Hiring Musicians for Country Cover Band - talent gigs - craigslist (2024)

Country Cover Band – DMV area (Washington DC, Baltimore, Maryland, Northern Virginia)

I’m putting together a brand-new band from scratch of talented and seasoned country music musicians to cover a wide range of the best country songs as well as “country spins” on southern rock, classic rock and pop. The goal of the band is to play out 1-2 times a month initially and see where it goes from there. I’m looking for experienced, professional and expert players.

Needed: Rhythm/Acoustic Guitar, Lead Guitar, Bass Guitar, Drums, Pedal Steel Guitar, Fiddle, Keys, Lead Vocalist (female), Back-up Vocals. I sing lead vocals and will front the band.

The ideal player is familiar with and loves the country music genre, has the chops to play what is needed on each song (many songs feature guitar/fiddle/steel guitar soloing), can learn new songs quickly, has an entertaining/solid stage presence, has a ”country/western/southern rocker” vibe or style, has their own gear, has a great attitude (no huge ego’s please), gets along with band members, is dependable, willing to travel for rehearsals and gigs and has a passion to make great music while having a lot of fun. No drug use.

Full band practices will be once/week (day/time/location to be determined) and shows/gigs twice a month. Players will be expected to show up to practice on time, ready to work, with their parts learned and practiced on their own time. Band practice is to put it all together, polish it, and get it as tight as possible (not time to download tabs and learn something for the first time). All revenue from gigs will be split evenly among the band members for that show.

I will be holding auditions in July (details to come). From the auditions I will form the primary band and put together a call sheet for fill-ins. Practices will start in July/August with the hope to begin playing out by October.

If you are interested in this project and would like to be considered for the audition, please reply to this ad and answer the following questions:

1. What instrument(s) do you play? What level of proficiency (beginner, intermediate, advanced, expert)? How long have you been playing this instrument?
2. What experiences have you had with being in a band and performing live?
3. What gear do you own/use?
4. Do you have any samples (audio recordings/videos/photos/links) of you playing and or performing - if so, please provide.

About Me: I grew up in a small Texas town a short drive from my grandfather’s cattle ranch on the Trinity River. I loved music my whole life – singing hymns every Sunday in our church, singing along to the local country radio station, singing in my High School Choir and youth group worship band. I started a band with my brother and some friends in Highschool and then another band while I was at school at Texas A&M University. I moved to L.A. after school to pursue a career in the music industry that didn’t quite pan out and eventually landed in Maryland where I live with my wife and five kids. I’ve been out of the music scene for too long now and am ready to renew my passion of singing and performing. I actually love all genres of music. I grew up on my dad’s classic rock albums and fell in love w/ Zeppelin, Floyd, ZZ Top, Skynyrd, Tom Petty, Dylan, Beatles, etc. In High School it was all about alt rock – Nirvana, PJ, STP, Smashing Pumpkins and in college I got into all kinds of stuff – prog rock, metal, indie, jazz, classical – really anything that was good. I’d love to perform all of this, but my first love was Country music, and my Texas Twang works best with it. I’m excited to find some like-minded musicians and make some magic.

Possible Set List Songs:

Country Songs:
Chattahoochee – Alan Jackson
Something Like That – Tim Magraw
Jolene – Dolly Parton
Ring of Fire – Johnny Cash
Amarillo by Morning – George Strait
Chicken Fried – Zac Brown Band
Wagon Wheel – Old Crow Medicine Show
Friends in Low Places – Garth Brooks
Take Me Home, Country Roads – John Denver
Cruise – Florida Georgia Line
Guitars, Cadillacs – Dwight Yoakam
Oh, Pretty Woman – Roy Orbison
You Never Even Called Me By My Name – David Allen Coe
Rain is a Good Thing – Luke Bryan
On the Road Again – Willie Nelson
Die a Happy Man – Thomas Rhett
Sold (The Grundy County Auction) – John Michael Montgomery
Check Yes or No – George Strait
Good Hearted Woman – Waylon Jennings
Family Tradition – Hank Williams Jr.
Folsom Prison Blues – Johnny Cash
Song of the South – Alabama
Boot Scootin’ Boogie – Brooks & Dunn
Don’t Rock the Jukebox – Alan Jackson
Indian Outlaw – Tim Magraw
Play it Again – Luke Bryan
Two of a Kind, Workin’ on a Full House – Garth Brooks
This Is How We Roll – Florida Georgia Line
I Love This Bar – Toby Keith
Fast as You – Dwight Yoakam
Have You Ever Seen the Rain – Creedence Clearwater Revival
Highwayman – The Highwaymen
Our Song – Taylor Swift
The Dance – Garth Brooks
All My Ex’s Live in Texas – George Strait
I Walk the Line – Johnny Cash
Forever and Ever, Amen – Randy Travis
When You Say Nothing at All – Allison Kraus and Union Station
It’s Your Love – Tim Magraw and Faith Hill
Heart of Gold – Neil Young
Bartender – Lady A
Always on My Mind – Willie Nelson
If You’re Gonna Play in Texas – Alabama
The Devil Went Down to Georgia – The Charlie Daniels Band
A Thousand Miles from Nowhere – Dwight Yoakam
Sweet Baby James – James Taylor
If We Were Vampires – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
If I Had A Boat – Lyle Lovett
A Boy Named Sue – Johnny Cash
Mockingbird – Ruston Kelly
Shameless – Garth Brooks
Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys – Waylon Jennings
Carrying Your Love with Me – George Strait
Whiskey River – Willie Nelson
Little Miss Honky Tonk – Brooks & Dunn
I Can’t Make You Love Me – Bonnie Raitt
Country Girl (Shake it for Me) – Luke Bryan
Callin’ Baton Rouge – Garth Brooks
Meant to Be – Bebe Rexha
Fast Car – Tracy Chapman / Luke Combs
Should’ve Been a Cowboy – Toby Keith
Lights Come On – Jason Aldean
Watermelon Moonshine – Lainey Wilson
Cotton Eye Joe – Rednex
Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
Man! I Feel Like A Woman! – Shania Twain
Fancy Like – Walker Hayes
Body Like a Back Road – Sam Hunt
Need You Now – Lady A
Honky Tonk Man – Dwight Yoakam

Rock/Pop Songs to put a “Country Spin” on:
Crazy Little Thing Called Love – Queen
One – U2
Free Fallin’ – Tom Petty
Let it Be – The Beatles
Under the Bridge – Red Hot Chili Peppers
Last Kiss – Pearl Jam
She Talks to Angels – The Black Crowes
Wild Horses – The Rolling Stones
Can’t Help Falling in Love – Elvis Presley
The One I Love – R.E.M.
Landslide – Fleetwood Mac
I’m on Fire – Bruce Springsteen