Diamondback

Diamondback has been a popular staple of the Chicago Country Music scene for quite some time. We bring our female fronted, multi-instrumentalist, tight harmonied party to clubs, private gatherings and festivals throughout the Midwest. We serve up a patented mix of Classic/Prime Country, Americana, Country Rock and New Country that’s guaranteed to have folks singing along and joining the party from the first song. Our extensive song list promises something for everyone.

Diamondback remains committed to bringing Classic Honky Tonk music to the urban masses!

Trailer Park Twisters

From small towns to the big city, the Trailer Park Twisters are ripping up all your favorite country tunes and laying waste to prefabricated homes in a 10-mile radius. Formed in 2008 by Paul Cicciarelli, the band features dynamic guitar playing complimented by swelling pedal steel and soaring vocals. From Johnny Cash to Miranda Lambert they’ve got it covered.

Pop Up Karaoke

Join us for Pop Up Karaoke! No Cover. $7 Old Fashioneds, $5 Craft Drafts and $4 Fireball shots to get you singing!

Joe Stamm Band

Ever since their inception in 2013, JSB has offered distinct storytelling mixed with their signature Black Dirt Country Rock sound. A sound that Stamm defines as “a nod to our Midwestern roots, as well as the Red Dirt music scene, which has had a big influence on our music.”

From playing in middle-of-nowhere dives to being named Peacemaker Fest’s 2023 “Emerging Artist of the Year,” Stamm has earned the grit and stage presence to support artists like Chris Knight, Shane Smith and the Saints, Tyler Childers, Whiskey Myers, Charles Wesley Godwin and more. It’s the same rough-edged outlaw spirit from his early days that fans will hear in Fort Smith, an EP produced in partnership with Peacemaker Fest that sounds best when driving with the windows down. And it’s the same spirit Joe brings to any stage and every audience today.

South City Revival

South City Revival is a workingman’s band from Chicago, IL. Forged in the city of frigid winters and ferocious wind, the band continues to expand on their vision of Midwest Americana with, "Where There's Smoke, There's Fire". The new album, the band's first full-length effort, is at its core an exploration of country and roots-rock music. Drawing on the energy and story-telling from the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Brooks & Dunn, Tom Petty, and Steve Earle, listeners are immersed in a landscape filled with abandoned steel mills, sticky bar floors and rusted out Chevys.

Vincent Neil Emerson

w/ Grayson Jenkins

"Vincent Neil Emerson is a torchbearer of the Texas songwriter tradition. He channels the straightforward truth-telling and resonance of his songwriting heroes in Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, and Steve Earle into something fresh and distinctly his own. Where his 2019 debut Fried Chicken and Evil Women proved himself as one of the most reverent students of country and western musical traditions, his follow-up LP, the masterful Rodney Crowell-produced Vincent Neil Emerson, which is out June 25 via La Honda Records/Thirty Tigers, is a brave step forward that solidifies his place as one of music's most compelling and emotionally clarifying storytellers. His songs are cathartic and bluntly honest, never mincing words or dancing around uncomfortable truths.

Raised in Van Zandt County in East Texas by a single mother of Choctaw-Apache descent, Emerson's world changed when he first heard Townes Van Zandt's music. "To hear a guy from Fort Worth say those kinds of things and make those songs was pretty eye opening," the now 29-year-old songwriter says. "I had never heard songwriting like that before." He's spent the better part of the past decade honing his songwriting and performance chops playing bars, honky-tonks, and BBQs joint across the Fort Worth area. His first album Fried Chicken and Evil Women, which he wrote in his mid-twenties and came out on La Honda Records, the label he cofounded that now includes a roster of Colter Wall, Local Honeys, and Riddy Arman, is a snapshot of his growth as a songwriter and stage-tested charm with songs like "Willie Nelson's Wall" and "25 and Wastin' Time" expertly combining humor and tragedy.

These marathon gigs and the undeniable songs on his debut introduced Emerson to Canadian songwriter Colter Wall, who quickly became a close friend and took him on tour. With Wall's audience and sold-out theater shows on runs with Charley Crockett, Turnpike Troubadours, and many others, Emerson found his niche. "It took a guy from Canada bringing me on tour for people to actually start paying attention," says Emerson. "Before that it was a grind like anything else just trying to make a living." Crockett is another staunch early supporter of Emerson's and covered Fried Chicken highlight "7 Come 11" on his 2019 LP The Valley.

"I think I've always gravitated towards artists that are honest about what they're doing." says Emerson. "It's the most important thing because people have a chance to connect to a little more if you're telling the truth."

"Vincent Neil Emerson is a torchbearer of the Texas songwriter tradition. He channels the straightforward truth-telling and resonance of his songwriting heroes in Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, and Steve Earle into something fresh and distinctly his own. Where his 2019 debut Fried Chicken and Evil Women proved himself as one of the most reverent students of country and western musical traditions, his follow-up LP, the masterful Rodney Crowell-produced Vincent Neil Emerson, which is out June 25 via La Honda Records/Thirty Tigers, is a brave step forward that solidifies his place as one of music's most compelling and emotionally clarifying storytellers. His songs are cathartic and bluntly honest, never mincing words or dancing around uncomfortable truths.

Raised in Van Zandt County in East Texas by a single mother of Choctaw-Apache descent, Emerson's world changed when he first heard Townes Van Zandt's music. "To hear a guy from Fort Worth say those kinds of things and make those songs was pretty eye opening," the now 29-year-old songwriter says. "I had never heard songwriting like that before." He's spent the better part of the past decade honing his songwriting and performance chops playing bars, honky-tonks, and BBQs joint across the Fort Worth area. His first album Fried Chicken and Evil Women, which he wrote in his mid-twenties and came out on La Honda Records, the label he cofounded that now includes a roster of Colter Wall, Local Honeys, and Riddy Arman, is a snapshot of his growth as a songwriter and stage-tested charm with songs like "Willie Nelson's Wall" and "25 and Wastin' Time" expertly combining humor and tragedy.

These marathon gigs and the undeniable songs on his debut introduced Emerson to Canadian songwriter Colter Wall, who quickly became a close friend and took him on tour. With Wall's audience and sold-out theater shows on runs with Charley Crockett, Turnpike Troubadours, and many others, Emerson found his niche. "It took a guy from Canada bringing me on tour for people to actually start paying attention," says Emerson. "Before that it was a grind like anything else just trying to make a living." Crockett is another staunch early supporter of Emerson's and covered Fried Chicken highlight "7 Come 11" on his 2019 LP The Valley.

"I think I've always gravitated towards artists that are honest about what they're doing." says Emerson. "It's the most important thing because people have a chance to connect to a little more if you're telling the truth."

The Shootouts

w/ Zack Fedor & the Long Goodbyes

Hailing from Akron, Ohio,The Shootouts are known for their energetic fusion of Americana, honky tonk and Western swing thatShootouts fans often refer to as “country music for people who don’t like country.” They have shared the stage with luminaries Marty Stuart, Asleep at The Wheel, Steve Earle, Sheryl Crow, Jim Lauderdale, the NittyGritty Dirt Band, Charley Crockett, Radney Foster, Chris Isaak, Raul Malo, Chuck Mead, Kim Richey, and many more. The band also performed an official showcase at AmericanaFest 2021 in Nashville.After releasing their acclaimed 2019 debutQuick Draw, the band charted Top 50 on Americana radio,and in 2020 were nominated for an Ameripolitan Music Award for “Best Honky-Tonk Group.”

Zack Fedor is from the humble farming community of Waverly IL. As early as 2011 Zack could be found in the local taverns playing songs and making friends. Little did he know his love of music, fun times, and good company would become his way of life.

Zack Fedor and The Long Goodbyes takes listeners on a musical journey through the backroads and bars of small town USA. hardship, love, drinking, loss, partying, relationships, and being born in an area often forgotten about.

Wildwood Country

WildWood Country is an All-American Country Style Band that incorporates elements of Old & New Country Music, Country blues, and rural dance music. They are Country Western music. Even though the modern hub of the country music genre is Nashville, Tennessee, there is a robust country music scenes all throughout the United States that centers in the Midwest & the surrounding areas.

Pop Up Karaoke

Join us for Pop Up Karaoke! No Cover. $7 Old Fashioneds, $5 Craft Drafts and $4 Fireball shots to get you singing!

The Hoyle Brothers

Grease your gears and clutch-it-up! The Hoyle Brothers are lightin’ the way on the Chicago country music scene, servin’ up a honky-tonkin’ good time. Every time.

Y'all's Brunch

Howdy, y’all! Come on down yonder to Chicago’s very own country western inspired drag show “Y’all’s Brunch” where ALL are welcome. Get your boots scootin’ with performances by talented Chicago Drag SUPERSTARS. Hosted by Mini Pearl Necklace, the “Jewel of the Cumberland Clam” and former co-host of Nashville’s 6-year running comedy drag show “SheHaw.” One-of-a-kind ENTERTAINMENT, FOOD, DRINKS, FUN, LAUGHS, PRIZES at Carol’s Pub!

Kashus Culpepper

w/ Reilly & Cody

26-year-old Navy veteran Kashus Culpepper was born and raised in Alexander City, Alabama where he grew up singing in church and discovered the beauty of music of all genres. With influences ranging from Stevie Wonder and Howlin’ Wolf to Chris Stapleton and Ray Lamontagne, Kashus has developed his own unique singing style that has inspired crowds throughout Alabama and the Mississippi Gulf Coast where he became a fixture in the music scene playing covers and originals five nights a week. While playing in cover bars helped pay the bills, Kashus knew early on that he would much prefer that audiences sing along to his own original songs rather than the songs of others. It was with that in mind that he made the move to Nashville Tennessee where he has been welcomed by the songwriting and artist community.  He has since written some amazing songs that remain rooted in country, but reflect the wide range of music and artistry that have influenced him throughout his life. Be on the lookout for some of those songs to hit streaming platforms in the months ahead.

Dan Lepien

Hailing from rural Sauk County, Wisconsin, Dan Lepien is a rising star in the world of country music. He has a genuine passion for spreading traditional country music through his unique and well-crafted songwriting and interactive live shows. Dan's distinctive gritty vocal style sounds reminiscent to some of the timeless country legends and he has drawn comparison to powerhouse vocalists like George Strait, Alan Jackson, and Daryle Singletary. His unwavering approach to the genre has gained him a tight knit and loyal following in Wisconsin, the Midwest, and beyond. In Lepien’s first 5 years into his country music career he has had the privilege of sharing the stage with some of his heroes (Clint Black, Shenandoah), recording in Nashville with some of the same session players that played on many of the songs that shaped him as an artist, has been nominated for several awards (2023 Josie Music Awards 'Rising Star of the Year' and 'Best Male Vocalist' Nominee, 2023 HODAG Regional Pickoff Winner, 2023 Midwest Country Music Organization Rising Star of the Year Nominee, 2022 Shepherd Express's Best of Milwaukee Alt-Country Band Nominee), and has played stages like HODAG, Crystal Grand Theatre, WI State Fair, Summerfest, Watertown Riverfest, Porterfield Country Music Festival, and more.

The Toasted Coconuts

The Toasted Coconuts is a “honky tonk” band based out of central Indiana featuring Mike Holmes, guitar & vocals; Jeremy Sells, drums & vocals; and, “Jumpin’” John Allen, bass & vocals. The band lives in the “Americana” genre covering everything from Waylon to ZZ Top to Tom Petty to Luke Combs — something for everyone! The band is working on their first recording and plan to release something in mid ‘24.

St. Jams Charity Concert

This is a fundraiser for a great Chicago organization, The Pilsen Food Pantry, which aims to improve health and social outcomes through the distribution of fresh, culturally-appropriate food, clothing, housewares, and community events. The Pantry is providing food and clothing to over 1,000 visitors weekly.

Pop Up Karaoke

Join us for Pop Up Karaoke! No Cover. $7 Old Fashioneds, $5 Craft Drafts and $4 Fireball shots to get you singing!

Payton Smith

w/ Dipper

At just 23 years old, Louisiana native singer-songwriter and self-taught guitarist, Payton Smith, has a lot to celebrate. Smith began releasing music in 2019; quickly amassing over 50 million streams on his debut single, “Like I Knew You Would”. Known for not only high-energy guitar slinging and smooth vocals, the CMT 2021 Listen Up artist also composed and played every string instrument on each track of his debut project.

As Taste of Country noted his “raw talent, authenticity and strong work ethic are bound to bring him country music success for many, many years” as one of 2021’s Hottest Country Artists Under 25. Music Row called Smith the 2021 Next Big Thing, while “Like I Knew You Would” charted as the number 7 song of the year on Spotify’s Hot Country.

Payton Smith signed with Combustion Masters in late 2022, releasing “Missed The Boat” in early 2023, marking a new era of music, being produced by Combustion’s Chris Farren. Smith’s debut album, What Colors Your Wild, was released on March 19th, with playlisting features on Apple’s New In County, Spotify’s New Music Friday Country and Tidal’s Country Waves, Rising: Country and Amazon Music’s Breakthrough Country. Payton is hitting the road this summer throughout the country opening for Tracy Lawrence, Gary Allan, Lee Brice, Ashley Cooke and more.

Mike Giannini & the Rhythm Rangers

w/ Bongiorno and Co

Mike Giannini of Chicago, IL does his original take on energetic, hard hitting Rockabilly while blending Honky tonk and other roots music.

The Simple Remedy

Founded several years ago by Chicago Singer/Songwriter Edward William Ryan, The Simple Remedy has grown into one of the most reliable acts on the music scene.

Also featuring Singer/Songwriter Laura Patricia on Vocals, Michael Pentz on Lead Guitar, Mike Smith on Bass Guitar and Andy Wilmoth on Drums!

The band is a true melting pot of musical influences and keeps the audience guessing as they glide through multiple genres as well as their own original music during their live performances.

Michelle Billingsley and Jake Penrod

Michelle Billingsley wraps charmingly cutting lyrics in boisterous acoustic strumming and along with her dryly dark sense of humor and a (whip)smart-assed vocal delivery, it all sounds a bit like Emmylou Harris went through the looking glass. She'll remind you of the familiar songs you heard playing on the radio in the back of Dad’s old truck cruising down back roads. She’s got a little bit of honky tonkin’ country up her sleeve, and a dusting of folk on her boots. Her shows are undeniably fun—genuine, irreverent, unique and fearless.Billingsley’s new debut album for Western Myth Records, Not the Marrying Kind—produced by multi-instrumentalist Matt Brown—is an Americana gem. Out of the gates, Brown made the sage choice of putting legendary producer/engineer Brian Deck (Modest Mouse, Josh Ritter, Iron & Wine) behind the boards—and the drum kit—for the sessions.The resulting record's intimate, moody vibe draws you in close with your guard down, and once you pause long enough to get your head around the songs, the depth of Billingsley’s talent comes sharply into focus. It’s a deceptively heavy record, yet somehow her fantastic whimsy mixes with black comedy and brisk little melodies that make the journey all the more powerful.

Jake Penrod is a singer, composer, songwriter, and band leader from the Piney Woods of East Texas. Playing the piano since age five and teaching himself guitar at nine, he’s now a multi-instrumentalist whose most recent accolade is a nomination for the Austin Chronicle’s best country artist of the year. In 2017, he was given the Ameripolitan Music Award for Honky Tonk Male. In 2015, he was recognized as the Academy of Western Artists’ Pure Country Male Vocalist of the Year. His songs have been covered by Joey Allcorn, Lonnie Spiker, and the Country Side of Harmonica Sam. He’s worked with and played with some of the greats- Ray Price, Charlie Pride, Asleep at the Wheel, Dale Watson, Bobby Flores, Johnny Lee, Bobby Bare, Moe Bandy, Jody Nix, Two Tons of Steel, Johnny Bush, Earl Poole Ball, and T. Graham Brown, to name a few.

Dry County Line

10th Anniversay Party

Dry County formed in 2014 in Chicago and have performed in various venues ever since. Our music is a blend of all styles of country and western music, layered with beautiful vocals. Dry County Line is:

Randy Smith - guitar, banjo, vocals
Mike Ritrosi - guitar, lap steel, drums
John Fox - bass
Aaron Slivinski - drums, pedal steel
Gabrielle Schafer-vocals

Patrick Bale and the Pale Ales

Patrick Bale & The Pale Ales is a Chicago-based country. Formed in 2016, their shows are known for their high energy setlists featuring classic country, red dirt, and rock and roll covers intertwined with their own original material. In 2020, they released their debut album “Cheap Shot,” showcasing their signature style of storytelling. They have opened for well known touring acts such as Chris Cagle, Corey Marks, Granger Smith, and played to packed houses at iconic venues like Old Crow Smokehouse, Basecamp, The Forge, and Reggie’s Rock Club.

Kelsey Waldon

Kelsey Waldon is one of Country music’s most singular voices. Across four acclaimed full-length albums full of both “heavy twang and spitfire pedal steel” and “coffeehouse confessionals” (Rolling Stone), she’s brought listeners into her world and shared her own experiences and perspectives. Her new project, There’s Always a Song (out May 10th via Oh Boy Records/Thirty Tigers), however, is about the singular voices that shaped her into the artist she is today.

“It’s like, I kind of was able to find my voice through these voices, you know?” Waldon says. “A part of me doing this album is expressing so much gratitude for the music that I love, for music that has meant a lot to me and helped me.”

These eight songs, from the earliest pages of the country and bluegrass music songbooks, helped the singer-songwriter from Monkey’s Eyebrow, Ky., find her place in the world before she became an artist whose own work generates buzz, lands on year-end best-of lists, and, in 2019, led Waldon to become the first artist in 15 years to sign a deal with John Prine’s Oh Boy Records. These days, they remind Waldon of why she wanted to make music in the first place.

“There’s a lot of bullshit out there, and sometimes our goals and dreams get clouded by competition or become jaded. [These songs are] like something tapping into me and being like, ‘That’s why you love this.’ It feels like home to me; it feels like the truth,” Waldon shares. “It just brought me so much joy to work with my peers, my friends, people I really admire.”

here’s Always a Song might not even exist, in fact, if not for S.G. Goodman, who in addition to also being a fellow western Kentuckian has been one of Waldon’s good friends since before they were making headlines with their music. During one of their frequent catch-up phone calls, Waldon told Goodman she would love to find a reason to collaborate and asked Goodman if she’d be up for recording a song together. Goodman suggested “Hello Stranger,” specifically citing the 1973 version by Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard.

Waldon didn’t stop with Goodman, though. Fellow John Prine devotee and “kindred spirit” Amanda Shires joins Waldon on fiddle for the Bill Monroe classic “Uncle Pen” — arranged in half time like Goose Creek Symphony’s version from 1971 — while Isaac Gibson, lead singer of 49 Winchester, helps Waldon honor his fellow Virginian, Ralph Stanley, on the devastating “I Only Exist.” Margo Price, one of Waldon’s first friends in Nashville, rounds out the list of guests, singing with Waldon on “Traveling the Highway Home,” which Waldon selected from fellow Kentuckian Molly O’Day’s catalog.

aldon is featured in the 2024 edition of the Country Music Hall of Fame's ""American Currents"" exhibit, and she'll perform a special ""Songwriter Session"" on March 2nd at the museum as part of the exhibition's opening. 2024 tour dates will be announced soon.

Bryce Leatherwood

Singer/songwriter Bryce Leatherwood aims to carry the torch of country music and continue the legacy of legends prior. Born and raised in Woodstock, GA, his passion for music began at an early age. Working on his grandfather’s farm every summer, Leatherwood was exposed to the classic country hits of George Jones, Merle Haggard and Conway Twitty. Soon thereafter he began picking up guitars and playing the traditional country music that inspires him today. Leatherwood’s music career began to blossom in Statesboro, GA, where he attended Georgia Southern University. During his time in Statesboro, Leatherwood played college venues and continued to grow his stage presence and his country music repertoire. While in college, Leatherwood formed his band and began playing all around the Southeast. Bryce’s goal was to take the stage and play the best of country music to all ages and audiences. Just weeks after graduating college, Bryce set his mind on a new task. In 2022, Leatherwood competed on the NBC hit television show The Voice and was crowned the Season 22 winner in December. Following his success, Leatherwood moved to Nashville where he has been songwriting and recording for a forthcoming project on Universal Music Group Nashville/Republic Records, the first of which is "The Finger," out now. Leatherwood continues to perform live shows, including opening several tour dates for Dwight Yoakum. Online at www.bryceleatherwood.com.

Joe Wortell
and Band

w/ Russell Walker

Joe Wortell is a classic outlaw country artist from Chicago that plays clever and inspired arrangements fusing subtle hints of blues, surf, r&b, and pop with the great songs of Hank, Waylon, Merle, Cash and beyond.

Frank Martin Busch and the Names

Frank Martin Busch grew up on a farm outside the rural community of Cuba City, Wisconsin. He is the youngest of seven children in a musical family. Frank started playing music in grade school, even playing a few shows with his father’s Big Band Orchestra on saxophone. It wasn't until he left the small town for The University of Wisconsin and commandeered his college roommates Stratocaster, that he truly fell in love with music.

Frank taught himself to play, sing and write songs, his journey has been slow, painful and deliberate. Upon graduating he founded his first band The Mighty Short Bus, and is a founding member of Midwest troubadours WheelHouse. The two bands have released 8 records and played over 3,000 shows over the past 20 years.

This is Frank's first foray as a true solo artist. He has brought back the Stratocaster and is living and dying by his ability to play it, He marries the storytelling of a country songwriter with the musicality of a bluesman and a sense of humor that rivals your grade school best friend’s dad.

Y'all's Brunch

Howdy, y’all! Come on down yonder to Chicago’s very own country western inspired drag show “Y’all’s Brunch” where ALL are welcome. Get your boots scootin’ with performances by talented Chicago Drag SUPERSTARS. Hosted by Mini Pearl Necklace, the “Jewel of the Cumberland Clam” and former co-host of Nashville’s 6-year running comedy drag show “SheHaw.” One-of-a-kind ENTERTAINMENT, FOOD, DRINKS, FUN, LAUGHS, PRIZES at Carol’s Pub!

ZG Smith

Since moving to Music City in his mid-twenties, ZG Smith racked up a formidable cache of musicalsuccesses including touring extensively throughout the US, Canada, and Europe, being frontman,primary songwriter, and founding member of Americana duo SmoothHound Smith, and sharingstages with acts like The Chicks, Trombone Shorty, Collective Soul, and Devon Gilfillian. His poignantand ethereal debut EP, Nighttime Animal, was released in February of 2023 and has garnered airplayand attention from musical curators and press outlets alike, not the least of which includeMinneapolis’s The Current, NPR’s World Cafe, Nashville’s Lightning 100, PopMatters, The BluegrassSituation, NashvilleSCENE, UnderTheRadar, and more.

Wild Earp

Wild Earp slings original country & western music that gives a respectful nod to the masters of the past and a defiant scoff at the purists. Touching on just about every aspect of roots music, Earp brings the listener through the desert, the mountains, and the honky tonks with clever lyricism that mixes humor, heartache, and sinful living. He’s backed by The Free for Alls, a talented and fun-loving cast of characters who give life and depth to the music. Their hootin’ and hollerin’ enthusiasm is matched by their good taste and broad talents, and they leave nothing off of the table. They ain't too hard on the eyes, neither!

The Simple Remedy

Founded several years ago by Chicago Singer/Songwriter Edward William Ryan, The Simple Remedy has grown into one of the most reliable acts on the music scene.

Also featuring Singer/Songwriter Laura Patricia on Vocals, Michael Pentz on Lead Guitar, Mike Smith on Bass Guitar and Andy Wilmoth on Drums!

The band is a true melting pot of musical influences and keeps the audience guessing as they glide through multiple genres as well as their own original music during their live performances.

St. Jams Charity Concert

Common Pantry, Chicago’s oldest continuous food pantry, is devoted to providing food, personal care items and social service referrals to qualifying individuals and families in its North Side service area. Each month, Common Pantry serves an average of 320 households representing approximately 1,300 people.

Vincent Lima

Currently based out of a small town in California called Los Angeles, Vincent Lima is a zero time Grammy winning musician whose music explores the mes of loss, love and growing up. Vincent began singing in 2018 and hit his stride in late 2023 with the help of a rapidly developing fan base after the release of singles "Orpheus" and "Eurydice. ”His latest single "In the Cold,” a story about being seen in love, serves as a potent continuation of the narrative started in Orpheus. As that narrative expands further in upcoming releases, Vincent will continue spending his time touring and writing his own bios in the third person.

Jesse Daniel

w/ Alex Williams

Jesse Daniel has been a well respected name within traditional

Meg & The Wheelers

and Friends

Rooted in Chicago's vibrant & growing honky-tonk scene, Meg & The Wheelers are doing their Midwest best.

Missouri-born frontwoman & songwriter Meg Sampson formed the band in 2018, quickly releasing her first single "Bar in the Divorce" & establishing the Wheelers as a local up-and-comer. Their distinct sound is a result of five seasoned musicians & close friends collaborating, drawing on the rich history of country music, with influences ranging from Margot Price to Loretta Lynn. Meg & The Wheelers craft a unique & exciting spin on the music that made them, combining modern lyrics with traditional melodies, weaving tales of love & loss that feel both fresh & timeless.

Meg & The Wheelers' latest EP Midwest Best was recorded at Chicago's legendary Electrical Audio studio & was released in 2023. They have shared the stage with national acts such as Ashley Mcbryde & Joshua Hedley, as well as rising local talent Nathan Graham, Tommy Goodroad, & many others.

The Matt Martin Band

The Matt Martin Band is a 4 piece Chicago based cover band that formed in 2021. Consisting of members from several different active internationally known cover/tribute bands, The Matt Martin Band specializes in country music but caters to all genres of music at a moments request.

Their show packs a punch of high energy and fun that keeps the dance floor crowded and everyone singing at the top of their lungs to all of your favorite singalongs & requests, while also offering the occasional slow dance to some of your favorite “couple skates”! Specializing in all areas of country music from classic country like Johnny Cash & George Strait, to new age country such as Luke Combs & Morgan Wallen...

The Matt Martin Band is sure to deliver powerful vocals and harmonies, driving acoustic guitar, chicken pickin' guitar leads, and even the occasional full version of “Freebird"" if you’re lucky!"

Tommy Goodroad + Big Weather

CHTR

CJ Melton is a Chicago based musician and audio engineer. Their part in organizing this series comes from a desire to encourage and deepen a sense of community through celebration of local art, and to see bands they like play good music!

David Graham & The Eskimo Brothers

The Eskimo Brothers are a high energy honky tonk trio based out of Nashville, Tennessee. This reckless and manic show has been battle tested and polished from over 300 shows a year, both in the honky tonks of Nashville's historic Lower Broadway and and monthly shows in Memphis on Beale St.

South City Revival

South City Revival is a workingman’s band from Chicago, IL. Forged in the city of frigid winters and ferocious wind, the band continues to expand on their vision of Midwest Americana with, "Where There's Smoke, There's Fire". The new album, the band's first full-length effort, is at its core an exploration of country and roots-rock music. Drawing on the energy and story-telling from the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Brooks & Dunn, Tom Petty, and Steve Earle, listeners are immersed in a landscape filled with abandoned steel mills, sticky bar floors and rusted out Chevys.

SunFallen

SunFallen will take you back a few decades to when live music meant something, not like a group of soccer Dads lip syncing to a karaoke backing track. A time when guitars howled, the base drum kicked, and the vocals of a song took you back to a place you've missed. SunFallen continues to draw loyal fans since their debut in 2009 as well as claim new fans with their signature sound and style. The band covers classic and new Rock.

Y'all's Brunch

Howdy, y’all! Come on down yonder to Chicago’s very own country western inspired drag show “Y’all’s Brunch” where ALL are welcome. Get your boots scootin’ with performances by talented Chicago Drag SUPERSTARS. Hosted by Mini Pearl Necklace, the “Jewel of the Cumberland Clam” and former co-host of Nashville’s 6-year running comedy drag show “SheHaw.” One-of-a-kind ENTERTAINMENT, FOOD, DRINKS, FUN, LAUGHS, PRIZES at Carol’s Pub!

Hodie Snitch

Hodie Snitch plays the songs you know and love from the likes of Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, George Jones, David Allen Coe, Hank Williams Jr, Charlie Daniels, and the list goes on and on. We could do this all day. Sometimes we do... This IS your daddy's country!

The Simple Remedy

Founded several years ago by Chicago Singer/Songwriter Edward William Ryan, The Simple Remedy has grown into one of the most reliable acts on the music scene.

Also featuring Singer/Songwriter Laura Patricia on Vocals, Michael Pentz on Lead Guitar, Mike Smith on Bass Guitar and Andy Wilmoth on Drums!

The band is a true melting pot of musical influences and keeps the audience guessing as they glide through multiple genres as well as their own original music during their live performances.

Aidan Canfield

Canfield’s artistry infuses a unique combination of Rock and Country influences from thesounds that he grew up on–a little bit of Bob Seger and Bruce Springsteen, a little bit of KennyChesney meets Zach Bryan. His heartfelt lyrics and melodies have struck a chord of relatabilityhe’s witnessed on the road on support dates with Riley Green and, most recently, the CameronSacky Band. When the pandemic hit in 2020, Aidan used the time to discover his passion forplaying the guitar, and he started singing and writing songs. In two short years, he startedgrowing a following on social media platforms and released his first single, “The Idea Of Me,” inApril of 2022. Since then, Aidan has released six additional singles, an album and his music hasnearly 3 million streams. Aidan’s heartfelt lyrics and melodies are what make his musicrelatable to his fans. Featured in country music YouTuber and critic Grady Smith’s “Best MusicUnder the Radar of 2023,” Canfield’s growing popularity has also led to his first CMAFestperformance on the Hard Rock Stage and a feature on the Tidal Wave Festival in Atlantic City.

Hannah Dasher

Music Row predicted she’ll be the Next Big Thing, about the same time the guitar goddess became a Fender Next artist and a CMT Next Women of Country. But Whiskey Riff believes Hannah Dasher is still “one of Nashville’s best kept secrets, much like Chris Stapleton used to be.” They claim she’s one of the best live acts they’ve seen in a long time. A true entertainer, she’s amassed over 1.5M followers on TikTok and has become a viral sensation on other platforms.

Walk into her “Honkytonk Graceland” home and find that this artist is no character. She lives like she looks. Preserving the best of nostalgic Country music and building upon it with a fresh, new sound, Hannah Dasher feels like the big piece of the puzzle we’ve been missing for a while. She recently released her new album, “The Other Damn Half” and is gearing up for her second headlining tour.
Stephen Hubbard -ABC Country