Defining the sound of Justin Tipton & The Troublemakers is not an easy task. The simplest answer is: it depends on which song you're listening to. You can hear different influences, from different decades...or centuries, in each song in their discography. They are essentially a melting pot of rock, country, blues, pop and folk.
Justin Tipton found himself alone, in a new part of Dallas and freshly divorced in 2016. To try and take his mind off of things, a friend invited him to an open mic at a local coffee shop. Justin played 2 songs and was offered a residency by the owner of the coffee shop on the spot. Knowing he had no equipment, he accepted anyways. Thanks to borrowed equipment from another musician, Justin began his residency. What started out as a coffee shop residency became a high energy rock n' roll band with lyrics that put a movie in your mind, harmonies that demand your ear's attention, ripping guitar solos, and a rhythm section that will guarantee your foot will tap and your hands will clap.
In 2018, the band was given the opportunity to record his first album with The Band of Heathens in a studio in Austin, TX called The Finishing School - a studio home to many well-known artists such as Ray Wylie Hubbard, Margo Price, Fastball, Ronnie Dunn (Brooks & Dunn), Chicago Farmer, and others. At the producer's helm would be none other than Gordy Quist, one of the front-men for...yes, you guessed it...The Band of Heathens.
Almost ten years later to the exact date from seeing his first rock n' roll show, in August 2019 Justin Tipton released his self-titled debut album. The album featured 8 original tracks - 4 of which received radio play in multiple states. The album would be what the band needed to receive out-of-town attention and get the band on the road. And since their conception in 2017, they've averaged 200 shows a year.
In 2019, The Troublemakers rejoined Gordy Quist at The Finishing School to take on a classic blues song made famous by the Grateful Dead. In March 2020, Justin Tipton released "Deep Ellum Blues" and it too received radio play.
In 2020 Justin Tipton partnered up with ESPN for a commercial about their Monday Night Countdown and Fox Sports to introduce the 2020 NLCS series between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Alan Mercer: Justin, I know your dad took you to your first concert and you realized that’s what you wanted to do. Is that right?
Justin Tipton: Yes, it was 2009, right after I graduated from high school. We went to see The Band of Heathens at the House of Blues in Dallas. Do you remember that show, ‘How It’s Made?’
AM: Yes.
JT: I had listened to records, but I’d never seen anyone perform live, so I felt like I was watching ‘How It’s Made.’ I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I had already been writing.
AM: Did you play any instruments?
JT: Just guitar, at the beginner level at that time.
AM: Did you sing?
JT: I was just focused on the writing. I wasn’t trying to sing or gig. It was all about the words for me. That was August 2009 and in August 2019 my album came out and The Band of Heathens was the band on my album. That is full circle.
AM: How did you gain their interest to produce and play on your debut?
JT: I saw on social media that one of the front guys had purchased a studio and he was producing records. I just messaged them and said I had an album I wanted to record. He told me to send the demos and when he heard them, he said, let’s do it.
AM: That’s amazing. Talk about meant to be.
JT: It was definitely one of those “pinch me” moments. It didn’t really hit me until day one when we were in the studio. That was the first time I actually got nervous.
AM: Did you write all the songs on the album?
JT: All of them except the first song, ‘Burned’ which my dad wrote.
AM: All of them are great and ‘Burned’ is a great opening cut.
JT: That was the producer’s idea to put that song first.
AM: That was the right idea. Is your dad a songwriter too?
JT: Yes, not professionally. He does it more for fun.
AM: I love the blend of genres you have on the album. Was that intentional?
JT: No, it was a collection of songs I had written over the past few years. One song, ‘Better Off Alone’ was going to be part of a different album I had in mind that was kind of a divorce themed album, but at the last minute I thought, I didn’t want to come out of the gate with a divorce album.
AM: I absolutely love your new recording of the Blues standard, ‘Deep Ellum Blues.’ Who’s idea was it to record that one?
JT: It was my idea. We were playing in Deep Ellum so much and we were playing that song every night. I thought we played the song pretty good, so if we were going to play it every night, let’s cut it.
AM: Who did all the arrangements?
JT: That was me. I arranged it the way I learned to play the song.
AM: Are you recording your next album yet?
JT: We will be recording it at the end of January. The studio is booked. Most of the songs are ready. It will also be multiple genres. I’ve always been more of a rock n roll kind of guy and there’s a song on there that is pure rock and another pop rock song and what I call a comfort rock song on there. It will be a collection of different genres.
AM: You are from here, right?
JT: Yes, I grew up in Dallas. The whole DFW area is so under-rated.
AM: It is under-rated because there are so many talented musicians here. Now, how did you end up on these commercials for FOX and ESPN?
JT: ESPN contacted a bar we always play at called Adair’s Saloon and then Adair’s contacted us. We were asked to do it and I said yes. FOX came to me and told me they found me on Instagram.
AM: They knew what they were doing. Was that a paying gig?
JT: ESPN was not a paying job. When FOX asked me to do it, I just said yes. I didn’t ask for anything. I thought it would be fun and cool. They asked me if I knew where we could do it in a country setting. So, basically, I set up the location for them. We did it and it aired on TV and I thought that was the end of it, but the next day the producer form FOX called me and asked me if I liked it. I told him I loved it. Then he said he wanted to send me some money as a thank you. I thought that was really classy.
AM: Did that awaken any desire to be in front of the camera?
JT: Not really. I don’t; mind being in front of a camera when we’re playing, but when you’re asked to read a script, it’s so different. I had to push myself. It didn’t come natural for me.
AM: Are you going to make any music videos for the new album?
JT: We’re going to make one in early February.
AM: You’ve had a lot of good things happen in your career already. That must feel good.
JT: I always tell everyone that I am grateful but I’m not satisfied.
