The smoldering blue eyes, the flawless smiles, the strong jaw lines – one look at Cody and Chance Vignal and there is no mistaking that the two are brothers. The harmonies, the vocal chemistry, the cohesive songwriting – one listen to Cody & Chance and there is no mistaking that their connection goes far beyond blood relation.
Born in Sayre, Okla., where Route 66 goes through Main Street past the courthouse that was featured in the classic movie “The Grapes of Wrath,” Cody & Chance started singing in church when they were small children, but the pull of making it their careers started in high school.
“When I was about 16, Cody and I started an acapella gospel quartet called Ekklesia,” Chance, 24, remembers. Their first gig was at a church camp talent competition where they got a small glimpse of what stardom might be like.
“Let’s just say that we were really good for a bunch of high school kids,” Cody, 27, laughs. “We actually did so well that everyone who saw us perform insisted we stay together and keep doing other shows. So we did.”
“We sang with them for about four years and when the group broke up we decided to get back to our roots and sing country music,” Chance says.
They formed a country duo a started performing on the Oklahoma Opry and the Oklahoma Centennial Rodeo Opry. On their first visit to Nashville in 2005, they recorded a five-song demo and in the winter of 2006 made the permanent move to Music City to make the official leap to try for a career in country music.
With influences ranging from Brooks & Dunn, George Strait and Vince Gill to Stevie Wonder, Brian McKnight and Maroon 5, Cody & Chance describe their music as young energetic country music with a little bit of rock. “Just a little bit of rock though,” says Chance.
Aside from signing a record deal and selling millions of records, Cody & Chance admit that they mainly want to move people through their music.
“I hope people can relate to the stories we tell in our writing and maybe they will know that other people have been through the same kinds of things,” Cody says. “I want our music to give people hope and conviction.”
Cody & Chance certainly have no shortage of hope and conviction. The duo signed with Welcome Mat Entertainment in 2009 and has been hard at work in the studio and putting a tour together to bring their music to the masses.
But at the end of the day, Chance says, it’s the little things that make all of the hard work worth it.
“I hope that in 50 years when people think of me I hope they say that I was a good friend and compassionate person who cared about others. I’ve always tried to make someone’s day every day of my life. I love making people smile. Smiles make it all worthwhile.”
For these two brothers who love making music, seeing people smiling is something they are going to have to get used to seeing every day.
