By Roman Ballenger, Staff Writer
SPRINGFIELD — Next time you’re listening to hold music or hearing a score at a movie, you might very well be hearing the creations of a pair of Lincoln Land music students.
Dylan Smith and Jefferson Gentry started “Red and Baldy Co.”
They have already had their musical creations included in one film that was made in Algeria in Africa. They also created music for an independent film, “Before I Do.”
If you ever get put on hold with the American Lung Association, you’ll be hearing the work of this duo.
But that is just the start.
Gentry said they aspire to work for Disney and Pixar, composing music for major movie productions, or perhaps music video games.
“Dylan and I are in the process of renovating a space to build a music studio,” Gentry said. “In five years, I see us working as full-time music composers out of our studio.”
Many students at LLCC have enjoyed some of the musical creations by the duo. The pair has written music for Lincoln Land’s theater productions “The Dumb Waiter,” “Hello Out There” and “The Shadows of Edgar Allen Poe.”
“The Edgar Allen Poe show was amazing due to the mood that the music set for the audience and play,” said Justice Council, a Lincoln Land student.
Smith and Dylan grew their friendship riding to school together to Southeast High School, where they both played percussion and were part of rock bands.
“The bond Jeff and I have is very strong and low maintenance,” Smith said. “Sure, Jeff and myself could each write good scores alone, but bringing our unique perspectives together to create something that might be otherwise unattainable is very much worth the outcome”
Besides, Smith said, composing music can be lonely work, and having an extra set of eyes and ears allow him more perspective on his music.
Roman Ballenger can be reached at [email protected] or (217) 786-2311.
