Band of Heathens

Last updated
The Band of Heathens
Band of Heathens Press Photo 2013.jpg
The Band of Heathens on a promotional photo for their 2013 album Sunday Morning Record.
Background information
Origin Austin, Texas
Genres
Years active2005–present
LabelsBOH Records, Blue Rose Records
MembersEd Jurdi
Gordy Quist
Trevor Nealon
Richard Millsap
Jesse Wilson
Past membersColin Brooks
Seth Whitney
John Chipman
Ryan Bowman
Brian Keane
Eldridge Goins
Scott Davis
Website www.bandofheathens.com

The Band of Heathens is an American rock and roll band from Austin, Texas. The band was originally formed by Colin Brooks, Ed Jurdi and Gordy Quist in 2005.

Contents

History

The three original principal songwriters - Colin Brooks, Ed Jurdi and Gordy Quist - shared the bill at Momo's, an Austin club. [1] Originally, each singer/songwriter performed his own set. However, they eventually started sharing the stage, and collaborating with bassist Seth Whitney. The Wednesday night series was billed as "The Good Time Supper Club". A misprint in a local paper billed the act as "The Heathens." Drummer John Chipman joined the band in 2007, and Keyboardist Trevor Nealon, who played in the studio during the recording of both "One Foot in the Ether" and "Top Hat Crown & the Clapmaster's Son", joined the touring unit in 2011.

Their first recording, "Live from Momo's", recorded at the now closed club on West 6th Street in Austin brought the band national attention and they were voted "Best New Band" at the 2007 Austin Music Awards. Following the Momo's release, the band released a second live recording, the CD/DVD "Live at Antone's" which was recorded at the venerable Austin club.

May 20, 2008 the band released their first, self-titled, studio album. Produced by Ray Wylie Hubbard, and featuring notable guests Patty Griffin, Stephen Bruton, and Gurf Morlix, the record went to #1 on the Americana Music Association's radio charts. In November 2008 the album was ranked 8th place on the Americana Music Association's Top 100 Albums of the Americana Charts for 2008. [2]

In July 2009 BOH taped an Austin City Limits show that aired in the Fall of 2009. The year was especially significant for ACL in that Austin City Limits was celebrating its 35th anniversary year. The band's unique genesis and creativity were highlighted during the Austin City Limits interview conducted after their performance. [3] The TV performance showcased a set by both the Band Of Heathens and Elvis Costello. [4]

Following the Austin City Limits PBS show, the band also played on the German television live concert series Rockpalast on October 9, 2009, performing 14 songs, many from the albums "Band Of Heathens" and "One Foot In The Ether.". [5] "One Foot In The Ether", BOH's second studio release once again charted to the #1 slot on the Americana Radio Charts.

In 2009, the band was nominated for a "New Emerging Artist" award at the Americana Music Honors & Awards. In 2010, the band was again honored by the Americana Music Association as nominees for the "Best Duo/Group of the Year". [6]

In 2011, the band released their fifth album overall (third studio album) Top Hat Crown & the Clapmaster's Son. The album was listed in the top 10 most played Americana Albums of 2011, marking the third album in a row to make the year end top 10 list. This album is also the last studio project featuring founding member Colin Brooks, who announced in November of that year that he was leaving the band to pursue other interests after six years.

2013 provided the critically acclaimed album titled "Sunday Morning Record". The "Bakersfield Californian Review" aptly stated "Sunday Morning Record is a love letter to the past and, at the same time, a postcard to the future." [7] The album charted to the number 2 spot on the Americana Charts Americana Music Association and was selected as the Number one album in 2013 by "The Alternative Root". In addition, "The Alternative Root" in referring to its "Top Fifty" Americana Bands stated the following: "The number one spot was the easiest to place. Band of Heathens epitomize Indie, building their band business from the ground up and keeping everything in-house". [8]

Highway Prayer: A Tribute to Adam Carroll, released in late 2016 on Austin-based Eight 30 Records, featured The Band of Heathens' version of Carroll's "Oklahoma Gypsy Shuffler." [9] Additionally, The Band of Heathens' version of "The Dirty South" was included on the satirical album Floater: A Tribute to the Tributes to Gary Floater, released early in 2018 on the Austin-based Eight 30 Records. [10]

Members

Live recordings

The band started recording all of their live performances in February 2012 and making them available at the conclusion of each show on a USB drive. Each drive contains that night's audio recording, photos from the day of touring, and a video (when possible). Later, the band launched live.bandofheathens.com where the audio recordings are available either by subscription or a la carte download. Ed Jurdi said the band embraced the idea of sharing as much of their music as possible, "We play different set lists night to night and we’ll play songs differently over time and they will evolve. And that’s another outlet for fans to follow the band and explore what we are doing. So our attitude is to share it as much as we can." [11]

Discography

The first two recordings were live - a live album at Momo's was recorded in 2006, and in 2007, "Live at Antone's" with a DVD/CD set was completed. In May 2008, the band released its first studio production simply titled "The Band of Heathens". Produced by Ray Wylie Hubbard, the album reached #1 on the Americana Charts and the EuroAmericana charts. What is significant however is that it was only the second independently released album to ever reach #1 on the Chart. [12] [13]

In September 2009 the band released the album "One Foot in the Ether" which again made it to number one on the Americana as well as the Euroamericana charts.

A cover of Leon Everette's "Hurricane" charted at number 18 on Hot Rock Songs in 2018. [14]

Colin Brooks (solo)
Gordy Quist (solo)
Ed Jurdi (solo)
The Band of Heathens

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turin Brakes</span> English rock band

Turin Brakes are an English band, comprising original duo of Olly Knights and Gale Paridjanian, and long-term collaborators Rob Allum and Eddie Myer. They had a UK top 5 hit in 2003 with their song "Painkiller ". Since starting out in 1999, the band have sold around one million records worldwide. They are currently signed to Cooking Vinyl.

BR549 was an American country rock band founded in 1993. It originally consisted of Gary Bennett, Don Herron, "Smilin'" Jay McDowell, Chuck Mead, and "Hawk" Shaw Wilson. Bennett and McDowell left the band in 2001, with Chris Scruggs and Geoff Firebaugh respectively replacing them. Both Firebaugh and Scruggs later left the band as well; Mark Miller has become the band's third bassist. The name of the band is taken from a mangled phone number from Hee Haw comedian Junior Samples' car salesman skit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Wood Brothers</span> American folk band

The Wood Brothers are an American roots band consisting of brothers Chris and Oliver Wood, as well as multi-instrumentalist Jano Rix. Their music is a combination of folk, gospel, blues and jazz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Greencards</span> American progressive bluegrass band

The Greencards are an American progressive bluegrass band that formed in 2003 in Austin, Texas, and relocated in 2005 to Nashville, Tennessee. The band was founded by Englishman Eamon McLoughlin and Australians Kym Warner and Carol Young. The musicians originally performed in local Austin bars, and soon found increasing acclaim. They released one independent album, Movin' On, in 2003, and two albums, Weather and Water and Viridian, on the Dualtone record label. Their fourth album, Fascination, was released on Sugar Hill in 2009. Their fifth album, The Brick Album (2011), was self-produced with the direct support of their fans. Pre-production donors were recognized with their names inscribed on the "bricks" that make up the cover art.

Owen Temple is an American folk and country music songwriter and musician based in Austin, Texas.

Stuart Sullivan is an American record producer and recording engineer, based in Austin, Texas, United States. He is founder, owner and engineer of Wire Recording in south central Austin where he has recorded and worked with talent including Paul Leary, Sublime, Butthole Surfers, Canvas and Meat Puppets.

<i>Seeing Sounds</i> 2008 studio album by N.E.R.D.

Seeing Sounds is the third studio album by American alternative rock band N.E.R.D released June 10, 2008 on Star Trak Entertainment and Interscope Records in the United States. After ending their contract with Virgin Records in 2005, the band felt their previous album Fly or Die (2004) was too consistent. Using their own money, the band recorded the album in Florida and California. The album was produced solely by record production duo The Neptunes, consisting of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, with additional assistance by rock band Spymob and was mainly written by Williams. The album's title, as well as its content, revolves around the neurological phenomenon of synesthesia, the mixing of sensory modalities.

<i>Two Thousand Miles</i> 2008 studio album by Owen Temple

Two Thousand Miles is the fourth album by American singer/songwriter Owen Temple. It was released in 2008 on El Paisano Records.

<i>Dollars and Dimes</i> 2009 studio album by Owen Temple

Dollars and Dimes is the fifth album by American singer-songwriter Owen Temple. It was released June 9, 2009, on El Paisano Records. A concept album focused on hard times in different regions of North America, that the Chicago Sun-Times stated "delivers the concept richly".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rebecca Loebe</span> American singer-songwriter

Rebecca Ann Loebe is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and record producer. She has performed and toured with such recording artists as Shawn Colvin, The Civil Wars, Gregory Alan Isakov, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Ellis Paul amongst others. In 2011 she made her international broadcast television debut on The Voice . In addition to being a solo singer she is a founding member of Austin-based band Nobody's Girl.

"Hurricane" is a song co-written by Thom Schuyler, Keith Stegall, and Stewart Harris. Levon Helm recorded it for his 1980 album American Son. It was later recorded by American country music singer Leon Everette. It was released in July 1981 as the lead single and title track from Everette's album Hurricane. It is Everette's highest-charting single, peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in September 1981. Band of Heathens, an American rock band, also charted a rendition of the song in 2011, which has since been certified gold.

Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, sometimes referred to as POTR, is an American country rock band formed in Los Angeles in 2008 by Lukas Nelson. The band consists of Lukas Nelson , Anthony LoGerfo, Corey McCormick, Logan Metz, and Tato Melgar (percussion). They have released eight studio albums. two live albums, numerous singles and extended plays (EP).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dawn and Hawkes</span> US musical group

Dawn and Hawkes are an indie folk duo from Austin, Texas consisting of singer-songwriters Miranda Dawn and Chris Hawkes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guy Forsyth</span> American singer and songwriter

Guy Forsyth is an American blues rock singer and songwriter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shakey Graves</span> American Americana musician

Shakey Graves is an American musician and actor from Austin, Texas.

Dave Cobb is 9 time Grammy Award winning American record producer based in Nashville, Tennessee, best known for producing the work of Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile, John Prine, Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell, The Highwomen, Take That, Rival Sons, and Zayn Malik, among others.

Adam Carroll is an Americana singer-songwriter who was born in Tyler, Texas, and has spent most of his career in the Austin, Texas area. Carroll has nine solo albums to his credit, all indie releases, beginning with 2000's South of Town. His songwriting, which focuses on life in Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma, is influenced by the work of Texas greats such as Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt. He was honored in 2016 with the release Highway Prayer: A Tribute to Adam Carroll, which features recordings of his songs by some of Austin's leading Americana music artists, including Slaid Cleaves, James McMurtry, Terri Hendrix and Tim Easton.

<i>The Last Real Texas Blues Band Featuring Doug Sahm</i> 1995 studio album by Doug Sahm

The Last Real Texas Blues Band Featuring Doug Sahm is an album by Doug Sahm released by Antone's Record Label in February 1995.

<i>Bad Reputation</i> (Kid Rock album) 2022 studio album by Kid Rock

Bad Reputation is the twelfth studio album by American musician Kid Rock. It was released digitally on March 21, 2022, and on physical CD on April 6, 2022, by Top Dog Records. The album spawned five singles: "Don't Tell Me How to Live" which features Monster Truck, "Ala-Fuckin-Bama", "We the People", "The Last Dance" and "Rockin'", and three music videos were released. This was the first album since 1996's Early Mornin' Stoned Pimp to be released by Top Dog Records independently.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The South Austin Moonlighters</span> American musical band

The South Austin Moonlighters is an American Americana band from Austin, Texas. Their album Travel Light charted at #1 on the Alternative-Country charts in 2019, with the single "Machine Gun Kelly" charting at #11 on the Top Alternative Country Song Chart of 2019. They have performed at SXSW and the Dallas International Guitar Music Festival, and have shared the stage with artists including Gin Blossoms, Cory Morrow, Eric Gales, and Sonny Landreth.

References

  1. "The Band of Heathens - Artist Profile". eventseeker.com. Archived from the original on 2019-12-13. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  2. Americana Airplay Charts 2008 Archived December 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  3. "The Band of Heathens Interview". Austin City Limits. Archived from the original on 20 November 2010. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  4. "Austin City Limits". Video.pbs.org. Archived from the original on 2010-12-10. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  5. "The Band Of Heathens -". Wdr.de. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  6. "Americana Music Association". Americanamusic.org. Archived from the original on 2010-09-23. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  7. Californian, The Bakersfield. "Search". The Bakersfield Californian. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  8. "The Alternate Root". Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2015-03-07.
  9. "Highway Prayer: A Tribute to Adam Carroll | Country Music News Blog | CMNB". Archived from the original on 2020-10-01. Retrieved 2016-11-03.
  10. "Eight 30 Records". Eight 30 Records. Archived from the original on 31 March 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  11. from an interview on episode 166 of the Americana Music Show, published November 18, 2013
  12. "Americana Top 25: Albums". Nashville FM, Postbus 3520, 3003AM Rotterdam, Nederland. 8 September 2008. Archived from the original on 11 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
  13. "Euro Americana Chart". September 2008. Archived from the original on 2010-02-09. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
  14. "Chart position for "Hurricane"". Billboard. Retrieved November 30, 2019.