Spotlight: The Wild Feathers

Nashville-based group rock group The Wild Feathers — Ricky Young (guitar/vocals), Taylor Burns (guitar/vocals), Joel King (bass/vocals), and Ben Dumas (drums) — spent more than two years on the road supporting their 2013 self-titled debut album. The record hit No. 1 on Billboard‘s Heatseekers Chart, leading to invites to appear on Jimmy Kimmel, Conan O’Brien, Seth Meyers, Craig Ferguson, and more. Along the way, unanimous critical praise arrived courtesy of Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Huffington Post, USA Today, and countless others. Simultaneously, the quintet performed at festivals and toured with Bob Dylan, Gary Clark Jr., Sheryl Crow, and Willie Nelson. The Wild Feathers will be on tour with Band of Horses this summer, and recently headlined a sold-out show of their own at Nashville’s legendary Ryman Auditorium. Throughout this whirlwind, they kept thinking about the next evolution and started writing songs for what would become their 2016 sophomore effort, Lonely Is A Lifetime. Recorded in Muscle Shoals, Barcelona, and Nashville, the album spotlights each band member’s respective identity as both singer and songwriter. Recorded in a little over a month’s time, the first single “Overnight” most clearly illuminates the aforementioned evolution tempering lush guitars with infectious choruses. Meanwhile, they struck a balance between ethereal ambiance on “Sleepers” and the epic surge of the eight-minute “Goodbye Song” — which Burns describes as, “his favorite moment in the studio.” Between the rustle of guitars and a heavenly lyrical lead, it’s emblematic of The Wild Feathers’ progression. While working on music in Los Angeles, the band made a pilgrimage to The Joshua Tree Inn & Motel, where the legendary Gram Parsons spent his final days. It was there that they wrote the album’s title track, which serves as a nod to their foundation. The Wild Feathers have grown as individuals and musicians, and they’re ready to claim their spot in the canon of American rock music. The GRAMMY Museum welcomes The Wild Feathers to the Clive Davis Theater for an intimate conversation on their latest album and rising career, moderated by Scott Goldman, Vice President of the GRAMMY Foundation and MusiCares. The conversation will be followed by a performance.