Tennessee Stiffs
Austin, Texas, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2011
Music
Press
Names can be deceiving. Austin, Texas-based Tennessee Stiffs are not from The Volunteer State nor is the sound of their music anywhere near rigid. The soundtrack backing Thirty Pieces, the recent release form Tennessee Stiffs, is a fluid blend of rhythms flowing like mercury through touches of Rock’n’Roll, Country, Blues, Folk, and Americana. Channeling the diverse sounds under a self-proclaimed genre of Death Folk, Tennessee Stiffs ramble through dark honky tonk Country tales (“Broken Down and Blue”), drift like fog over a wandering swamp blues (“The Boogeyman”), scratch out some front porch Folk (“Maggie’s Song”), and set the rhythm to rumble under haunted Rock beats (“Undercurrent”).
Formed in 2011 by piecing together a wide array of influences, musicians turned married couple, Ethan Lee and Cara B, had one goal in mind for Tennessee Stiffs, to create something that colors outside of the borders. Tennessee Stiffs begins with opening track “Backwater Lullaby” pounding out a count into Thirty Pieces. The beat slinks and slithers across “Come Along Easy” as Tennessee Stiffs introduce “Cocaine Lover” while the piano marks time and Thirty Pieces hammers beats like the nails they punch into the title track story line.
Listen and buy the music of Tennessee Stiffs from AMAZON
http://www.tennesseestiffs.com/#about - The Alternate Root
The term a little bit country, a little bit rock n roll seems to be overused these days. Some bands that are unimaginative and not very original tend to cling to the moniker as if they were the second coming of Donnie and Marie.
The Tennessee Stiffs are not one of those bands, in fact they are A little bit country, a little bit rock n roll and a whole lot of rowdy. The Stiffs, first formed back in 2011. Co-founders, turned married couple, Ethan Lee and Cara B decided to create something unique,a musical experience if you will. Like the artisans they are they crafted a fusion of Americana, folk, country, blues and rock. The end result being affectionately called Death Folk...
That first year was spent writing and playing shows. They would often times draw inspiration from old books and lines of poetry. Each song a storytelling experience based from real-life events and easily relatable. It was in 2012 that bassist/vocalist Casey Kuznieski was added to the Stiffs lineup allowing the band to expand its onstage presence. After an exhaustive search, drummer Adrian Voorhies became the fourth member of the Stiffs.
The Stiffs began garnering attention with their 2015 release titled Nightery. The album was played on stations around the United States, and even in Europe. It was that same year that the band was awarded Best Americana Album and The Editor's Top pick by The Akademia Awards.
In March of 2016 the Stiffs began an exhaustive touring schedule covering the United States. They also started production on the follow-up album to Nightery titled Thirty Pieces. If you have yet to discover Tennessee Stiffs I invite you to take a listen for yourself. - The 615 Blog
"A haunted roadhouse where forlorn country, barstool blues and 1970s hard rock hold sway. Husband and wife team Ethan Lee and Cara B. Sadler lay on the spaghetti-western guitars and world-weary vocals with a trowel. It's creepy cool and as southern gothic as Spanish moss, a crumbling mansion and an eerie cry in the dead of night." - Creative Loafing Charlotte
“Haunting. Gritty. Powerful. Moving. Infinitely listenable.”
"The term 'achingly beautiful' was coined just to describe this band.”
"Both of their voices are simply damn perfect, but man, when they harmonize, and overlap each other . . . unreal.” - The Ripple Effect Blog
"Powerful vocals, stunning guitar work and unforgettable melodic hooks dominate Tennessee Stiffs' new album, representing a major contribution to the Americana genre." - The Akademia
“The grittiest new group west of the Mississippi.” - Magnolia House
"You want an Appalachian Led Zeppelin? You want some damn good front porch grumble boogie? Then look no further than Tennessee Stiffs.” - Pink House Journal
"Tennessee Stiffs’ grit, attitude, and red dirt edge make for an energizing blend of Americana. Forget boot-stomping music, their sound makes you want to dig your toe nails into the soil. The harmonies echo and the fiddle wails with reverberating emotion. It’s a rich, southern, and dangerous type of folk music that you’ll immediately sink your teeth into." - Austin on Shuffle
Discography
30 Pieces, June 2018, sophmore record
Nightery, October 2015, debut record
Big Bad Wolf, April 2015, demo single
Photos
Bio
We're not from Tennessee.
A little bit rock 'n' roll, a little bit country, and a whole lotta rowdy make up Tennessee Stiffs.
Formed in late 2011 and fueled by their eclectic musical interests, co-founders-turned-married-couple Ethan Lee and Cara B were determined to create something never heard before.
They seamlessly blend Americana, blues, rock, folk, country, and a myriad of other influences into a powerful and provocative product they affectionately call "Death Folk."
something dark, something pretty,
something great, something gritty.
Late night writing sessions soaked in whiskey gave the group a sound all their own. Cara’s melodies range from hauntingly beautiful to wildly soulful. Blended with Lee’s foot-stomping rhythms and gravelly vocals, the two take the “Beauty and the Beast” standard to heart.
The duo spent their first year as a band and as a couple writing tunes and playing shows, often using old books and a hat containing lines of poetry as inspiration. They wanted to build each song as its own story in a greater collection of real-life events. The characters are vividly constructed and personal, allowing for the listener to relate.
Bassist/guitarist/vocalist Casey Kuznieski joined in the summer of 2012, bringing a new level of levity and technical skill to the table. His wide range of talents allowed the band to expand on stage, where any member could potentially play any instrument. But the music still called for more, and so an exhaustive search for the perfect fourth member led the band to accomplished drummer/vocalist Adrian Voorhies, who fell into the mix with great success.
After recording the debut album, "Nightery," in April 2015, the Stiffs garnered wide attention from all over the United States, getting airplay from coast to coast as well as Europe, high praise on music blogs, and awards. The Akademia Music Awards gave "Nightery" the Best Americana Album Award, as well as the Editors Top Pick of 2015. In 2016, they hit the road touring the greater US, building their fanbase at every stop. Keeping up the momentum, the Stiffs are now touring the nation and promoting their highly anticipated sophmore album "30 Pieces", now streaming and available on vinyl and CD.
So whether you come to see the spectacle of the full band or the intimacy of the acoustic show, you’re bound to find your toe tapping, your head bobbing along, and hell, maybe even a little speaking in tongues.
Come one, come all
Here we go!
Buy a ticket to the traveling show!
Band Members
Links
