Soul Circus Cowboys

Last updated

Soul Circus Cowboys is an American southern rock group based in Tampa, Florida. The band was founded by lead singer and songwriter Billy McKnight in 2009. They are currently produced by Grammy-award-winning songwriter Frank Myers. [1]

Contents

History

Soul Circus Cowboys founder Billy McKnight grew up in Brandon, Florida. McKnight moved to Nashville in 1994 and spent ten years learning the music industry before returning to Florida. It was there that McKnight came across Frank Myers, a successful songwriter and artist. McKnight was suggested to Myers as a partner on a song of Myers, "High and Low." [2] Myers began collaborating with the band and to this day produces their albums. After moving back to Florida, McKnight began auditioning members for Soul Circus Cowboys. [3] He named the band Soul Circus Cowboys based on the band's life experiences, which he compared to a roller coaster ride. The cowboy and soul elements come from their musical style. [3]

Their first album was released in 2011, titled Lay it Down. [1] [4] The lead single, "Lay it Down", and accompanying music video was picked up by national cable networks Great American Country and Country Music Television. Their subsequent albums, Tailgate Country, I Can't Imagine, and Rolling Across America have also received recognition. Their 2016 album Tailgate Country reached 25 on the Top Billboard Country Album Charts. [5] 2020 single "I Stand" was also picked up by Great American Country and Country Music Television. [6] In 2021, the band wrote "We're Going to Buc You Up," a fight song for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers football team in advance of their 2021 Super Bowl win. [7]

The band plays over 50 festivals and local shows every year and have performed at the Jeep Jam in Ohio, as well as every state between the Keys. [3] They have also performed with Big & Rich and other country and southern rock acts. [8]

Discography

Soul Circus Cowboys Releases
TitleAlbum details
Lay It Down
  • Released: 2012


Tailgate Country
  • Released: 2016


I Can't Imagine
  • Released: April 1, 2019


Gotta Get Me One of Them: Single
  • Released: April 22, 2015


Rolling Across America: First Leg
  • Released: April 2, 2021


Rolling Across America: Home Stretch
  • Released: 2022


Setting You Free: Single
  • Released: March 11, 2022


Last Train Running: Single
  • Released: March 31, 2023


Boys Like Us: Single
  • Released: June 16, 2023


Country Girls: Single
  • Released: August 25, 2023


Time: Single
  • Released: October 6, 2023


Knowing That Girl: Single
  • Released: November 21, 2023


Sundown: Single Cover
  • Released: February 16, 2024


Sit on a Beach: Single
  • Released: April 19, 2024


Related Research Articles

The music in Nevada is often associated with the Rat Pack and lounge singers like Wayne Newton playing in Las Vegas, Reno, and Carson City. However, Nevada has launched many other notable artists and bands from a variety of genres.

The 29th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 24, 1987, at Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music of Georgia (U.S. state)</span> Overview of music traditions in Georgia

Georgia's musical history is diverse and substantial; the state's musicians include Southern rap groups such as Outkast and Goodie Mob, as well as a wide variety of rock, pop, blues, and country artists such as the late Ray Charles, Otis Redding, James Brown, and The Allman Brothers Band. The music of Athens, Georgia is especially well known for a kind of quirky college rock that has included such well-known bands as R.E.M., The B-52's, and Pylon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philip Bailey</span> American musician (born 1951)

Philip James Bailey is an American singer, songwriter and percussionist, best known as an early member and one of the two lead singers of the band Earth, Wind & Fire. Noted for his four-octave vocal range and distinctive falsetto register, Bailey was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame as a member of Earth, Wind & Fire. Bailey was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame for his work with the band.

Country pop is a fusion genre of country music and pop music that was developed by members of the country genre out of a desire to reach a larger, mainstream audience. Country pop music blends genres like rock, pop, and country, continuing similar efforts that began in the late 1950s, known originally as the Nashville sound and later on as Countrypolitan. By the mid-1970s, many country artists were transitioning to the pop-country sound, which led to some records charting high on the mainstream top 40 and the Billboard country chart. In turn, many pop and easy listening artists crossed over to country charts during this time. After declining in popularity during the neotraditional movement of the 1980s, country pop had a comeback in the 1990s with a sound that drew more heavily on pop rock and adult contemporary. In the 2010s, country pop metamorphosized again with the addition of hip-hop beats and rap-style phrasing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kristian Bush</span> American singer-songwriter

Kristian Merrill Bush is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Bush is one half of the country music duo Sugarland with Jennifer Nettles, and was a member of the folk rock duo Billy Pilgrim with Andrew Hyra. In addition to his work in these two groups, Bush released one solo album, Southern Gravity, via Streamsound Records in 2015, and four solo albums via Big Machine Records, 52 ATL x BNA, 52 | In The Key Of Summer, 52 | New Blue, and 52 | This Year in 2022 and 2023. In 2023 Bush also released an EP titled Drink Happy Thoughts on his own label Songs Of The Architect.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lari White</span> American singer and songwriter (1965–2018)

Lari Michele White Cannon was an American country musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her debut in 1988 after winning You Can Be a Star, a televised talent competition on The Nashville Network. After an unsuccessful stint on Capitol Records Nashville, she signed to RCA Records Nashville in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy "The Kid" Emerson</span> Musical artist (1925–2023)

William Robert Emerson, known during his recording career as Billy "The Kid" Emerson and more recently as Rev. William R. Emerson, was an American R&B and rock and roll singer and songwriter turned preacher, best known for his 1955 song, "Red Hot."

<i>Uncaged</i> 2012 studio album by Zac Brown Band

Uncaged is the third studio album by American country music group Zac Brown Band. It was released on July 10, 2012. The album's lead single, "The Wind" was released on June 6, 2012. The album received widely positive reviews from critics and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. At the 2013 Grammy Awards, it won the award for Best Country Album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank J. Myers</span> American singer-songwriter

Frank Joseph Myers is an American country music singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has received multiple awards including a Grammy for "Best Country Song" which he and frequent songwriting partner Gary Baker received in 1995 for the song "I Swear". In his career, he has written songs for John Michael Montgomery, Eddie Rabbitt, Crystal Gayle, Lonestar and others. He has also recorded two albums, "Baker & Myers" in 1995 and "Scrapbook" in 2006.

Thomas Baker Knight Jr. was an American songwriter and musician. His best known compositions were "Lonesome Town", "The Wonder of You", and "Don't the Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time". His songs have been recorded by Ricky Nelson, Paul McCartney, Dean Martin, The Cramps, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Mickey Gilley, Sammy Davis Jr. and Jerry Lee Lewis.

Country Jam USA is a 3-day annual country music festival held in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The 2024 lineup includes Thomas Rhett, HARDY, Brothers Osborne and more. The first festival was held in 1990, making Country Jam USA one of the longest-running festivals in the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Modern Day Cowboy</span> 1986 single by Tesla

"Modern Day Cowboy" is the debut single by American rock band Tesla, from the band's debut studio album, Mechanical Resonance. The song's lyrics make references to criminals such as Billy the Kid and Al Capone, until the final verse, which references Cold War tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union.

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in 2014.

Damon Fowler is an American electric blues and blues rock singer, guitarist, and songwriter. Allmusic noted that "his sound is blues based, but there are hints of country, swamp rock, R&B, and swing in his playing and song writing."

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jesse Frasure</span> Record producer

Jesse Vernon Frasure, also known as DJ Telemitry, is an American music publisher, record producer, songwriter, and DJ. He has written 22 number one songs and has cuts with various artists including Chris Stapleton, Marshmello, Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, Thomas Rhett, Leon Bridges, Kane Brown, Jelly Roll, Blake Shelton, Cole Swindell, Meghan Trainor, Florida Georgia Line and more.

John David Willis is an American guitarist and songwriter. He is best known for work as a session musician and as a songwriter for television and video games.

This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in 2022.

References

  1. 1 2 "Soul Circus Cowboys Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic.
  2. Interview with Frank J. Myers, 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 "Soul Circus Cowboys leader returns home to play Brandon's Novemberfest". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  4. Soul Circus Cowboys , retrieved 2024-04-18
  5. devops (2013-01-02). "Top Country Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  6. "Soul Circus Cowboys". Paragon Festivals. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  7. "Tampa Bay band writes new fight song in preparation for big game". ABC Action News Tampa Bay (WFTS). 2021-02-03. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  8. "American Idol Contestant and Big and Rich Meet Billy McKnight". Celeb Dirty Laundry. 2012-04-17. Retrieved 2024-04-18.