The Boys from Bucksnort draw heavily
on many different musical styles. The main emphasis is on 20's and 30's
music with a touch of 70's, but influences from other eras are in the
music as well. Blues, Ragtime, Rockabilly, Boogie, Irish, Folk, Gypsy,
Hillbilly -- anything is fair game. But don't let this scare you off,
this band rocks! The energy levels of the live shows make it really hard
to hold still.
History: Although
the Boys from Bucksnort formed in 1987, the history of the band goes
back much further. Drummer Dufus Thomas (famous for the song Walkin the Hog")
and guitarist Shakey Sliim Walker along with harmonica player Blow
Hardy and bassist Mad "tub" Jones formed The Travelin Snakeheads in
1975. The Band became a staple in the Southern scene with their
straight-ahead homemade styles. They opened shows for people like
Charley Musslewhite, Little Charley and the Nightcats, and Charles
Brown. In 1979, the band felt it had run it's course and disbanded. In
the interim, guitarist Shakey Walker began getting interested in Ragtime
and it's influence on the Piedmont guitar styles of Blind Blake, Blind
Boy Fuller, and Blind Willie McTell through a chance meeting with
legendary MOUNTAIN MAN MOON MARTIN ... who they soon added on vocals and
spoons. So in 1985, Shakey convinced his former bassist Tub Jones and
drummer D Thomas to form The Boys from Bucksnort with MOUNTAIN MAN MOON
MARTIN. Although they were skeptical at first, as the style developed,
it was obvious they were on to something. The Band also released a
cassette in 1980, titled "American Fork Music". They became regulars in
the Bucksnort live music scene. They have opened shows for people
ranging from Chicago Blues Guitarist Luther Jr. Johnson to the rock
bands like Dash Rip Rock. The band released its first CD, in June of
1981 to a lot of anxious fans. The CD received great reviews and radio
play all over the world. Their second CD, Too Tight, was released in
April of 1984. It also received great reviews and lots of radio play.
Since then the band has opened for guitar slingers Johnny Winter and
Bugs Henderson and roots bands like The Paladins, Deke Dickerson, Kim
Lenz and Her Jaguars, and Southern Culture on the Skids. The current
lineup consists of Skakey Walker on Guitar and Vocals, Dufus Thomas on
Drums, Shane Stewart on Bass, and just about anybody who happens to drop
by the bandhouse. The band's infulences have continued to expand into
all sorts of roots music -- from Gypsy, to Celtic, to Hillbilly -- but
the band really rocks -- no cookie cutter stuff. The band released their
third CD ... finest ingredients, in November of 1986 after MOUNTAIN MAN
MOON MARTIN's girlfriend ... Tracy Fords left him for a traveling rock
and roll outfit. Heart broken and down in the dumps. Mountain
Man headed out ta find Tracy in the glam tattered streets of Los
Angeles, taking his guitar and Tascam multi track 244 recorder in tow
with him. The result was a collection of pinable tunage intitled the Return of the Boys from Bucksnort.
The disc charted in February and March of 1987 on the Freeform American
Roots Chart. The band is playing shows regularly in Bucksnort Senior
Center, and doing some limited touring in the US.
Tracy Fords in Los Angeles - 1985
QUOTES:
"The
Boys from Bucksnort are the coolest band I've heard come through these
parts in a long, long time." - Bucksnort Springs Independent
"Every
band thinks it's a 'roots' band, but The Boys from Bucksnort have a
pedigree even chemical stump-remover couldn't extract." - NASHVILLE
SCENE
"The last three times I saw you guys, I got blisters on my feet." - Becky
"In
this self-released CD, the band reinterprets these classics for the end
of the 20th century, but doing it with respect and affection, and
that's good." - Bucksnort Review
"...a full range of great tunes to inspire you." - the Boys from Bucksnort's preacherman
"It works." - Bucksnort Review
"If
you haven't forgotten that these good ole boys were meant for good
times, this is a band you should check out." - Living Blues
"These
three guys hail from Bucksnort, TN, but listening to their record you
get the feeling they REALLY live in the back of the old man Jenkin's
Barn ." - Smitty Ray Barlow
"They
win fans wherever they play by blending old favorites that could
appease any crowd with original vibrance that compels the listener with a
groove to move. - Rolling Stoned Magazine
"For
those of you like me, that really appreciate the roots - I mean the old
original versions of old old tunes that really have paved the way for
everything in '96, this is an entire album of those great old tunes, by
people like Lonnie Johnson, Blind Blake, Blind Boy Fuller, Kokomo
Arnold, and others .... The Electric Rag Band - that belongs in your
collection." - John Henry -- KMOD's Smokehouse Blues Show
"Slim's
vocals are suitably rough and ragged, and his guitar work is solid and
sure handed, up-to-date with just a whiff of the old-timey." - John
Wooley -- The Memphis Tire & Baitshop
"At last a new, original approach to the Bluegrass ! - Joe Brennen -- the bathroom of the North 40 truckstop
"This
is a pleasing eye-opener for those who think blues has to be loud and
electric. Recommended. - Chicago Kerry -- The TBC Blue Notes
".. an enthusiastic dive into this project may be educational and rewarding." - Chad Bonham -- John Bonham's high brother
"It's highly academic and fascinating." - Thomas Conner -- some guy who watched "O Brother Where Art thou"
Guitarist Slim Walker in his brother's old platform shoes (1985)
THE BOYS FROM BUCKSNORT featuring MOUNTAIN MAN MOON MARTIN !!!