“We’ve always tried to define ourselves by what we can do, not by what we should call it,” says Mark Nesmith, drummer and lead vocalist for the band. “To us it’s completely natural to have a set of songs that range from blues to rock ‘n roll to country and anything else we feel like playing. It’s just who we are, and I think it’s a big part of what defines Texas music. We don’t really think about it. We just play what we play and it comes out sounding like us.”
Although the band has only been together for a few years, they’ve already logged hundreds of gigs around Texas and parts of Oklahoma. Two of their original songs, “Angel” and “Jimmie’s Got a Girl” have received considerable play on Cell Block Radio here in Texas and also in Australia and Canada. Known for their impromptu jam sessions, they often have members of the audience onstage to sing or play cowbells, shakers, and drums with the band. They’ve even shared a stage with Charlie Torres and Tom Curiale from Rick Derringer’s band. The boys are currently hard at work recording more of their songs for a debut cd.
Jon Hodge, lead guitarist for the band, says “The music we play and the songs we write are about things we all go through in our lives – love, heartache, success and failure, and just trying to make the most of the life we’ve been given.” A night with Hackberry Road is a night filled with music Texans know and hold sacred, songs from some of the biggest legends to ever step on stage. From Stevie Ray Vaughan and ZZ Top to Pat Green and Johnny Cash to Albert King and Muddy Waters, nothing is out of bounds at a Hackberry Road show. Stay long enough and you’ll usually catch Mark leaving the drums behind and picking up a guitar to strum a few new tunes he’s working on. The band’s own well-crafted original songs are mixed in right along side classic hits and newer music from current stars like Stony Larue, Dave Mathews, Los Lonely Boys, Matchbox 20, and Montgomery Gentry. “After all, it’s all music, and all music has some common ground,” says Joe Gutting, who plays bass and sings with the band. “If you need a label, then call us a Southern Blues-a-delic Y’allternative Rock band that jams!”
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