Band Bio
Fiddle + guitars + sweet harmonies + a fun dive bar vibe — it all adds up to The Federales, a Minneapolis-based collaboration between seven longtime friends and players. Since 2012, fans in the Twin Cities and beyond have lined up for this band’s infectious take on old-school country music.
It began some years back, when guitarist James Gould (The 4onthefloor) and songwriter Ben Miller started running into each other at parties and found that the talk inevitably turned to Townes Van Zandt, Gram Parsons or the Flying Burrito Brothers. They sought out like-minded musician friends (including a few high school pals and one-time Federales superfan Jay Scabich who took up the fiddle shortly after the band formed) and in 2012 formed The Federales. The band captures the warm sonic textures of the ‘60s and ‘70s recordings they’re drawn to. Think a boisterous Bakersfield dance hall or a music-basted Austin barbecue circa 1975.
While their debut album Blues, Bourbon & Burritos took a straight-ahead approach to Midwestern country sounds and songwriting, their new release Honkytonks & Hangovers leans woozily across a wider swath of American styles — rooted in the present but never jilting the past. Their EP Live at the Gunflint Tavern captures the 2021 edition of an annual Labor Day weekend run of shows in Grand Marais, Minnesota. Come to any of their shows and just try not to tap your feet. Try harder not to dance. A good time? That’s a given.
The Federales are (L to R):
Jay Scabich on fiddle and guitar
Mark Larson on drums and percussion
James Gould on vocals, guitar, and piano
Karl Wahoske on vocals, banjo, and guitar
Ben Miller on vocals, guitar, harmonica, and mandolin
Andy Schuster on bass and vocals
Chris Holm on harmonica and vocals (not pictured)
credit: Benjamin Miller
Listen to Honkytonks & Hangovers:
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New Album from Rising Country/Rock Stars The Federales
The Federales | Honkytonks & Hangovers
Release Date: July 17, 2020
Americana Radio Focus Tracks:
#1 - “Quit Playin’ That Guitar
#2 - “Dead Gulch Dan”
#12 - “Break Her Heart”
FCC WARNING: Tracks #3 and #5 contain adult language.
Minneapolis-based country/rock band The Federales release their new album Honkytonks & Hangovers on July 17, 2020. This highly anticipated followup to their 2014 release Blues, Bourbon & Burritos shows a band that has developed over their 8 years of playing dive bars and juke joints across Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Federales are proving they are poised to be the next big Americana band to emerge from the dynamic Twin Cities music scene.
Although solidly rooted in the tradition of Willie Nelson and Gram Parsons, this sophomore release shows the band stretching into new musical territory. From the Marty Robbins meets New Orleans-style romp “Dead Gulch Dan” to the psychedelic, surf-rock instrumental “The Ballad of Ellis, D” to the John-Prine- and Byrds-inspired “First Bar Band on Mars,” the album showcases smart songwriting and playful arrangements that appeal to folk, country and rock fans alike. Highlights include the sad folk/country shuffle “Break Her Heart” and the radio-friendly honkytonk number “Quit Playin’ That Guitar.”
Recorded at The Pearl Recording Studio in Northeast Minneapolis, the band co-produced the album with Zachary Hollander (The Honeydogs, Davina and The Vagabonds, Jeremy Messersmith). In addition to the full 6-piece band — James Gould (vocals, guitar, piano), Mark Larson (drums, percussion), Ben Miller (vocals, guitar, harmonica, mandolin), Jay Scabich (fiddle, guitar), Andy Schuster (bass, vocals), Karl Wahoske (vocals, banjo, guitar) — the album features special guests like Joe Cimarelli (pedal steel), Riley Helgeson (trumpet), Mike Mello (sousaphone) and Scott Agster (trombone) of Nooky Jones fame.
For radio and media requests, contact Ellen Stanley at ellen@efspublicity.com.