Seattle's Radio Nationals attract a wide variety of audiences throughout the Pacific Northwest. Some like their catchy pop songs, some are attracted to their rootsy rock, and others are drawn to their fervid, always-entertaining live shows. Members Jared Clifton (vocals/guitar), Sean Earley (guitar), Richard Davidson (bass/vocals), and Rick Cranford (drums) hail from all parts of the United States, and their mixture of backgrounds lends to the mix of influences apparent in their music. Clifton brings in the country influence; he grew up in West Virginia. Earley throws some punk in the mix, while Cranford and Davidson fill in the rest with solid rock. Radio Nationals released their six-song debut EP, Exit 110, in 2002 on the Roam label. It earned rave reviews for its strong songwriting and was put in regular rotation on local radio stations. The consistent radio airplay and supportive press led to strong local sales of Exit 110. Radio Nationals became one of Seattle's top local bands, and they have been riding that success into other Northwest cities, playing with such national acts as Buffalo Tom and Mike Watt. R.E.M.'s Peter Buck even surprised the band by joining them on-stage during a performance at the Crocodile Cafe in Seattle: As the band played a cover of R.E.M.'s "Driver 8," Buck grabbed a guitar and joined them on-stage. In 2003, readers of The Stranger, Seattle's popular alternative weekly newspaper, picked Radio Nationals, along with four other local bands, to attend the annual South by Southwest music conference in a contest sponsored by the paper. ~ Laurel Greenidge