Wheat State Revival
Est. 2019 Wichita, KS
Wheat State Revival has been a long time in the making. They started out as most bands do, just two friends who wanted to play music together, and have turned into a trio that they are all proud to be a part of. Jake and Melissa met in the summer of 2017 while working at Camp Horizon in Arkansas City, KS. They played in the camp praise band together (affectionately known as On the Horizon) all summer and during this time built a great friendship and strong bond through music. After the summer was over, they were both placed in the same band in Southwestern College's (Winfield, KS) Worship Outreach program. This gave them even more time to become compatible as musicians, write songs together, and share dreams of being in a band and making it big. After one semester Jake went to work on a farm and the and was put on hold. They started playing together again a few months later in the fall of 2018. That went on for about a year off and on before they decided to get serious. They branded themselves Wheat State Revival in the fall of 2019 and they started to build their repertoire while continuing to write. Scott and Melissa also met at Southwestern College through the Worship Outreach program. In the fall of 2015 they were placed in the same band as well, and became good friends during their time at school together, hanging out with their group most weekends during the first two years of Scott's time at Southwestern. Jake and Melissa had been looking for a bass player to join them in Wheat State Revival, so when Scott and Melissa reconnected at a funeral in January of 2020 in support of a friend, Melissa asked Scott to join the band and he agreed. Since Scotty joined, the band has been playing gigs and recording multiple music videos using Scott's background in sound engineering. The band would like to give some special shout outs to a few instrumental people. First of all, to Martin Rude. None of them would have ever met if he hadn't convinced them all to go to Southwestern and join Worship Outreach. They owe most of this to him. Next, to Victoria Butler for being an amazing friend to all of them, and also for designing their logos! They can't forget Connor Seybert who apart from being Melissa's best friend and an awesome drummer in his own right, did the videography for their first music videos and has taken some fantastic pictures of the band. Wheat State Revival extends thanks to all of their friends and family who have supported them and to all of their future fans!
Melissa Connell
Drums/Back Up Vocals
Melissa grew up in Wichita, KS and started playing piano when she was 5 years old. She picked up drums in her early teens and they became her primary instrument ever since. She works with youth in the United Methodist Church and loves having the chance to play music with her friends!
PC: Connor Seybert Media
Scott Olney
Bass Guitar/Tech
Scott Olney is definitely a man of many talents. Besides being an awesome bass player, he also plays a variety of other instruments and is an incredible photographer/videographer. He grew up in Winfield, KS home of the Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival, so you know he's good!
PC: Connor Seybert Media