Moreland and Arbuckle

Moreland & Arbuckle

Moreland & Arbuckle (L-R: Dustin Arbuckle, Kendall Newby, Aaron Moreland)
Photo by Gavin Peters
Background information
Genres Blues rock, blues, Delta blues, folk, soul
Instruments Blues Harp, Guitar, Cigar Box Guitar
Years active 2001-present
Labels Alligator Records, Telarc International
Website www.morelandarbuckle.com
Members Aaron Moreland, Dustin Arbuckle, Kendall Newby
Notable instruments
Guitar
Harp
Drums
Cigar Box Guitar

Moreland & Arbuckle (guitarist Aaron Moreland, vocalist/Harmonicist/blues harp Dustin Arbuckle, and drummer Kendall Newby) are an American Electric Blues/roots rock trio. Moreland describes their music as "gritty blues and roots rock from the heartland."[1] After six previous releases, the band signed with Alligator Records in 2015.[2] The label debut, Promised Land Or Bust, will be released on May 6, 2016. It was produced by Matt Bayles (Mastodon, The Sword).

Aaron Moreland was born December 16, 1974. He played in a number of garage bands while growing up and was influenced by punk music. He changed course and focused on blues music after hearing "Death Letter Blues" by Son House.[1]

Dustin Arbuckle was born December 25, 1981. He first discovered blues in his mid-teens. "Getting into blues made me want to play music," he says. He played in blues-rock bands while learning to sing with soulful authority.[1]

The two met at an open mic session in their hometown of Wichita, Kansas in 2001 and they quickly bonded and formed an acoustic duo playing traditional and delta blues. The all acoustic duo saw their start after reaching the finals at the 2005 International Blues Competition in Memphis, Tennessee, and followed that success with their first self-produced album, Caney Valley Blues in 2005.

In 2006 the duo added a drummer and evolved into an electric powerhouse trio. Later that year they released a self-produced independent album, Floyd's Market. The trio forged a path combining rural blues, Delta, Mississippi Hill Country, and rock styles.

They followed in 2008 with 1861 (Northern Blues Music). The trio's sound continued to evolve on this recording with Moreland adding a handmade electric cigar box guitar to his arsenal. Blurt Magazine noted that "Moreland & Arbuckle put the edge back in blues-rock with their big league debut album, 1861".[3] Moreland was further named one of the "10 Blues Legends in the Making" along with Otis Taylor and Davy Knowles. The band traveled to Iraq for nearly two weeks in the fall of 2008 to play for the American troops stationed there.

Moreland & Arbuckle released Flood in 2010 (Telarc). No Depression says, "These guys have kegs full of talent. Their songs will keep you driving fast and long."[4] After the release of Flood, Moreland & Arbuckle hit the road supporting acts such as ZZ Top, George Thorogood, Jonny Lang, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, Los Lonely Boys and other blues and rock veterans.

In August 2011 they released Just A Dream featuring a guest appearance by legendary soul guitarist Steve Cropper. Upon its release, The New York Post named it Album of the Week, proclaiming it is "the band’s best record to date... there’s a raw, dirt-under-the fingernails garage-band attack in almost every song that flips between Stax-style soul, stinging Chicago Blues and Allman-style Jams." [5] The band logged thousands of road miles playing high energy shows for larger and larger crowds in the United States, Canada, and Europe. European fans embraced the band's gritty American rock blues with enthusiasm.

In 2013, they released 7 Cities (Telarc). It tells the story of Spanish explorer Coronado and his fabled search for the seven cities of gold in the Kansas plains, not far from where the band lives.[6] WNYC's Soundcheck says the band plays "gritty blues with a thoroughly contemporary bite.”[7] American Songwriter says the group's music is "swampy, sweaty and muggy....mixing a bluesy foundation with bits of country, folk and squawking American rock and roll.”[8] 2013 also includes tours through the United States, Europe, and the UK.

Living Blues says of Moreland & Arbuckle, “Deeply satisfying...gritty soul and blues with garage overtones and fire-and-brimstone vocals."[9]


Discography

As Moreland & Arbuckle

As Moreland, Arbuckle & Floyd

References

  1. 1 2 3 Moreland & Arbuckle Biography morelandandarbuckle.com. Retrieved 17 February 2016
  2. ↑ Alligator Records Signs Moreland & Arbuckle. alligator.com. 28 October 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2016
  3. ↑ Gordon, Rev. Keith. "Album Review: 1861" Blurt Magazine. 17 January 2008. Retrieved 17 February 2016
  4. ↑ Linder, Jason. CD review: Moreland & Arbuckle - Flood. No Depression. 16 February 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2016
  5. ↑ Aquilante, Dan. "Dream Duo Not Just In Kansas Anymore". New York Post. 23 August 2011. Retrieved 17 February 2016
  6. ↑ Jurek, Thom. 7 Cities album review. allmusic.com. Retrieved 17 February 2016
  7. ↑ Cohn, Gretta. Check Ahead: Moreland & Arbuckle, '7 Cities'. WNYC Soundcheck. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2016
  8. ↑ Leahey, Andrew. Video Premiere: Moreland & Arbuckle, “The Devil and Me”. American Songwriter. 8 August 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2016
  9. ↑ Coltrain, Mark. 7 Cities album review. Living Blues. August 2013. Issue #225, Vol. 44 #3, page 42. Retrieved 17 February 2016
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