The Hooten Hallers


The Hooten Hallers are an American blues/ rock'n'roll band that formed in Columbia, Missouri in 2007.

History

The band was founded by guitarist/lead vocalist John Randall and drummer/ falsetto vocalist Andy Rehm, who performed as a duo and were known for their raucous and often improvised live performances. Paul Weber briefly joined the band in 2013-14 on harmonica and tuba, and wrote several of the group's songs, such as "She Used to Love My Music" and "Trouble Is". Baritone and bass saxophonist Kellie Everett joined in 2014 and solidified the group's line-up as a trio. The Hooten Hallers are a "high-energy blues, soul and rock and roll band known for their gritty Americana roots music".
After a number of self-released albums, the Hooten Hallers signed with Big Muddy Records in 2012, releasing their album "Greetings From Welp City!" which featured harmonica work by Ryan Koenig of Pokey LaFarge. The full length follow-up album "Chillicothe Fireball" was released in 2014 on Big Muddy Records, and features performances by Paul Weber and Kellie Everett. The group embarked on their first European tour in 2015 with Joe Buck and Viva Le Vox, performing in Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland, France, and Spain. The acoustic EP "Mountain of Pain" was released on Big Muddy Records in 2016, and was an intentional departure from the band's sound, adding acoustic guitar, upright bass, fiddle, and piano to the mix.
The band's latest studio album, "The Hooten Hallers", came out on April 21, 2017 on Big Muddy Records. Vices Noisey called it "an exciting mix of blues, punk, and folk". The self-titled album was co-produced by Johnny Walker of the Soledad Brothers and Kristo Baricevic. No Depression writes that the music "evokes images of Tom Waits tending to a trotline at Lake of the Ozarks." The album charted at #24 on The Roots Music Report's Top 50 Americana Country Album Chart for the Week of May 27, 2017.
In Dec 2018, The Hooten Hallers released a live album entitled "Live in Missouri", recorded at The Blue Note in Columbia, MO on May 12, 2018.

Tours

The band has toured or performed with acts such as The Dead South, Reverend Horton Heat, Pokey LaFarge,, Legendary Shack Shakers,, Possessed by Paul James, JD Wilkes & the Dirt Daubers, T Model Ford, The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band, Scott H. Biram, Split Lip Rayfield, Left Lane Cruiser, Black Diamond Heavies, Larry and His Flask, Unknown Hinson, and many others.
They have performed at a number of festivals in North America and Europe, including Winnipeg Folk Festival, Muddy Roots Music Festival, 80/35 Music Festival, the Roots N Blues Festival, SXSW, Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival, Festival International de Louisiane, Deep Blues Festival, Long Beach Folk Revival Festival, Wildwood Music Festival, Muddy Roots Europe, and Mile of Music Festival.

Discography

YearTitleLabel
2007We Have Friendsself-released
2009The Epic Battle of Good and Evilself-released
2009Meld Mindsself-released
2010Live At Widows Peakself-released
2012Live in Austin at the Legendary White Swanself-released
2012Greetings From Welp City!Big Muddy Records
2012War With Hell/ Missouri Boy b/w Holy MosesBig Muddy Records
2014Chillicothe FireballBig Muddy Records
2016Mountain of PainBig Muddy Records
2017The Hooten HallersBig Muddy Records
2018Live in MissouriGarlic Press