Ruby Dee And The Snakehandlers

Genre: Americana
Secondary Genre: Alternative Austin, Texas USA Contact

Ruby Dee And The Snakehandlers are a high octane Americana roots and rockabilly act with a penchant for playing twang with attitude: offering up sweet alt-country honky tonk a la Wanda Jackson, Dolly Parton, the Derailers & X for our own rockin' shakin' sweatin' cryin' in yer beer sound!

Artist Information

Biography

Who are Ruby Dee and The Snakehandlers? More and more music lovers are learning the answer: a band that’s earned a nationwide following and international fans with its honest, original music fused with synergy, sugar, sweat and soul.

The 10-year-old four-piece combo plays an Americana that encompasses Texas honky-tonk, Bakersfield twang, Memphis rockabilly, Western swing and good old-fashioned rock ’n’ roll.

After nearly constant touring for the past six years, including 600-plus dates across America and Europe, songs from the band’s fourth album, MILES FROM HOME (Dionysus Records, June 2008; produced by Conrad Uno), are still earning steady airplay, including “Cold Pines and Red Dirt,” which earned band front woman- lead vocalist and songwriter Ruby Dee- runner-up honors in Songwriter magazine’s 2007 competition. The album charted in at #86 on the AMA Top 100 for more than four weeks and #26 on the Texas Third Coast Music FAR Top 40. The “Round and Round” video, release in May 2009, has earned great acclaim with its cameos of Seattle rockabilly musicians and famous musical neighborhoods.

“Blending snarling rockabilly with honky-tonk heartache, Ruby Dee and The Snakehandlers have crafted their best recorded set thus far,” said Blue Suede News of the album. “The heart of the 13-song set emanates from Dee’s original material which combines poetic expressionism and hillbilly sass. Aided by Jorge Harada’s top-flight guitar work — which alternates ballroom tenderness with rowdy roadhouse rock — she sounds like a Texas dance hall chanteuse visiting us from another era.”

With a reputation for high-energy shows that precedes them, Ruby Dee and The Snakehandlers deliver to capacity crowds in clubs, festivals and county fairs, starting in the Pacific Northwest, where right off the bat, they were voted Best Band in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer People’s Picks 2005 & Best Signed Band in the People’s Picks 2006. The band’s first full-length CD, Uno-produced NORTH OF BAKERSFIELD, earned huge airplay in the United States, Europe and Australia, and charted repeatedly on the European Americana list.

The music has gotten a hold on audiences near and far: a combination of Ruby’s singing and songwriting, wrought from her childhood spent between the no-longer-wild foothills of Northern California and the long straight roads around Big Spring, Texas; her time escaping to South America, driving a truck, working Alaskan fishing boats and more ...

Since moving to Austin 2008, the city’s music scene is a-buzz over the band’s arrival. Currently providing the rock-solid honky-tonk groove backing Ruby and Jorge are Jody Suarez on cathouse drums and Dylan Cavaliere on doghouse bass. Together, they have played six successful European tours and various dates around the United States.

The band's new release: LIVE FROM AUSTIN TEXAS came out at the end of May 2011 on both CD and vinyl, showcasing a few new songs and fans old favorites cranked up with that live jumpin' sound for which the Snakehandlers are so well known. Songs from the CD charted for over 10 weeks on both the AMA and Third Coast Music charts and earned the band a Grammy consideration for Best Americana Album.

Their next release in March 2013 ROCKABILLY PLAYGROUND is a roots and rockabilly album for the whole family. Songs with all-mature instrumentation and lyrics aimed especially at the kids: songs about naptime, homework, why we have to follow rules, super best friends, and more. Basically, a hoppin' roots album that the kids will love and that mommy and daddy can listen to over and over and over again... As always, stay tuned for more.

“Risky — and perhaps just a bit risqué — Ruby Dee and The Snakehandlers conjure forth all sorts of visions of another time,” said Metro Santa Cruz after a California show. “Rooted firmly in the classic country and rockabilly tradition, the band is an authentic backdrop for lead singer Ruby Dee’s blend of Wanda Jackson sass and Patsy Cline pathos. The band holds it down with the insistence of a chugging train while Dee, a pinup heartbreaker of yesteryear with thoroughly modern attitude, commands the stage.”

Instrumentation

Ruby Dee - Singer Songwriter
Jorge Harada - Telecaster Guitar and Gretch Guitar
Dylan Cavaliere - Doghouse Bass
Jody Suarez - Cathouse Drums

Discography

ROCKABILLY PLAYGROUND
Dionysus Records (ID1233153-1 Vinyl/ID1233153-2 CD)
Full length CD release date March 2013
Children's Rockabilly Roots Record

LIVE FROM AUSTIN TEXAS
Dionysus Records (ID 1233134)
Full length CD released May 2011
Songs earning airplay in Europe and U.S.
Grammy considered for Best Americana Album 2011

MILES FROM HOME
Dionysus Records (ID1233139)
Full length CD released 2008
Most songs earn weekly airplay in Europe and the U.S.- video out in February 2008

NORTH OF BAKERSFIELD
Dionysus Records (ID1233131)
Full length CD Released 2006
Singles earn weekly airplay in Europe, the U.S. & Australia

CRY ALL OVER ME
3 song single CD unreleased 2005
Yet all songs earn weekly airplay in the US & Europe

FIVE FOR THE ROAD
5 song EP CD released 2003
3 songs earn weekly airplay in the US & Europe

Official Website

http://www.rubydeemusic.com

Links

Audio

Lyrics

Video

Photo Gallery

  • Ruby Dee and Snakehandler Harada

  • Ruby Dee

  • Jorge Harada

  • Jorge Harada & Ruby Dee

  • Jorge Harada & Ruby Dee

  • Ruby Dee and Jorge Harada

  • Ruby Dee and Jorge Harada

  • Ruby Dee and the Snakehandlers

    Download print quality (high-res) version (Right Click -> Save As)

Press

  • MILES FROM HOME CD Review [+ Show ]

    Ruby Dee And The Snakehandlers MILES FROM HOME (Dionysus) Sure, these Seattle honky-tonkers are ...

  • Handle This [+ Show ]

    San Antonio Current "Handle This" By: Dawn Pomento 08/16/2006 The story of how Ruby Dee Philipp...

  • Austin Chronicle - Ruby Dee And The Snakehandlers [+ Show ]

    Ruby Dee & the Snakehandlers Continental Club, Thursday, Aug 24 Hailing from the Pacific Northwe...

  • Ruby Dee proves she's "real deal" country [+ Show ]

    Ruby Dee Philippa has truck-stop attitude and a juke-box voice. The feisty Seattle singer is deeply ...

  • The Club Scene: Ruby Dee and the Snakehandlers finally release their full-length CD [+ Show ]

    By TIZZY ASHER SPECIAL TO THE P-I Ruby Dee and her band, the Snakehandlers, have only been toget...

  • Border Radio: Roots and Americana [+ Show ]

    Ruby Dee Philippa, lead singer for locals Ruby Dee and the Snakehandlers, promises the quintet will ...

  • RUBY DEE & THE SNAKEHANDLERS/Who Is She [+ Show ]

    Writer: Ruby Dee Philippa/The Snakehandlers; Producer: Conrad Uno/Jorge Harada; Publisher: North of ...

  • People's Pick Best Signed Band 2006 [+ Show ]

    When this rock-solid Americana outfit won "Favorite local band or artist" last year, we wrote: "Ruby...

  • People's Pick Best Unsigned Band 2005 [+ Show ]

    "Ruby Dee & The Snake Handlers make a sweet honky-tonk country racket that's perfect for long road ...

  • NORTH OF BAKERSFIELD CD Review [+ Show ]

    Ruby Dee and the Snakehandlers North of Bakersfield 2006 (Dionysius) Reviewed by Dawn Pomento T...

Setlist

We usually perform anywhere from one 45 to 90-min showcase set which normally consists of mostly original material, all the way up to a full 4-sets of 45 minutes each. The 4 sets consist of about 3/4 original material in the Americana/roots/rockabilly vein, and 1/4 cover songs by some of our favorites, such as Hank Williams and Johnny Cash. Our preference consists of a 90 minute set, where the audience will get the full range of the band's performance and scope in a concert-style format.

Current Song List
-------
Little Things
Gunslinger
Since You Went Away
Cold Pines and Red Dirt
Rough Rider (Webb Wilder)
So Long
Remember You
Alcohol of Fame (The Spurs)
Blue Tattoo (Marti Brom)
Just One Day
It's a Great Life (Hank Williams)
Now I Want You
Cry All over Me
I Will Always Return
Roses
After the Flood
Route 66 (Bobby Troup)
Thanks a Lot (Ernest Tubb)
King of the Road (Roger Miller)
Something Bad
Angel without Wings (Porter Hall, Tennessee)
Tell Me Why
Drunk Talk
So Lonely
Make it Last (Beat Farmers)
4500 Saturdays
1/2 As Much (Hank Williams)
Shameful Breaker
Who Is She?
Gunslinger
Hello Heartache (Wylie And The Wild West)
Don't Need A Man
Good Good Love
Suspicious Minds (Elvis Presley/Dwight Yoakam)
Dull Edge of The Blade (Derailers)
Leavin on Your Mind (Patsy Cline)
I Told You So (Ray Price)
I Want You to Want Me (Cheap Trick)
Standing in the Shadows
Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash)
18 Wheels (Atomic Deluxe)
Walkin Lie
A Good Run
Their Loving Memory
Childish Memories
Comes a Time
Cold Pines and Red Dirt
Round and Round
When I Steal
You Underwhelm Me
The Road's Weary End
7 Lonely Days (Patsy Cline)
Home Cookin'
All Knocked Up
I Need a Man (Barbara Pittman)
Cocaine Blues (Johnny Cash)

Basic Requirements

PDF Rider

RDSH Tech Rider

Calendar

DateTimeVenueCity
Jun 19, 2013 Wednesday 10:00 PM The Sahara Lounge Austin, TX, US
Jun 27, 2013 Thursday 10:00 AM Country Swing Austin, TX, US
Jun 28, 2013 Friday 9:45 AM FOX TV Channel 7 Austin, TX Austin, TX, US
Jun 28, 2013 Friday 9:00 PM The Driskill Austin, TX, US
Jun 30, 2013 Sunday 9:00 AM Luling Watermelon Thump 2013 Luling, TX, US
Jul 19, 2013 Friday 10:00 PM the White Horse Austin, TX, US
Jul 22, 2013 Monday 7:00 PM Sam's Burger Joint San Antonio, TX, US
Aug 17, 2013 Saturday 6:00 PM Dick's Classic Garage San Marcos, TX, US
Aug 23, 2013 Friday 9:00 PM The Continental Club Austin Austin, TX, US
Aug 31, 2013 Saturday 9:00 PM Tractor Tavern Seattle, WA, US
Sep 4, 2013 Wednesday 10:00 PM Strange Brew Lounge Side Austin, TX, US
Sep 15, 2013 Sunday 3:00 PM South Austin Brewery Austin, TX, US
Sep 20, 2013 Friday 9:00 PM The Sahara Lounge Austin, TX, US
Sep 21, 2013 Saturday 8:00 PM Moontower Saloon Austin, TX, US
Oct 26, 2013 Saturday TBA Private Wedding Austin, TX, US