| Performer / Band Name |
The Lonesome Heroes
Rich Russell: Acoustic Guitar, Lap Steel Guitar, Vocals
Miss. Slydry McMeans: Acoustic Guitar, Lap Steel Guitar, Vocals
Andy Garsea: Upright Bass, Loop Station Percussion
Paul Dobson: Trumpet
|
| Original / Cover Material |
100% Original Material |
| Musical Influences |
Johnny Cash, Beck, Little Cap'n Travis, Silver Jews, Magnetic Fields, Jeffrey Manson, Wilco, Iron and Wine, Little Wings, Hank Williams, Luna, Galaxie 500, Will Oldham, Yo La Tengo, Flaming Lips, Smog, Woody Guthrie, Lou Barlow, Velvet Underground, Weary Boys, Patti Griffin, Bob Dylan. |
| History of Performer / Band |
The Lonesome Heroes are a collective of rugged musicians hailing from Austin, Texas. Whether they're stopping in parking lots where highways end or driving around in rusty vans to pour their souls into countless lonestars and sad country songs, they can always be found spreading their good news to waiting ears. Blending a folksy/country twang and psychedelic overtones, The Lonesome Heroes struggle to find meaning and other lonesome heroes in this strange world. They tell stories with timeless lyrical themes that shout out a tale of modern sensibility.
The group, which has been compared musically to everything from Will Oldham and Beck to Smog and The Silver Jews, is led by Brooklyn-raised singer/songwriter Rich Russell. Russell fled New York City in the late 90's to learn to eat twigs and berries at UC Santa Cruz. While earning his BA in American Literature, he managed to hit the highways spreading his stories of bar-fliers and drunken pirate ships while on the road with Whisp and Little Wings (K Records). After struggling for gas money and constantly sleeping in a van, Russell moved to Boulder, Colorado and ended up becoming immersed into the New Age Folk Movement. After not knowing what people where talking about most of the time, Russell hit the road once again . . . only to run out of funds in Mexico. Unable to pay for gas to make it back to the U.S, Russell ended up in a palapa on the west coast of Mexico for a few months eating fruit and playing mariachi songs with friends. In 2004, Russell landed in Austin, Texas for the Kerrville Folk Festival. In Austin, Russell stumbled across some people converting an abandoned nursing home into an affordable living space which is where The Lonesome Heroes currently reside.
The Lonesome Heroes toured the west coast in 2004 and the east coast in 2005. Playing over 150 shows a year, this band is not one to sit idly while the world goes by. Be sure to keep your eye out for their pop-top van in your town, as they plan on touring the west coast in the summer of 2006 to promote their new EP, Don't Play to Lose, on Floodwater Records. |
| Press Reviews / Credits |
"This is what happens when you take the old country sounds of the 1940's and 50's and combine it with the psychedelic touch of the 60's."—Bill Johnson, Shoestring Media |
| Albums / Where Available |
Don't Play to Lose (2005)
Available direct from artist |
= Music samples available for download