The Lost Trailers
Encyclopedia
The Lost Trailers is an American country music
band. Established in 2000, the band originally comprised Ryder Lee (lead vocals), Manny Medina (bass guitar
), Andrew Nielson (keyboards
), Stokes Nielson (vocals, lead guitar
), and Jeff Potter (drums
). Originally known as Stokes Nielson and The Lost Trailers, the band made its debut at a Fourth of July picnic held by country singer Willie Nelson
. That year, The Lost Trailers self-released its debut album Story of the New Age Cowboy, followed in 2002 by Trailer Trash, followed by 2004's Welcome to the Woods on Universal
/Republic
. After switching to BNA Records
in 2006, the band issued a self-titled effort, which produced the singles "Call Me Crazy" and "Why Me", both of which entered the Billboard
Hot Country Songs
charts. A fifth album, Holler Back
, was released in August 2008, producing a Top Ten country hit in its title track and a Top 20 in "How 'Bout You Don't". Stokes Nielson has continued with the Lost Trailers in 2010 and 2011.
Nielson revived the name in 2010 for a new musical project.
in Alexandria, Virginia
. Their first album together was the self-issued The Story of the New Age Cowboy in 2000. Initially, Ryder and Stokes worked with a bass guitarist and a drummer, forming a group known as Stokes Nielson & The Lost Trailers (later shortened to The Lost Trailers). The name was derived from the fact that the band's equipment trailers had been stolen on three separate occasions.
At the time, Stokes Nielson was also working as a disc jockey
for a radio station in Nashville, Tennessee
. In 2000, after an on-air interview with Willie Nelson
, Stokes offered him a demo version of The Lost Trailers' material. Nelson then offered the band an opportunity to play at a Fourth of July picnic, which he held annually in Texas
. Stokes took to the role of lead singer, while Ryder played keyboards and provided backing vocals. Stoke and Ryder met Cam at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, VA where the three attended high school. The band toured throughout the east coast, touring with bands such as Dispatch
and Virginia Coalition
, to name a few. Their later sound would mark a notable departure from their early indie-country-rock roots.
Eventually, the band's membership was later finalized with Stokes' younger brother, Andrew, on keyboards, Jeff Potter on drums, and Manny Medina on bass guitar. The band then gained a following throughout the Southeast and Texas, performing more than 200 shows yearly.
/Republic Records
, although its only single failed to chart. Record producer Blake Chancey
, who has worked with the Dixie Chicks
and Waylon Jennings
, saw the band perform at a concert in Fort Worth, Texas
, and offered to work with them. Renee Bell, a talent executive for BNA Records
, had also seen The Lost Trailers perform at another concert. She then recommended the band to the label's president, and The Lost Trailers were signed to a recording contract with BNA in 2006. Their first chart single, "Chicken Fried
", was released in early 2006, peaking at #53 on the Hot Country Songs
charts. This single was withdrawn because Zac Brown, who wrote the song, had changed his mind about licensing it to the label, and he wanted to record the song himself. Brown ultimately recorded the song as a member of the Zac Brown Band
, whose rendition was a Number One hit in late 2008.
"Chicken Fried" was then withdrawn and replaced with "Call Me Crazy", which went on to peak at #43. Following it was "Why Me", which reached #45. These latter two songs were both included on The Lost Trailers' self-titled
album for BNA, which was issued in August of that year.
and Chris Young. The band's fourth single for BNA, "Holler Back
", was released in early 2008. "Holler Back", which reached #9 on the country charts in late 2008, is also the title track to the band's second album
for BNA. The band was also nominated for Top New Vocal Duo or Group and Top Vocal Group at the 2009 Academy of Country Music
awards.
Following "Holler Back" was "How 'bout You Don't", which was released in October and peaked in the Top 20. "All This Love" was originally to have been the third single, but after "Country Folks Livin' Loud" charted as an album cut, it was sent to radio as the third single instead. They have been nominated again for the 2010 Academy of Country Music Top New Vocal Group.
In May 2010, the band announced that it would disband following its last concerts in September.
In 2011, The Lost Trailers released a collaboration single with Corbette Jackson, entitled "Heart Of A Champion." The song, penned by Nielson and Jackson, is inspired by Coweta County Firefighter Chris Landreau's fight against Stage 4 Cancer. Stokes Nielson also performed a special concert in Albany, Georgia with Jackson and Jason Wyatt.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
band. Established in 2000, the band originally comprised Ryder Lee (lead vocals), Manny Medina (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
), Andrew Nielson (keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
), Stokes Nielson (vocals, lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
), and Jeff Potter (drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
). Originally known as Stokes Nielson and The Lost Trailers, the band made its debut at a Fourth of July picnic held by country singer Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
. That year, The Lost Trailers self-released its debut album Story of the New Age Cowboy, followed in 2002 by Trailer Trash, followed by 2004's Welcome to the Woods on Universal
Universal Records
Universal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:...
/Republic
Republic Records
Republic Records was a record label and subsidiary of Universal Motown Republic Group. They originally went by the name Cheese Factory Records...
. After switching to BNA Records
BNA Records
BNA Records, formerly known as BNA Entertainment, is a label group that shares ties with Arista Nashville and RCA Nashville from parent company Sony Music Nashville, which itself is a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, BNA features country music acts on its roster...
in 2006, the band issued a self-titled effort, which produced the singles "Call Me Crazy" and "Why Me", both of which entered the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
charts. A fifth album, Holler Back
Holler Back
-Album:-Singles:...
, was released in August 2008, producing a Top Ten country hit in its title track and a Top 20 in "How 'Bout You Don't". Stokes Nielson has continued with the Lost Trailers in 2010 and 2011.
Nielson revived the name in 2010 for a new musical project.
History
Stokes Nielson and Ryder Lee began writing and producing music together while both were attending Episcopal High School (Alexandria, Virginia)Episcopal High School (Alexandria, Virginia)
Episcopal High School , founded in 1839, is a private boarding school located in Alexandria, Virginia. The Holy Hill's campus houses 435 students from 30 states, the District of Columbia and 17 different countries...
in Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
. Their first album together was the self-issued The Story of the New Age Cowboy in 2000. Initially, Ryder and Stokes worked with a bass guitarist and a drummer, forming a group known as Stokes Nielson & The Lost Trailers (later shortened to The Lost Trailers). The name was derived from the fact that the band's equipment trailers had been stolen on three separate occasions.
At the time, Stokes Nielson was also working as a disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
for a radio station in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. In 2000, after an on-air interview with Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
, Stokes offered him a demo version of The Lost Trailers' material. Nelson then offered the band an opportunity to play at a Fourth of July picnic, which he held annually in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. Stokes took to the role of lead singer, while Ryder played keyboards and provided backing vocals. Stoke and Ryder met Cam at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, VA where the three attended high school. The band toured throughout the east coast, touring with bands such as Dispatch
Dispatch (band)
Dispatch is an American indie/roots band. The band consists of Brad Corrigan , Pete Francis Heimbold , and Chad Urmston ....
and Virginia Coalition
Virginia Coalition
Virginia Coalition is a rock band from Alexandria, Virginia, who met in the early 1990s through their music class at T. C. Williams High School. Referred to as VACO by fans, the band released their first album, The Colors of The Sound in 1998...
, to name a few. Their later sound would mark a notable departure from their early indie-country-rock roots.
Eventually, the band's membership was later finalized with Stokes' younger brother, Andrew, on keyboards, Jeff Potter on drums, and Manny Medina on bass guitar. The band then gained a following throughout the Southeast and Texas, performing more than 200 shows yearly.
First albums
In 2002, The Lost Trailers recorded their second album, entitled Trailer Trash. A third album, Welcome to the Woods, followed two years later on UniversalUniversal Records
Universal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:...
/Republic Records
Republic Records
Republic Records was a record label and subsidiary of Universal Motown Republic Group. They originally went by the name Cheese Factory Records...
, although its only single failed to chart. Record producer Blake Chancey
Blake Chancey
Blake Chancey is an American record producer and music business executive, known primarily for his work in country music. Formerly an executive vice president and chief creative officer for Sony Music, he later formed a partnership with artist manager Scott Siman...
, who has worked with the Dixie Chicks
Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
and Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings
Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...
, saw the band perform at a concert in Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, and offered to work with them. Renee Bell, a talent executive for BNA Records
BNA Records
BNA Records, formerly known as BNA Entertainment, is a label group that shares ties with Arista Nashville and RCA Nashville from parent company Sony Music Nashville, which itself is a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, BNA features country music acts on its roster...
, had also seen The Lost Trailers perform at another concert. She then recommended the band to the label's president, and The Lost Trailers were signed to a recording contract with BNA in 2006. Their first chart single, "Chicken Fried
Chicken Fried
"Chicken Fried" is the title of a song which has been recorded by two different bands. The first version was recorded in 2003 by the Zac Brown Band, whose frontman Zac Brown wrote it, for the 2005 album Home Grown. A second version was then released in 2006 by The Lost Trailers, whose version was...
", was released in early 2006, peaking at #53 on the Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
charts. This single was withdrawn because Zac Brown, who wrote the song, had changed his mind about licensing it to the label, and he wanted to record the song himself. Brown ultimately recorded the song as a member of the Zac Brown Band
Zac Brown Band
Zac Brown Band is an American country music, southern rock, and folk band based in Atlanta, Georgia. The lineup consists of Zac Brown , Jimmy De Martini , John Driskell Hopkins , Coy Bowles , Chris Fryar and Clay Cook...
, whose rendition was a Number One hit in late 2008.
"Chicken Fried" was then withdrawn and replaced with "Call Me Crazy", which went on to peak at #43. Following it was "Why Me", which reached #45. These latter two songs were both included on The Lost Trailers' self-titled
The Lost Trailers (album)
-Album:-Singles:...
album for BNA, which was issued in August of that year.
2008
In 2008, The Lost Trailers went on a nationwide tour with fellow country music artists Keith AndersonKeith Anderson
Keith Anderson is an American country music artist. Before signing to a record deal, Anderson was one of several co-writers on "Beer Run ", a duet by Garth Brooks and George Jones, released in late 2001. Anderson was signed as a recording artist to Arista Nashville in 2004...
and Chris Young. The band's fourth single for BNA, "Holler Back
Holler Back (song)
"Holler Back" is a single by American country music band The Lost Trailers. Co-written by lead singer Stokes Nielson, it is the band's fourth chart single on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, and their first Top 40 hit on that chart...
", was released in early 2008. "Holler Back", which reached #9 on the country charts in late 2008, is also the title track to the band's second album
Holler Back
-Album:-Singles:...
for BNA. The band was also nominated for Top New Vocal Duo or Group and Top Vocal Group at the 2009 Academy of Country Music
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
awards.
Following "Holler Back" was "How 'bout You Don't", which was released in October and peaked in the Top 20. "All This Love" was originally to have been the third single, but after "Country Folks Livin' Loud" charted as an album cut, it was sent to radio as the third single instead. They have been nominated again for the 2010 Academy of Country Music Top New Vocal Group.
In May 2010, the band announced that it would disband following its last concerts in September.
In 2011, The Lost Trailers released a collaboration single with Corbette Jackson, entitled "Heart Of A Champion." The song, penned by Nielson and Jackson, is inspired by Coweta County Firefighter Chris Landreau's fight against Stage 4 Cancer. Stokes Nielson also performed a special concert in Albany, Georgia with Jackson and Jason Wyatt.
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US Heat Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
||
| Story of the New Age Cowboy |
|
— | — | — |
| Trailer Trash |
|
— | — | — |
| Welcome to the Woods Welcome to the Woods -The Lost Trailers:*Ryder Lee - piano, Hammond organ, vocals*Manny Medina - rhythm guitar, background vocals*Andrew Nielson - bass guitar, background vocals*Stokes Nielson - lead guitar, vocals*Jeff Potter - drums, background vocals-Additional Musicians:... |
Republic Records Republic Records was a record label and subsidiary of Universal Motown Republic Group. They originally went by the name Cheese Factory Records... |
— | — | — |
| The Lost Trailers The Lost Trailers (album) -Album:-Singles:... |
BNA Records BNA Records, formerly known as BNA Entertainment, is a label group that shares ties with Arista Nashville and RCA Nashville from parent company Sony Music Nashville, which itself is a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, BNA features country music acts on its roster... |
46 | — | 16 |
| Holler Back Holler Back -Album:-Singles:... |
|
5 | 32 | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
|||
| 2004 | "Down in the Valley" | — | — | Welcome to the Woods |
| "Long Fall" | — | — | ||
| 2006 | "Chicken Fried Chicken Fried "Chicken Fried" is the title of a song which has been recorded by two different bands. The first version was recorded in 2003 by the Zac Brown Band, whose frontman Zac Brown wrote it, for the 2005 album Home Grown. A second version was then released in 2006 by The Lost Trailers, whose version was... " |
52 | — | single only |
| "Call Me Crazy" | 43 | — | The Lost Trailers | |
| "Why Me" | 45 | — | ||
| 2008 | "Holler Back Holler Back (song) "Holler Back" is a single by American country music band The Lost Trailers. Co-written by lead singer Stokes Nielson, it is the band's fourth chart single on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, and their first Top 40 hit on that chart... " |
9 | 66 | Holler Back |
| "How 'bout You Don't" | 17 | 104 | ||
| 2009 | "Country Folks (Livin' Loud)" | 36 | — | |
| 2011 | "Underdog"A | 46 | TBD | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
- ACurrent single.
Other charted songs
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
|||
| 2009 | "All This Love" | 55 | Holler Back |
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | "Call Me Crazy" | Traci Goudie |
| "Why Me" | Eric Welch | |
| 2008 | "Holler Back" | Tyson Wisbrock |
| 2009 | "How 'Bout You Don't" | |
| "Country Folks (Livin' Loud)" | Harrison Tobin/The Lost Trailers |