Album Notes

“Shit-kicking honky-tonk… Leaving, TX bristles with raw emotional energy.” – Raleigh Independent

"Compared favorably to Drive By Truckers, Reckless Kelly, and Steve Earle… And not without good cause.” - Maverick Magazine

"One of the strongest contenders to emerge on the alt.country scene in years" - Ontap Magazine

Gripping vocals, intelligent lyrics, and songs filled with memorable hooks are what you will find with the LEAVING, TX. This original alt.country outfit delivers a clever blend of cutting edge “twang-rock” mixed with a healthy dose of raw, whiskey-soaked country. The band is driven by songwriter Chris Patterson's rugged, in your face vocal style, ripping telecasters and sweet pedal steel… All anchored by a tight, driving rhythm section. This powerful group of musicians allow Patterson's songs to really shine.

Formed in late 2004 the band’s songs about life, love, and the bottle have caused this DC-based quartet to gain regional, national, and international attention. Their debut CD "100 Miles to Sunday" was released in January of 2006 and quickly rose to 8 on the Euro-Americana Charts. In April of 2007 the band released "Anywhere on Good Roads", the bands sophomore effort, which quickly climbed to 8 on the Freeform American Roots Charts in the US and 11 on the Euro-Americana Charts.

The bands third CD “Late Getting’ Started” was recorded in Baltimore at “The Deep End Studio” with Tony Correlli serving as engineer and co-producer with the band. The sessions began back in November of ’07 when Chris started laying down scratch tracks to some new songs he had written. This continued through much of ’08 until 22 new songs had found their way into the studio. The full band began working on the disc back in August with a goal of 10-12 songs to be completed by the end of the year. We ended up with 14 we felt needed to be on the disc and we finished the final mixes on 1-2-09. LEAVING, TX is proud to have Rickie Simpkins join us with is fiddle and mandolin on a few of the tracks. Jennifer Van Meter added a touching duet with Chris on "Wonderin'" and added some background vocals to "Thoughts and Flowers". Our good friend Rob Thorworth kicked in some backing vocals on "Picking Up Pieces" as well.

As good as the albums are, where the band really shines is with their high-energy live performances. With over 50 original songs and a couple dozen covers, LEAVING, TX has quite an array of music to choose from in order to entertain any audience. They are just as comfortable in a dirty old honky-tonk as they are before a stadium crowd. Don’t be surprised if during a live show you hear a Johnny Cash, Drive By Trucker, or Ozzy Osbourne tune wedged in between several of the band’s originals. In the first few years they not only headlined too many venues and festivals to count but have served as an opening act for such acts as Rascal Flatts, Little Big Town, Emerson Drive, and Marshall Crenshaw… Just to name a few.