The Whiskey Riders bring together an array of genres (classic and southern rock, bluegrass, blues, metal, motown) to create their own blend of sounds which are perfect for winding down the back roads, pitchin’ a tent, grabbin’ your pole and a cold one while you wait to catch dinner and enjoy the wilderness around you.
We recently had the opportunity to grab an interview with the band and, as always, we seized the moment. Make sure to grab their new EP Southern Cuts and support the group by sharing, streaming, and purchasing their music or merchandise.
In your bio it says you are from a place the locals call Kentuckiana. Tell us about this place and what makes it unique.
Kentuckiana is the area of land on either side of the Ohio River with Louisville as the anchor. I believe its more the people that make it special more than anything. Louisville is one of the more progressive cities in all of Kentucky, and is surrounded by smaller cities in Indiana, shout out to New Albany!
If you haven’t seen the tv series “How The States Got Their Shapes”, I encourage you to check it out. With that said, when the locals of an area take it upon themselves to form their own identity…do you think that mentality pours into the region’s music and the creation process?
While we don’t think the culture of the region has necessarily influenced a certain sound, the DIY attitude of the city of Louisville has bled into the fabric of the music scene. We are all hard workers around here, even if the tools of a major city are not available to us.
How long have the Whiskey Riders been traveling down this musical path? Have there been any bumps in the road? How have those challenges shaped your sound?
The first couple of years we concentrated mainly on southern rock and melting peoples faces off. But then we thought to ourselves, people need their faces! But really, when we started The Whiskey Riders we decided we wanted to explore different genres of music. We never wanted to cage ourselves in this genre or that genre.
When we decided to start down the Americana/Bluegrass/Folk road it wasn’t as natural of a transition as we’d originally hoped. We did bicker a bit in the process, but the final product is something we’re really proud of and is true to who we are.
What was the last song you listened to?
There are four of us, so it’s a multipart answer… Cox and G listened to “Hoinfodaman” by Primus, Bones listened to “Drink in my hand” by Eric Church, and Blaze listened to “Uptown Funk” regretfully (not really, that song jams).
Your new EP is titled Southern Cuts. What should listeners expect when they push play?
They can expect an eclectic blend of Bluegrass, Motown, Old Country, Americana, and a taste of pickin around campfires out at Red River Gorge!
