Cowboy Mouth

Cowboy Mouth has made the road its way of life. Taking little time to hang their hats in hometown New Orleans, the band members live by the creed "Have gig, will travel." Their live shows have the reputation of being sweaty, booze-soaked affairs, with drummer-frontman Fred LeBlanc often ending up swinging from the rafters.

It used to be that each of the Mouth's core members -- LeBlanc and singer-guitarists John Thomas Griffith and Paul Sanchez (the bass position has been mostly auxiliary) -- brought his own individual song recipes to the table, delivering pop brawn, rockin' twang, and smart, funky lilts, respectively. For their upcoming release, Voodoo Shoppe, they pooled their talents. Writing as a collective, they increased their songwriting chops exponentially. Not only do they rock harder than on their last several releases, but guest appearances by the Meters' George Porter Jr. and Dr. John's Herman Ernest sweeten the pot. This newfound energy should transfer to the live show powerfully. Expect to rock out to sneak previews of the new CD along with fan favorites "Jenny Says" and "Everybody Loves Jill." Cowboy Mouth has been firmly in the saddle for nearly 15 years, but its ride into the sunset is still a long way off.