Joshua Surgeon

“Country with some balls.”

That’s the way Joshua Surgeon describes the sound of his new album “Let the Bold Die Old.”

“I wanted to take songs that have been written over the past 10 years, influenced by many genres, and then bring something new to the table…walk into some places that haven’t been explored yet. Remove myself from the cookie-cutter, written-in-a-cubicle approach to songwriting.”

And that’s exactly what he did.

“What started as a little side-project, quickly evolved into an educational, life-consuming production.”

After taking on the role as lead vocalist for a regionally-touring hard rock band, acting as co-producer for 2 studio rock albums, performing 100’s of shows throughout the Midwest and experiencing a near-death health scare – a change of direction was inevitable.

“For over 7 years, I was the lead singer and co-writer for a lot of the music [my previous band] was bringing to our fans. The music was angry and aggressive…which was a total change of pace from the acoustic music I had cut my teeth on,” said Surgeon, “It was time to return to my roots, so I stepped down and focused attention on my solo project.”

And focused he was. Starting in April 2012, Surgeon started working with recording engineer, musician and producer, Tempest Houghton.

“I had worked with Tempest on two previous records, so we already had a working relationship. He knew how to push me in the studio. And over the course of two years, we worked at locations all over the country, putting ourselves in different environments and chipping away at the album – all while working our day jobs.”

As a video producer and graphic designer by trade, Surgeon knew the branding and marketing of the album was just as important as the music itself.

“While the album was being mixed and mastered, I started working on the website, album packaging, merchandise and music video. It was important to be turn-key and ready to go.”

As any performance musician will agree, networking is part of the game. The more exposure you have to the live music subculture, the more musicians, producers, booking agents and club owners you meet.

“Now that the album was done, I needed to be able to pull it off live. Tempest and I recorded all of the instruments and vocals on the album, so I had to build a band from the ground-up and get them comfortable and tight with the music. Naturally, it’s best to work with musicians you’ve worked with or have seen perform in the past.”

Taking on percussion is Mark Peddle, a studio drummer with multiple genres of experience under his belt. Surgeon worked with Peddle in their previous band, playing 100s of live shows together.

“Mark was naturally my first pick. He’s a solid metal drummer, so I knew he’d have no problem with my sound. I like that he’s able to bring a lot of energy to the live shows, but can also tuck back into the pocket during the more subtle stuff. Plus, let’s be honest…he’s got a killer beard.”

Taking over lead guitar and bass are brothers, Nick and Tony Cifani, respectively.

“I’ve known these guys for years. Our previous bands used to tour and play shows together, so we already had an established relationship on AND off stage. As multiple-instrument, classically-trained musicians…they seemed like a perfect fit. They’ve got countless hours of studio time and touring under their belt. Everyone has exceeded my expectations. Building a fanbase, playing shows throughout the area, and promoting the new album is going to be a lot of fun!”

Currently, the band is performing music from the new album Let the Bold Die Old, along with an array of covers by country artists Eric Church, Brantley Gilbert, Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, Florida Georgia Line, Sam Hunt and more.

For information and live show dates for Joshua Surgeon and The Dusty Bottoms, check their website at: [ www.JoshuaSurgeon.com ] or [ www.reverbnation.com/joshuasurgeon ]