When Billy Bob Thornton got together with Grammy award-winning, recording engineer J.D. Andrew, the Boxmasters were born.
Andrew’s credits include working with the Rolling Stones, Kanye West, the Pussycat Dolls, Will Kimbrough, Tommy Womack and Guy Clark, to name a few. Andrew was working on Thornton’s fourth solo album at the time and the two started jamming.
Sept. 16 | 8 p.m. | $30-$40 | Ages 18+
Cargo at Whitney Peak Hotel | Reno, Nev.
“Billy asked how well do I play guitar,” says Andrew. “Billy was singing David Allan Coe. He sang with an exaggerated country voice.” It’s been a wild ride every since.
The third member of the trio is Teddy Andreadis, whose resume is also quite impressive; he plays a mean harp.
“The Boxmasters’ live shows are upbeat and high energy.” –D. Andrew
The Boxmasters’ sound is reminiscent of the early days of rock ‘n’ roll.
“We started playing 50s hillbilly and British invasion. This sparked a fire we needed to explore. We’ve evolved along the way,” he adds, mentioning the Byrds, the Eagles, Buffalo Springfield and Creedence Clearwater Revival as bands that have influenced them.
“We get stuck in the Americana rock genre because we play rock ‘n’ roll,” says Andrew. Recently, a chief of police from one of the towns they played in told Andrew that the band sounded like a bit of Mick Taylor mixed with the Blues Brothers and a dash of the Ramones.
“The Boxmasters’ live shows are upbeat and high energy. We ramp it up and, along with Teddy’s harmony and the fact we wear black suits and ties, it makes sense,” he says.
When the band tours, there are a number of musicians that travel and perform with them. While the Boxmasters is a trio, when they play live, apparently they have a lot more going on. “We are big fans of record production,” Andrew says.
When it comes to songwriting, the three members of the group collaborate on what often starts as an ember during the process. According to Andrew, Thorton writes the lyrics and Andrew and Andreadis write much of the music. Thornton participates, as well.
Andrew says that he loves the new album and is having a grand time playing and touring. The band just released its new double album: “Boys and Girls … and the World.”
According to Thornton, a line or a verse is the spark; that writing lyrics is an organic process for him.
“We make a great songwriting team,” says Thornton. “We go for the best possible songs. The band is doing 30 shows in 36 days.”
The Boxmasters tour in spring and summer and Thornton works out a schedule that enables him to continue to act.
“I’ve been playing music longer than anyone in the band, since the late 60s,” he says. “I was 10 years old, playing ‘House of the Rising Sun,’ ‘(My Baby Does the) The Hanky Panky’ and playing instruments from the Sears catalogue,” he laughs.
“I’ve always been in a band. I was a roadie for a few years.” He says that during his solo career he opened for ZZ Top, Black Oak Arkansas, Humble Pie and Richie Havens.
Some of the highlights for Thornton’s music life include playing “Midnight Ramble” with Levon Helm and lending background vocals on numerous recordings with Warren Zevon. He says that he loves British beats, Mott the Hoople and is a huge fan of Little Feat.
Over the years, Thornton has learned that playing for people, whether it’s for 20 or 25,000, is all about the audience.
“No matter how we’re feeling, we owe it to the audiences to always give the best and give 100 percent,” he says.
I asked him if there was a question he is never asked. He said that people rarely ask him about his family and how his career affects them. He is the father of two sons, ages 22 and 23, and a daughter, age 12. He says the only negative aspect of touring is missing his wife and daughter.
“Being on the road is not a life for a 12 year old. When I am on a movie location, I can rent a house,” he explains, but he says his wife is extremely supportive. His 82-year-old mother and his wife are big fans of the Boxmasters, he adds.
Get ready. The Boxmasters will rock the Cargo at Whitney Peak Hotel on Sept. 16.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit cargoreno.com.
