A multi-generational Southern roots project featuring members of one of Alabama’s deepest musical lineages
Dylan and James LeBlanc, Angela Hacker, and Bay Simpson are acclaimed musicians from the famed Muscle Shoals, Alabama area who have each carved out successful careers of their own. Dylan LeBlanc is an internationally renowned singer-songwriter whose work has been praised by MOJO and Uncut, with NPR saying his songs unfold with “the wariness of a social and spiritual outsider who broods his way to graceful defiance”; James is a lifelong songwriter and in-demand studio musician whose songs have been recorded by Rascal Flatts, Martina McBride, Travis Tritt, Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, and Sara Evans; Angela won the 2007 edition of Nashville Star and her song, “I Ain’t Easy to Love“ was a hit for Candi Staton and has been covered by John Paul White and Jason Isbell; and Bay, touted by Americana Highways as “a solo artist to be reckoned with” recently appeared as an artist on The Voice, performs with the country-rock band Outlaw Apostles, and has successful songwriting credits to his name, including Kid Rock recording his song “Never Enough.”
Beyond their personal accolades, there’s something else that bonds this quartet: they’re family. Dylan is James’ son, and Bay is Angela’s son. James and Angela met when the boys were still young, and they grew up together as musicians and as a family.
Even with their individual accomplishments, the family members supported each other’s endeavors over the years. That said, the notion of joining together in a formal capacity never occurred to them until the pandemic. Locked down with minimal musical prospects on the horizon at the time, the quartet mulled their next moves. Then Dylan had a show in nearby Huntsville and asked his family members if they’d like to join him. This was the first time they’d performed together publicly, and the idea of forming a band took shape.
