A little bit rock 'n' roll, a little bit country, and a whole lotta rowdy make up Tennessee Stiffs.
Formed in late 2011 and fueled by their eclectic musical interests, co-founders-turned-married-couple Ethan Lee and Cara B were determined to create something never heard before.
They seamlessly blend Americana, blues, rock, folk, country, and a myriad of other influences into a powerful and provocative avenue of true grit americana.
something dark, something pretty,
something great, something gritty.
Late night writing sessions soaked in whiskey gave the group a sound all their own. Cara’s melodies range from hauntingly beautiful to wildly soulful. Blended with Lee’s foot-stomping rhythms and gravelly vocals, the two take the “Beauty and the Beast” standard to heart.
In the beginning, the duo spent their time writing tunes and performing intimate shows, often using old books and a hat containing lines of poetry as inspiration. They wanted to build each song as its own story in a greater collection of real-life events. Each song’s characters are vividly constructed and personal, allowing for the listener to relate.
After recording the debut album, "Nightery," in April 2015, the Stiffs garnered attention from all over the United States, getting airplay from coast to coast as well as Europe, hit with live podcasts and music blogs. The Akademia Music Awards gave "Nightery" the Best Americana Album Award, as well as the Editors Top Pick of 2015. Keeping up the momentum, the Stiffs toured the nation in 2018 and 2019 promoting the sophomore album, "Thirty Pieces." distributed through Sony's The Orchard, it created waves propelling them to perform at the likes of wildwood festival and salem arts festival in oregon, taos mesa mothership in new mexico, featured on several podcasts and live radio premieres in nashville and knoxville TN.
The Stiffs are currently awaiting the may 6th 2022 release of the highly anticipated third album, a concept collection called “Dearly Departed”, which has already grabbed the attention of glide magazine, parade magazine, americana uk, ditty tv, and more…