Jonathan Byrd and the Pickup Cowboy

Visit Jonathan Byrd and the Pickup Cowboy on the web!

“…a folk singer with the heart of a rock ‘n’ roll band.” — K. Oliver, Free Times

“Jonathan Byrd swings from the roots of American music…He jumps between gutbucket blues and tender ballads, empathetic work laments and sympathetic character studies…Byrd shares the often-missed, always poignant tales of the small people that make this world such a big place.” — Grayson Currin, The Independent

Jonathan Byrd is a preacher’s son, a Gulf War veteran, and an award-winning songwriter from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, known for literary, outsider songs that have become campfire favorites. The Chicago Tribune called Byrd “one of the top 50 songwriters of the past 50 years.”

Multi-instrumentalist Johnny Waken cut his teeth on electric guitar in Pittsburgh with rock legend Norm Nardini, opening for The Blues Brothers Band on their Red, Hot & Blue tour in 1992. On stage and after hours, he jammed with members of Bon Jovi and the legendary Steve Cropper. At the age of 24, Waken left music to pursue primitive skills and through-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2000 with an eleven-pound pack. Returning to music years later Johnny joined theatre troupe Paperhand Puppet Intervention, contributing to scores for nine shows and winning 4 Indy Awards for best original music.

Jonathan Byrd and The Pickup Cowboy are musical gunslingers, vaudevillian hucksters, and old-fashioned tent revivalists. Between heartbreaking ballads and hell-raising sing-alongs, the Cowboys entertain and get audiences involved in the show.

“Jonathan Byrd doesn’t sing songs; he sings truth.” — Mare Wakefield, Performing Songwriter

“A gem-encrusted delight” – No Depression

“Wonderful songwriting, beautiful production, and deeply rooted in what makes American Roots Music great: Deep Southern Pain. It’s the hurt that brings the songs, and it’s the songs that heal the hurt. Jonathan’s songs bring us there, and back. Check this record out, it’s a good ‘un.” – Mary Gauthier

“like church and sex at the same time” – Jessee Havey of The Duhks

“…raw and gritty with moments of crystalline beauty.” – popmatters.com