At Ardent Studios, from left: keyboardist Rick Steff, drummer Roy Berry, assistant Mike Wilson, bassist John C. Stubblefield, guitarist Brian Venable, vocalist Ben Nichols, producer Ted Hutt and engineer Ryan Mall.
Memphis rockers Lucero recorded their new album in Studio A at Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tenn. The members of Lucero are Ben Nichols (guitar and vocals), Roy Berry (drums), John C. Stubblefield (bass), Brian Venable (guitar) and Rick Steff (piano, organ, accordion). Ted Hutt produced the new album and also produced The ’59 Sound, last year’s album from New Jersey rockers The Gaslight Anthem. Ryan Mall engineered, with Ardent’s Mike Wilson assisting.
Nichols currently co-stars in MTV’s $5 Cover, a quasi-fictionalized series about the Memphis music scene produced by Craig Brewer that debuted in May. The trailer for the series features a performance of Lucero’s song “San Francisco” at the Young Avenue Deli in Memphis.
Lucero’s punk rock roots flavor their now “country-ish” music, while their Southern roots give them the twang that they have come to be known for. The band played for the first time in early 1998. Since 2001, they have played between 150 and 200 shows a year across the United States and Canada. They have released six full-length albums, the latest entitled Rebels, Rogues, and Sworn Brothers.
In late 2008 the band announced that they had signed a four-album deal with Universal Music Group. Their major label debut is due out this summer.
For more info about Ardent Studios, visit ardentstudios.com.
