Josh Abbott Band Explained

Josh Abbott Band
Origin:Lubbock, Texas
Years Active:2006–present
Current Members:
  • Josh Abbott
  • Edward Villanueva
  • Jimmy Hartman
  • Austin Davis
  • David Fralin
  • Adam Hill
  • Kris Farrow
  • Cale Richardson

Josh Abbott Band is a Texas country band originally from Lubbock, composed of Josh Abbott, Austin David (banjo), Edward Villanueva (percussion), David Fralin (keys/mandolin), Jimmy Hartman (bass guitar, harmony vocals), Kris Farrow (electric guitar, harmony vocals), Adam Hill (fiddle), and Cale Richardson (guitar). Former recent members include Preston Wait (fiddle, guitar, steel guitar) and Caleb Keeter (guitar).

Biography

Josh Abbott founded the band in 2006 in Lubbock, Texas while attending Texas Tech University, where he was a member of the Texas Epsilon chapter of Phi Delta Theta. He founded the band while in grad school with fraternity brothers Austin Davis, Neel Huey, and Andrew Hurt. The band recorded a 4-song demo including "Taste" in 2007 along with fiddler Preston Wait and began touring in 2008. Huey and Hurt dropped out to pursue careers while Preston Wait and Eddie Villanueva officially joined. The band then recorded their debut album “Scapegoat” in 2008 as well. Caleb Keeter and James Hertless joined in 2010, with Hertless eventually departing in 2018.

The sophomore album, She's Like Texas, followed in 2010 and entered the Top Country Albums chart.[1] Michael Berick of Allmusic rated it four stars out of five, comparing it to Steve Earle and saying that Abbott's songwriting showed "maturity". They had their first sell-out crowd at "Billy Bobs Texas" in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards on February 10, 2010, selling 6,000 tickets.[2]

"She's Like Texas" includes the single "Oh, Tonight", which entered the Country Songs chart in early 2011 at #59 and peaked at #44.[3] The song is a duet with Kacey Musgraves, the Nashville Star season 5 finalist and Universal Music recording artist[2] and has been certified Gold by the RIAA.

The band's third CD, Small Town Family Dream, was released on April 24, 2012. It was their highest-charting album, debuting at #5 on Top Country Albums, selling 21,000 copies in the US in its first week.[4] The second single, "Touch", was released in early February and was made available digitally on February 14. Its music video includes the reality TV star Melissa Rycroft and her husband Tye Strickland, another of Abbott's fraternity brothers. The single was featured in the motion picture The Longest Ride, based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks.

In August 2015, the band announced their fourth studio album, titled Front Row Seat, a concept album detailing Abbott's relationship and failed marriage.[5] The first single off of the album, "Amnesia", was released in August 2015 with SiriusXM The Highway premiering the lyric video for the single. "Front Row Seat" was released everywhere on November 6, 2015, and debuted on the Top Country Albums chart at #9, selling 12,800 copies in its first week.[6]

Josh Abbott Band's single "Wasn't That Drunk", featuring Carly Pearce, was released to radio on March 21, 2016. The second single from Front Row Seat, "Wasn't That Drunk", garnered attention from a national radio and media audience. The band made their national television debut with the single on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on May 31, 2016, and performed "Amnesia" on CONAN on January 18, 2017.

On August 18, 2017, Josh Abbott Band released their 5th studio album titled "Until My Voice Goes Out" which included a string and horn section. The string and horn section were also incorporated on the national "Until My Voice Goes Out" tour. "Until My Voice Goes Out is an eclectic album built from Abbott’s life experiences ranging from the birth of his daughter to the sudden and heartbreaking death of his father one month into the album-making process, all weaved together with striking strings and horns."[7]

The band performed at the 2017 Route 91 Harvest, the scene of the 2017 Las Vegas shooting.[8]

In November of 2020, the band released their 6th studio album titled "The Highway Kind", produced by Marshall Altman. This album featured songs like "Settle Me Down", "The Luckiest" and "The Highway Kind" which have become mainstays in the band's catalog.

The band toured consistently throughout Texas and the United States, and reconvened in 2022 to record their 7th studio album "Somewhere Down The Road". This album was released on January 26th, 2024, and the band toured throughout 2024 in promotion of the record, including their debut play at Stagecoach Festival.

Discography

Albums

TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positionsSales
width=45US Country
[9]
width=45US
[10]
width=45US Indie
[11]
width=45US Heat
[12]
scope=rowScapegoat
  • Release date: March 31, 2008
  • Label: Pretty Damn Tough
scope=rowShe's Like Texas
  • Release date: February 16, 2010
  • Label: Pretty Damn Tough
28285
scope=rowSmall Town Family Dream
  • Release date: April 24, 2012
  • Label: Pretty Damn Tough
5152
scope=rowFront Row Seat
  • Release date: November 6, 2015
  • Label: Pretty Damn Tough, Reviver
9391
scope=rowUntil My Voice Goes Out
  • Release date: August 18, 2017
  • Label: Pretty Damn Tough, Reviver
221416
scope=rowThe Highway Kind
  • Release date: November 13, 2020
  • Label: Pretty Damn Tough
scope=rowSomewhere Down The Road
  • Release date: January 26, 2024
  • Label: Pretty Damn Tough
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Extended plays

TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart
positions
Sales
width=45US Country
width=45US
scope=rowTuesday Night[16]
  • Release date: September 23, 2014
  • Label: Atlantic
1258
scope=rowCatching Fire[17]
  • Release date: June 28, 2019
  • Label: Pretty Damn Tough
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Singles

YearSinglePeak chart positionsAlbum
US Country
[19]
US Country Airplay
[20]
US Bubbling
[21]
2010"She's Like Texas"She's Like Texas
"Road Trippin'"
2011"Oh, Tonight" (with Kacey Musgraves)44
"My Texas" (with Pat Green)Small Town Family Dream
2012"Touch"418
"I'll Sing About Mine"
2013"She Will Be Free"
2014"Hangin' Around"4447Tuesday Night
2015"Amnesia"4556Front Row Seat
2016"Wasn't That Drunk" (with Carly Pearce)4637
"Amnesia" (re-release)
2017"Texas Women, Tennessee Whiskey"Until My Voice Goes Out
2018"Girl Down in Texas" - - -
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Music videos

YearVideoDirector
2010"She's Like Texas"[23] Evan Kaufmann
"Road Trippin'"[24]
2011"Oh, Tonight" (with Kacey Musgraves)[25]
2012"Touch"[26]
2013"I'll Sing About Mine"[27]
"She Will Be Free"[28]
2016"Wasn't That Drunk" (with Carly Pearce)[29] Zack Morris
"Wasn't That Drunk" (with Carly Pearce)[30] Evan Kaufmann
2017"Amnesia"Evan Kaufmann
2018"Girl Down in Texas"Shaun Silva/Wes Edwards

Notes and References

  1. Web site: She's Like Texas chart positions. Allmusic. 1 February 2011.
  2. Web site: She's Like Texas review. Berick. Michael. Allmusic. 1 February 2011.
  3. Chart highlights. 31 January 2011. Billboard. 1 February 2011.
  4. Rascal Flatts Score Their 12th No. 1 With 'Banjo'. Wade Jessen . May 3, 2012. Billboard .
  5. Web site: Josh Abbott Band Ready Raw New Breakup Album 'Front Row Seat' . Rolling Stone Country . 20 August 2015 . 20 August 2015.
  6. News: Country Album Chart Report For November 26, 2014 . Matt Bjorke . November 26, 2014 . Roughstock .
  7. Web site: Josh Abbott Band's 'Until My Voice Goes Out' Was Driven by Fate. 21 September 2017.
  8. News: The Las Vegas shooting has reinvigorated calls for gun control. The Economist. 5 October 2017.
  9. Josh Abbott Band Album & Song Chart History - Country Albums. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. October 14, 2014.
  10. Josh Abbott Band Album & Song Chart History - Billboard 200. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. October 14, 2014.
  11. Josh Abbott Band Album & Song Chart History - Independent Albums. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. October 14, 2014.
  12. Josh Abbott Band Album & Song Chart History - Heatseeker Albums. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. October 14, 2014.
  13. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20151110121414/http://hitsdailydouble.com/new_album_releases . November 10, 2015 . Upcoming Releases . Hits Daily Double . HITS Digital Ventures .
  14. News: Country Album Sales Chart: January 25, 2016 . Bjorke. Matt. Roughstock. January 23, 2016 .
  15. News: Top 10 Country Albums Sales Chart: September 5, 2017 . Matt . Bjorke . September 6, 2017 . Roughstock .
  16. News: Thompson. Gayle. Josh Abbott Band Announce EP. September 9, 2014. The Boot. September 4, 2014.
  17. Web site: Josh Abbott Band To Release New EP 'Catching Fire' June 28. 2019-05-23. en. 2019-06-28.
  18. News: Top 10 Country Albums: July 15, 2019. Matt . Bjorke . July 18, 2019 . Roughstock . July 19, 2019 .
  19. Josh Abbott Band Album & Song Chart History - Hot Country Songs. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. October 14, 2014.
  20. Josh Abbott Band Album & Song Chart History - Country Airplay. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 19 September 2016.
  21. Bubbling Under Hot 100 Week of March 3, 2012. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 13 September 2012.
  22. United States. Josh Abbott Band. July 15, 2024.
  23. Web site: CMT : Videos : Josh Abbott Band : She's Like Texas. https://web.archive.org/web/20100211134621/http://www.cmt.com/videos/josh-abbott-band/479400/shes-like-texas.jhtml. dead. February 11, 2010. Country Music Television. October 14, 2014.
  24. Web site: CMT : Videos : Josh Abbott Band : Road Trippin'. https://web.archive.org/web/20120317184328/http://www.cmt.com/videos/josh-abbott-band/674835/road-trippin.jhtml. dead. March 17, 2012. Country Music Television. October 14, 2014.
  25. Web site: CMT : Videos : Josh Abbott Band : Oh, Tonight. https://web.archive.org/web/20110417104842/http://www.cmt.com/videos/josh-abbott-band/642395/oh-tonight.jhtml. dead. April 17, 2011. Country Music Television. October 14, 2014.
  26. Web site: CMT : Videos : Josh Abbott Band : Touch. https://web.archive.org/web/20120316185611/http://www.cmt.com/videos/josh-abbott-band/747933/touch.jhtml. dead. March 16, 2012. Country Music Television. October 14, 2014.
  27. Web site: CMT : Videos : Josh Abbott Band : I'll Sing About Mine. https://web.archive.org/web/20130124072907/http://www.cmt.com/videos/josh-abbott-band/873479/ill-sing-about-mine.jhtml. dead. January 24, 2013. Country Music Television. October 14, 2014.
  28. Web site: CMT : Videos : Josh Abbott Band : She Will Be Free. https://web.archive.org/web/20130925152808/http://www.cmt.com/videos/josh-abbott-band/958948/she-will-be-free.jhtml. dead. September 25, 2013. Country Music Television. 25 September 2013.
  29. Web site: CMT : Videos : Josh Abbott Band, Carly Pearce : Wasn't That Drunk (with Carly Pearce). https://web.archive.org/web/20160424115345/http://www.cmt.com/videos/josh-abbott-band/1274730/wasnt-that-drunk-with-carly-pearce.jhtml. dead. April 24, 2016. Country Music Television. 22 April 2016.
  30. Web site: CMT : Videos : Josh Abbott Band : Wasn't That Drunk (with Carly Pearce). https://web.archive.org/web/20160502064157/http://www.cmt.com/videos/josh-abbott-band/1388771/wasnt-that-drunk-with-carly-pearce.jhtml. dead. May 2, 2016. Country Music Television. 29 April 2016.