The Wild Feathers

Nashville, Tennessee outfit the Wild Feathers favor the label "American" rather than Americana for their style, one that blends the sincere neo-Southern rock of the Black Crowes, the blues-driven bravado of the Black Keys, and the expansive country-rock of the Eagles. Their self-titled first release drew primarily from classic rock and country sources, whereas the 2016 follow-up Lonely Is a Lifetime introduced contemporary flourishes and expansive production, reducing the twang while folding in psych, pop, and anthemic alt-rock textures. On later releases the group kept sharpening their blend of Southern rock, Americana, blues, and folk shading, heard across Greetings from the Neon Frontier (2018), Alvarado (2021), and Sirens (2024).

The trio came together in 2010 when Ricky Young, Joel King, and Taylor Burns—each previously fronting their own bands—united through a mutual admiration for Tom Petty, Led Zeppelin, Neil Young, the Band, and the Allman Brothers. A Warner Bros. contract soon followed, leading to support slots on tours by Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson. The major-label debut appeared in summer 2013, topping Billboard’s Heatseekers chart and securing spots on Jimmy Kimmel, Conan O’Brien, Seth Meyers, and ABC’s Nashville, along with praise in Rolling Stone, The New York Times, and USA Today. Early 2016 brought the stylistically wide-ranging sophomore album Lonely Is a Lifetime as well as the live set Live at Ryman. The harmony-rich Greetings from the Neon Frontier surfaced in 2018, offering a relaxed, sunlit batch of songs that channeled the classic country-rock of the 1960s and ’70s. Medium Rarities arrived in 2020, gathering unreleased tracks from the preceding decade, while 2021 saw the band issue their fourth studio album, Alvarado, marking their debut on New West Records. Grammy-winning producer and musician Shooter Jennings guided the fifth long-player; released in 2024, Sirens presented a confident, road-tested, story-driven collection that wove blues and punk accents into the group’s distinctive Americana approach.