Country Westerns

Hailing from Nashville, Country Westerns are a rough and rowdy rock & roll band with a raw country twang and plenty of edgy attitude. A no-frills three-piece, Country Westerns bring a tough, soulful feel to their music, which sounds barroom-ready without sinking into country-rock or Americana cliches. First making their name as a live act, Country Westerns released their self-titled debut album in 2020, documenting their gritty, guitar-based sound as well as the fierce and confessional tone of the lyrics. Country Westerns were formed in Nashville by guitarist and singer Joey Plunkett and drummer Brian Kotzur. Plunkett was born in Atlanta and first made his mark as a musician in New York City, where he was a member of the alt-country band the Weight and worked with power pop savant Gentlemen Jesse. After making his way to Nashville, Plunkett struck up a friendship with Kotzur, who worked with the celebrated indie rock band the Silver Jews as well as Super Bowl Rocket Ship, and fronted the side project Tim Chad & Sherry. Beginning in 2016, Plunkett and Kotzur began meeting twice a week to work out songs, with Kotzur's Silver Jews bandmate David Berman sometimes stopping by to offer his opinions on their progress. After playing occasional parties, Country Westerns began gigging in Nashville, playing small venues and independent performance spaces. In 2019, the duo became a trio with the addition of bassist Sabrina Rush; while she was a fine violin player and managed tours for noted acts, it was the first time she'd played bass on-stage. As the group's music grew tighter and stronger, they decided it was time to record, and rather than go to a studio in Nashville, they traveled to New York to work with producer Matt Sweeney. After a pair of self-financed recording sessions, Fat Possum Records heard the tapes and offered the group a record deal. The album Country Westerns was issued in June 2020. ~ Mark Deming