THE RETURN OF COODER GRAW

 

 

Nashville, TN (February 27, 2012)-As we near prime season for highly regarded music festivals and tours, 2012 will see the triumphant return of one of the Lonestar State’s most acclaimed country music bands, Cooder Graw.  The reunion tour will kick off at the legendary 24^th Annual Larry Joe Taylor Music Festival in Stephenville, Texas on April 28^th.  For eight solid years Cooder Graw was one of the top drawing acts on the touring circuit with a live show that exploded off the stage, grabbed you by the shoulders and shook you with an authority that left you giddy with excitement. Leaving in their wake a loyal fanbase reaching from the south central states to the Colorado River Basin, and even down into Mexico, their special brand of in-your-face, loud country music is something that has been sadly missed for five long years.  The reunion tour will hit select cities throughout Texas through the fall and will feature original members Matt Martindale on vocals, Paul Baker on bass, Kelly Turner on lead guitar, Kelly Test on drums and Jon “Fish” Hunt on guitar/mandolin/backing vocals. Cooder Graw fans will most definitely remember Jimmy Url (pedal steel) who ceremoniously greeted every audience with the “Vulcan Wave.” In an on going joke the band wished him a happy birthday at each performance. Despite recent health issues, it is quite possible that Jimmy Url will be making his way on stage for selected Cooder Graw shows. Another original member of the band, Nick Worley, now of Jason Boland and The Stragglers, will join in on fiddle and mandolin at selected shows. In commemoration, a special edition compilation CD/DVD will be available to fans online and at live shows that will feature a handful of songs from each of their six previous albums, a new track and a video of their 2006 farewell show in Ft. Worth.  For tickets to the debut performance visit www.larryjoetaylor.com.

 

Formed in 1998, the fledgling group released their debut album HOME AT THE GOLDEN LIGHT, which credits Matthew McConaughey, a fraternity brother of Matt Martindale, as executive producer.  In 2000 came their debut studio release simply titled COODER GRAW, co-produced by multiple GRAMMY Award-winner Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel and Hayden Nicholas, nine-time #1 country songwriter and guitarist for Clint Black. The album was well received at Americana radio and was on the national radio charts for thirteen consecutive weeks. By 2001 they had taken a stronghold in the heralded Texas music scene with their second live offering SEGUNDO garnering them their first Top 10 Texas hit with “Willie’s Guitar.” That same year they released SHIFTING GEARS scoring them their next two Top 10 Texas hits “New Dress” and “Better Days.”  The next two album releases include 2004’s WAKE UP and the Texas music fraternal order that is LIVE AT BILLY BOB’S TEXAS, a by invitation only affair featuring their most well-known song “Llano Estacado” that was featured on a series of national Dodge truck commercials.    

Cooder Graw has shared the stage with some of country music’s biggest stars including Willie Nelson, Alabama, Dwight Yoakum, Robert Earl Keen, Mark Chesnutt, Lee Ann Womack, Pat Green and Asleep at the Wheel. They have performed at many of the finest venues across the Southwest, have appeared on a slew of compilation albums and have enjoyed success with a pair of music videos that aired on major country music networks including Great American Country (GAC). Although front man Matt Martindale has gone on to perform with his individual outfit The Matt Martindale Band, he ultimately initiated the idea of this reunion after repeated requests from fans over the years, and he couldn’t be happier, “We spent a lot of time on the road back in the day doing 150 plus dates a year and we needed some time away from the road and more time with our families.  It’s been a long time now and I just can’t wait!  I’m excited to see the guys, hang out with our old friends and reignite that part of our lives.”