When you think of country music what comes to mind — Keith Urban or Hank Williams? Some people might answer both, but I have found that for the most part, there are two types of country music fans: those who like newer chart-topping artists like Urban and Kenny Chesney, and those who favor the more classic sounds of acts from the past, like Williams and Johnny Cash.
It was obvious from his show at Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center in Greenfield Sunday afternoon that Josh LeVangie of Wendell prefers the latter. Wearing a cowboy hat while sporting a beard and flowing long hair, LeVangie — who bears a slight resemblance to country superstar Chris Stapleton — led The Pistoleros through a collection of robust classic country tunes like “Folsom Prison Blues,” “T for Texas,” and “Good Hearted Woman.”
These were some of the highlights of a 90-minute set chock-full of old favorites that delighted those who braved the stormy weather to take in sets by The Pistoleros and Wild Bill and the Flying Sparks. LeVangie and his band remained faithful to the originals while at the same time making them their own, and Mike Duffey’s work on pedal steel added a nice touch to the material.
LeVangie brought his young son on stage to provide vocals for a couple of songs. It was a fun afternoon, but don’t worry if you missed out because LeVangie and The Pistoleros have a couple more shows on the horizon.
The band will play at the Warwick Town Hall, 12 Athol Road in Warwick, on Saturday at 7 p.m. as part of the ongoing dinner and music series presented by Wooden Fender, an offshoot of the Warwick Arts Council.
Then LeVangie and his band will be performing on Friday, March 29, at 7 p.m. for the Northampton Hoedown at the Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St. in Northampton. This will be a night of roots country music presented by the Valley Twang Cooperative. The Hoedown will also feature performances by Americana band Appalachian Still and rockabilly group Flathead Rodeo. Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door.
And while you’re making plans, be sure to catch the highly enjoyable Flathead Rodeo at The Rendezvous, 78 3rd St. in Turners Falls, on Friday night at 9:30 p.m. There is no cover charge.
Classic country music was the soundtrack of LeVangie’s childhood, growing up in a household where his father frequently played music by Willie Nelson, Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and other musicians who spurred the genre of country music that would be known as “outlaw country.”
“My dad got me into the old country stuff when I was real young and he taught me how to play guitar, and the rest is history,” said LeVangie, who has lived in Wendell since he was 6. The Pistoleros, which he formed about five years ago, is only the second band he’s played in. The current lineup features Clark Sylvester from Shutesbury on drums, Mike Duffey from Shelburne Falls on pedal steel, “Smilin’” Steve from Millers Falls on bass and Jim Henry from Shutesbury on lead guitar.
While bands that cover classic rock are common locally, that is not the case with bands covering outlaw country, and LeVangie has found a receptive audience for this music. As far as original material goes, he doesn’t rule it out, but it’s not a big priority.
“I have one song that I wrote that I play in public,” he said. “I’d like to do more, but I don’t have that easy of a time writing songs and I’m a little shy about playing them in public. I only feel good about playing this one so far.”
If you are heading to the show in Warwick, keep in mind that it is St. Patrick’s Day this weekend, and the music will be preceded by a traditional St. Patrick’s Day meal of corned beef and cabbage beginning at 6 p.m. Dinner tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for children, though children under age 3 are admitted for free. All dinner proceeds benefit the Trinitarian Congregational Church of Warwick.
After that, you can head upstairs at 7 p.m. for LeVangie and The Pistoleros (but don’t expect any Irish tunes in their set). You may attend only the music portion of the evening if you choose to skip the Irish fare. There is a $5 suggested donation for the concert.
Laurette Crane of the Warwick Arts Council is pleased to have the band back at the venue and has fond memories of the group’s first show there in 2015. The Pistoleros had just begun to play when the power went out. Someone in the crowd volunteered to get a generator, and so the show went on.
“It was a memorable and a fun evening!” Crane recalled. The show on Saturday promises to be a fun evening, too, as does the band’s outing at the March 29 Northampton Hoedown.
The Hoedown is presented by the Valley Twang Cooperative, a group of Pioneer Valley-based roots and country musicians whose mission is to keep the traditions of American roots music alive and thriving. In addition to The Pistoleros, the cooperative’s members include Jim Joe and the ’61 Ramblers, Wild Bill and the Flying Sparks, and Stewart James and the Memphis Flyers.
The cooperative was founded by Pete Sikowitz, who plays guitar and pedal steel in the rockabilly band Flathead Rodeo. Sikowitz has a long connection to the Pioneer Valley’s music scene, having been a member of the new wave group Paper Dolls back in the 1970s. He later left music and the Pioneer Valley only to return to both 35 years later with the formation of Flathead Rodeo.
“The cooperative unites the area’s top roots bands and puts them under one roof for an evening so fans can experience a range of diverse but musically-related performers,” Sikowitz said. “It’s an opportunity for the local fans of roots music to come out for a great time and support one of the valley’s best homegrown resources: roots music, valley style!”
“Pete put this together and he asked me to join up, and we’ve been having fun doing it ever since,” LeVangie said. “It’s fun to get people into a venue where they are going to hear all kinds of the same type of music.”
The first hoedown was held at the Shutesbury Athletic Club in November and was a huge success. The Valley Twang Cooperative hopes to host hoedowns at the New City Brewery in Easthampton and Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center in Greenfield later this year.
“It really looks like the country roots scene is taking off here in the valley,” LeVangie said. “I don’t think it was really thriving in the past, but it seems to be picking up and it seems that there are more and more classic country bands popping up every time you turn around.”
Sheryl Hunter is a music writer who lives in Easthampton. Her work has appeared in various regional and national magazines. You can contact her at soundslocal@yahoo.com.