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ROCK BAND ON THE MAP WITH LIL WAYNE COVER: New version of "Lollipop" gives boost to struggling Tenn. group.

(November 18, 2008)

*Framing Henley, a little known rock band from Tennessee, is now firmly implanted on the national music radar thanks to their guitar-heavy cover of Lil Wayne's summer smash, "Lollipop."

The idea to cover the song was hatched during rehearsals with a new guitarist who replaced a band member that quit because of health issues.

"We came home from tour in April, and we were trying to get our new guitar player, Ryan, in the band. We wanted to see how things would work out between us musically," lead vocalist Kenneth Nixon told Billboard.com. "During rehearsal, I'd mentioned we should cover Lil Wayne's 'Lollipop' at our next show. Next thing I knew, Ryan was playing the intro on his guitar and an hour later we had our own rock rendition of it."

The band played the re-imagined track at a show in their hometown of Nashville a few days later, and shortly after that, fans began requesting it via the act's MySpace page. The demand prompted Framing Hanley to record the song and upload it. "The plays went through the roof," Nixon said.

The song – which will be available on a rerelease of Framing Hanley's debut album, "The Moment," due today from Silent Majority – is No. 37 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart. This means Lil Wayne, a ubiquitous presence on Billboard's pop and R&B/hip-hop charts, will score his first appearance on a Billboard rock tally.

Framing Hanley - "Lollipop"