THE GRITS

With a taproot that reaches the bedrock of Southern music, the Super Grit Cowboy Band branches out into western swing, country, bluegrass, and rock & roll with an intensity for each that compromises none. Dubbed in New York's VILLAGE VOICE newspaper as "The South's Hottest Honky-Tonkers", these seasoned pros have criss-crossed the United States and Canada for the past thirty-two years with their amazing versatility and sparkling virtuosity, in a show that is entertaining, humorous and always full of surprises.

Never ones to shrink from a good musical challenge, Super Grit has played for such diverse occasions as outhouse burnings to house warmings for billionaires and movie stars; from biker beer bashes to governors' inaugural galas; and from seedy barroom dances to concert halls, accompanied by major orchestras such as the North Carolina and Alabama symphonies.

The Super Grit Cowboy Band has released five albums and has seen five singles charted in BILLBOARD magazine's top 100. They have been featured on numerous nationally televised shows, such as NASHVILLE AFTER HOURS and NEW COUNTRY. The list of artists with which Super Grit has shared the billing reads like a Who's Who of over eighty nationally recognized names in the entertainment industry, including Merle Haggard, George Jones, Dwight Yoakam, Emmylou Harris, Randy Travis, Alabama, Bill Monroe, Trisha Yearwood, Lou Rawls, The Marshall Tucker Band, 38 Special, Atlanta Rhythm Section, and the Charlie Daniels Band.

With a record label, HOODSWAMP RECORDS, a publishing company, HOODSWAMP MUSIC, and a recording studio, CIRCLE SOUND, all owned and operated by individuals within the band, the Super Grit has managed to exercise a degree of independence unusual in the music industry.

The Super Grit Cowboy Band is led by crusty old guru of wayward musicians Clyde Mattocks on pedal steel, guitar, and banjo. Partner in musical crime since 1976, is the befuddled old hippie, Mike "13" Kinzie on fiddle, sax, harmonica, piano, tuba, trombone, flute, and probably others if he could remember what they were and where he put them. From another astral plane is the guitar doctor, Mark Golladay on the "take off guitar." Drummer, Dexter Horton sets the groove, and the weight is locked in by seasoned bassist, Carroll Wade.

NEWS AND INFORMATION

We are pleased to welcome our newest member, drummer Dexter Horton. Dex will be no stranger to most, having spent fourteen years with Super Grit co-founder Bill Lyerly in the Bill Lyerly Band. Since Bill disbanded and moved to Spain, Dex has been working with the popular Night Prowler band. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience and we are excited about getting to play music with him, since he is thoroughly familiar with the Super Grit style.

It wasn't our music that stunk so bad!! On August 1, we played a wedding reception in rural Warren county. It was a wonderful setting under an open air pavilion surrounded by wood and fields. Everything was going just beautifully till a skunk decided he'd had enough rock & roll and let loose. Don't pet the black & white kitty!

Our undying gratitude to Timmy Biggs who saved our butts the weekend of July

9-11.  We were having too much fun at Tar Heel Opry House and blew out half of

our sound system.  We still had to finish the weekend there and do Sunday in the

Park in Greenville.  Timmy graciously loaned us the gear to get the job done.

Cliff Swanhart was in on the rescue as was our own Doug Bradshaw.  These

guys came thru at crunch time.

And at Sunday in the Park on July 11 we had a huge crowd, they tell us a

record for the season.  Thanks to all who showed up to support us!

What a great time and thank you for your love for Tommy Redd of the

Nantucket Band at the big benefit concert on Sept. 12.  We got to see a lot

of old friends and reconnect.  Some folks we hadn't seen in over twenty years.

Tommy was moved by the outpouring of support from his music family.

On Sept. 18, Super Grit played for a breast cancer awareness fund raiser at the

swanky Westin Inn in dowtown Charlotte.  The event was called the Pink boots Ball.  This is the third time we have been chosen to play this annual gala.

On Nov. 6, we played the Wilson Whirligig Festival.  This has grown to be one

of the largest festivals in the state and it was our second time there.  The  weather was cold, windy and drizzling rain when we went on, but by the time we

finished the sun had come out and it had turned nice.  We even had some old Gritheads drive all the way down from Virginia to be with us and brought some old albums for us to sign.  After that, we came back to Hugo for the big annual Tater House Jam featuring Delbert McClinton and Teresa James.  One of the largest crowds ever turned out for that one and we saw lots of old friends.

On Jan. 22, we inherited a gig from David Allan Coe.  David was supposed to play for a gigantic party in Duplin County, but got snowed in in Ohio.  Thankfully, the party planners thought of us and we put the whole thing together in less than 24 hours.

Super Grit Cowboy Band

Dubbed in New York’s Village Voice newspaper as “The South’s Hottest Honky-Tonkers,” The Super Grit Cowboy Band branches into western swing, country, bluegrass and rock’n’roll with an intensity for each genre that compromises none. These seasoned pros have criss-crossed the United States and Canada since 1974 with amazing versatility and sparkling virtuosity, in a show that is entertaining, humorous and always full of surprises. The Super Grit Cowboy Band has released five albums and has seen five singles charted in Billboard Magazine’s Top 100. They have been featured on numerous nationally televised shows, such as Nashville After Hours and New Country.