Biography

Horse Opera is an Austin TX band that plays original roots music, drawing on a wide variety of influences, including a strong respect for traditional country, bluegrass, and hillbilly music.Forming the band in 2006, Horse Opera founder Jimmy Deveney took the name as a tip of the hat to his love of the old nickel cowboy movies from the 30′s & 40′s. After several line up changes, a debut album, 2010′s “sounds of the desert”, and several national tours, Deveney re-formed the band in 2012 adding Howdy Darrell on rhythm guitar, mandolin and lead/back up vocals. This not only added Darrell’s vocal and songwriting ablility to the mix, but also added harmony as a major component of the band’s sound. The band enlisted Heather Rae Johnson on fiddle/vocals, and former Jesse Dayton bassist Rick Watson to complete the lineup. Horse Opera performs as a four piece, (no drums), and also as a five piece, when drums are called for, the band calls on Chris “Party Time” Wallis, Horse Opera’s original drummer. After their 2013 SXSW debut, and a highly successful western states tour, Horse Opera is home to release their self titled sophmore album on September 24th. The band will share a CD release with Brennen Leigh and Noel McKay, as they release their duet cd, ‘Before the World Began’. CD release will be at the world famous Continental Club in Austin TX on September 24th, 10pm. Gumbo Ce Soir will open up the show!

Horse Opera plans on following the CD release up with two national tours in the last quarter of 2013, and more to follow in 2014. Solo EP’s from Jimmy and Howdy, and a covers CD will also follow in the near future.