Age is just a number, and Logan Halstead constantly reminds us of that. At just 15 years old, he wrote his first song, "Dark Black Coal," a powerful, haunting song that depicts the struggles of a life of working in the coal mines, a lifestyle Logan witnessed many of his friends, family, and community members endure. Logan Halstead, 19 years old, is a country/folk/Americana singer-songwriter who grew up in Comfort, West Virginia. Logan pulls most of the inspiration for his music from the struggle and hardship of his own life and of the lives of those around him. Small-town living isn't intensely stimulating, socially or economically, but spiritually, there is always a yearning for something more.
Born in Kentucky and raised in West Virginia, it's no surprise that Logan draws influence from Tyler Childers and Sturgill Simpson, but he has also found a lot of inspiration from the work of Nicholas Jamerson and Cole Chaney. "All these folks mentioned have laid a path and shown that it's okay to be from these parts; we're not so looked down on anymore…" says Logan. It's given him the ability to be proud of who he is, and it has led him to be a driving force in the scene of young artists from the Appalachian region.
Logan doesn't like to put himself in a box sonically or stylistically. Still, many would characterize his work as Appalachian/Americana music. Above all, his songs are raw and honest, and the writing is wrapped in wisdom one might only think could be conjured by someone two decades older. While the masses clamored for more content, Logan took his time and found the right partners for his debut album. He decided to cut his project at the famous Sound Emporium Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. He was accompanied in production by the one and only Lawrence Rothman (Amanda Shires, Margo Price, Angel Olson, and many more). When asked about the recording process, Logan said, "It was a great experience. Lawrence is top-notch. They made me feel comfortable just to go in and do what I do, and to get to record in a place like that is a dream come true, especially for a holler kid." Rothman, who also saw success at a very young age, was a perfect fit because they understood Logan's position and angst which allowed Logan to express himself freely.
In 2020, Logan released "Dark Black Coal" on YouTube, which has since amassed almost 6 million views. The success of that single has allowed Logan to build a great fan base through YouTube, touring, and opening for artists like Zach Bryan, Charles Wesley Godwin, Town Mountain, and many more. With the record releasing over a year after he recorded the album, Our Vinyl came into his life at the perfect time. In a collaboration with Our Vinyl, Logan released a taste of his upcoming project with a four-song EP that has amassed him over 120,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.
With the success of "Dark Black Coal," it's no surprise that Logan chose this as the title track for his first album. Logan signed with Thirty Tigers and is excited to partner with them on his release. The release date is slated for May 5, 2023 and he will be touring those songs beginning in May. Expect to see Logan's name on festival billings, support tours, and in a town near you. "I want my music to keep evolving and to improve my craft. I want to be the best I can be and give my fans shows to remember," says Logan. Like all musicians, he hopes to achieve a successful career, but don't expect Logan Halstead to change who he is or what he believes in to succeed. Authentically himself, Logan strives to always be honest and true to his fans.
There is no question that Willy Tea Taylor’s life as a singer/songwriter was predetermined – his role realized the moment he wrote his first song. His inspirations drawn from two separate wells; Living the life of a cattleman’s kid and experiencing true visionaries music like Greg Brown, John Hartford, and Guy Clark. The image of Guy Clark and friends sitting around the kitchen table loaded with ashtrays full of butts, half-smoked cigarettes, food, and booze on one Christmas Eve in 1975 burned into Taylor’s soul. Those guys, swapping songs without pretense, lit Willy Tea’s fire. And ever since, its led purpose with passion – finding a hang by curating relationships through musical friendships that get him closer to his own Clark style kitchen table.
From his early days co-fronting The Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit, to singing solo in countless cowboy bars, to pitching countless wiffle ball games, Willy Tea has never lost the vision. Now Willy Tea Taylor has taken his vision of the “hero hang” on the road. and his talented traveling band The Fellership is made up of his fantastically talented buds who play Willy’s songs with a brand of reckless abandon and utter humility that spits in the face of pretense. The way The Fellership plays Will’s songs is the way they demand to be played and, in their short time together, they have been awe-ing every audience lucky enough to see them.
“Willy Tea Taylor’s music is about healing. It’s about refusing to pass judgment, and willing to give forgiveness and understanding to all. It’s medicine as music.” -Saving Country Music
“Willy is a storyteller’s storyteller and weaved a spell during the evening made of stories of his relatives…Can I really be blamed for leaving the concert with a picture of my head of Gandalf riding a moped, waving his sword, beard in the wind?” - No Depression
