Redneck "The Band" The Early Years - 1985-1992
Redneck "The Band"
The Early Years - 1985-1992
The Beginning
I first met Tim Brown in August 1985. He was 18 and walked into my office in Albuquerque. He had just graduated from Sandia High School. At that time I had a small booking and management agency on Richmond near the Lobo Theater. I was just getting started in the music business. In my conversation with Tim, he said he was the songwriter and lead singer of the band, and they played only his original songs. He said the band was all family - three brothers and a cousin, and that they were from Sandia High School. in ABQ, NM.
I was fascinated that the band only played all of his songs. So I went to one of their practices on Cutler NE. I think it was a storage unit office that was empty at night. It might have been a friend of the family that let them use the room.
After that night I offered them my office basement as a practice facility anytime they wanted. They moved their equipment in and started coming in a few nights a week and on weekends to practice. As a band they needed some musical help, but they played all original songs. So I brought in a friend of mine, Daryl Piper, as their music director, harmony teacher, producer and arranger. I met Daryl when he played keyboard and trombone for a local funk band called Flipside. Daryl was a graduate of Peabody Conservatory and we worked together in 1984 on an album with a teenage acappella group from El Dorado HS called The Caddies.
So Daryl worked their ass off for two years, learning covers, more originals and putting four sets of music together, including their originals. I then started booking them at events around Albuquerque. The band always had a soundman, one of their friends. From late 1985 to early 1987 they practiced in my office basement and learned 4-5 sets of songs, covers and new originals. This is what was needed to play the clubs, bars and events around Albuquerque, NM.
I this point Daryl and I realized Tim was a great young songwriter.
Their first gig that I can remember was All Faiths Receiving Home Benefit in November of 1986
By 1987 the band had a few minor gigs under their belt and rented a rehearsal space with Spanky's Lights and Sound. Also a place they could leave all of their equipment set up. This is when we needed to get insurance, and we did. They shared the space with another band I manage and they alternated nights for practice and split the rent. Now the band age is 16-20 and they are real tight and can sing harmonies. So I started booking Redneck at clubs. I had to always be with them at all their gigs, every time they played, as they were all underage. And yes, I did have parental consent.
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So in early 1988 I went up to Cowboy's Bar (at that time it was located on Juan Tabo next to Graham Central Station) and met manager Ray Kercheval. I asked Ray what was his worst night of the week at Cowboys. He said Sunday. So I asked him to book Redneck on Sundays from 7-11, (as the bar closed at midnight on Sundays).. We did 4 sets a night for $300. The band packed the place from week one and they became the house Sunday night band, and then the house Sunday/Monday night band for a long time. He gave us a raise to $400.00 per night. When Ray's weekly road bands canceled, at the last minute, Redneck was hired to do the whole week, at the road bands pay.
Redneck - With Troy and Vernon
True Value Country Showdown - 1988 - ABQ, NM
The Road
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Redneck - With Troy and Vernon
Promo Video - 1989
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After about two months with GMA, Troy and Vernon decided the road was not for them, and asked to be released from their contracts. GMA wanted to pull the band off the road but I convinced them I could exchange members without them coming off the road. Troy and Vernon stayed with the band until the new members were brought in.
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Picture taken at Billy Bob's in Fort Worth
Michael Godfrey, an employee at Cowboy's, asked to audition for the band, as he knew them. I then worked with Mike for two weeks to make sure he knew all of Redneck's songs, 4 sets worth. And then sent him on his way to be the new lead guitar player. The same week we were bringing in a new fiddle player. So I exchanged two members of the band mid-week and no one knew the difference. This kept Redneck on the road or else their career would have ended after 4 months on the road.
The second new member was Tom Mills. Tom was a fiddle player road veteran. Tim contacted me and said he wanted to add a fiddle, instead of a keyboard player, to the band. I sent Tom cassettes of the band's sets, and the band brought in Tom Mills.
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Once Redneck starting playing clubs/bars, my 16 yr old daughter started their monthly newsletter and fan club. Here is one of her monthly newsletters with an interview with Jim Brown.
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Redneck's GMA circuit included: Chastain's - Oklahoma City, OK; Borrowed Money - Lubbock, TX, Sundowner - Ft. Smith, AR; Grizzly Rose - Denver, CO; Toolies - Phoenix, AZ; Rodeo Exchange, Ft. Worth, TX; Country Connection - Dallas, TX; Crystal Chandelier, Lancaster, TX, Coyote's - Tucson, AZ; Silver Bullet - Columbia, MO; Santa Fe JCT - San Angelo, TX and many more.
We stilled played Cowboys, the Sundance Saloon and the Museum Club (my bookings) on a regular basis with the GMA circuit.
Redneck also did a five week GMA Canadian Tour with a stop at the favorite club in Minot ND.
During their career Redneck opened for Little Texas, Tanya Tucker, Ronnie Milsap, Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, Alabama and Chris LeDoux. A few of them I booked.
Redneck also played a private party for Garth Brooks and his sponsors at the Grizzly Rose in Denver. That's where they got noticed by Nashville. Daryl and I attended that party with the band. What a rush to see how the business worked.
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Redneck - 1991 State Fair - ABQ, NM
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The Studio
During 1990 Redneck started recording their first LP. We hired Eric Larson / Quincy Street Sound. I invested my money for all the studio time and Eric gave me a monthly payment plan. We started recording the first ten Tim Brown songs. I was Executive Producer, Daryl Piper Producer / Arranger and Eric Larson Engineer. The band members, when home from the road, were in the studio, recording. We hired Chuck Back on steel guitar and Jimmy Kennedy on piano to complement the band.
If it were not for Daryl Piper these studio recordings would not exist. Daryl was their vocal coach, sometimes bringing in his brother Jim, local opera singer who went to Julliard, to assist. Daryl also was their music director, harmony coach, producer, engineer and sang bass on two of the recordings. On the second album Daryl was producer and engineer. So basically, without Daryl Piper there would be no Redneck for me to book or manage.
Late in 1990, due to health problems, Eric sold the studio. At that time we were working on a second album. The new owners took over the payment plan I had with Eric, but would not release the masters until all bills were paid. The new owners hired Daryl full time, to be the new studio engineer/producer. Soon after the CD was released.
In January of 1991, members of Redneck became an LLC. In May of 1991, Redneck won The New Mexico Music Awards - Album Of The Year.
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Redneck - 1991 Promo Video
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Jukebox Moanin' LP / CD
Here are the 10 Songs from the 1991 Jukebox Moanin' CD
Hired Guns - Chuck Back on Steel Guitar and Jimmy Kennedy on Piano
Caring Less And Less About More And More
Redneckin', Rodeoin', Country Boy Kind Of Fun
Album of the Year and Five Other Awards
Redneck and Daryl Piper
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Ghost Highway LP / CD
Here are the 10 songs from the unreleased
1992 Ghost Highway Digital Masters
Chris Leoux's Band members appear on Ghost Highway
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The Breakup
The Ghost Highway songs were recorded in 1992 but were never completed, mastered or released. Soon after my breakup with Redneck, all other parties involved, in the recordings, went their separate ways. Near the end of these recordings, Quincy Street Sound owners shut it's doors and moved to AZ. They did not even try to sell the studio. Redneck and I battled in court for a year, as they were on the road completing my GMA bookings. Soon after our differences were settled in court, they declared bankruptcy and changed their band name. Daryl moved to Rhode Island to manage a small movie theater chain.
As Executive Producer, I own the digital masters to these twenty recordings. They reverted back to me when studio owners broke their contract with me in 1992. Then they closed down the studio and moved to AZ.
Tim Brown and the other band members have 100% of their songwriting rights. Tim Brown is one hell of a songwriter. One of the best from New Mexico.
I have publishing rights of the ten songs on the first LP.
Daryl never received a salary. He was only compensated when he traveled with the band. I received my commissions, when I could. I then invested every penny back into the band, financing all of their equipment, their truck, their stage clothes and their studio time.
Daryl and I gave Redneck and Tim seven years of our lives. Taught them the Music Business. I paved the initial road for Redneck's future stardom and gave them chances of success. Too bad Tim picked the wrong road in the music business when he came to the fork.
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As you can see here in this web page, there would be no Redneck "The Band" without Daryl Piper and Tom Mitchell. They would probably still be playing Tim's songs in their storage unit.
Why Redneck and I broke up? Well ask Tim Brown. He initiated it. I have my story and Tim Brown has his, somewhere on Youtube. I am to old to tell the whole complete story here, I buried the hatchet. Unless it's for a movie. :)
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The End