Winestoned Cowboys at Dearborn Homecoming

I love my buddy Elliott Moses and all the fantastic musical projects he gets into. So, I’m a bit surprised that it has taken me this long to check out the Winestoned Cowboys. Is it because country music scares me sometimes? Or just that I get so damn busy and wrapped up in so many shows that I lose track? Whatever the case, I have rectified the situation with a visit to Dearborn to catch the Winestoned Cowboys live.

Hazy Golden Music

If you are new to the Winestoned Cowboys, they are Matt Horne (vocals, guitar), Brenda Mahler (vocals), Elliott Moses (acoustic guitar), Bob Monteleone (lead/slide guitar), Nick Cicchetti (bass), and John Porter (drums). The band opened up the large Sunset stage at the Dearborn Homecoming festival. The hazy golden sunshine seemed fitting as the Winestoned Cowboys performed. They swayed like sunflowers on a late summer evening.

John and Nick kept the pace steady while grounding us in mid-tempo rhythms. Matt and Brenda’s vocals are warm and satisfying. Bob laid down some slippery slide guitar and dirt road licks with Matt filling in the edges. My buddy Elliott let the resonance of his acoustic guitar carry him up into the sky. I’d listened to their music on Bandcamp, including a live recording from the Old Miami; however, seeing them in person sealed the deal. The Winestoned Cowboys make the kind of country music that lifts your soul and puts a smile on your face.

A New Breed of Classic Country

Rooted in classic country, there is a dark humor wreathed in purple haze that runs through the music of the Winestoned Cowboys. Instead of making you want to drown your sorrows because “that man/woman did me wrong”, their tunes, brimming with keen wit and observation, are weirdly uplifting. That is, if you find a tale of someone getting Pine Sol as the mix in their whiskey sour funny (thankfully, no one died).

Comparable acts in my mind are Jason Isbell, Jeffrey Foucault, and Justin Townes Earle. There are hints of The Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd (in particular the tune “Fearless” off Meddle). It is a new breed of country with deep roots bolstered by powerful storytelling with flashes of humor. I found myself captivated by their music and this performance. In a way, it’s like putting on your favorite shirt; loose, comfortable, and it just feels right.

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Winestoned Cowboys at Dearborn Homecoming