Stampede came as a surprise to the band. Only months after the April 2021 release of their Top 10 Americana Radio album Bullseye, The Shootouts received word that legendary singer Ray Benson was interested in producing their next album and they quickly headed back into the studio. In addition to production duties, Benson and members of Asleep at the Wheel contributed to the song “One Step Forward.”
Additional appearances include the cream of the Americana music crop: Raúl Malo of The Mavericks (on “I’ll Never Need Anyone More”), Marty Stuart (“Better Things to Do”), Jim Lauderdale (“Tomorrow’s Knockin’”), and Buddy Miller (“Anywhere But Here”).The Shootouts’ sound is reflective of their Northeast Ohio Rustbelt roots, steeped in many familiar things but still its own: an energetic fusion of Americana, honky tonk and Western swing that Shootouts fans often refer to as “country music for people who don’t like country.” And while their hometown of Akron, OH – the city that produced the Pretenders, the Black Keys, and Devo – isn’t a place normally associated with country music, these influences are as integral to their sound as those of the country music greats.
