It’s been a while since someone brought something new to the country music scene. That is until Alabama Shakes came on the scene in 2009. They served country music fans a new take on country music that was more soul than pop – which was exactly what the industry needed.

And if you ask Brittany Howard, the lead singer of the band, she wouldn’t even describe her band as country. What is it? She says she has no clue. Fiddle to our heads, we’d say they’re a mix of country, bluegrass, and soul. But however they’re categorized, we’re glad they’re here!

Making the Band

The band, which is made up of Brittany Howard, Zac Cockrell, Steve Johnson, and Heath Fogg, started making music in 2009. They first called themselves just “The Shakes,” but decided to make their name a little more unique a couple of years later. If you ask the bandmates how they make a song, they won’t give you some cut and paste formula. According to them, they think about what’s exciting them in music and then figure out how to integrate it into their sound.

Awesome Alabama

Maybe staying excited about your music as an artist is the key to success. If it is, Alabama Shakes would know. They’re inarguably successful for a band that’s just over ten years old. Their debut studio album, Boys & Girls, debuted at #6 on the charts in the US. It also won them three Grammy nominations and managed to go gold. When you start that strong, there’s nowhere to go but up. Or maybe back to Alabama, for some more songwriting jam seshes.