Brand New Belt Buckles From Rusty Knuckles Customs

Brand New Antiseen Belt Buckle From Rusty Knuckles Customs

All of our belt buckles are made by hand one at a time. Creating items that will last for many a decade is a proud accomplishment and we cannot thank everyone enough who has purchased one from us. Keep an eye out as our line of belt buckles will continue to grow according to the new bands and clients that we continue to grow with.

Stevie Tombstone Sings The Troubadour Blues, Along With Ralph White For The Altco Sessions

Stevie Tombstone Sings The Troubadour Blues, Along With Ralph White For The Altco Sessions

Photographer Jeff Harris has been working with Stevie Tombstone and Ralph White as of late on the Altco Sessions and has been welcomed into the crew this year. He recently followed Stevie T and Ralph White to Marfa, Texas where they kicked off a national tour / rolling recording session in September 2015. The trio gathered some candid shots during songwriting and recording breaks as well as some good dashboard scenery. The song Troubadour Blues was originally written and published almost a decade ago and finally saw light in the midst of an impromptu recording session at South Austin's Million Dollar Sound. The core session features longtime friend and bassist John Duer and Daughter of Country Music legend Shelli Coe on backing vocals. Stevie decided to track the tune on a whim and the rest of the pieces fell into place with the timely additon of ex-Bad Liver Ralph Whites classic fiddle style and Banjo tracks phoned in as they say by Buck Thrailkill. The single Troubadour Blues is available on from Altco Recordings.

Listen To Stevie Tombstone and Ralph White Interview On Marfa, Texas Public Radio 93.5

Listen To Stevie Tombstone and Ralph White Interview On Marfa, Texas Public Radio 93.5

"Austin-based troubadours Ralph White and Stevie Tombstone join us for a conversation and some live pickin’ and singin’ on this episode of West Texas Talk.

White, formerly of the punk-ish bluegrass band the Bad Livers, isn’t a pop star. But he’s highly regarded in underground music circles for his psychedelic and decidedly non-traditionalist take on traditional music. A tree trimmer by day, he’s made his music career by self-recording and releasing his material, or partnering with small-scale record labels.

Tombstone’s music occupies a similar realm of modern readings on old songs, though he’s quick to say he’s not one to dwell on the past – he prefers writing and performing his own material over relying on old standards.

Still, his songs are connected to the history of American roots music – by blood. Tombstone, a Georgia native, is a descendant of Clayton McMichen, a once-popular string band leader from the early 20th century.

Ralph White and Stevie Tombstone joined us in the studio for a few songs and some talk before departing back out on tour. Their latest records are available on Altco Recordings."

Listen to the full interview on Marfa Public Radio

Stevie Tombstone Feature Review On Punk Globe

 

Stevie Tombstone Feature Review On Punk Globe

"There is something that is raw, and lovely about a live recording, with no fluff added. Stevie Tombstone hits a great cord with this sampling. It doesn't hurt that it includes one of my favorite songs, of his 'Nuthin Sweet About 16', love this version. With hints of Cash, Bluegrass, and Steve Earle, you get the drift of the road you will go down, and you will def want to turn around and go back for more. You get the feeling that you are there at the show, in an intimate setting. 'Murder City Breakdown', has a bit of swing to it, straight out of Austin. Stevie has a gift for writing songs that hit ya in ya core, that you can relate to. 'Lucky', tells the story of how one is lucky to be alive, and lucky to not be in jail, who can't relate to that? If you love a good tune, from a good storyteller, do yourself a favor, give this cd a listen. Download a song, or two, or seven...hell save ya self a buck, and buy the whole damn thing. You will thank me, and for that, you are welcome."

 Download your copy now

Only A Few Days Left For Your Chance To Win The Custom Box Of Pine Stash Box From Black Eyed Vermillion

Our pal Stevie Tombstone, shot a series of video shorts with Black Eyed Vermillion's own, Gary Lindsey. Only a few days left folks for your entry in the drawing for the custom Box of Pine, stash box. All orders in by 11:59 pm Sunday night March 22nd 2015 are eligible. The drawing will take place next week to determine the winner. 

Stevie Tombstone Is A Roots Rock Renaissance Man

Stevie Tombstone Is A Roots Rock Renaissance Man

"It’s probably fair at this point in his career to call Stevie Tombstone a Renaissance man. After all, he’s going from purveying greasy, revved-up rockabilly with his band The Tombstones to revealing a keen songwriter’s eye (think John Hiatt-meets-Todd Snider) with a penchant for stripped-down acoustic accompaniment.

He’s taken on songwriting and production tasks for a variety of artists, including Joshua Morningstar, Black Eyed Vermillion and Tonya Watts, and he’s recently added “label owner” to his resume with the Altco Recordings imprint.

Stevie Tombstone and Dale Watson, On Air At WDVX 89.9, The Blue Plate Special

Stevie Tombstone and Dale Watson, On Air At WDVX 89.9, The Blue Plate Special

If you are in the Knoxville, TN area do yourself a favor and come out to a live taping at WDVX 89.9 FM tomorrow for a Blue Plate Special live radio show. On the bill is Altco's own Stevie Tombstone with Banjo Buck Thrailkill, along with Dale Watson.

Altco Music's Shelli Coe, Debuts On Itunes Country New & Noteworthy

Altco Music's Shelli Coe Debuts At Itunes Country New & Noteworthy

We are proud to announce that Shelli Coes 'A Girl Like Me"is available on Itunes and Amazon not to mention availability worldwide in the coming weeks. Shelli is a world class vocalist and write as well as performer and her music doesn't rest on the laurels or her ancestry. Classic to contemporary country she picks a great mix of covers and originals and the musicianship and production is far above other releases in the market.

Altco Music Teams Up With Tonya Watts, The God Damn Gallows and Shelli Coe

Tonya Watts and Stevie Tombstone, team up for a new single

Altco Recordings is proud to welcome Tonya Watts to our ranks as she teams up with Stevie Tombstone to work on a new single,video and perhaps more. The Americana songstress is also well known as Playboy cover model and actress besides being a quickly rising star on the Alternative Country scene. Tombstone has been working to produce a series of singles for Altco showcasing new and seasoned talent that have his fingerprint and trademark on "legitimate tunes that don't bend to corporate ears". "Tonya has a one of a kind voice, point of view and her lyrics are about as honest as you can get"

Kern Richards Featured On MoonRunners

Featured Altco Recordings artist - Kern Richards

Check out the original post over on MoonRunners

“I did one-night stands in old motels; I did overnights for vagrancy; a trespasser on common ground; an exile searching for a vacancy.
 

“From L.A. streets to Illinois roads he was leaving constantly to find the road his heart could feel but his eyes just couldn’t see. He left a trail of notes behind, they all said ten more miles and you’ll be fine. Man, you can leave your past behind, just ten more miles and you’ll be fine.” – verses from Kern Richards’ song, “10 More Miles,” re-released in February by 2014 by the folks at ALTCO Recordings.

The Shore Road Tavern Ranks As One of Philly's Top Music Venues

Mike Fiedler of the Shore Road Tavern is always at the ready

Every now and then in life you get to meet a new life long friend that just literally walks into your life. I can certify this, as that is exactly how Mike Fiedler and I became friends. It all started at Muddy Roots a few years back when a dude on an Indian rolls up asking if we have tools he can borrow. He surely did find the right booth at Muddy Roots and next thing ya know, his pal Iggy and I were tearing into the controls on the bike and working up a fix. From that day forward, it was an instant bond. 

Mike and Cathy are the proud owners of the Shore Road Tavern and what an honor it is to see their fine establishment featured on Philly.com as a renowned local music venue. The hard work and long hours they pour into the venue is not lost on anyone. This type of dedication allows ol' Mike to know anyone and everyone, while also having the respect of every band that passes through their stone entryway. So damn proud for them to get a big feature such as this and hopefully it will further cement the Shore Road Tavern as a tour stop in North East Philly.

Stevie Tombstone Deep In Thought While Recording New Song

Stevie Tombstone deep in thought while recording new song

Its a rarity to find someone as dedicated to their craft as Stevie Tombstone. A consummate professional on and off stage and one hell of a songwriter. Damn proud to be partners with him in Altco Music. Here is ol' Stevie on point and running shop in a mega studio in upstate New York, perfecting a single with Joshua Morningstar all the while keeping his eye on the prize.

Finding The Way Home, With Stevie Tombstone - From MoonRunners

Read more on MoonRunners

"When you spend a good portion of your life walking into darkened bars with the intention to drink some beer and listen to music, there are a few things you just expect to see: people in jeans and boots, countless walking canvasses adorned with ink and titanium jewelry, lots of patches, plenty of drunkenness, and a never-ending parade of epic beards. What you do not expect to see is a quiet, comparatively clean-shaven man in a white button up shirt, black suit, stately cane, and an understated hat, but that is exactly what will greet you with a smile when you go to see Stevie Tombstone.

New Blood, New Stories From The Road Less Traveled On Altco Music

Joshua Morningstar heads to New York to record his first single for Altco Recordings at World Class Subcat Studios.

Follow the Altco Recordings posts

Altco Recordings welcomes singer songwriter Josh Morningstar this month as he enters the studio to record his first single. He has been on the road relentlessly for the last year or so working on new songs and making new fans the old school way by playing any and everywhere and winning over new folks every day. He will be recording at Subcat Studios in Syracuse, New York under the direction of Stevie Tombstone. The multi-million dollar facility was the location of Tombstone's last release Greenwood and will be a great change for the up and comer having all the advantages of a modern facility. The "Man from Maryland" hits the road immediately afterwards before resuming pre-production and more song sessions with Mr. Tombstone. More to come about Joshua real soon to be sure and be sure to check out the backstage video clip of Joshua at a recent show in Philly,PA at the Shore Road Tavern below.

News and Updates From Altco Music With Stevie Tombstone, Black Eyed Vermillion, Joshua Morningstar and Kern Richards

Jeff Harris captured some great shots at the Black Eyed Vermillion Show at Stubbs in Austin, TX

The forecast for the future is dark and cloudy as we anticipate the release of Black Eyed Vermillion's single "Box Of Pine". They are riding high after some great shows, including a recent Austin appearance with Flogging Molly.The video release of Box of Pine is coming soon and more Altco releases are already in the works for the upcoming year. Word on tour dates will come after the single release. Be sure to look for them at Moonrunners . The digital single features artwork by none other than Alexandre De Meyer who recently designed the artwork for the latest Nashville Pussy Release. You can check out his work at right here:

Kern Richards feature review on No Depression

Kern has been getting a slow and steady foothold on his new release and he's about to hit the road this summer for the East Coast. Mr. Richards has been racking up airplay and great reviews already and we know he's just getting started. A word from No Depression- "Don't expect no "Happy go lucky" here but do expect much brutally honest lyrics and some great arrangements which I was pleasantly surprised. Anywhere but home is the perfect name for the record which tells stories of lonesome, highways, 24hr cafes,booze, lost love, injustices and everything that comes with. Richards voice really stands out and sounds like" its been in a smoke house for several days and placed on the highway only to be hit by a semi truck". Get the whole shootin match here.

Work has begun on the upcoming Joshua Morningstar release slated for late 2014. The singer songwriter was recently added to the ALTCO roster and will be appearing occasionally with Stevie Tombstone as they prepare to hit the studio. The release promises to be a honest portrait of Joshua and his talents. Be sure to keep and eye out for him on the road and check him out on Facebook for updates about his new project. He just may be at Moonrunner's as well so give him a warm welcome if you see him on the midway.


More copies of Greenwood will be available on vinyl soon so stay tuned for details. Until then enjoy the Altco version of " Lucky" the first track off the Greenwood release . Its available now on Itunes and Amazon and in your finer record shops.

Kern Richards Feature Review On No Depression

Kern Richards of Altco Music on No Depression

Check out the original post on No Depression

"Every once in a while I get blessed with something that sticks out in a high-definition world. I personally get tired of being fed "Happy go lucky" and need that black and white fix from the high-def culture we live in. My great friend Mr. Stevie Tombstone turned me to a ALTCO label mate Kern Richards and I can't thank him enough after listening to his latest released entitled "Any where but home". Kern hails from the great state of California and is a pure singer/songwriter who has the ability to make you believe in the stories he sings.  Don't expect no "Happy go lucky" here but do expect much brutally honest lyrics and some great arrangements which I was pleasantly surprised. Anywhere but home is the perfect name for the record which tells stories of lonesome, highways, 24hr cafes,booze, lost love, injustices and everything that comes with.  Richards voice really stands out and sounds like" its been in a smoke house for several days and placed on the highway only to be hit by a semi truck" . I would describe living where  Tom Waits drawl and Lenoard Cohen's lullaby echos over lap. In the title track of the same as album name Anywhere but home the singer explains 

"Monday drunkard bar-stool...Tuesday couldn't care....Wednesday night sick with fright and headed no where....Thursday's back in rehab....Friday getting stoned....from Sunday dawn to Saturday night I'll go anywhere but home"

After hearing those lyrics the great Krisofferson is kicking his own ass for not penning such. Its safe to say that Kern won't be playing many weddings but will speak to the working man, truck driver, the outcast, the beaten down, the guy who doesn't wanna go home from the bar, the cook at the Huddle House at 3am, and such. I for one really got into and still growing into this record for much of the things he is speaking of I too have been thru it. I can respect the hell out of a man who is honest in struggles of life. Not everyone can related to beach life and eating at Applebees. Thank god for folks like Kern Richards who tell it like it is and make you feel it's heartfelt under-belly Americana. Go pick up a copy of his new release now and thank me later."

Kern Richards Feature Review On Wild American Radio

Kern Richards has seen many a mile and his songs bare witness

Dig into Wild American Radio

"Country music, like another great American institution, baseball, appears deceptively simple when you watch it. Writing and singing about one's life might appear relatively easy on the surface (just as chasing down a fly ball or driving a pitch into the alley for a double does on TV), but it's an illusion. In both cases the game is faster when you're in it--and requires absolute immersion. Whether it's Merle Haggard or Mickey Mantle, body and soul (and the stars) must be in perfect alignment to manifest something extraordinary--and the merely average fall by the wayside.

California's Kern Richards is a new name to us, but on first encountering his gravely vocals and his world-weary lyrics it's clear he's seen some miles. An admittedly brief attempt to research him on the internet didn't provide much background information, so we'll have to rely almost solely on what he communicates to us through his music (which is probably for the best).

It's impossible to fathom that his debut for upstart ALTCO Recordings, Anywhere But Home, is the first time he's walked up to the plate. There's certainly some major league level musicians backing him--including players who have served stints with Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, and X--but Richards performances are what drives the record. His songs inhabit a dark world where life not only throws obstacles in his path, but were forces (sometimes unseen) conspire against him--akin to Tom Waits at his ugliest, without a hint of beauty or redemption.

If Anywhere But Home is "about" anything, it's survival in world where people are as cold and immovable as the concrete fixtures that surround them. "If the bartender could read my mind/Man, he'd call the police" Richards sings with a believability that can come only from a lifetime of loneliness. These songs are not soliloquys spouted with the intention of attracting like-minded souls (or even with the intention of catharsis), they're the graffiti that's painted on the soul of a man constantly at odds with the world and himself. Projected from his gruff voice--an amalgamation of Lee Hazelwood and latter-day Leonard Cohen--each song is like a photograph that has become worn from being carried callously until it's dilapidated condition tells a separate story from the picture itself.

Kern Richards is a serious talent, and--unfortunately--one that doesn't fit in an age of plastic celebrities and disposable pop culture. Anywhere But Home leaves scars on the listener. Once it's heard, it can't be unheard--and the landscapes it travels through can't be un-experienced. It's not a good time, but it's a great record. Many of today's singers and songwriters are unwilling to travel these crooked miles--and that's fine--but to be truly great, one must dig beneath the skin, to the muscle. Richards does this, and keeps going beyond the flesh and the material world to the chasms of the soul. The best record of 2014 so far, and a tough one to beat."

"Would You Die For Love" Relates How A Turn Of A Phrase Can Change Your Entire Life, By Stevie Tombstone

Stevie Tombstone video for "Would You Die For Love"

Download your copy from Itunes

"This song really means a lot to me because it symbolizes a point in my life where i needed to hear those words. They have carried me all over the country and led me to meet many more folks of a like mind. It was the Fall of 2010 and I was leaving Austin for the last time, discouraged and basically overwhelmed with my new responsibilities as a father and trying to make it in the entertainment industry. My wife Melissa in her infinite wisdom suggested we go to the Ozarks and get ourselves in a better spot and spend time with each other away from the rat race and ingenuine climate of the hipster grind. We had an invitation from some friends there and accepted, tying most of our belongings ( except our 2 year old) on the roof our car. We left Texas behind (which I still love dearly and consider my other home) and headed for solace and higher ground. I recall it being dubbed the "sour grapes of wrath era".  Just part of the journey.

One of the folks that invited us to stay was an old buddy and sometimes personal shaman of mine. Lets just call him Bill for anonymity's sake. I was in a bad space after several small failures and feeling like life had dealt me a raw deal.  I wouldn't listen to anyone... except Bill. This man had seen life on all levels. He had lived through some hard times and come out on top in a metaphysical sense. A child of the Depression, the Vietnam War, incarceration and homelessness led him to trek on foot across the country to study under a Zen master and then to settle in the Ozark Mountains. Or so the story goes. He had a way of making you see the truth in things and thus answering your own questions. That was magic in my book.

We were working together outside in the garden one day, speaking of parenthood, personal failures and what a full life we'd both led up to this point. Despite all, I was still in a negative fog of self defeat. He looked at me from beneath his coolie hat under the Ozark sky and said one simple phrase that knocked me off my feet and changed my whole perspective. Would you die for Love?

My immediate answer was yes, but the multitude of thoughts that ran through my mind took me to the same answer on so many levels.Sometimes we just don't see the truth even when its right there in plain view. It was a hazy moment of self realization in the midday sunshine.

Self sacrifice, honesty, and the inevitable peace of having it. Verbal Manna. That phrase stuck in my head for quite a while and shaped my outlook for some time to come,that we really can make a difference by putting others before ourselves. Realizing that's the best thing we can do, and being honest about whether we can or not is a great barometer at the very least.

Stevie Tombstone zoned out after the video shoot for "Would You Die For Love"

I wrote this tune about two months later. It was a country-blues narrative with an Ozark beat. I wanted it to be reminiscent of early buck dancing and appalachian folk music fused with Delta blues from our mutual childhood and parallel existence in the Deep South.

Jerry Jones added the most soulful harmonica lines I've heard in some time, capping the recording off. I mixed the track down with some percussion down from a single microphone recording I had done a few months earlier in my mobile home near Devils Dive, nearly in Missouri.This tune ended up on the Slow Drunken Waltz EP and was released in 2011 on the Farmageddon label. Now under my new label ALTCO, we decide it merited another push and video treatment. Ralph Miller shot this video with an iphone during an east coast tour in the swamps near Raleigh, North Carolina.

Here Is How Getting Featured On Itunes Works...

Stevie Tombstone featured in Itunes New & Noteworthy Country for his single "Kevlar Heart"

Just in case any of yall were wondering about how we keep getting solid features in Itunes and other larger media outlets, here is how it works, plain and simple.

Itunes for example, chooses what it deems music (albums / singles / artists) that will sell, as they are in business to turn a profit. Being ranked in the top 10 of Fortune 500 companies worldwide proves they are already beyond successful and payoffs from PR companies, just won't work. This leaves the album placements as their choice for what to feature. Therefore, by the quality of Stevie Tombstone's new track Kevlar Heart he is hangin' right up at the top with the other acts in this screen shot, Stevie is being deemed "one to watch" that could go huge.

Being that we have gotten huge features quite a few times over the last 4 years as a label proves one thing. As an indie label putting out great music, we can deliver the soundtrack to your life on the same level as the majors. Mucho kudo's to Husky Burnette for being featured for 15 straight weeks now and JB Beverley for landing at No. 1 on Amazon's digital music charts.

As we finish up this year, folks we have some big things lined up for 2014 and this is just a preview of what is to come. Our pendulum is about to swing firmly back to the rougher side of the tracks. We will be making some big announcements in the coming weeks on new albums coming up and the great bands about to melt faces for 2014.

Stay tuned, drink up as we are about to Crank up the Marshall stacks.

Check out the brand new video we filmed for Stevie Tombstone with "Would You Die For Love"

Brand New Stevie Tombstone Video - Would You Die For Love

Screen shot from Stevie Tombstone's brand new video - Would You Die For Love on Altco Recordings

Brand new video we shot with Stevie Tombstone, with about 80% being filmed on an Iphone 5. All video was color corrected and edited using Premiere CS6

"From the Slow Drunken Waltz EP. This song asks the age old question - Would You Die For Love? Recorded 2011 in NW Arkansas this tune features Jerry Jones on Harmonica.A stripped down approach to country blues with a gospel undertone. From ALTCO music available on ITUNES."

Download the track from Itunes