Karen Collins & The Backroads Band

Genre: Country
Secondary Genre: Americana Takoma Park, Maryland USA Contact

Honky Tonk Country Music

Artist Information

Biography

Karen Collins, a coal miner's daughter from Southwest Virginia fronts one of the Washington D.C. area's top honky tonk country bands, The Backroads Band plays classic country music like it was played back then. With a mix of original songs written in a classic country style to boot scootin' vintage country covers, they'll have you out on the dance floor in no time at all. Their sound is classic from the 1940s-1970s with a song list ranges from Patsy Cline and Hank Williams to The Everly Brothers and Chuck Berry with a dash of Bob Wills thrown in.

Their new CD "Tail Light Blues" is receiving rave reviews and airplay in the US and in Europe.

"what makes this album worthwhile is the original songwriting... and while Collins has a great quote from ex-ET pedal steel player Buddy Charleton, who guests on two tracks, "I wish Ernest could have heard your songs," the person you can easily imagine singing them, especially the title track, is Loretta Lynn, they're that good, and that classic country.
- 3RD Coast Music - Aug. 2007

Karen has one of those voices perfect for Country music, lots of character and a little bit of an edge...
this one is a highly recommended entry into the Honky Tonk sweepstakes in which we are all winners!
Blue Suede News - Summer 2007

Instrumentation

Paul Hoffmaster - the drums
Ira Gitlin - Lead Guitar
Karen Collins - Lead Vocals & Guitar
Geff King - Bass & Vocals

Discography

Tail Light Blues - Karen Collins & the Backroads Band - 2007
Backroads & Bayous - Karen Collins - 2004

Links

Audio

Lyrics

Video

Karen final you tube.mov

Photo Gallery

Press

  • Tail Light Blues Review- Washington Post [+ Show ]

    Friday, April 20, 2007; Page WE10 KAREN COLLINS & THE BACKROADS BAND "Tail Light Blues" Azalea Ci...

  • Tail Light Blues Review-3rd Coast Music [+ Show ]

    Quoted last month, one of the editors of Another Magazine believes that "mainstream country music d...

  • Tail Light Blues Review - Blue Suede News [+ Show ]

    Karen Collins & The Backroads Band Tail Lights Blues - Azalea City ACCD-0702 Karen has one of t...

  • Tail Light Blues Review - Americana UK [+ Show ]

    Another coalminer’s daughter who kicks shit with the best of them Namechecking Loretta Lynn in t...

  • Tail Light Blues Review - Sing Out [+ Show ]

    Sing Out Magazine - Autumn 2007 KAREN COLLINS AND THE BACKROADS BAND, Tail Light Blues, (Azalea C...

  • CD Reviews - Quotes [+ Show ]

    Tail Light Blues - CD Review Quotes Karen has one of those voices perfect for Country music, lo...

Setlist

Our sets are typically 50-60 minutes and usually part originals and part covers. We play classic country covers and some rock & roll from the 50's and 60's. Here's a sample of our song list :

Act Naturally - Buck Owens
Busted - Johnny Cash
C'est La Vie - Chuck Berry
Crazy - Patsy Cline
Cry Cry Darling - Jimmy C. Newman
Detour - Hank Thompson
Don't Come Home a Drinkin - Loretta Lynn
Don't Let me Cross Over - Carl Butler
Feudin' & Fightin' George Jones & Melba Montgomery
Forgive My Heart - Geff King
Guitar Queen - Karen Collins
Highway of Love - Karen Collins
Heart Attack - Karen Collins
Heartaches by Number - Ray Price
Hey Good Looking - Hank Williams
Honky Tonk Song - Webb Pierce
Honky Tonk Guitar - Karen Collins
Hurricane - Karen Collins
I Can't Help It - Hank Williams
I Catch myself Crying - Roger Miller
I Fall to Pieces - Patsy Cline
I Know My Baby Loves Me Ernest Tubb
If You're Not gone Too Long - Loretta Lynn
I'll Go Steppin' Too - Flatt & Scruggs
I'm Walking the Dog - Webb Pierce
In the Jailhouse Now - Webb Pierce
In Care of the Blues - Patsy Cline
It Doesn't Matter Anymore - Wanda Jackson
It's Now or Never - Elvis
Honky Tonk Angels - Kitty Wells
Last Cheaters Waltz - T. G. Shepard
Let's Have a Party - Wanda Jackson
Lonely Street - George Jones
Long Black Veil - Johnny Cash
Mama's in the Honky Tonk - Geff King
Memphis Tennessee - Chuck Berry
Mind Your Own Business - Hank Williams
Mr. Fool - George Jones
My Heart Skips Beat - Buck Owens
My bucket's Got a Hole In It - Hank Williams
Only Mama That'll Walk the Line-Waylon Jennings
Rumors - Karen Collins
Setting the Woods on Fire - Hank Williams
See You Later Alligator - Bill Haley & the Comets
Song gone Wrong - Karen Collins
Sweet Thang - Loretta Lynn & Ernest Tubb
Tail Light Blues - Karen Collins
That'll Be the Day - Buddy Holly
Trademark- Porter Wagoner
Trouble's Back in Town - Wilburn Bothers
Tupelo Co. Jail - Webb Pierce
Wallflower - Bob Dylan
You're Backing Up - The Kendells
Your Cheatin' Heart - Hank Williams

Basic Requirements

Calendar

DateTimeVenueCity
May 28, 2012 Monday 12:00 PM Private Event - Backroads Band Chevy Chase, MD, US
Jun 2, 2012 Saturday 1:00 PM Wash. Folk Festival - Backroads Band Glen Echo, MD, US
Jun 2, 2012 Saturday 6:00 PM Wash. Folk Festival - Squeeze Bayou Glen Echo, MD, US
Jun 6, 2012 Wednesday 12:00 AM Strathmore Mansion - Backroads Band Rockville, MD, US
Jun 8, 2012 Friday 11:00 AM Private - Backroads Band Baltimore, MD, US
Jun 8, 2012 Friday 8:00 PM Blob's Park - Backroads Band Jessup, MD, US
Jun 9, 2012 Saturday 5:00 PM Private Party - Backroads Band (acoustic) Silver Spring, MD, US
Jun 10, 2012 Sunday 2:00 PM Private Party - Backroads Band Alexandria, VA, US
Jun 13, 2012 Wednesday 12:00 PM Noontime Concert - Squeeze Bayou Rockville, MD, US
Jun 15, 2012 Friday 6:00 PM River Hil Village Center - Backroads Band Columbia, MD, US
Jun 16, 2012 Saturday 8:00 PM Weil Sing House Concert- Blue Moon Cowgirls Takoma Park, MD, US
Jul 8, 2012 Sunday 12:00 PM Augusta - Early Country Music Week Karen with Ric Sweeney Elkins, WV, US
Jul 9, 2012 Monday 12:00 AM Augusta - Early Country Music Week Karen with Ric Sweeney Elkins, WV, US
Jul 10, 2012 Tuesday 12:00 AM Augusta - Early Country Music Week Karen with Ric Sweeney Elkins, WV, US
Jul 11, 2012 Wednesday 12:00 AM Augusta - Early Country Music Week Karen with Ric Sweeney Elkins, WV, US
Jul 12, 2012 Thursday 12:00 AM Augusta - Early Country Music Week Karen with Ric Sweeney Elkins, WV, US
Jul 13, 2012 Friday 12:00 AM Augusta - Early Country Music Week Karen with Ric Sweeney Elkins, WV, US
Jul 25, 2012 Wednesday 12:00 PM Noontime Concert - Backroads Band Rockville, MD, US
Aug 5, 2012 Sunday 5:00 PM An Die Musik - Songwriters in the Round - Karen solo Baltimore, MD, US
Aug 9, 2012 Thursday 7:30 PM Frying Pan Park - Backroads Band Herndond, VA, US
Aug 24, 2012 Friday 7:00 PM O'Donnell Lake Outdoor Concert - Backroads Band Waldorf, MD, US
Sep 22, 2012 Saturday 4:30 PM JVs Restaurant - Backroads Band Falls Church, VA, US