The Followers Band Rocks Steelers KidsZONE Show

Move over The Beatles; here come The Followers.

Perhaps it would be more appropriate to say, “Lead on, The Beatles.”

The Followers are a band of three young men who are following the path of The Beatles, playing their music.

They are called The Followers because they follow the Lord, according to Mario Tierno, 13-year-old founder of the group.

Mario, his 10-year-old brother Vincent and 13-year-old Andrew Baxter are the members of the band. The Tiernos live in Richland, Andrew in Pine.

Though they have been together for only six months, The Followers were chosen as the house band for the Steelers KidsZONE Show. The boys performed for the tapings of the show, which airs at 10:30 a.m. Sundays on The Pittsburgh CW.

The idea of the band started a few years ago when Mario, then a fifth-grader, “really got into music.”

Mike Tierno, father of Mario and Vincent, remembers Mario trying to form that band.

“But nobody really had his passion at that young age,” he said.

The Tierno boys started playing The Beatles on their Wii and were quite good, much to the surprise of their non-musical parents, Mike and wife Terri.

“We were really kind of amazed,” he said. 

The music bug was passed on to Vincent, although Mike joked that they initially ignored his request for a guitar.

As Vincent’s birthday approached, Mike bought him an inexpensive guitar, and he began taking lessons.

“Then his teacher said, ‘You know, he is pretty good; you may want to get him a real guitar,’” Mike said.

Mario also plays the guitar, and the two started playing more and more, mostly The Beatles songs.

Along the way, Andrew Baxter answered “yes” to three simple questions and found himself a member of the band.

According to Andrew, Mario asked him if he played the drums, if he liked The Beatles and would he like to be in a band. Before he knew it, they were practicing.

The son of Jill and Tom Baxter, Andrew is one of five musically talented children in their family, according to Jill, although, so far, he is the only one in a band.

The band's first “real” gig was when it played a 10-minute set at a fundraiser for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank in August at the Rex Theater in Pittsburgh.

Although Mike admits to being a bit nervous, it wasn’t that big of a deal for Mario or Andrew.

“I thought, ‘Let’s rock this place’ right before we started playing,” said Mario.

Andrew, a gymnast used to performing in front of a crowd, said he wasn’t nervous at all, despite the change of venue.

“I just wanted to play,” he said.

The band has also played at FunFest Entertainment Center.

While the boys are busy with school bands, Boy Scouts, sports and church activities, they still hope to play together as much as possible.

As far as the band, Mario and Andrew have high hopes.

“Well, I’d like to get a recording contract,” said Andrew.

Mario has even greater aspirations. “I want to continue to spread good rock and roll in America and around the world.”

To view the boys’ performance visit:

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheFollowersMusic?blend=21&ob=5.