For Hillbilly Vegas to have their boots back on British soil again this week is a triumph over adversity. They’re here to play at Planet Rockstock and Winterstorm Festivals, along with their own headline shows in Newcastle and Portsmouth. Things could have been so very different though.
Not long after their Summer tour of the UK, Hillbilly Vegas had gathered to write more songs for their new album. A Sunday afternoon session on 9th September was scheduled at Hillbilly Hangar, their rehearsal and storage warehouse in Oklahoma. A late running lunch meant they were not in the building when an overhead power cable snapped and fell onto the roof of Hillbilly Hangar. An almost instant inferno engulfed the building with such ferocity that the metal doors welded to the frames. Everything inside was destroyed, including more than 60 vintage guitars and amps collected over a lifetime by guitarist Stacy Thornburg. Thankfully, nobody was in the building.
Singer Steve Harris said philosophically: “The fire was beyond devastating. When you lose everything, it takes time to figure out what to do next. Next for us has always been fighting our way out of whatever we are faced with and coming out stronger.”
While working through the process of insurance and rebuilding their base and tools of the trade, Hillbilly Vegas have kept on fighting. ‘Let It Ride’, the first single from their next album, has climbed high in the US Billboard Rock charts and sits in the Top 20 after charting for 10 weeks now. ‘Let It Ride’ is released in the UK this week to coincide with their shows here.
It would have been easy to cancel the dates and lick their wounds, but thanks to the tenacity of the band and incredible support from companies like Orange Amps, Cambridge Drums, Dualist Pedals and Murat Diril, they are back, equipped and fighting to deliver their trademark, amazing performances.
They breed them tough in Oklahoma. Steve Harris: “Everyone suffers tragedy and loss. We aren’t special because this happened to us. It won’t define us, and it won’t be the ending to our story. The famous Oklahoman Will Rogers once said don’t let yesterday use up too much of today. Those are still great words to live by.”
UK shows
27th November, Newcastle, Trillians
29th November, Winter Storm Festival, Troon
1st December, Planet Rockstock Festival, Trecco Bay
2nd December, Portsmouth, Wedgewood Rooms
The new single, Let It Ride can be found here:
https://slinky.to/LetItRide
Website: https://www.hillbilly-vegas.com/
