“At an after
party one night we watched a video of The Band’s “The Last Waltz” over a bottle
of Knob Creek. It sounded like the dirt I grew up from. That moment musically
changed my life.”
~ Brent Rupard of Everette
Like the great American bands that
came before them - new Broken Bow Records duo Everette doesn’t follow trends. Instead,
the guys of Everette write what they live, weaving gritty tales of struggle and
heartbreak alongside fun-loving stories of escapism and mischief. Often their songs
are written while touring – sometimes during sleepless nights as an odometer
tracks the miles or on a day off in a dingy motel room off the beaten path –
but always organically and always from the heart.
Hailing from humble beginnings,
Brent Rupard and Anthony Olympia unknowingly went to high school a mere eight
miles apart in rural Bullitt County, Kentucky. Brent spent much of his youth on
his family’s horse farm and even dabbled in barrel racing. Anthony’s
grandpa was a hall of fame quarter horse trainer and, although their families
were friends, the two musicians wouldn’t meet until the age of 21 when Brent
took a guitar lesson from the classically-trained Anthony.
Their friendship and musical chemistry was immediate and the
pair soon moved to Bowling Green, KY, where the duo cut its teeth playing
originals and covers four nights each week while finishing their degrees at
Western Kentucky University. It was the burgeoning Bowling Green music scene
that Brent and Anthony credit for shaping them into the songwriters and artists
they are today, particularly at a venue called WHA bah.
“Once we started playing music at WHA bah the crowd wasn’t
just college kids anymore – it was people of all ages and all walks of life. They
taught us to how to have a good time and not worry about proving ourselves to
anyone. They taught us to be true to ourselves,” says Anthony.
The two friends moved to Nashville after graduation to “chase
the dream” together. Brent started a solo career. Anthony began working as a musician
for hire to pay the bills while still playing in Brent’s band. Throughout this
time the roommates continued to write and record demos together until the day
the two collaborators decided to form the duo Everette during a writing session
– and an American band was born.
Named for George Clooney’s
character in “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” the duo of Everette is a bonafide triple
threat. Brent and Anthony co-write almost all of their songs as well as play many
of the instruments on Everette’s studio recordings. The two young artists are
also co-producing their debut project, an experience Brent calls “spiritual”
and one that is critical to the authenticity of Everette’s brand of Country
music.
“We have a certain type of rhythm
and we get into a symbiotic zone together in the studio that makes the song
work,” explains Anthony. “We have a mutual respect for each other’s talent and
each other’s feedback when we disagree. Trying to redo a song in someone else’s
studio – it just isn’t the same.”
Everette’s brand of country music
is filled with swampy harmonicas and bluesy guitar licks mixed with a knack for
melodic hooks not unfamiliar to fans of the 80s and 90s. Citing diverse
influences ranging from Tom Petty, The Eagles and Randy Travis to Ray Charles,
Michael Jackson and John Mayer, Everette’s honest and relatable music exudes a
crossover appeal that would have fans singing along at Bonnaroo as well as at
CMA Music Fest.
Everette’s “Slow Roll” is a rollicking, carefree number
inviting the listener to escape from the trappings of city life into an afternoon
of leisurely possibility. With a dance-friendly beat and an infectious chorus, “Slow
Roll” showcases the duo’s clever songwriting abilities, including a nod to pop
culture classic “Dazed and Confused.”
Hips will immediately begin swaying to Everette’s
intoxicating “Mugshots.” At once dangerous and fun-loving, the duo utilized a
steel resonator to add a “Tarantino soundtrack vibe” to the song. That unique
element, paired with the song’s arena rock chorus, is sure to make “Mugshots”
the universal anthem of wild summer nights.
The duo switches gears with the dark and gritty “Relapse” which
showcases an intensity and depth to the young artists’ songwriting abilities.
Everette credits the “magic” of the heart-wrenching lament to writing it while
on the road without time limitations or constraints.
Everette often describes its brand as “bonfire music” because of its
communal nature, which relates directly to the Country music genre. “It’s the
same thing we love about Country music and Country radio,” says Brent.
“Just like everyone’s involved at a bonfire jam,” says Anthony.
“When we’re on stage we don’t want any separation between us and the audience.
We want our shows to be an experience. We write songs about us, but they’re
really about everyone.”