The beauty of country bands is the ability to combine a lot of talent and create one cohesive sound. While almost anyone can cite hit groups like Alabama, The Oak Ridge Boys, and more, these four country bands are also really good, even though a lot of people don’t remember them anymore.
Videos by American Songwriter
Blackhawk
Blackhawk‘s eponymous debut album came out in 1994. The group, originally made up of Henry Paul, Dave Robbins, and Van Stephenson, released five studio albums in the following eight years, ending with The Sky’s The Limit, their last on a major label. Blackhawk also had several hit singles, including “Every Once In A While”, “Like There Ain’t No Yesterday”, “There You Have It”, and more.
Sadly, Blackhawk suffered a devastating blow in 2001 when Stephenson passed away from melanoma, two years after he was diagnosed.
“Van’s contribution to the group was enormous,” Paul says. “He could be a tremendously gifted songwriter and a deeply spiritual guy. We found ourselves at a crossroads as a band, and it would have been an easy time for country music to count us out.”
Blackhawk has released some music independently after leaving a major label. They are still touring.
Yankee Grey
Yankee Grey only released two studio albums and had two hit singles. Still, the group, made up of Tim Hunt, David Buchanan, Matthew Basford, Joe Caverlee, Kevin Griffin, and Jerry Hughes, left its mark in country music.
The only two singles Yankee Grey released are “All Things Considered”, which became a Top 10 hit, and “Another Nine Minutes”, which peaked inside the Top 30. Both songs are from Yankee Grey’s freshman Untamed album. Three years later, Yankee Grey released Yankee Grey 2. Hunt was forced to leave the group due to vocal issues. Yankee Grey tried to continue with another singer taking his place, before ultimately disbanding.
Trick Pony
Trick Pony enjoyed quite a reign in the early 2000s. Formed by Heidi Newfield, Keith Burns, and Ira Dean, Trick Pony released three albums on a major label, beginning with their eponymous debut in 2001. The threesome also had several hit singles, such as “Pour Me”, “That’s Just What I Do”, and “On A Mission”.
In 2006, Newfield announced she was leaving Trick Pony to pursue solo opportunities. Burns and Dean continued Trick Pony for a while before disbanding. In 2014, Trick Pony announced they were reuniting for new music and a tour. They have all continued focusing on their own individual music. As of 2026, Trick Pony no longer has a website or social media presence.
The Jompson Brothers
People may not remember The Jompson Brothers, but they know the lead singer. Formed in 2007, The Jompson Brothers was made up of Chris Stapleton, Greg McKee, Bard McNamee, and J.T. Cure. At the time, Stapleton was also part of The SteelDrivers. When he left that band in 2007, The Jompson Brothers were able to tour.
They released one self-titled album in 2010, the same year they opened for the Zac Brown Band. The Jompson Brothers never signed to a major record label, nor did they release another record. In 2015, Stapleton released his freshman Traveller project.
Photo by John Atashian/Getty Images
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.