Lohud Lowdown

One thing the Rockland band “The All Ways” learned from their experience on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent”  last summer is you can’t always win.

But sometimes you do!

The local rockers, who were eliminated from the TV talent competition after making it to the top 48, were named the winners of Z100’s third annual Hometown Heroes contest, a search for the best unsigned New York-area band or solo artist.

As the top vote getters in a contest that included Mahopac teen rock musicians Dead End (they placed third) , The All Ways get to play at a pre-event for Z100’s Jingle Ball on Friday. They will take the stage at the Z100 and Coca-Cola All Access Lounge at Hammerstein Ballroom before the big event begins at Madison Square Garden.

The band’s guitarist Ron Geffen tells us they are thrilled about the win.  ”We didn’t think we would get very far…It feels really good after all the hard work we put in,” he says.

And their work isn’t done yet.

“We have been busy practicing for the show,” he says. “We finished writing a couple of new songs that we are working hard to get into the set.”

So, will this win help The All Ways get over their loss on “America’s Got Talent”? They weren’t that upset about it to begin with, Ron says.

“I am kind of happy that ‘America’s Got Talent’ ended when it did,” he says. “Making it even further would cause  problems contract-wise. We were happy got the recognition and the exposure we were looking to get.”