The Wynntown Marshals

The Wynntown Marshals

The Wynntown Marshals are an alt-country and americana group from Edinburgh, active since 2007. The line-up includes Keith Benzie on vocals and guitar, Keith Jones on drums and vocals, Simon Ritson on bass and mandolin, Iain Sloan on 12-string, pedal steel and vocals, Leigh Benzie on vocals, and Diezel Megane on lead guitar, with the group later also featuring Owen Nicholson on lead guitar after the departure of original guitarist Iain Barbour.

Style and writing

The band’s songs draw on the storytelling side of americana, with Keith Benzie writing about varied subject matter rather than a single theme. Their material includes songs about the world’s only albino gorilla, 1950s pin-up artists, and the devastation of trench warfare. Their sound combines guitar and pedal steel with harmonised vocals, and the group also uses Hammond organ on some tracks.

Westerner and later releases

Their debut album, Westerner, is released in the UK in May 2010 and is produced by the band with Graham Deas, who is also associated with work by KT Tunstall and Super Furry Animals. The album includes songs such as “Snowflake”, “Gil”, “Divine Compassion”, “Nelly”, “All That I Want”, “Thunder in the Valley” and “48 Hours”. It also establishes the band’s blend of pedal steel-drenched ballads and larger, slower songs. After Westerner, the band releases a live EP, Live at the Holly Tree, a seven-track recording that includes a cover of Neil Young’s “Powderfinger”.

Radio sessions and live activity

In 2008, The Wynntown Marshals tour the UK supporting Chuck Prophet and perform at the Kilkenny Rhythm & Roots Festival in Ireland in both 2008 and 2009. After the release of Westerner, they record a BBC Radio 2 session with Bob Harris, performing “48 Hours”, “Snowflake” and “Two’s Company”. They later record a session for Kink FM’s 2 Meter Sessies during a headline tour of the Netherlands, and appear on BBC Radio Scotland’s Another Country with Ricky Ross in June 2011. The album also receives attention from AmericanaUK, Maverick, Heaven and NoDepression.com. The band continues writing new material for a follow-up to Westerner and prepares further performances in Germany and Holland.