Cowboy Nation

Formed by Chip and Tony Kinman in 1996 after the demise of their infinitely successful cowpunk band, Rank & File, Cowboy Nation is an outfit dedicated to keeping real cowboy and Western music alive and vital. The Kinmans began doing an acoustic gig around L.A. before adding the unique talents of percussionist Jamie Speidel to their live performances. Combining well-known cowboy standards with certain country classics and their original tunes allowed them to appeal to a broad audience. With as much support from the honky tonk crowd as from cowboy festival-goers, by 1997 Cowboy Nation had created a specific niche for itself.

They recorded their first self-titled project with "Taco" John Norman on drums. Released in Europe and Australia in 1997 on Shock Records, it was only available in the States as an import on the Demon label. Still, Cowboy Nation was immediately a hit, and garnered a Gavin Pick in August of 1997. Rave reviews mounted up before an American label decided to take a chance on the neo-traditionalist cowboy band in 1998, when the group's project was finally released in the States. The early success of this cowboy band is a tribute to the talent of the Kinmans and their ability to see beyond the musical present. Journey Out of Time followed in mid-2000.