Ryan Koenig
Ryan Koenig is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, recording artist, and producer, who performs and records on harmonica, guitar, guit-jo, banjo, dobro, fiddle, mandolin, washboard, bass, bones, button accordion, and jug.
Koenig's early career began in 2004 as singer and guitarist for garage-rock band The Vultures. He later formed acoustic blues group The Rum Drum Ramblers with Mat Wilson and Joey Glynn. Koenig and Glynn joined up with Pokey LaFarge in 2008 and began touring extensively as Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three. The band, later shortened to Pokey LaFarge, toured the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, and made appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman, The Grand Ole Opry, The Marty Stuart Show, The Conan O'Brien show, motion picture The Lone Ranger, and many others.
Ryan Koenig's other current acts include duo with wife Kellie Everett, Southwest Watson Sweethearts, in addition to Rum Drum Ramblers, New Missouri Fox Hunters, Ryan Koenig and the Goldenrods, and appears as a guest with The Hooten Hallers, Jack Grelle, Lavender Country, and many others. His debut solo record "Two Different Worlds" was released by Big Muddy Records on Oct 13, 2017. On December 5, 2017, Koenig was seriously injured after being struck by a vehicle while walking during a tour stop in Charleston, South Carolina. Following the accident, Koenig ceased touring with the Pokey LaFarge band.
Koenig released a live solo recording entitled "The Focal Point Recordings Vol 1 on Dec 29, 2018. He followed that release with Ryan Koenig and The Goldenrods "The Focal Point Recordings Vol 2" in Dec 2019.
Appearances
- Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three were featured by NPR on the Tiny Desk Concert series in 2011.
- On New Year's Eve 2012 Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three appeared on the UK BBC2 Jools Holland's Hootenanny television show.
- Pokey and the members of the South City Three played on "I Guess I Should Go To Sleep", a track from Jack White's album Blunderbuss released on April 24, 2012.
- Pokey & The South City Three recorded Jack White's track “Red’s Theater of The Absurd” which appeared in The Lone Ranger 's original score. The film was released on July 3, 2013 and the band made a brief appearance in the movie.
- The Pokey LaFarge band made an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman on July 16, 2013. They performed "Central Time" from his eponymous album.
- The Pokey LaFarge band made an appearance on the APM "live" radio broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion, with Garrison Keillor on October 5, 2013. They performed four selections, including "Central Time", "What The Rain Will Bring", "Garbage Man Blues" and "Close the Door".
- The Pokey LaFarge band performed on The Late Late Show on September 13, 2013.
- The Pokey LaFarge band made an appearance on Good Morning New Zealand on March 18, 2014
- The Pokey LaFarge band appeared for a second time on A Prairie Home Companion on June 14, 2014 in St. Louis, MO. They performed "Riverboat Shuffle", "Bow Legged Woman", and "Central Time"
- The Pokey LaFarge band played on of The Marty Stuart Show.
- The Pokey LaFarge band appeared in an episode of American Epic television mini-series which first aired on PBS on 6/6/17.
- The Pokey LaFarge band appeared on the Conan O'Brien show on August 17, 2017 and performed "Better Man Than Me"
Discography
- 2005: The Vultures "S/T"
- 2006: Casey Reid "Cephalclog"
- 2006: The Vultures "Spirit of Saint Louis"
- 2007: The Vultures "Vultures and The Hooten Hallers Meld Minds"
- 2008: Lonesome Cowboy Ryan "Alone with My Friends"
- 2008: Rum Drum Ramblers "Hey Lordy Mama Mama Get Up and Go"
- 2009: Bob Reuter's Alley Ghost "Bob Reuter's Alley Ghost"
- 2009: The Hooten Hallers "The Epic Battle of Good and Evil"
- 2009: Rum Drum Ramblers "Tradin' Dollars for Dimes"
- 2010: Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three "Riverboat Soul"
- 2011: Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three "Middle of Everywhere"
- 2011: Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three "Chittlin' Cookin' Time in Cheatham County"
- 2011: Rum Drum Ramblers "Mean Scene"
- 2011: Bob Reuter's Alley Ghost "Born There"
- 2012: The Hooten Hallers "Greetings from Welp City"
- 2012: Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three "Fan It / Shenandoah River"
- 2012: Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three "Live in Holland"
- 2012: Jack White "Blunderbuss"
- 2012: Jack White "Live Interruption / Machine Gun Silhouette"
- 2012: Jack Grelle and the Johnson Family "Jack Grelle and the Johnson Family"
- 2013: Pokey LaFarge "Pokey LaFarge"
- 2013: Pokey LaFarge "Central Time / St. Louis Crawl"
- 2013: Lonesome Cowboy Ryan and His Dried Up Teardrops "S/T EP"
- 2013: Lonesome Cowboy Ryan and His Dried Up Teardrops "Western Lanes"
- 2013: Rum Drum Ramblers "XO"
- 2014: Al Scorch's Moving Company "Vol. 1"
- 2014: Loot Rock Gang "That's Why I've Got To Sing"
- 2014: Jack Grelle "Steering Me Away"
- 2014: The Hobosexuals "Definitive Dirtbag: Volume 1"
- 2015: Pokey LaFarge "Something in the Water"
- 2015: Tortuga "West of Eden"
- 2016: Southwest Watson Sweethearts "Endless Horizon"
- 2016: Jack Grelle "Got Dressed Up To Be Let Down"
- 2016: Sidney Street Shakers "Laugh My Weary Blues Away"
- 2017: The Hooten Hallers "The Hooten Hallers"
- 2017: Pokey LaFarge "Manic Revelations"
- 2017: Ryan Koenig "Two Different Worlds"
- 2018: Nick Gusman "Dear Hard Times"
- 2018: Ryan Koenig "The Focal Point Recordings Vol. 1"
- 2019: Leann Fisher "Better Off Alone"
- 2019: The Opera Bell Band "Bell-Slide"
- 2019: The Native Sons "Fringe"
- 2019: Ryan Koenig and The Goldenrods "The Focal Point Recordings Vol. 2"
- 2020: Jack Grelle "If Not Forever"
Honors, distinctions, and awards
- 2011 Independent Music Awards: Riverboat Soul – Best Americana Album
- 2012 Independent Music Awards: Middle of Everywhere – Best Americana Album
- 2015 Something In The Water was named one of Peter Jones’ Best Folk Albums of 2015 in the Folk Department of WTJU, University of Virginia radio station.
- 2018 Named as an honoree of The Riverfront Times' STL 77