Southernality

A Thousand Horses is a fresh fusion of classic sounds a hybrid of Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Allman Brothers, Black Crowes and Exile on Main Street-era Rolling Stones, wrapped up in a modern-country context. The band s Republic Nashville album, Southernality, is as wild and free and powerful as the name A Thousand Horses implies. This is the result of years of a road-doggin pursuit, determination and an against-the-odds struggle that found its rewards by bringing great music to the people. This is the life we all love and have chosen, says guitarist Zach Brown (no, not that Zac Brown this Zach Brown). A lot of people have taken notice of what A Thousand Horses is doing. There s the Rolling Stone Country review, there s an allegiance of fans in towns all around the South who ve been digging on them for the past four years, and there s been many in the Nashville music community who ve been more than enthusiastic from their first listen. Michael Hobby is a passionate frontman whose vocal style underscores the gut-level commitment he makes to the music. Bill Satcher and Zach Brown add honest, blues-fueled guitars that layer sweat and soul on top, while bass player Graham Deloach drives a steady, firm foundation underneath it all. Three boho-chic backup singers as Rolling Stone Country referred to Kristen Rogers, Whitney Coleman and Brianne Angarole - round out the nine-piece band with a Southern Gospel/R&B authenticity and confidence. The back story on how A Thousand Horses came together isn t all that different from the story of Alabama, a country band that defied genre convention when it introduced Skynyrd and Creedence Clearwater Revival influences in another era. Satcher and Hobby went to high school together in Newberry, South Carolina, and Satcher s cousin, Deloach, dropped in from Savannah, Georgia, every summer. All three musicians bonded, and they began playing random dates. A friend eventually introduced them to Brown who hails from Lawrenceville, Georgia and A Thousand Horses became a full-fledged band. They moved into a house together, started rehearsing and working their asses off to find a place to play. We d find clubs and contacts any way we could and call them week after week, Hobby says. Finally somebody would bite, and you d get a gig in Florida, and we d drive 12 hours to play for anybody who would listen. Whether it s the Stonesy swagger of the opening First Time, the heart-felt country of Tennessee Whiskey or the thumping celebration, Trailer Ted, the band has delivered an album that reflects the rebellion, attitude and heart that both the youth and working men and women of America live every day.

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