The Wagoneers
Encyclopedia
The Wagoneers is an American
country music
band from Austin, Texas
that was briefly active during the 1980s. The band consisted of Monte Warden on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Brent Wilson playing lead and contributing backing vocals, Craig Allan Pettigrew on bass, and drummer Thomas A. Lewis, Jr.
's A&M Records
in 1988; a follow-up album, Good Fortune, was released in 1989. Although the band appeared on Austin City Limits
and Nashville Now
, their popularity never took off on a nationwide scale. The band broke up in 1990. In 2011, both albums were released together as "The Essential Wagoneers". A MySpace page dedicated to the band contains audio clips from the band's two albums (see external link below).
Also in 2011, the group re-united for a few small gigs in Austin, New Braunfels
, Dallas
, and other cities in Texas
.
"There were a lot of reasons why the Wags didn't happen on a bigger scale," said Monte Warden in a 1995 interview, when he was pursuing a solo career. "Number one, we were on a pop
label (A&M) that had never attempted to get in the country market before. Two, even though it was just four or five years ago, that was light years in regards to country's popularity and we were a different group, a bit unique at that time. That, and maybe country radio wasn't just ready for those songs. It doesn't matter what the success level was, for me; I was just pleased to get to make records."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country music
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 from Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
that was briefly active during the 1980s. The band consisted of Monte Warden on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Brent Wilson playing lead and contributing backing vocals, Craig Allan Pettigrew on bass, and drummer Thomas A. Lewis, Jr.
Background
The Wagoneers' debut album, Stout and High, was released by Herb AlpertHerb Alpert
Herbert "Herb" Alpert is an American musician most associated with the group variously known as Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, or TJB. He is also a recording industry executive — he is the "A" of A&M Records...
's A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
in 1988; a follow-up album, Good Fortune, was released in 1989. Although the band appeared on Austin City Limits
Austin City Limits
Austin City Limits is an American public television music program recorded live in Austin, Texas by Public Broadcasting Service Public television member station KLRU, and broadcast on many PBS stations around the United States...
and Nashville Now
Nashville Now
Nashville Now is a television talk show that focused on country music performers. It aired live weeknights on The Nashville Network from 1983-1993. The host was Nashville TV/radio personality Ralph Emery. The show won several Emmy awards during its run. A frequent guest and substitute host was...
, their popularity never took off on a nationwide scale. The band broke up in 1990. In 2011, both albums were released together as "The Essential Wagoneers". A MySpace page dedicated to the band contains audio clips from the band's two albums (see external link below).
Also in 2011, the group re-united for a few small gigs in Austin, New Braunfels
New Braunfels, Texas
New Braunfels is a city in Comal and Guadalupe counties in the U.S. state of Texas that is a principal city of the metropolitan area. Braunfels means "brown rock" in German; the city is named for Braunfels, in Germany. The city's population was 57,740 as of the 2010 census, up 58% from the 2000...
, Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, and other cities 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...
.
"There were a lot of reasons why the Wags didn't happen on a bigger scale," said Monte Warden in a 1995 interview, when he was pursuing a solo career. "Number one, we were on a pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
label (A&M) that had never attempted to get in the country market before. Two, even though it was just four or five years ago, that was light years in regards to country's popularity and we were a different group, a bit unique at that time. That, and maybe country radio wasn't just ready for those songs. It doesn't matter what the success level was, for me; I was just pleased to get to make records."
Albums
| Year | Album | US Country | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Stout & High | 47 | A&M |
| 1989 | Good Fortune | — |
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... |
CAN Country | |||
| 1988 | "I Wanna Know Her Again" | 43 | 32 | Stout & High |
| "Every Step of the Way" | 52 | * | ||
| 1989 | "Help Me Get Over You" | 66 | * | |
| "Sit a Little Closer" | 53 | 48 | Good Fortune |