Event Details
The Pink Stones
“We believe in some pretty strict rules,” says Pink Stones frontman Hunter Pinkston. “We also believe in breaking them. This band was built on reimagining tradition, on honoring the old ways while pushing them someplace new.”
On their intoxicating new album, Thank the Lord…it’s The Pink Stones, Pinkston and his bandmates do precisely that, offering up a joyful, adventurous take on ’60s twang that blurs the lines between cosmic country, folk, bluegrass, soul, and psychedelic rock. Recorded once again with co-producer/engineer Henry Barbe (Drive-By Truckers, Deerhunter) in the band’s hometown of Athens, GA, the collection showcases a more deliberate, mature side of The Pink Stones’ sound, one that reflects all the personal and sonic growth that’s defined the last few years for the hard touring five-piece. The songs on Thank the Lord… are humble and timeless, full of wry, sardonic wit and rich, evocative storytelling, and the performances are easygoing and amiable, with an effortlessly natural feel that belies the masterful craftsmanship behind them. The result is a record that wears its influences proudly on its sleeve, even as it a subverts expectation, a work of poignant longing and playful humor that tips its cap to everyone from Merle Haggard and Earl Scruggs to Don Williams and The Byrds as it looks both forwards and backwards all at once.
“A lot has changed since the last record,” says Pinkston. “We’ve grown up, traveled all over the world, said goodbye to old bandmates and welcomed new ones. All of that’s helped our sound grow and evolve into what it is now.”
Started alone by Pinkston in his Athens apartment, The Pink Stones quickly emerged to widespread acclaim with their 2021 debut, Introducing…The Pink Stones, which earned praise from Rolling Stone, Under The Radar, No Depression, American Songwriter, and more. The band returned two years later with their similarly well-received sophomore effort, You Know Who, which featured an appearance from Nikki Lane and landed on Bandcamp’s Best Country Music of 2023 list. Dates across the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia followed, including festival appearances from 30A to Hopscotch, and while the band’s rapid growth could be traced in large part back to the undeniable energy of their raucous, freewheeling live shows, working at such a relentless pace came with a price.
“We were touring constantly the year after You Know Who came out,” Pinkston recalls, “and some of the guys realized that wasn’t the best fit for them. That forced me to find the kind of players who really wanted to be on the road all the time, and it forced me to step up and play more lead guitar, which naturally affected the kind of music we were making together.”
With new additions Caleb Boese (pedal steel) and Michael Alexander (drums) joining Pinkston (guitar/vocals) and longtime compatriots Adam Wayton (bass) and Neil Golden (keyboards), the band resumed touring at their usual breakneck speed, working up tunes for roughly half the new record live before heading into the studio.