Album Notes

Earl Foss’ Brown Derby is an indie-country band from Madison, WI. The versatile 7-piece band, including pedal steel and male/female vocal harmonies, makes the most out of singer John Kunert’s songs, which run the gamut from honky-tonk to southern rock to lush dark “indie” pop but are mostly rooted in the sounds pioneered by real country greats like George Jones, Waylon Jennings, Gram Parsons and Buck Owens and Willie Nelson.

The Brown Derby’s debut show was at a tiny Madison coffee shop in January 2006. In the short time since, they have played dozens of shows, mostly around Madison but also in Milwaukee and Minneapolis and a few smaller towns near all of those places. They have played at venues such as the High Noon Saloon, Crystal Corner, King Club, Café Montmartre, Corral Room, Mickey’s Tavern (Madison), Stonefly Brewery, Riverwest Commons (Milwaukee), 331 club (Minneapolis), Club Tavern (Middleton, WI), and some other assorted houses, barns, and shanties.

They have been fortunate to play fun shows with a bunch of great bands such as Sleeping in the Aviary, the Western Fifth, the Gilded Age, Mad Trucker Gone Mad, the Wilders, the Foghorn String band, Flame Shark, Blueheels, the .357 string band, Get up Johns, Josh Harty, Dear August, Dietrich Gosser, etc.

In the Fall of 2006, the Brown Derby self-released its debut album, titled “This Drinkin’ Life.” It was recorded in one weekend at a friend’s home studio, and has received positive reviews from local media outlets like the Isthmus, Rick’s Café and the Onion.

Here's a few sample clips:

…”This Drinkin' Life" is your father's father's country blues. Think Gram Parsons only more down and depressed… a perfect study in that great guitar twang sound that Nashville has abused for far too long. Good stuff...” www.smother.net

“…one of the better country disks to come out of this gussied-up cow town in recent memory.” –The Isthmus (Madison weekly newspaper)

“...pretty enjoyable if you’re not too country’d out.” –The Onion (Madison AV Club)


MP3’s and tour schedule can be found at:

www.myspace.com/brownderby