NEW MUSIC INCOMING: on August 2nd my acapella ballad “Apocalypse Never” will be released as a fundraising effort for the PCRF, if you head to Bandcamp (links in the bio) you can also get a limited edition risograph print and pre-order the track, all proceeds will go to aid. PRESAVE the track on all your favorite platforms…all the art is my work, so be sure to snag one of those prints for a good cause. As country artists, our deep ties to land should be incentive to support liberation movements around the world, not a reason to ignore them or preach passivity. Thank all y’all who refuse to be of service to empires and profiteers, your support means the dang world.
Precious few moments left in my time off the road this river season before we are international honkers and tonkers ⛈️ here’s a little banjo in my snake boots and tick-suit to hold y’all over until we hit DENMARK for the @roskildefestival , then on to CANADA for the @winnipegfolkfestival 🫶🏻
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This tune is a special one for a variety of reasons, but I’d like to share a fun fact or two about “Fort Smith Breakdown”, the 1920’s stringband recording I’m covering in this video. This fiddle tune is often cited as one of a few that are truly unique to the US interior highlands, however, Luke Highnight was neither from the Ozarks, nor the fiddler on this recording. Apparently his name was misspelled on the original album release, and Luke HIGnight actually hailed from the foothills of the Ouachita (‘washitaw’) mountains of central Arkansas, and is in fact playing banjo and a harmonica simultaneously on the recording. As someone who also spent his formative childhood years in rural Ouachita country, I was stoked to learn this beloved example of Arkansas stringband music was in fact rooted in the same piney southern ridges as my musical lineage, and goes to show you the lens of history is often a warped one. Also worth noting Fort Smith is symbolically important as the end point of the trail of tears, and highlights the need to be honest about the legacy of civil war, removal and enslavement that define the southern experience. Though always warped, if your version of history only makes you feel good about yourself, there’s a pretty good chance that’s not history. Thanks for jamming and reading and we’ll see you out on the road this summer 💜🔥💜🔥💜
Feelm! Grateful to be hitting a stretch of time off and *equally* grateful for the fun we attempt to have on the Big Bad Road. I’m also following in the steps of @cheecharron by trying to capture some of our tour times on film, so enjoy these candid captures from Spring Breaking Point and beyond 💛💛💛 see yall this summer! Until then eat your mulberries and catch your smallmouths (cuz I sure as hell will be)
Nick Shoulders & The Okay Crawdad Live AF
The music we’ve all been waiting for. Catch the full live performance premiere on the Western AF YouTube Channel!
#westernaf#newcountry#nickshoulders
We’re inbound to @merlefest and riding high on a truly packed first week of shows*~ still sharing the captures from last tour, thanks @natashalozanoffphoto for following us around coastal Cali to get stellar documentation of @two.runner and us at our last few shows 🩵 our makeup dates conclude in these coming days! See you here:
04.28 - Newport, KY - The Southgate House Revival
04.29 - Evanston, IL - SPACE
04.30 - Milwaukee, WI - Vivarium
Summer! The ‘Manifest Destitute’ tour blasts its way west and our support dates for Queen @sierraelizabethferrell guide us home 💕 catch the Okay Crawdad in all these far flung places:
08.01.24 - Kansas City, MO - Knuckleheads
08.02.24 - Omaha, NE - Slowdown
08.04.24 - Livingston, MT - Pine Creek Lodge
08.05.24 - Whitefish, MT - The Remington
08.06.24 - Spokane, WA - District Bar
08.08.24 - Bellingham, WA - Subdued Stringband Jamboree
08.09.24 - Bellingham, WA - Wild Buffalo
08.10.24 - Vancouver, BC - Orpheum Theatre *
08.11.24 - Seattle, WA - Woodland Park Zoo Amphitheatre *
08.12.24 - Portland, OR - Pioneer Courthouse Square *
08.14.24 - Boise, ID - Outlaw Field at the Idaho Botanical Gardens *
08.15.24 - Sandy, UT - Sandy Amphitheater *
08.16.24 - Denver, CO - Mission Ballroom *
08.18.24 - Santa Fe, NM - The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing *
08.21.24 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall - Downstairs *
08.22.24 - Austin, TX - Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater *
08.23.24 - Dallas, TX - The Factory Deep Ellum *
* supporting Sierra Ferrell
See you so soon @merlefest !! I’m currently on a Blue Ridge vacay with my brand new @pisgahbanjos rig and can’t wait to return for our Friday 4/26 appearance 💛💛💛 seriously such a daily honor to get to see the corners of this world that furnish me with cute banjos and cute critters, John Hardly sweatin it out here to the oldies. Thanks Shelbo for the vid ✨✨✨
We hit the road again soooon with @maddykirgo and @natmyersyall for our makeup dates from the fall*~ thanks as hell to @los_angelena for these stellar shots, and thanks to @sidthecat and @picounionproject for hosting our heathen hoedown 🐴🐴🐴
04.19 - Louisville, KY - Zanzabar
04.20 - Indianapolis, IN - HI-FI Indy
04.21 - Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark
04.23 - Cleveland Heights, OH - Grog Shop
04.24 - Columbus, OH - Skully's
04.28 - Newport, KY - The Southgate House Revival
04.29 - Evanston, IL - SPACE
04.30 - Milwaukee, WI - Vivarium
The “post-tour random video” post is one of my favorite genres of instagramming. Thanks a dang ton again to everyone that made this round such a dream! Big ups to our support @two.runner and @holy.locust and additional forever love to all the managers and bookers and tour managers and everyone behind us who makes sure we can sing our stupid hearts out 💕 see yall in a couple weeks for all the makeup dates from the fall cancelations, plus @merlefest to ice this cake. I think yall rule!!
@luckreunion was an honor and a blast! Unbridled and riding roughshod at Willie’s house: I have to say the gathering of familiar faces and new friends was an unexpected treat, thanks as hell for hosting such a righteous gathering. @holliday_tintype got me goofin in perpetuity, stoked as hell to know so many good portraiture enthusiasts.
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Bellowing into the western void out here with @two.runner , see you wondrous folks here:
03.18 - Albuquerque, NM - Launchpad
03.20 - Phoenix, AZ - The Crescent Ballroom
03.21 - Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up Tavern
03.22 - Los Angeles, CA - Pico Union Project
03.23 - Ventura, CA - Ventura Music Hall
03.25 - Santa Cruz, CA - The Catalyst Atrium
03.26 - San Francisco, CA - August Hall
We’re leaving my beloved swamps and shores for a grand trek west*~ thanks a trillion for the sweat warriors who’ve been packing out these last couple weeks, stoked to meet up with @two.runner and take the breaking point to points west, Pacific splendor here we come!! Find us here:
03.14 - Spicewood, TX - Luck Reunion
03.16 - Oklahoma City, OK - Beer City Music Hall
03.18 - Albuquerque, NM - Launchpad
03.20 - Phoenix, AZ - The Crescent Ballroom
03.21 - Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up Tavern
03.22 - Los Angeles, CA - Pico Union Project
03.23 - Ventura, CA - Ventura Music Hall
03.25 - Santa Cruz, CA - The Catalyst Atrium
03.26 - San Francisco, CA - August Hall
