While there is no shortage of musical stylings that can be closely associated with the United States, country music remains to be the country’s best representation. After all, there is no other place in the world that adores and reveres the genre as Americans. With that said, most fans have a fixed notion of what a country song and artist should sound like. However, one revolutionary band is bravely breaking the mainstream country mold and challenging the norm by putting their own spin on the beloved genre: Rick Monroe and The Hitmen featuring Rick Monroe on vocals. Alongside him are The Hitmen, composed of Bobby Perkins on guitar, Alan Beeler on bass and banjo, and Jason Bohl on drums.
This multi-talented group of movers and shakers is known for their one-of-a-kind musicality. While they remain faithful in honoring the style of country music, they have also expertly redefined it. Asked to explain their sound, Luna Road Entertainment founder and bonafide music lover Megan Pore creatively said, “An accurate description would be a modern classic rock band with a heavy southern rock influence who doesn’t forget their Country roots. Think The Eagles hanging out with Skynyrd jamming, but then Johnny Cash kicks in the door and crashes the party.”
Despite being relatively new to the scene and without the help of a major label, Rick Monroe and The Hitmen quickly gained a loyal following of music enthusiasts and country music fans. Their impressive accomplishment and massive success can be attributed to their unique and unrivaled artistry. This time, the up-and-coming band is seeking to grow their popularity even further and reach a wider audience through their latest release, “Bad Stretch of the Road.”
Several respected personalities in the music industry have worked with the gifted group to bring the captivating song to life. For example, Dead Eyes frontman Zach “Hooky” Williams has added his special flare to the track. As Rick fondly looks back on the experience of writing the masterpiece, he shared, “The moment we got in the room, the riffs started flying, and Hooky lived up to his nickname because the song just flowed.”
The insightful artist also talked about the story behind the hit single and said, “The concept is basically we all hit hard times, and you have to just push through it because nothing ever lasts forever.” Moreover, the band’s bassist and “Bad Stretch of the Road” co-writer Alan Beeler shared that they took inspiration in merging an “active rock” approach to country music for the track.
On top of that, it was produced by award-winning and multi-platinum producer Malcolm Springer who has worked with numerous industry greats like The Low-Down Drifters, Nappy Roots, Matchbox Twenty, and Collective Soul, while Maor Appelbaum mastered the track at Maor Appelbaum Mastering in California. “Bad Stretch of the Road” was recorded at Universal East Iris Studios in Nashville and released by Epochal Artists Records of TLG and Ingrooves Music Group.
With their incredible creativity, Rick Monroe and The Hitmen are undoubtedly breathing new life into the highly beloved country music scene. As they continue their musical journey, the group remains steadfast in their vision of elevating the genre and creating extraordinary music that people would love.
