It’s not every day we get to watch the rapid rise of an American rock ‘n’ roll band, from performing as an unknown at an open mic night to soon after selling out the venue multiple times, then moving rapidly to major stages. With Hippies & Cowboys, we are witness to what appears to be a meteoric rise, including a growing loyal fanbase of “Dreamers,’ as their tribe is called.
Hippies & Cowboys, feeling the vibrations of momentumafter their discovery at Fox & Locke’s Open Mic Night, released a live album recorded at one of their sold-out shows at Fox & Locke, and soon was one of the major stages at Pilgrimage Festival, one of the most popular music events in the eastern half of the U.S. They had already been tapped as regularsat Kid Rock’s place on Lower Broadway in Nashville, stirring up the crowd with energy to burn. Important performances keeping the band on the rise include opening for Blackberry Smoke, their 2nd round at Pilgrimage, joining the roster at 2024’s Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, headlining the 55th Swampaversary in Muscle Shoals, and their first showcase in another music town, Austin, TX. Hippies & Cowboys will release their debut single “Circle Back Around” on May 17, the same night they open for Blackberry Smoke. The following night, they keep up the momentum with their sold-out show at Fox & Locke in Leiper’s Fork, and more. An EP follows soon.
Hippies & Cowboys Back Story: The band’s discovery in Leiper’s Fork set their trajectory. The performance hit the bullseye -intense rock vocals, thanks to lead vocalist Aaron Sparling, an original songwriter who connected with the audience, and young, new, rock blood that emanated energy from the stage like a modernized version of the best of 70’s rock. Watching the band live is high energy on steroids. Sparling is the driving force, who is, hands down, one of the best rock singers in the business already. At 23, Aaron Sparling made it to Nashville from Kokomo, IN. In Music City, he connected quickly to like-minded musicians and music-biz execs. He took his old soul and his golden rock voice to Muscle Shoals, AL to record in studios that helped launch the music of some of his heroes. Sparling credits The Beatles with his conversion to rock ‘n’ roll. “The Beatles changed everything for me. Before then, I was into Memphis country/blues sound, which is great, too. But as soon as I really got into The Beatles, I dove deep into the wonders of rock ‘n’ roll music, and it changed my life forever,” Sparling said.
Cut to a night in his hometown of Kokomo, at the Kokomo Country Palace, when Aaron heard the sound he’d been looking for –one of the tightest bands in music. He met up with them after the gig, introduced himself and said to the drummer Scott Metko, “I’ll be back in three months to hire ya’ll to be my band.” “Yea, right,” Scott thought. Three months later, Aaron was back and hired the band. Hippies & Cowboys just launched the live album they recorded at Fox & Locke, are building fans at Kid Rock’s, and playing major festivals. The performance at Pilgrimage led to national media coverage in People Magazine, multiple high-profile social media influencer posts, and a measurable increase in the band’s fan base. The music is a cross between country and Southern, rock and soul that gives Hippies & Cowboys a universal appeal. Their name says a lot about their musical range. Something else, though. These guys are the real deal. An unusual genuineness exudes from the stage: accessibility of the band members to fans. That collective personality, a rarity in rock, is led by Aaron Sparling. He’s quite possibly one of the nicest guys in the business. When asked what drives him, Sparling says, “The fans. Pure and simple. Seeing the joy that music brings to people and feeling that excitement of creation...it gives me a way to express my feelings or opinions freely. I love to see the enjoyment on people’s faces when I sing a song, that feeling of amazement, joy, and high energy.” Keep watching these guys.
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OTIS
The Commonwealth of Kentucky has a storied music history and a large catalog of renowned artists. While it's most famous for producing more country music stars per capita than anywhere else in the United States, musicians all across the spectrum — from bluegrass to rock and roll — have called Kentucky home. Out of this musical melting pot comes the blues based, rock 'n' roll band OTIS.
With Boone Froggett on guitar and vocals, John Seeley on bass, Alex Wells on guitar, and Dale Myers on drums, the members of The Otis Band are staying connected to their Kentucky roots. Growing up around traditional instruments like piano, fiddle, and guitar instilled in them an appreciation for country-rock, bluegrass, gospel, and folk music. Kentucky's rich musical heritage led them to discover the Rock and Blues heroes that continue to influence the bands original material today.
While it would be easy to categorize the work of OTIS as Southern Rock, being from Kentucky, their musical background is much broader. In addition to being guided by the classic rock giants of the 1960s and 70s era, the members of OTIS draw inspiration from true greats — people like Muddy Waters, Leadbelly, and the artists of Motown — to create their own unique rock and roll sound.
After releasing Tough Times: A Tribute to John Brim, — Former Chess Records Blues Recording Artist — in 2014, OTIS joined Cleopatra Records in 2017, with the release of their second album Eyes of the Sun. A chance meeting with ZZ Top's Billy F. Gibbons led to the legend listening to Otis and becoming a fan — even handing their albums off to the likes of Buddy Guy and Jeff Beck! Four songs from Eyes of the Sun were also included in the soundtrack of the 2020 film Street Survivors.
What Folks Are Saying...
"Great playing and emotional singing. Raw and righteous!" - Tinsley Ellis
"In an era where references to antecedent musical genres are often an excuse for a lack of material, Otis deliver the goods." - Pete Feenstra
