The Nightowls

The Nightowls

The Nightowls performing at Stubbs in Austin in 2015
Background information
Origin Austin, Texas, United States
Genres Soul, R&B
Years active 2011 - present
Labels Super Sonic Records
Website http://www.wearethenightowls.com
Members Ryan Harkrider
Tara Williamson
Ellie Carroll
Sara Stein
Ben Petree
Rob Alton
Andrew Schindler
Javier Stuppard
Andrew McLemore
Nate Villegas
Derrick Becker
Past members Joseph Serrato
Oscar Ruben Interiano
Sean Giddings
Paul Mecurio
Michael Rey
Amos Trystman

The Nightowls are an American musical group from Austin, Texas, whose debut album Good As Gold was named Top 10 of the 2014 Austin Music Awards Albums of the Year.[1] Their sound combines R&B and soul music. Lead singer and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Harkrider formed The Nightowls in 2011.[2] His song "Nobody Ever Wants to Leave" was commissioned in 2009 by The Austin Convention and Visitor’s Bureau as Austin’s official theme song.[3]

History

The Nightowls released their debut album, Good as Gold, in December 2013. On January 7, 2014 The Nightowls released "Good As Gold" as a single.[4] In a review of Good As Gold, Cashbox described The Nightowls as a soul band rooted in the Motown sound but able to move in new directions.[5] Indie Music said The Nightowls sound like a band straight out of the glorious R&B past, paying homage to all artist of that era while adding a modern spin.[6] The Nightowls recorded an arrangement of Harkrider's song "Nobody Ever Wants to Leave" for Good as Gold B-Sides, a 4-song EP, released in September 2014.

In October 2014, The Nightowls were scheduled to perform at the Austin City Limits Music Festival on the second weekend, but were canceled due to rainy weather.[7] In March 2015, The Nightowls performed at the SXSW Music Festival as a showcase artist.[8]

In 2015, the band was highlighted as "A Band To Watch" by Austin Monthly Magazine.[9] Good as Gold was released on vinyl in May 2015.

Fame Sessions, their second album, was released September 4, 2015 on Super Sonic Sounds (a subsidiary of Nine Mile Records). It was recorded at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, in collaboration with David Hood and Spooner Oldham from the original FAME (Florence Alabama Music Enterprises) Studios house band The Swampers.[10]

On July 20, 2015, The Nightowls released "Get Up!" – the first single from Fame Sessions. The video for "Get Up!" premiered in Texas Monthly Magazine on July 17, 2015.[11] and has been uploaded to YouTube.[12] On August 3, 2015 The Nightowls released “Highline” – the second single from Fame Sessions.[13] On August 27, 2015 they released "Nobody But You" as a third single.[14] In a positive review of Fame Sessions on September 4, 2015, Elmore Magazine described their music as being based on the Aretha Franklin, Wilson Picket type of sound with a more youthful, modern spin.[15] In a review of Fame Sessions, Proper Music Distribution described their sound as being firmly rooted in the history of southern soul music and pays tribute to FAME Studios greats like Duane Allman and Percy Sledge.[16]

In September through December 2015 The Nightowls toured for the first time throughout the United States. In October 2015, The Nightowls performed at the Austin City Limits Music Festival, having been rained out in 2014.[17] In March 2016, The Nightowls performed at the SXSW Music Festival, where they were selected for the second consecutive year as a Showcase Artist.[18]

In December 2015, The Nightowls recorded Royal Sessions, a five track EP at the iconic Royal Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. On April 18, 2016 The Nightowls released "Clean It Up (Play It By The Rules)" as a single from the EP on Baeble Music. Describing it as a “certifiable party jam that moves your body as much as it moves the part of your brain conditioned to love old school soul.”[19] On May 25, 2016 The Nightowls released “Right Around The Corner” as a second single from Royal Sessions in Paste Magazine.[20] In their review of the single, Vents Magazine says the band transcends the “retro” tag that described their early releases in favor of a more unique and cohesive sound that is infectious in its effervescent energy. [21]The 3rd single, “Can’t Bring Me Down” premiered in Glide Magazine on June 21, 2016.[22] The article describes The Nightowls as being able to effortlessly meld Memphis and Motown with modern pop music, making for something that even fans of more mainstream fare like Fitz and the Tantrums will enjoy. Royal Sessions was released on July 15, 2016. [23] In it’s review of Royal Sessions, Innocent Words Magazine says “It’s as if they found grandma’s secret recipe… you mix a little bit of funk with a little soul and a whole lotta rhythm and blues, and you get this delicious treat.” [24] The video for "Right Around The Corner" premiered in The Huffington Post on August 5, 2016 [25] and has been uploaded to YouTube. [26] The Nightowls toured the West Coast of the United States in August 2016 in support of Royal Sessions. [27] In October 2016 they toured throughout the East Coast of the United States. [28]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Result
2016 South by Southwest Music Festival Showcase Artist Won [18]
2015 Austin City Limits Music Festival Performed [29]
2015 South by Southwest Music Festival Showcase Artist Won [8]
2015 Black Fret 2015 Grant Nominee Won [30]
2014 Austin City Limits Music Festival Performed [31]

Honors

Year Recognition Presented by
2015 One of “10 Bands to Watch” Austin Monthly annual March music issue [32]
2014 Runner Up: Best New Band Austin Music Awards by The Austin Chronicle
2014 Runner Up: Best Blues/ Soul/ Funk Band Austin Music Awards by The Austin Chronicle
2014 Top 10 Album of the Year Austin Music Awards by The Austin Chronicle
2013 "Nightowls Day" in Austin Texas: November 21 Proclamation by: Mayor Lee Leffingwell [33]

Members

The Nightowls performing at the ACL Music Festival in 2015

Discography

Albums

Extended plays

Singles

References

  1. ↑ "Austin Music Awards - 2014 - Best of the Year - The Austin Chronicle". Retrieved 13 January 2016.
  2. ↑ "ACL Interview: The Nightowls". 19 October 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  3. ↑ "WATCH: Austin announces official theme song". KVUE news. 20 October 2009. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
  4. 1 2 THE NIGHTOWLS -- Good as Gold "Official Video". 7 January 2014. Retrieved 20 April 2016 – via YouTube.
  5. ↑ "Good As Gold (CD) by The Nightowls". Cashbox Music Reviews. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  6. ↑ "Review: The Nightowls, Good As Gold - Indie-Music.com". Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  7. ↑ Raoul Hernandez (11 October 2014). "ACL Fest Cancels Early Acts Due to Rain First six acts today cut for later gate time". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  8. 1 2 "THE NIGHTOWLS | SXSW 2015 Event Schedule". SXSW website: Events Schedule. Retrieved 2015-08-10.
  9. ↑ "Band to Watch: The Nightowls". austinmonthly.com. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
  10. ↑ "Steeped In The History Of Southern Soul, The Nightowls Release 'Fame Sessions' (Sept 4th/ Super Sonic Sounds)". Shore Fire Media. 26 June 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  11. ↑ "Music Premiere Monday: "Get Up!" by The Nightowls". Southern Living: The Daily South. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
  12. 1 2 THE NIGHTOWLS -- Get Up! (Official). 22 July 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2016 – via YouTube.
  13. 1 2 Steffen, Chris (2015-08-03). "Song Premiere: The Nightowls Embrace Vintage Soul on "Highline"". Allmusic website. Retrieved 2015-08-10.
  14. 1 2 "Music Exclusive: The Nightowls Premiere "Nobody But You"". austinmonthly.com. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  15. ↑ "Elmore Magazine - The Nightowls". Elmore Magazine. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  16. ↑ iWeb. "Fame Sessions". Propermusic.com. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  17. ↑ "2015 Lineup Weekend Two | ACL Music Festival". Aclfestival.com. 2015-05-01. Retrieved 2015-08-10.
  18. 1 2 "The Nightowls". SXSW Schedule 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  19. 1 2 "Baeble First Play: The Texas Soul of The Nightowls". Baeble Music. 18 April 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  20. ↑ "The Nightowls: "Right Around The Corner"". pastemagazine.com. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  21. ↑ Frometa, R. J. (10 August 2016). "The Nightowls Release New Video For "Right Around The Corner"". Retrieved 1 October 2016.
  22. 1 2 "SONG PREMIERE: Austin Soul Band The Nightowls Shine On "Can't Bring Me Down" - Glide Magazine". 21 June 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  23. ↑ "PREMIERE: Motown-inspired band The Nightowls share the 'Royal Sessions EP'". 14 July 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  24. ↑ "The Nightowls: Royal Sessions (Super Sonic Sounds)". 1 August 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
  25. ↑ Entertainment, Mike Ragogna Trafficbeat; Vet, Music Biz (5 August 2016). "Blueprints, Drivers, Beginnings And Exits: A Chat And Premiere With The Bacon Brothers". Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  26. 1 2 WeAreTheNightowls (22 July 2016). "THE NIGHTOWLS -- Right Around The Corner (Official)". Retrieved 6 August 2016 – via YouTube.
  27. ↑ Kaplan, Harriet (7 August 2016). "The Nightowls play the Mint". Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  28. ↑ "Show Review: The Nightowls - PUNCHLAND -Music News + Interviews + Brazilian Indie Music in One Place". 10 October 2016. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  29. ↑ "2015 WEEKEND TWO LINEUP BY DAY | ACL Music Festival". Aclfestival.com. 2014-07-10. Retrieved 2015-08-10.
  30. ↑ Rosenthal, Brad (2015-04-08). "Announces 2015 Grant Nominees and new Advisory Board Members". Black Fret. Retrieved 2015-08-10.
  31. ↑ "Weekend Two". ACL Music Festival. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  32. ↑ "10 Bands to Watch - Austin Monthly - March 2015 - Austin, TX". Austin Monthly. 2015-03-02. Retrieved 2015-08-10.
  33. ↑ "Austin City Council Agenda". Austintxas.gov. Retrieved 2015-08-10.
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