Organically acoustic

The Fallen Stars singer-bassist Tracy Byrnes had some trouble suppressing her desire to “rock out” during the Best Live Acoustic Band finals for last year’s Orange County Music Awards.

Though the members of the Huntington Beach-based Americana rock band think of themselves more as energetic rock ‘n’ rollers, their folksy/country/rock sound fares well when unplugged, as they recently earned the Best Live Acoustic Band nomination for the second time, while just missing the cut for Best Live Band.

“I’m not going to say we sabotaged ourselves last year, but we didn’t do the best performance for an acoustic setting that we could have,” said lead singer and guitarist Bobbo Byrnes. “This year, I think we found a good way to rock and play acoustic.”

As described by Tracy Byrnes, who enjoys being the sole woman in the band, their “organic” music sounds like “what you might imagine a cross-country road trip would sound like,” with each song telling a distinct story.

In addition to the standard guitar, bass and drum lineup, the band relies on an assortment of instruments — such as a 12-string Rickenbacker, an accordion and a lap steel — to produce original and honest music, and their influences include Bruce Springsteen, The Clash and Bob Dylan.

The band’s variety and originality is precisely what impressed Orange County Music Award judges, as well as the clear unity among band members, said the local award show’s founder and co-producer Martin Brown.

“Over the last two or three years, The Fallen Stars has improved more than any other band that I’ve watched,” he added.

The band got its start in Billerica, Mass., about 10 years ago, just after Bobbo and Tracy Byrnes wed. After leaving The Gypsy Mechanics, the former was looking for a bassist to accompany his solo work, and the latter was readily available and eager to learn a new instrument.

Although they moved to California in 2000, it wasn’t until last year that the pair — who are careful to be strictly band mates when on stage — cemented their group with longtime Huntington Beach resident John Vowell on the drums and Gregg Braught as the lead guitarist, both of whom they met at the Bomb Shelter Recording Studios in Westminster.

Braught, who played for years with cover bands throughout the county, was ecstatic when he was invited to join The Fallen Stars after practicing with them a few times.

“After all these years, it really feels like I’ve got the right people, and all the factors are there,” he said. “It’s really cool because we are all into this equally, and we just want get out there, write some songs and have a great time doing it.”

Though many of the songs on their last album, 2004’s “Found & Lost,” concentrated on the misery of lost love, the band promises some new, upbeat tunes for the album they plan to release later this year.

With the working title “Goldenwest” — referring to the local street, both for its proximity to their recording studio and as a path to the ocean — their new disc will feature Louisiana-based saxophonist Duston Erwin and The Wallflowers’ keyboardist Rami Jaffee.

Find out if The Fallen Stars are named this year’s Best Live Acoustic Band at the Orange County Music Awards at 8 p.m. March 31 at the Grove of Anaheim. Tickets are $22.50 For more information, visit www.orange countymusicawards.com.