The idea started with a brush fire, but before long it took on a life of its own. Two lives, in fact: Coal and Flynt Stryker, a pair of mysterious siblings who died in a prison fire, leaving behind a batch of long-lost country recordings. Except that they didn’t. Cole and Flynt never even existed. The Stryker Brothers were nothing more than an excuse for Robert Earl Keen and Randy Rogers to make an album together.

So why did they go to all the trouble?

“I thought it was just funny and cool and interesting. Let’s have a little mystery in life,” says Keen, sitting with Rogers in a soundproof control room backstage at ACL Live in Austin, Texas, one afternoon in December. He’s splayed out sideways in his chair, as though he’s discovered a new plane of comfort at this absurd angle. “It’s surprising how many people were like, ‘Now, what’s going on?’ If you have to explain it to ’em, it’s kind of like having to explain a joke.”

Keen and Rogers are preparing to take the stage for the first — and as far as they know, only — time as the Stryker Brothers. And they likely never expected to get this far. Since they started writing the 13 songs that became Burn Band, released last September, they constructed an elaborate backstory, had friends like Todd Snider, Bruce Robison and Shooter Jennings lie about it on video, and even brought an astronaut with them to tonight’s show. But none of that was the plan when they started. Read the full article at RollingStone.com.

BAND ANNOUNCES INITIAL HELLBENT TOUR DATES AND FIRST SINGLE, “CRAZY PEOPLE”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Jan. 21, 2019) — Randy Rogers Band announces the release of its new 11-track album Hellbent on April 26. Produced by four-time GRAMMY-winner Dave Cobb, Hellbent marks the band's eighth studio album in almost 19 years, offering another dose of high-octane country music fueled by the group's unique brotherhood, deep history, and fearless spirit.

The band’s first single “Crazy People” — at radio on February 15 — reflects a unique aspect of Rogers' life growing up.

“I used to be scared of neon signs at restaurants because it had been drilled in my head that people were drinking and therefore, they were crazy,” he says, recalling his strict upbringing. “We took the irony and had some fun with it.”

For nearly two decades, Randy Rogers Band has featured the same lineup. This makes the group an anomaly in a business where bandmates come and go. What's even more rare is Randy Rogers Band's homegrown success on the road, where the Texas-based musicians have built a diverse, loyal audience that stretches far beyond the limits of their home state.

Last year alone, the “perpetual live favorite” (Rolling Stone) played sold-out shows coast-to-coast in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Seattle and more, with more than 50 shows to over 60,000 fans outside of Texas, and earned more than 97 Million Pandora Spins in 2018.

Hellbent builds upon that remarkable growth, capturing the energy and collaborative chemistry of the band's live performances over nearly a dozen studio tracks.

"The guarantee of good music and a good time is what keeps fans coming back," writes the New York Times, noting the shared passion between Randy Rogers Band's six members. Another longtime fan of the group is Cobb, (Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell, "A Star Is Born"), who recorded Hellbent at RCA Studio A in Nashville.

Hellbent offers the full range of Randy Rogers Band's countrified attack. On "You, Me and a Bottle," Rogers delivers a love song to his wife. On "Hell Bent On a Heartache," he tips his hat to songwriting idol Guy Clark, who wrote the track alongside Chris and Morgane Stapleton while "Wine in a Coffee Cup" paints a detailed picture of a high-powered woman taking on the business world. There's humor, heartbreak, twang, and classic storytelling, all performed by a band of lifelong collaborators and co-writers whose chemistry has only deepened with time.

Hellbent also represents the latest chapter in Rogers' multi-faceted career — a career that's made good use of his musical and business skills. A college graduate with a degree in public relations, Rogers is also the co-owner of several Texas venues, including Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos, Texas, where George Strait began building a fan base in his early career. Additionally, he's a founding partner in Big Blind Management, steering the careers of Red Shahan and Parker McCollum along the way. A fan of collaboration both inside and out of his own band, Rogers has partnered with friend Wade Bowen on the infectious Hold My Beer projects and joined forces with Lone Star legend Robert Earl Keen as The Stryker Brothers. He recently joined Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson and Jerry Jeff Walker to sing on Michael Martin Murphey’s Austinology album.

With Hellbent, though, Rogers returns to his primary priority: the band’s own music.

"We’re in it for the long haul," he says of his band. “We’re lifers. This is obviously our way of life. This isn’t some Johnny-come-lately group of guys. We’re like an oak tree. We’re not going anywhere. We’re not hinged on whether our next single will be a No.1. We’re not hinged on an album topping the charts. We have a great and loyal fan base and we do things right. When we play our shows, people expect to have a great night and to go home satisfied. As long as we keep doing that, no change in the industry, no record deal or anything like that can make or break this band.”

The Hellbent track listing is below:

1. Drinking Money

2. I’ll Never Get Over You

3. Anchors Away

4. Comal County

5. Hell Bent On A Heartache

6. You, Me, And A Bottle

7. We Never Made It To Mexico

8. Crazy People

9. Fire In The Hole

10. Wine In A Coffee Cup

11. Good One Coming On

Hellbent Tour Dates:

Friday, March 29, 2019 — Helotes, TX - Floore's Country Store

Saturday, March 30, 2019 — Helotes, TX - Floore's Country Store

Saturday, April 6, 2019 — Snook, TX - Starlight Ballroom

Friday, April 12, 2019 — Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall

Saturday, April 13, 2019 — Lubbock, TX - The Blue Light

Friday, April 19, 2019 — Greenville, TX - Hunt County Fair

Thursday, April 25, 2019 — Stephenville, TX - Melody Mountain Ranch

Friday, May 3, 2019 — Texarkana, TX - Scottie’s Grill

Friday, May 10, 2019 — Lincoln, NE - The Railyard

Saturday, May 11, 2019 — Iowa City, IA - First Avenue Club

Friday, May 24, 2019 — Biloxi, MS — IP Casino Resort Spa - Studio A

Friday, May 31, 2019 — Ruidoso, NM - Wingfield Park

Saturday, June 1, 2019 — Graham, TX - Young County Arena

Saturday, June 29, 2019 — Durant, OK - Choctaw Grand Theater

Saturday, August 3, 2019 — Joseph, OR - Back Country Bash

*Additional dates to be added.

For tickets and an updated tour schedule, visit randyrogersband.com.

Click here to pre-order our upcoming album Hellbent out April 26!

Inside Robert Earl Keen, Randy Rogers’ Fictional Stryker Brothers Duo

RANDY ROGERS BAND TO RELEASE 11-TRACK HELLBENT, PRODUCED BY DAVE COBB, 4/26