JACKSON HOLE, WYO – The current social divide has been articulated by a number of bands through the power of music. For The Band of Heathens, that came in the form of a tribute rendition of the classic Ray Charles 1972 album, A Message From the People. Recorded in just four days, A Message From the People Revisited confronts injustice with a voice of optimism, soul and humanity. The Austin-based, Southern-tinged Americana stalwarts will take stage along with opener Reed Foehl this Thursday at the Pink Garter Theatre.
Established in 2006 as a trio of singer-songwriters, Ed Jurdi and Gordy Quist continue to lead The Band of Heathens along with keyboardist/vocalist Trevor Nealon, drummer/vocalist Richard Millsap, and bassist/vocalist Jesse Wilson. The group has released six albums and spent a lot of time at the top of the Americana music charts with a sound that points towards early 70s rock and roll akin to The Band. There’s a timelessness pulsing from their vintage gear and worn-in voices, and for those reasons they’ve been tapped as a backing band for many recording projects over the last few years.
One of those collaborative recording projects includes Reed Foehl’s fifth solo album, Lucky Enough, which was produced by Jurdi and Quist and released in February. Nashville-based Foehl touches on a range of Americana styles, all with emotionally charged lyrics and catchy choruses, from somber folk elegies and gospel-tinged tunes to barroom singalongs and calypso-flavored, country-infused pop.
The Band of Heathens with guest Reed Foehl, 9 p.m. Thursday at the Pink Garter Theatre. $15-$20. PinkGarterTheatre.com.
