Flatland Cavalry

A spirited country-folk and Americana outfit based out of Lubbock, Texas, Flatland Cavalry draw inspiration from Lone Star State contemporaries like Turnpike Troubadours, Wade Bowen, and Randy Rogers, as well as folk-pop artists such as the Avett Brothers and John Mayer. The group's music often puts fiddle and acoustic guitar up front to give the tunes a strong, rootsy influence tied to the past, but the melodies have a modern feel and are powered by a rock & roll backbeat. The band made a strong full-length debut with 2016's Humble Folks, while a few years of touring helped them achieve a tighter and more unified sound on subsequent releases like 2019's Homeland Insecurity and 2021's Welcome to Countryland. They made their Interscope debut with Wandering Star in 2023.

Founded in 2012 by longtime friends Cleto Cordero (guitar, vocals) and Jason Albers (drums), Flatland Cavalry eventually blossomed into a five-piece with the additions of Jonathan Saenz (bass), Laura Jane (fiddle), and Reid Dillion (guitar). After raising recording costs with a crowdfunding campaign, the band released their debut EP, Come May, independently in 2015; they were quickly scooped up by California-based booking agency Atomic Music Group. The following year saw Flatland Cavalry issue their first full-length outing, Humble Folks. The album fared well, rising to 38 on the nationwide Top Country Albums chart and 17 on the Americana/Folk Albums survey. The group toured heavily in support of Humble Folks, and changed their management to the Texas-based firm DBL Music Group.

By the time Flatland Cavalry issued their second album, 2019's Homeland Insecurity, Laura Jane had left the band, with Wesley Hall taking over on fiddle. Working quickly, the group issued a string of singles like "Sober Heart of Mine" and "War with My Mind" ahead of 2021's Welcome to Countryland, which they recorded at Nashville's legendary Sound Emporium Studios. The largely acoustic Songs to Keep You Warm EP appeared the following year.

In 2023, the band returned with their third full-length and first on Interscope Records, Wandering Star. Featured on the album was the song "Mornings with You," a duet between Cordero and his wife, singer Kaitlin Butts.

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