“An anthem for all the hard-charging country musicians who devote
their life to playing for tips in smoky bars.” – Wide Open Country
Akron, Ohio-based country outfit Cory Grinder and the Playboy Scouts have released the first single off their upcoming EP Good Boy, out May 29th. “Honky Tonkin’ (All I’ll Ever Do)” premiered today (May 19) at Wide Open Country, who called the barroom stomper an “anthem for all the hard-charging country musicians who devote their life to playing for tips in smoky bars.”
From Akron and Cleveland, Ohio, Cory Grinder and the Playboy Scouts take honky tonkin very seriously. Grinder started the band in 2016 when multiple hillbilly groups he played fiddle with fizzled out. Along with some other displaced musicians from these bands, The Cory Grinder Band was formed. Stephen Karney, known as “Tebbs,” provides the silky, smooth sounds of the pedal steel which drives the group along with harmony vocals. The low end is expertly handled on upright bass by Jason Willis. Leading the group on guitar and fiddle, Cory Grinder writes original country tunes influenced by favorites like Merle Haggard, Roger Miller, and Willie Nelson.
2018 saw the release of their first album, Cahoots and Other Favorites, recorded with Grammy and Emmy nominated producer David Mayfield. That year also saw the addition of the very talented drummer Brian Roberts. Since then, the band has taken to the road and toured through Nashville, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Chicago, Texas, North Carolina, Detroit, and more. Performance highlights include featuring Kenny Vaughan from Marty Stuart’s Fabulous Superlatives on guitar for a Nashville show and Dale Watson inviting the group to perform as his backing band for a set at legendary Texas venues The Broken Spoke and Continental Club.
The end of 2019 included an instrumental Christmas album from Tebbs and Grinder called Silver & Gold, Fiddle & Steel. Following the release of their upcoming EP Good Boy, Cory Grinder and the Playboy Scouts plan to release a full-length LP. Lots of good things are coming for these honky tonkers, so join The Playboy Scouts and GET YOUR BADGES!