vocals and Guitar
Tyler Rutzen - Drums
Rigo Ortega - Bass/Backup Vocals
Hometown 
Shelby, Michigan
About 
Jesus and gluten free pasta!
Description 
Isaac Riddle-Helped start this band to create a message to those who were lost. He thinks of TESTIFY as a musical journey and a guidance when you just don't know where to go or what to think some days. He plays of the role of writing all lyrics, partial guitar, vocals/lead guitar.

Rigo Ortega-Plays the role of writing partial guitar and our bass lines. He rejoined the band about 2 months after they changed their name from "state of emergency" to TESTIFY when he came home from California. When he returned he dropped the lead guitar part and picked up the bass.

Tyler Rutzen-Has been here from the beginning. When our bassist left temporarily to California, he stayed back with front man Isaac Riddle to make sure some new stuff was written and last minute recording was taken care of. He holds the beats in Testify.
Biography 
Testify was a cover project that blossomed out of the blue. When they originally formed in 2010 they were under the name "state of emergency". At that time 2 present members and friend Carlos Leora performed songs from bands like "DC talk", "Thousand Foot Krutch", and "Hawk Nelson". That's when a good friend, Tyler Rutzen, came in. SOE was playing their first cover show....with no drummer. Fill in bassist, Carlos Leora recommended Rutzen because they had shared the stage a few times before that. Days later Isaac and Rigo found Tyler walking through the halls of Shelby High School and invited him to jam to some covers...he fit. Everything sounded fantastic at the beginning of practice #1. They played these covers at the first show with their friends "Please Promise" and "Cast and Crew". It was official, SOE was a band. Isaac then spent weeks writing new guitar riffs and lyrics so they could ditch the covers, hit the studio and get started. Things were looking great until they ran into some road bumps. Carlos Leora could no longer serve time in the band as bassist and Rigo had to move away to California to be with his family. It was now down to 2 as the band took a pause. Isaac and Tyler stayed at home to finish the new SOE originals "My Circumstance", "Give You the Truth", "Something New", "Pressure", and "Take Me". They took these five songs to the studio to put on file and waited. That's when the new name came along. Isaac studied the tunes hard and realized that the words and riffs really created a message. The 2 boys really needed to TESTIFY to others, and that's how it happened, "State Of Emergency" was no more. About two months after the acoustic recordings to the songs above were finished they got news that Rigo would be able to join them again, just one issue...they no longer had a bassist. We explained that to him, and he quickly agreed to fill the part, leaving us all nervous not knowing whether or not our three peice sound would make the same "Boom" it did in the past. Well, they worked on some new songs, played the first "Testify" show in Grand Haven Michigan, and it all was put together. The crowd loved the new sound just as much as the members. They then hooked a deal with booking agent Matthew Miles, and are playing shows all over West Michigan. Keep updated on facebook and catch a performance near you!
Current Location 
Michigan
Booking Agent 
Matthew Miles
Press Contact 
John Vick
Artists We Also Like 
Please Promise, The Cast and Crew, Adolescant Insomniacs, The Active Inspire
Influences 
The Bible, Johnny Cash, Matchbox 20, Brian Head Welch, Matthew West, Neil Young, Dc Talk, Three days grace, Third Day, Adam Gontier
Website 
http://www.twitter.com/testifymusic