Country trio McBride & The Ride return to KC with a June 1 show at Knuckleheads
Courtesy the artist
Their resume is long and their experience exceeds a lot of acts entering the scene these days, but McBride & The Ride remain a joking bunch that seems to enjoy making music today just as much–if not more–as they did in the 90s when they first came to fame.
Terry McBride, the lead vocalist of the group, is a renowned songwriter in country music. He has written hits for Reba McEntire, Garth Brooks, Hank Williams Jr., and many other notable artists in the industry. If you’re a country music fan, you’ve definitely heard a song written by McBride and now you have the chance to see him perform live.
Terry, Billy, and Ray were first known in the early 90s for their honky tonk country music and unmistakable three-part harmony. Before their most recent single “Malboros & Avon”, the group hadn’t released a single since 2002 but they’re eager to jump back in with their new EP coming out in July.
“It came together amazingly well, it was like just jumping back on that bicycle again.” says Billy about working on the EP. “The vocal sound has all come back together and we’ve even been writing some music together so some of the songs on the EP are going to result from that.”
No longer belonging to a major label, The Ride has had to navigate their new success on their own as independent artists.
“I think a lot of that has to do with people who were fans of us in the 90s and have missed us,” says Ray. “But the song itself has to be a great song, regardless of who you are. So, this new song had legs of its own to stand on.”
The Ride is learning the ropes of the industry as it has evolved today. They’re competing for the same venues and airspace with artists who are younger than them, but the trio seems to be having fun with the journey.
“Back in our day you had to get on the radio, you had to get a bus, and you had to go door to door to get your music out there,” says Terry. “Now, we’re learning to use social media and we’ve even had some mild success on TikTok of all places.”
With their show coming up at Knuckleheads on June 1, they’re decidedly one you don’t want to miss. Keep up with them on their website, TikTok, and Instagram, and grab tickets to their Knuckleheads show.
