A new series: Featured artist Friday
Who knows music better than other musicians? In the spirit of connecting the music community, we are starting a new thing this week. A new blog series posted every Friday, where a musician will write about another musician they found on GigTown Radio. If you are a GigTown Artist that has writing experience, and wants to join the content team at GigTown, here's some info on how to get involved.
Featured Artist: The Traveling Ones (Austin, TX)
By Doug Mayberry (Norman, OK)
True to their name, The Traveling Ones capture americana in their purest form. Although their web page is a collection of open mic performances, their greatest sin is a bio that truly doesn't describe justice to their depth. Though open mics may not be the glory aspiring musicians dream of, the wanderlust of duo Justin Ahmanson and Emily Villareal fits perfectly with the ethos of the day-by-day nature of a growing Austin mic scene. Reminiscent of Bob Dylan and Townes Van Zandt, The Traveling Ones take their amalgamation of experiences and express them thoroughly, connecting deeply with circumstantial pain in “Red Lights.”
Their Youtube channel is littered with covers from the Beatles to Ryan Adams, but The Traveling Ones seamlessly touch heartbreak with the light of children’s compassion. The blues aspect of the duo permeates through their expressiveness, but their most redeeming quality is their likeness to a pair of long-tenured boots- sturdy, strong and full of stories. Most apparent on their cover of Trigger Hippy’s “Rise Up Singing” is their country-folk character, completing the true gamut that americana offers.
