The Story So Far

Every good country song has a tragedy in it. Ours came early.

Smokin' Crow is a Country Rock and Outlaw band from Somerset, UK. We were formed in late 2025 under a different name – the Lock-In Saints – which, in hindsight, was tempting fate.

Like all the best ballads, it ended badly. When the dust settled and the last pint was called, only two members walked out of the saloon:

• Chrislead guitar, sole surviving saint
• Jamesbass, the other sole surviving saint

Then, as the tumbleweed rolled down Yeovil high street, a stranger rode into town. His name was Tom. He played the drums. He did not say much. He didn't need to.

Smokin' Crow is now a kick-ass three-piece. We are presently rehearsing, arguing about tempos, and polishing our boots. We'll be coming to a pub, barn or village hall near you in 2027.

A Beginner's Guide to Country Music

A century of heartache, abbreviated. Pin it to your fridge.

1. 1920s
   Hillbilly, Country Blues, Yodelling

   Jimmie Rodgers, The Carter Family, Fiddlin' John Carson, Charlie Poole

   Country is born in a barn with a fiddle. Somebody yodels. Nobody stops him.
2. 1930s
   Singing Cowboy, Western Swing

   Gene Autry, Roy Rogers & the Sons of the Pioneers, Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys, Milton Brown

   Cowboys discover that singing to cattle is easier with a big band behind you.
3. 1940s
   Honky-Tonk, Bluegrass

   Hank Williams, Ernest Tubb, Lefty Frizzell, Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs

   The drinking song is invented. It has never left.
4. 1950s
   Rockabilly, Nashville Sound

   Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Wanda Jackson, Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves, Chet Atkins

   Memphis turns it up; Nashville adds strings and a nice jumper.
5. 1960s
   Bakersfield Sound, Countrypolitan, the first Country Rock

   Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, Tammy Wynette, Glen Campbell, The Byrds, Gram Parsons

   California plugs in a Telecaster. Long-haired rock bands start wearing Nudie suits.
6. 1970s
   Outlaw Country, Country Rock, Southern Rock

   Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, Eagles, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers Band, The Marshall Tucker Band

   The golden age. Beards get longer, solos get longer, Nashville gets nervous.
7. 1980s
   Neotraditional, Urban Cowboy

   George Strait, Randy Travis, Dwight Yoakam, Mickey Gilley, Johnny Lee

   Mechanical bulls are installed in bars. Insurance premiums rise.
8. 1990s
   New Country, the Line-Dance Boom

   Garth Brooks, Brooks & Dunn, Shania Twain, Alan Jackson, Billy Ray Cyrus

   Entire village halls learn the Achy Breaky. We intend to make them do it again.
9. 2000s
   Pop Country, Alt-Country, Red Dirt

   Keith Urban, Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, Steve Earle, Drive-By Truckers, Cross Canadian Ragweed

   Country goes stadium-sized; the rebels head back to the bar.
10. 2010s
    Bro-Country, Americana & the Southern Rock Revival

    Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell, Eric Church, Blackberry Smoke, Midland

    Some sing about pick-up trucks. Others grow serious beards and save the genre.
11. 2027
    Somerset Outlaw

    Smokin' Crow

    Historians will argue about this one for decades.

What We Play

Cash, Haggard, Skynyrd and Stapleton – plus a few things the purists won't forgive us for.

1. Take It EasyEagles
2. Ring of FireJohnny Cash
3. Folsom Prison BluesJohnny Cash
4. Gimme Three StepsLynyrd Skynyrd
5. Lay Down SallyEric Clapton
6. Achy Breaky HeartBilly Ray Cyrus
7. Tulsa TimeDon Williams / Eric Clapton
8. ParachuteChris Stapleton
9. Drink in My HandEric Church
10. Boot Scootin' BoogieBrooks & Dunn
11. Fast as YouDwight Yoakam
12. On the Road AgainWillie Nelson
13. Somebody Like YouKeith Urban
14. Drinkin' ProblemMidland
15. Purple Rainthe Dwight Yoakam version, obviously
16. Workin' Man BluesMerle Haggard
17. Play Something CountryBrooks & Dunn
18. One Horse TownBlackberry Smoke
19. Every Song's a Drinkin' SongMidland
20. Cocaine BluesJohnny Cash
21. As Good as I Once WasToby Keith
22. Out of SightMidland
23. Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall OffJoe Nichols
24. The Bottle Let Me DownMerle Haggard
25. Mr. LonelyMidland
26. Drank Like HankBrothers Osborne
27. Call Me the BreezeJ.J. Cale
28. You Ain't Goin' NowhereThe Byrds

Note the recurring theme. We've noticed it too.
Three blokes. Twenty-eight songs. Zero yodelling. (Probably.)