Boston, MA (Top40 Charts) "There've been a lot of attempts to craft country sounds into a more modernist mode—Snail, Cowboy, and various others heading up the list over the years—some quite good, others a bit too sweetsy lovey-dovey to cut the mustard, but Run 8 Rider figured it out." - FAME
Run 8 Rider, a band of five individuals spread across the country from Wisconsin to Massachusetts down to Alabama, has an eclectic country sound that harkens from Appalachia to Austin to the great American West. The original concept for the band and for its first release, Tenderfoot, was to reintroduce great rock tunes in a distinctive country style. Along the way, Run 8 Rider started writing its own material, and Tenderfoot ended up with an even split of originals and covers. The result is a striking mix of tunes that range freely across the heartland of American music.
Run 8 Rider's debut album Tenderfoot brings a country flare to a group of well-known songs as well introducing the listener to some catchy originals. Drawing from influences such as Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, and Wilco, Run 8 Rider creates a familiar sound on Tenderfoot that will captivate: driving beats, hot guitar, big vocals, and pedal steel guitar. The covers on Tenderfoot hail from some unexpected corners of the pop universe. Run 8 Rider works its country magic on "I Gotta Feeling" by The Black Eyed Peas, Devo's "Whip It", and "Faith" by George Michael, along with more obscure gems like "Patience" from the great Boston band Morphine, and "Ain't No Rules" from the hot U.K. '80s band Transvision Vamp. Each cover has a new, interesting feel to it thanks to the added country vibe. Interested in what happens when Elvis and Bo Diddley meet George Michael? The original songs range from slower, serious tracks such as "Lucinda" to quirky, upbeat ones such as "Squirrel Song." Overall, the album has a fun country feel.
Run 8 Rider is a unique amalgamation of individuals including two married couples and four doctors, and consists of Joel A. Nielsen (vocals, guitar, 6-string banjo), Billy D. (vocals, guitars, mandolin, steel guitar, bass), H. Mark Golden (guitar, deep voice, harmonica), Nikky Beach (keyboards and backing vocals) and Sarah S. F. Nielsen (drums, rhythm, background vocals). Tenderfoot was produced and mixed by Billy D. It was mastered by Jeff Lipton (Andrew Bird, Jeff Tweedy) at Peerless Mastering in Boston, with assistance from Maria Rice.
To learn more about Run 8 Rider go to https://www.run8rider.com or www.top40-charts.com.
