Puritan Rodeo

DESCRIPTION
Puritan Rodeo combines the melodicism and sensibilities of modern roots rock with the old time instrumentation of bluegrass to create a captivating, unique and always enjoyable musical experience. With lyrics reminiscent of traditional country music like Hank Williams and Johnny Cash that speak of regret, lives gone wrong and, ultimately, redemption--the band has garnered critical national and international acclaim. Their sound has been compared to The Flying Burrito Brothers, Wilco and The Avett Brothers, but rather than being a derivative of their influences, Puritan Rodeo mixes the best elements of these influences and melds them into a new and exciting creation Raleighmusic.com describes as "...a blend of rock, alternative country and bluegrass that will make any North Carolina native proud".

Formed in late 2003 by members of other Chapel Hill bands, Puritan Rodeo is songwriter John Pardue on guitar and vocals, Thomas Latimer on bass, Vernon Dowdall on fiddle, mandolin and harmonica, Sean Dowdall on banjo and Mirek Capek on drums. Since forming, Puritan Rodeo has entertained audiences throughout the southeast and has shared the stage with such notable acts as The Two Dollar Pistols, Australia's Red Hot Poker Dots and legendary Texas songwriter Dallas Wayne. In 2006 they released their debut album, We All Share the Same Secret, winning praise for the band both nationally and overseas. The Independently Weekly (NC) described it as "hard to put down" while Belgium's Rootstime simply stated, "an excellent debut album." TJ the DJ from WLUW(88.7) in Virginia referred to Puritan Rodeo as "the only band that I found on myspace this year that sent me an album I could just listen to the whole thing over and over again."

Puritan Rodeo is currently working with Jesse Olley and Ultra Fin Riz Productions (Randy Whitt and the Grits, Evil Wiener, K. Sridhar) on a follow-up to We All Share the Same Secret, due for release in late 2007.

Puritan Rodeo has shared the stage with: Two Dollar Pistols, Red Hot Poker Dots, Dallas Wayne, The Cartridge Family, The Monika Jaymes Band, Jule Brown, New Town Drunks, The Near Misses, Sweet By & By