AUSTIN LUCAS

Raised in the backwoods of Monroe County, Indiana, Austin Lucas was born into a folk and bluegrass lineage. Learning to harmonize before learning to read, Lucas honed his vocal control early as a member of the nationally-acclaimed Indiana University Children’s Choir. In a narrative as well-worn as it is true, Lucas rebelled against his upbringing, leaving his Americana roots for the catharsis of punk rock. After the better part of a decade spent criss-crossing the globe with a series of bands in broken-down vans, living in the Czech Republic from 2003 and returning back to the USA in 2008. Lucas hit a musical glass-ceiling, eventually finding respite for his ringing ears in the delicacy of traditional song craft. Taking his music in the direction the Americana Roots and traditional country genre. Singing with the conviction of a preacher bereft of his faith, Lucas tackles recurrent themes of the soul, sin as personal purgatory, and the possibility of finding redemption in this life. The fallacies of man take center stage as the righteous false prophet is denounced as a “hollow vessel with unsteady hands.” Turning the harsh light of hindsight on himself, Lucas addresses the hard lessons learned in the passing of youth, ruminating on the failures and missed opportunities, pledging, “If there’s a light shining/ Point the way there/ A straight way of walking/ I’ll be like an arrow.”

Following his solo debut, The Common Cold (2006), Lucas has steadily built upon his recorded output, releasing Putting The Hammer Down (2007), the Bristle Ridge (2008) collaboration with Chuck Ragan of Hot Water Music, and Somebody Loves You (2009), which debuted at #7 on the Billboard Bluegrass chart, A New Home In The Old World (2011) and after signing with New West Records, Stay Reckless(2013). Lucas has consistently evolved and grown as a musician and songwriter, resting on no laurels and developing the songs’ framework further with each successive album.

Having raised his profile on the road touring with Willie Nelson and Jamey Johnson on the Country Throwdown tour, SXSW and MNFW. He has also extensively toured with Dawes, Langhorne Slim, William Elliot Whitmore, Joe Pug, Scott H. Biram, Cory Branan, John Moreland and Drag The River. Lucas has also bolstered his loyal grassroots following with appearances at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, Canada’s Sled Island Festival, Florida’s Harvest of Hope. Folk music is for the common folk, and Lucas delivers, often ending his shows playing on the floor amidst the crowd. Lucas has also toured extensively throughout Australia and Europe building his fan base with each passing show and new audience. Lucas is about to embark on a east coast tour and then later in 2015 he will be back in Europe.

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