THRIFT STORE COWBOYS

From Lubbock, Texas the Thrift Store Cowboys have been making their way on the road for years now. With their unique sound of spooky desert rock they have a sound that is not your norm for a band from Texas whatever that means.

They are a young but experienced band together since late 1999 and on the road regularly for over five years. From Oregon and Washington to New York and Washington D.C. they have taken their music many miles just this year.

This band has a great chemistry on stage and on their albums that has an infectious feel that enchants listeners. Great lyrics that actually have some meaning, and a great danceable groove to keep you moving. Oh and Pearl, aka Amanda Shires, the sweetest sounding and prettiest violinist most people have ever heard and or seen. All this makes the Thrift Store Cowboys an outstanding band to catch.

The Scene has asked The Thrift Store Cowboys to headline our Festival in the Park @ Memorial Park- Saturday, July 7th. They will be performing at 5PM and also be at the Golden Light Cantina later that night.

The Thrift Store Cowboys is:
Colt Miller - guitars, accordian, pedal steel, banjo
Daniel Fluitt - Acoustic, vocals
Clint Miller - Bass
Kris Killingsworth - Drums, glockenspiel, vocals
Amanda Shires - Violin, Vocals
Sometimes - Todd Pertll - Pedal Steel Guitar

I was able to interview Daniel Fluitt via email here’s what he had to say.

THE INTERVIEW:

When did Thrift Store Cowboys form?
Colt and I (Dan) have been playing music together, along with Jeff Dennis, for nearly 12 years. The actual band Thrift Store Cowboys has been around since December 16, 1999, which was our first gig in Lubbock.

How did you all come together?
Colt, Jeff , and I have known each other since grade school, and I met Amanda and Kris at South Plains College.

Did you or the other members of the band have other bands before Thrift Store?
Kris played drums in Soul Kitten, Outlandau Groove, and the Orange County Band. Colt and I were in a different band, but pretty much the same people. Amanda played in the Ranch Dance Fiddle Band and with the Texas Playboys.

How would you describe your music?
Spooky, Gypsy -West Texas roots rock

How do some other people describe it?
“spooky, punky tonk” - Bloodshot records recording artist Rex Hobart “Thrift Store Cowboys’ feel is more, for a lack of a better description, gypsy desert music - the free sound of spacey, heat-induced delirium, if that makes sense. It’s a sure, confident sound backed by thoughtful vision and seemingly thoughtful lyrics.” - Buddy Magazine

As a band who are some of the biggest influences?
Ennio Morricone, Whiskey-town, Bob Wills, Pearl Jam, Lubbock musicians.

You have been on the road as a band for a good portion of the year. What are some of the highlights/ Lowlights from recent tours?
One highlight was playing with Devotchka to a sold out crowd in Boulder earlier, and how wonderful everyone treats us on the road. Some of the lowlights include playing for a whopping 10 people in Seattle, and when Andrew, our sound guy, broke his collarbone on the beach in Monterey.

What are some of the upcoming tour plans?
When the readers read this, we will have just gotten back from a quick week long tour of the Southwest, including a few festivals, and in August, we are heading out through the Southeast, up the coast to New York, and back down the mid-west for 26 days.

What albums do you have out and when were they released?
Nowhere with You - 2000/ The Great American Desert - 2003/ Lay Low While Crawling or Creeping – 2006

The road can be hard sometimes. What keeps you going, what keeps the band going?
Just the fact that we love doing what we do, and the crowd response and feedback make it worth while. If you can speak to someone with your words, nothing feels better.

Any recent funny stories, jokes, stupid human tricks to speak of?
We found a Texas-sized donut in Portland, Tugboat won a karaoke contest in Denver, most of the jokes we use on the road are so inside, no one would get them but us.

How many marriage proposals does Pearl get on the road?
thousands...we have a whole office of people working on sorting them out...

Anything else you would like to add?
Excited to play the festival in Amarillo

What’s your website address..where can people buy your CDs.
www.thriftstorecowboys.net
www.myspace.com/thriftstorecowboys
www.milesofmusic.com or www.lonestarmusic.com