Shinyribs

Kevin Russell, who co-founded the Gourds, established Shinyribs, an Austin-based roots combo, in 2007. What started as a solo project led Russell to book a recurring monthly show in Houston simply to cover the costs of a new family car. That workingman’s moonlighting effort grew into a major creative channel for the productive songwriter and soon evolved into a complete group that featured Gourds drummer Keith Langford together with bassist Jeff Brown and pianist Winfield Cheek. Shinyribs’ sound naturally extends the eccentric Texan art/alt-country approach that brought the Gourds widespread success. Combining soul, country, blues, and rock, the band released its first LP, Well After Awhile, in 2010 while the Gourds were between albums. After the Gourds issued one final record, 2011’s Old Mad Joy, Russell placed the long-running band on official hiatus in 2013 to focus on Shinyribs full time. Within that same year, Shinyribs issued its second LP, Gulf Coast Museum.