Shinyribs is a 9-piece swamp funk / Southern soul band from Austin, Texas.
History Shinyribs began in 2007 as a solo side project of singer/guitar player Kevin Russell, then of longtime Austin band The Gourds. At first "Shinyribs" referred to Russell personally in connection with his solo shows, but Russell later performed under the name "Shinyribs" in a band with other musicians, such as Gourds bandmate, drummer Keith Langford. "Shinyribs" then transitioned to be the name of the band as well. The name derives from something called out to Russell by a transient woman to whom he had previously given a plate of ribs.
After the Gourds went on hiatus in 2013, Shinyribs became Russell's and Langford's primary vehicle. By 2016, Shinyribs included bass guitar, keyboard, horns (Tijuana TrainWreck Horns), and backing singers (Shiny Soul Sisters).
Shinyribs' sound is a combination of many styles and influences. Russell calls it "country-soul" and "swamp-funk." The ultimate decisions on Shinyribs' musical direction are based on Russell's vision for the band. Live performances generally feature Russell dancing on stage or in a conga line extending through the venue.
"Shinyribs is flamboyant and has completely no rules.... He’s free and is dancing like no one’s watching. He’s all about love and having fun and celebrating life."
In addition to playing its original music, Shinyribs covers songs like "Waterfalls" (TLC), "Pony" (Ginuwine), "Buy U a Drank" (T-Pain), "All About That Bass" (Meghan Trainor), "Golden Years" (David Bowie), "I Gave Up All I Had and Sorry You're Sick" (Ted Hawkins), "Me and Paul" (Willie Nelson), "Hey Pocky A-Way" (The Meters), "The Wind Cries Mary" (Jimi Hendrix), "Heart of Stone" (The Rolling Stones), "No Diggity" (Blackstreet), and "Baby Don't You Do It" (Marvin Gaye/The Band).
Shinyribs' Kevin Russell produced Cold and Bitter Tears: The Songs of Ted Hawkins with Jenni Finlay and Brian T. Atkinson for Austin-based label Eight 30 Records. The album features Shinyribs ("Who Got My Natural Comb"), James McMurtry ("Big Things"), Kasey Chambers (the title track), and Mary Gauthier ("Sorry You're Sick").
Members Kevin Russell - lead vocals, guitar, ukulele, mandolin Keith Langford - drums, percussion Mason Hankamer - bass guitar, upright bass, tuba Daniel "Tiger" Anaya - trumpet Mark Wilson - tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, flute Eric Baker - keyboards Marty Muse - pedal steel, lap steel, dobro, bongos Kellee Fuller - backing vocals, percussion Mars Wright - backing vocals, percussion
Former members
Alice Spencer - backing vocals, percussion Kelley Mickwee - backing vocals, percussion Winfield Cheek - keyboards Jeff Brown - bass guitar Danny Levin - violin Jay Stiles - keyboards, melodica Courtney Santana - backing vocals Sally Allen - backing vocals Mike Stewart - bass guitar, "skwanga"
Discography Shinyribs Well After Awhile – 2010 Gulf Coast Museum – 2013 Okra Candy – 2015 I Got Your Medicine – 2017 The Kringle Tingle – 2018 Goin' Home B/W He Said If I Be Lifted Up (Need To Know) – 2019 Fog & Bling – 2019 Late Night TV Gold – 2021 Transit Damage – 2023
Compilations Shinyribs: "Dollar Bill Blues", More Townes Van Zant by the Great Unknown – 2010 Kevin Russell: "All the Time", While No One Was Looking: Toasting 20 Years of Bloodshot Records – 2014 Shinyribs: "Bolshevik Sugarcane", Austin Music Vol. 13 – 2014 Shinyribs: "Song of Lime Juice and Despair", Texas Music Scene: Live, Vol. 1 – 2015 Shinyribs: "Who Got My Natural Comb", Cold and Bitter Tears: The Songs of Ted Hawkins – 2015
Television Shinyribs provided the theme song, "Our Game", for Lone Star Law, a series about game wardens within the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, which premiered on Animal Planet on June 2, 2016.
Awards Austin Music Pundits Awards Year Work/artist Award Result2010Well After AwhileAustin Album of the Year 7th place
Lone Star Music Awards Year Work/artist Award Result2014Gulf Coast MuseumAlbum of the Year Americana/Roots Rock Album of the Year 2014ShinyribsLive Act of the Year 2014George ReiffProducer of the Year
Austin Music Awards Year Work/artist Award Result2015ShinyribsBand of the Year 5th place2015Kevin RussellMusician of the Year 4th place2017ShinyribsFunk/Blues/Soul Band of the Year 1st place2017KevinRussell/ShinyribsMusician of the Year 3rd place2017ShinyribsBest Austin Band 2nd place2017ShinyribsBest Rock Band 6th place2017Keith LangfordBest Drummer 5th place2017Winfield CheekBest Keyboard Player 6th place2017Kevin RussellBest Male Vocalist 5th place2017Kevin RussellBest Miscellaneous Instrumentalist (ukulele) 5th place2017Kevin RussellBest Songwriter 5th place
References
External links Shinyribs.org Shinyribs at Bandcamp Shinyribs at Reverbnation Shinyribs Facebook Shinyribs Twitter Shinyribs recordings on Archive.org