Artist description An upbeat mixture of alternative country, southern rock, guitar pop, and bluesy hard rock.

Music Style Southern Rock

Musical Influences Allmans, Rolling Stones, Gram Parsons

Similar Artists Whiskeytown, Blue Mountain, Wilco, Son Volt, Black Crowes

Artist History HANGTOWN arrived on the music scene in the summer of ’98. After two nationally and internationally distributed albums released on New York-based Big Deal Records, singer/songwriter/-guitarist Ted Lukas split from Tampa pop legends Barely Pink; a band he started in the fall of ’94. Seeking to develop his interests in Americana, Lukas let his songwriting lead him and his new bandmates into the heart of what is now known as HANGTOWN.These bandmates include: Aaron Akers - bass (also of Barely Pink), Mike Anderson - drums (formerly of Tampa’s long-time favorite Men from Earth), and guitarist Dave Korman (former frontman for Tampa’s own Leonard Croon Band).HANGTOWN’s first CD, Here For Now, was released August 24th,1999 on Blue Heart Records, a label founded by highly recognized Americana recording artist Ronny Elliott. Here For Now was engineered by Steve Connelly (Roger McGuinn of The Byrds, Ronny Elliott & The Nationals, The Headlights), and co-produced by Connelly and HANGTOWN at Zen Den Studios in FL.Here For Now is Americana at its best. Its release was embraced by music critics worldwide, securing a steady slot in the Miles Of Music top ten sales chart for over six straight months. Already in its second pressing in just under a year, Here For Now also received radio airplay on over sixty stations across the U.S. and in Europe.Here For Now also caught the attention of Black Dog Records executives Chris Hudson and Jeffrey Reed, who signed the group in the Spring of 2000. Black Dog is an independent label founded by Cary Hudson and Laurie Stiratt of Blue Mountain, well known for releasing the widely acclaimed debut CD Let’s Cut The Crap and Hook Up Later Tonight by MARAH.HANGTOWN’s second release, Eleven Reasons, is slated for release on January 30, 2001. With Eleven Reasons, HANGTOWN once again chose Steve Connelly as producer, and mixed the recording at Rt. 1 Studios in Monticello, Mississippi, with Jeffrey Reed (Blue Mountain, Primal Scream, The Mertons, Rocket From The Crypt). Eleven Reasons promises to be the perfect follow up to Here For Now.

Group Members Ted Lukas - vocals/guitar, Aaron Akers - bass, Mike Anderson - drums, Dave Korman - vocals, guitar

Instruments Guitars, Bass, Drums, Pedal Steel, Mandolin, Harmonica

Albums Here For Now, Eleven Reasons

Press Reviews Robert K. Oermann, columnist for Music Row—Nashville’s Premier Music Industry Publication, listed HANGTOWN’s first single, “Second Chances,” as worthy of “honorable mention” in the Sept. 8th issue.“The ten taut tracks that make up ‘Here For Now’ reveal influences such as Neil Young, the Silos and the Byrds. The band has the muscle of classic southern rock and the song structures of a well-schooled power pop band . . .” - Curtis Ross, Tampa Tribune pop music critic review printed in Friday Extra section 9/10/99“I highly recommend the debut disc by Florida’s HANGTOWN, ‘Here For Now.’ The disc, produced by Headlight alum Steve Connelly, is chock full of material that will remind listeners of the Buffalo Springfield, Poco, and contemporary roots rock bands . . . the musicianship is first rate . . .” - Eric Sorenson, Jingle Jangle Morning column 9/17/99 - www.purepop.com“ Hangtown sort of fits in that space . . . occupied fairly prominently by other indie bands like Reckless Kelly and Riverbuff Clan . . . (the banjo) picking on ‘One Lane Highway’ compliments grungy guitars, although this is not alternative grunge: it has more in common with ’70’s country rock than Pearl Jam . . . ‘Blind Leading Blind’ is another standout, and actually sounds the most like Reckless Kelly, especially with the backing mandolin . . .” - John Brandon, alternative country page 10/12/99 - www.visi.com/~altc “From the hooky lead off cut (Second Chances) to the closing lament (Out of Place), Hangtown populates its debut with southern roots rock that twangs and chimes. Traces of the countrified Stones, Tom Petty and Steve Earle can be heard slipping in and out on this thoroughly enjoyable record.” - Miles of Music, www.milesofmusic.com “It was just a matter of time before the indie nation decided it was cool to like Lynyrd Skynyrd again. Banjo-playing hard rockers connect the dots between Greg Allman and Jeff Tweedy.” - www.listen.com “Hangtown is another member of the alterna-country resurgence, and they are every bit as good as any of the other benchmark groups of the genre......what makes Hangtown noteworthy is that it sounds like a group with its own identity. These guys enjoy making music...and like any group that can convey their sense of pleasure in just making music, Hangtown ends up being infectiously enjoyable to hear.......Their recording is well produced, and there’s nothing keeping Here For Now from being seen as a companion of equal quality with any roots rock recording past or present. The folks in Tampa have themselves one good house band in Hangtown, and should they line up a tour anytime soon, other cities are going to envy Tampa the boast of being home to Hangtown.” - Martin Fullington, Music Reviews Quarterly, Issue #7, Summer ’99“4 out of 5 stars! Great record! The strong guitar sound has the southern rock feeling of the seventies. Now and then pedal steel and mandolin give the album a modern alt country touch. You can hear as many influences as you want: Steve Earle, The Replacements, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Jawhawks. The band rocks (Second Chances), and sometimes slows down for a ballad, like on the beautiful song Driving In Circles. Lukas, he has the right whiskey voice, and has translated the history of roots music very well into the present.” - Bart Ebisch, Alt Country NL today http://www.xs4all.nl/~bebisch, Netherlands “...Hangtown sew together a patchwork of Americana, including ’60’s country storytelling..., ’70’s-era Gram Parsons styled country rock..., along with the hillbilly twang that dawned when Elvis rocked...A great honest disc - one you won’t have to explain when you hand a copy to a friend and say, ‘here, enjoy this.’” - Virginia Reed, Focus Magazine #131 Aug. 5-18 “ Somewhere between the heart and soul of (Crazy Horse-era) Neil Young and Lynyrd Skynyrd comes this thoughtful independent release via Tampa, Florida. This is no wall of squall but, rather, a collection of mid-tempo, simple ballads that lean on B-3 organ, pedal steel and the some exceptional guitar to create a powerfully-tasty country-pop (Jayhawks meet Les Dudek). Elements of gentle southern soul lie beneath their sound, yet their love of classic guitar rock permeates each of the ten tracks . . . Finn Walling’s guitar lines are what separate this disc from the dozens of Wilco re-treads, however, and the dual guitar attack provided by he and Lukas add inspired muscle to each somewhat relaxed composition. The addition of banjo, mandolin and lap steel make for inventive arrangements while keeping them loyal to their Buffalo Springfield-sounding roots. The guitars, often glued together by Dean Germain’s swirling B-3, elevate each song. It’s difficult to single out anyone song as they fit together like a complete work, but the disc’s opener, “Second Chances” certainly gets the juices flowing, and “Burnin’ Down” hints at their live potential. “Blind Leading Blind” is a head-turning, haunting ballad. To some extent, this has all been heard before - but not lately, and certainly not done this well.” - Eric Thom, Exclaim Magazine, Canada “ ...The band combines twang, power-pop, and roots rock in a laid-back way reminiscent of that other Floridian, Tom Petty, who guitarist/vocalist Ted Lukas also happens to sound an awful lot like. From the Hammond-swirled opening of “Second Chances” all the way through to the hung over and hurtin’ ballad “Out of Place,” Hangtown evokes The Silos, Neil Young, Flamin’ Groovies, Son Volt, and the Replacements, hookily reinventing its home turf as the Moonshine State...(Hangtown) isn’t about shocks to the system—it’s about whiskey, pedal steel, regret, front porches, and more whiskey, and Here For Now speaks the language with rawkin’ aplomb.” - Stefanie Kalem, JAM Magazine, 02/24/00“Singer/songwriter/guitarist Ted Lukas seems completely at home playing rootsy Americana...it’s possible to hear shades of the Stones, Neil Young and the Band in their sound, and of the modern groups, it’s Wilco that they most resemble...there’s no doubting the quality of the better songs like “Second Chances” and “Blind Leading Blind.” - Luke Magazine, England “We all know, of course, that good, loud guitar riffs will burn away any pain in the world. As do the men of Hangtown, who play the sort of bluesy, twangy hard rock that is perhaps just a little too smart for the guy in the Camaro, hanging out in your local high school parking lot, to boom from his system. There is no talk of smoking in the boys room or women compared to fruity pastries, just honest, heartfelt songs that just might make you pick up a broom and jam along with lead guitarist Finn Walling...there’s no denying the catchy, open-car-window release of songs like “One Lane Highway,” “Down So Hard,” “Left to Fly ”or “Driving in Circles,” with Steve Connelly’s perfect pedal steel accompaniment. They thank Blue Mountain for “inspiration” in the liner notes. That’s about right, just with a little less Mississippi twang and a little more Florida flash.” - Andy Turner, Country Standard Time

Location Tampa, FL - USA

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