"We're trying to be a variety band instead of stereotyped as just a country or rock band," Garman said.  "We're pretty well set up for all engagements."  Slingshot, which has been in existence for just four months, has already played about 10 gigs and is currently working on a demo album.  "If you can do that in a course of a year it's pretty good," Garman said.  "We're catching on pretty fast."

The band's founder, Garman, 51, and bass player Mike Phillippi, 52, saw singer Jodi Ives performing in October 2005 in the vocal competition at the Nebraska Country Music Association Festival in Hastings.  It was the third time Ives performed in the competition.  She finished second.  Phillippi played in the competition house band.  "The thing that struck me most was her uniqueness," Phillippi said.  "She's got her own style, which is great when you want to be a lead singer."

Garman and Phillippi, who both live in Hastings, asked the 20-year-old Harvard resident to join the band.  "I was excited but unsure, because I had never sung with a band before," she said.

From there, Garman and Phillippi contacted former bandmates Pat Cozad of St. Paul and Jared Bader, a guitar major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, both of whom play guitar; and Sherone Sader of Nelson, who plays keyboard.  "It helps that we're all local," Garman said.  "That tends to attract people's attention.  People normally associate country music bands with being out of state.  But there are good musicians and music right in their backyard."

The band members see their potential to become one of the best country bands in Nebraska and the region.  "I like to see us playing around the midwest and getting a substantial amount of gigs," said the 31-year-old Bader.  "Plus we're getting ready to record, and whenever you do original stuff you never know what will happen."

Slingshot members also are hoping to advance the career of their young lead singer.  "If there's something we could do to help her, that would be great and is something I'd want to be a part of," Garman said.  Cozad agreed.  "We're all pushing for her to do something with it," he said.  "Most kids can't jump into a band with a bunch of seasoned musicians."

For Ives, Slingshot provides her the chance to work with experienced musicians, most of whom are old enough to be her parents.  "I think it's good they've all done it before and they can guide me since they have the experience and I'm new to the music business," she said.

Cozad, 45, the son of former Marty Robbins guitarist Jack Cozad, has performed mostly in the Southwest and West Coast in genres that stretch from classic country to punk, and funk bands.  Likewise, Phillippi has played extensively in Colorado.  Band members all have worked to contribute to the album they hope to release by the end of the year.  "We're in the process of writing our own material," Garman said.  "We've got nine songs on recorder, in the first stages."  In fact, they will be recording Saturday.

"That is what it takes for a band to get out there," Cozad said.  When the band sat down to come up with a band name, it was Phillippi who thought of Slingshot.  "We've all bounce around and did other things before we came together," Phillippi said.  "Slingshot tells you he was plucked over there and he was shot over there."  The name was not immediately embraced by other band members.  "At first, I didn't much care for it," Cozad said.  "But the people I ask think it's a cool name, and it's really grown on me."

Sherone Sader has helped the band create a unique look with its website, www.slingshot1.net.  Garman hopes it will identify the band's sound.  "I don't know if people relate our style of music to that or not," he said.  "It's a unique name.   We're hoping when people hear the word Slingshot it will define who we are."