When you say you play "country music with an attitude," you'd better be able to deliver.

      The Povertyneck Hillbillies, a Pennsylvania-based group that is reminiscent of the early days of Alabama and the Charlie Daniels Band, do that with energy to spare.

      Now the new national recording artists are bringing that winning enthusiasm, not to mention their signature "Hillbilly Shake," to stages, television and radio across America.

      "We're all about energy, nonstop energy onstage," says lead singer Chris "Abby" Abbondanza. "We have a lot of people who say they don't like country come out to see us. That means we are touching both sides of rock and country, which is great. We're not sacrificing our music to please other genres of listeners."

      The seven-member unit also includes Chris Higbee - fiddle, guitar, mandolin, banjo and vocals; Bob Crafton - pedal, steel and electric guitar; Dave Cramer - keyboards and vocals; Ryan Lucotch - drums; Jeff Volek - bass, accordion, guitar and vocals; and David Guthrie - electric guitar. More details on the band are found at www.thepovertyneckhillbillies.com.

      Their debut CD, Hillbilly State of Mind, and last year's Don't Look Back were produced by singer-songwriter Bob Corbin, a native of the Pittsburgh, Pa., suburbs and a member of the Corbin-Hanner Band. Corbin has written songs for Hank Williams Jr., Alabama, Kenny Rogers, Don Williams and the Oak Ridge Boys, among others.

      In its first week of release, Don't Look Back sold more albums in the Pittsburgh market than Toby Keith, Rascal Flatts and Kenny Chesney. The PBS station in Pittsburgh (WQED) produced two programs about the band and their success.

      The Country Music Association named the band Top Independent Artist of 2005. The group performed on the Riverfront Stage at the 2006 Fan Fair/CMA Music Fest.

      Povertyneck's self-titled national debut album has just been released by Rust Records Nashville. A song off the album, "Mr. Right Now," penned by Corbin, earlier made Billboard's national charts and was played on a number of radio stations across America. Now its video is attracting national attention from both music and football fans. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, a Povertyneck fan, stars in it, interacting with the band at a party and throwing them passes at Heinz Field. That must be one reason the Povertyneck Hillbillies are billed as the official band of the world champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

      By the second week of September, the video was No. 2 on the weekly GAC (Great American Country) Top 20 Country Countdown list. Music executives, record sales or even radio determine many if not most countdowns, but viewers decide the GAC Top 20 Country Countdown.

      People walk away after Povertyneck shows singing the group's songs, says fiddler Higbee. "We offer a great show: lights, smoke, the whole nine yards. We really draw people into our shows and music. We have chemistry onstage because we've been playing with each other for several years," he says.

      Corbin says the first time he saw the band he was really impressed with their energy. "You could see their obvious love for the music and the fun they were having onstage and the rapport they have with the audience," he says. "That continued in the recording studio as well."

      He believes Abbondanza has a great voice for country, a voice that people like. "It's kind of an intangible, the band is excellent. They have something a little different. It's not cookie-cutter hat singers. They really have an edge to what they do. People see their exuberance and honesty."

      Rex Rutkoski is a veteran national and international music, entertainment and features writer who also has a bio-writing service for unsigned, new and established musicians in all genres. He can be reached at RRJR@peoplepc.com.