Special to The Hays Daily News

Christian rock/pop band Cloverton will be taking its high-energy show on the road and performing throughout the members' home state of Kansas during the next few months. Cloverton has five shows planned in Kansas, including Hays, before the end of the year with more to come in 2010.

The band will perform at 9 a.m. Dec. 6 at Celebration Community Church. The tour also includes performances in Manhattan, Salina and Clay Center.

The quintet, led by lead vocalist and pianist Lance Stafford, a Hill City native, has been busy promoting a new five-song EP. The first single off the EP, "Hope Inside" will be released in January. While their musical influences reach from Coldplay to Leeland and Third Day, their inspiration comes from their faith.

"There are words and melodies that God has written on people's hearts that connect us to him and to each other," Stafford said.

The band also includes Layne Stafford -- Stafford's brother -- on vocals and bass, Tim Brantl on lead guitar, Matt Brown on guitar and Kirby LeMoine on drums

Cloverton's road to music began after the five met while playing in a worship band together, but it wasn't until Stafford ventured to Nashville and secretly entered and performed solo in Embassy Music's Talent Search that Cloverton's voice was finally heard on a larger stage. Stafford went on to win the talent search.

To listen to Cloverton's music and view a complete list of tour dates visit www.myspace.com/cloverton.