A Nashville-based outfit known as Teddy and the Rough Riders crafts a sound rooted in country traditions yet infused with elements of psychedelia, indie rock, and cosmic Americana. Central to the ensemble are Jack Quiggins and Ryan Jennings, whose alliance sparked the band's initial recordings during the middle part of the 2010s. Through these efforts, they cultivated a following in their region while joining forces with acts including Skyway Man alongside Emily Nenni. Their inaugural album emerged independently in 2019, paving the way for a deal with the Tennessee independent outfit Appalachia Record Co., which issued the self-titled sophomore release in 2022. Having spent multiple years on the road backing Nenni, the Rough Riders unveiled their third long-player, Down Home, in 2024.
Both Quiggins and Jennings hail from Nashville, where prior involvement in indie rock and psychedelic groups preceded their turn toward country sounds. Their entry into the style drew from West Coast outfits such as the Byrds and Grateful Dead, supplemented by British folk and rock traditions. The self-titled EP from 2017 reflected these retro touches, spanning bluegrass and honky tonk alongside nods to Syd Barrett and the Velvet Underground. This approach carried into their debut full-length effort, 2019's The Congress of Teddy and the Rough Riders, which coincided with a Lagniappe Sessions EP shared with Skyway Man. Around the same period, connections formed with Nashville's Emily Nenni, leading to their role as her regular support musicians.
The 2022 album Teddy and the Rough Riders came out via Appalachia Record Co. Subsequent travels included independent gigs and continued accompaniment for Nenni, after which work wrapped on the band's latest project. October 2024 saw the arrival of Down Home, an album encompassing their diverse influences and incorporating vocal contributions from both Nenni and Erin Rae.
