Lucero

Lucero began quite humbly with vocalist/guitarist Ben Nichols and guitarist Brian Venable. They wanted to play quiet country-influenced songs at punk rock shows. Nichols did the obligatory punk rock route playing in a couple of bands. Venable did the obligatory punk route sans the playing in a couple bands. Bassist John Stubblefield and drummer Roy Berry had bounced around local Memphis bands since what feels like the days of the Carter administration; and Berry has had his thumb in just about every musical pie one could imagine. The band started out drummer-less and with a violinist on board, playing to your garden-variety '20 or so friends' crowds. Last year, after the release of their third full-length album, 2003 'That Much Further West,' Lucero began to break through into their first hard-won wave of success. However, this praise was drawn on the heel's of a series of industry setbacks, as their new record label home, Tiger Style, closed up shop. This followed several years of label problems, personnel shake-ups, and the musician's collective hand-to-mouth existence. The complexity involved in making this album and all of Lucero's uphill business battles are to be included in the groundbreaking forthcoming documentary, Dreaming In America by Aaron Goldman.