Black Keys a bright reflection of local music scene

At one time Akron was known as the rubber city. Home of Goodyear Tires, the company provided economic stability to the area. In 2009, Goodyear suffered some pretty severe financial losses. As the company strives to make a comeback, two local musicians are putting Akron back on the map again.

Dan Auerbach and Pat Carney, known as the Black Keys, were childhood friends with a common interest, music. Dan was captain of his high school football team, a popular guy. Pat was pretty much a loner. Although different in temperament, the two worked well together.

They began jamming in Pat's basement. Pat was not a drummer but caught on quickly. With Dan on guitar and doing vocals and Pat on drums the two recorded a demo of old blues tunes. They received an offer from a small indie label, Alive. They recorded their debut album, "The Big Come Up" in Pat's basement in 2001. Subsequent albums received critical acclaim.

Their big break came in 2010 with album "Brothers" and its lead single, "Tighten Up." Their 2011 release was "El Camino." It was No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart for that year. I remembered reading about the group in "Rolling Stone" two years ago and wondering why I hadn't heard about them before. After all, I'm from the Cleveland area and they're from Akron. According to "Rolling Stone" these guys were good.

The 2013 Grammy Awards proved the Black Keys have arrived. With six Grammys and one for Dan alone for non-classical Producer of the Year, the group has become a presence in the musical world, especially on the West coast. I would like to hear the Black Keys played more on Cleveland radio stations.

These two young men from blue-collar backgrounds are talented and dedicated musicians. They have made a name for themselves in the world of music. Their music is some of the best coming out of this area. Their story is another example of the talent to be found in our little corner of the world and proves to me that hard work and commitment pays off.