about the band
Country / Outlaw Country / Bakersfield Sound / Berkeley, CA
We are a Bakersfield-Inspired Honky-Tonk Country band, based on the music of Merle Haggard and many of his hard driving friends and musical progeny. A very guitar-centric band, featuring Ian Lamson on Lead Guitar (formerly 10 years on the road with Elvin Bishop) and Sam Smiley on Telecaster Lead Guitar (Chicago Chickin Picker) who has written books about the Roy Nichols Style of Telecaster Guitar, and Rob Clot on Pedal Steel (30 years as a professional Country Steel Guitarist) and Attila Viola on Lead Vocals: formerly involved in the New York City country music scene in the 70s and 80s, and most recently has brought together this veteran band of top notch musical artistic talent with a vision of playing this Honky Tonk, upbeat style of Country Music at a higher level with regional and national aspirations.