Kevin Minihan, David Heidle, Tommy Bennett, Todd Unruh & JD Whittenburg
Influences
Eagles, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, Old 97's, Ryan Adams, Elvis Costello.
Sounds Like
Eastwood officially began in the spring of 2005… a product from the hearts and minds of Kevin Minihan and David Heidle. But the foundation of Eastwood was formed years prior, when the two friends would often find themselves at a party or campout, guitars in hand, working out songs that lent themselves well to the duo’s natural harmonic chemistry. Minihan and Heidle quickly discovered that their vocal styles fit together like “peas and carrots”, so in the spring of 2005 they gathered up their songs and headed off to Salim Nourallah’s newly-formed Pleasantry Lane Studios in Dallas. The result of those initial sessions with Nourallah was the debut album from Eastwood, Die Tryin’. During the next two years, the band performed in support of the album while going through a couple of lineup iterations. In 2006 Tommy Bennett joined on bass and ended a longtime revolving door at that position, which even included a period where Minihan and Heidle would swap the instrument between them during live shows.
After a hiatus from playing live in late ‘07/early ’08, Eastwood teamed again with Salim Nourallah to record their follow-up effort, Everything’s Personal. Armed with matured songwriting and their signature vocal style, the album also includes guest appearances from the likes of Ken Bethea and Phillip Peeples (Old 97’s), Ward Williams (Sorta), Daniel Hopkins (Radiant*), and Nourallah himself. With Everything’s Personal, Eastwood reaches beyond its country roots and displays an eclectic sound… but remains entrenched in heartfelt lyrics and strong vocal harmonies.
The band emerged from recording Everything’s Personal with a strengthened lineup. Added to the core of Minihan, Heidle, and Bennett was drummer Todd Unruh (formerly of Cowboys and Indians). The band was also joined by longtime friend and accomplished solo artist J.D. Whittenburg ..s/guitars. These additions brought Eastwood back to its rightful place as a five-piece, where they can more effectively demonstrate the full sound that their music demands.
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***************PRESS FOR "EVERYTHING'S PERSONAL"**************
---------Full reviews at http://www.eastwoodband.com/news.html----------
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"Dallas’ own Eastwood are also a great example of the great roots tradition in North Texas as evidenced with the release of their new LP, Everything’s Personal."
--THE GOBBLER'S KNOB--
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"Gently emotive cries from the steel in “Right Place Wrong Time” and the harmonizing on “Giving Up, Giving In” lend themselves beautifully to remembrances of Buffalo Springfield and the Meisner-era Eagles"
--TWANGVILLE--
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"Eastwood's "Right Place Wrong Time" selected as one of Best Songs of 2008 by Bonafide Darling!!"
--BONAFIDE DARLING MUSIC BLOG--
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"What's impressive about Eastwood's sophomore release is the band's total lack of interest in following any alt-country trend whatsoever. Not comfortable playing some punk/country hybrid (a la genre godfathers Uncle Tupelo) nor going hard-core Americana like so many folks who are content picking and grinning their way to marketplace irrelevance, David Heidle, Kevin Minihan and the rest of this punchy quintet fall contentedly into an agreeable middle ground. That's not to say Eastwood's music lacks bite. Songs such as "Giving Up, Giving In," "I Can Only Remember the Good Times" and a tasty hayseed overhaul of "Come Together" show a band well-suited for mainstream country success—not the slick Nashville stylings of the über-patriot mullet brigade, but the more genuine Bakersville sound of Buck Owens and Dwight Yoakam. Certainly, more closely associated with The Eagles than Gram Parsons, Eastwood is a band that understands, and seemingly relishes, its limitations. Detailing the standard tales of lost loves and missed opportunities, Everything's Personal is exactly that, a dozen well-played cuts that resonate with the honest grace of a guy telling you his problems at the nearest watering hole. Eastwood may not be groundbreaking, but it's nice to hear a band content plying its craft in such well-traveled, yet still-vital, waters."
--DALLAS OBSERVER--
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"Eastwood carries on the strong Dallas tradition in the Americana, Alt-Country and Roots-Rock that sounds just as great in the car as it does on stage."
--BONAFIDE DARLING MUSIC BLOG--
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"Songwriters David Heidle and Kevin Minihan have sharpened their skills since the debut album, tightening up arrangements while keeping the melodies easy and breezy."
--QUICK--
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“Dallas has no shortage of great alt-country bands in our little scene, and now you can add Eastwood to that list.”
--DC9 AT NIGHT, DALLAS OBSERVER MUSIC BLOG--
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“Let me introduce you, my little friends, to Eastwood… High, soaring harmonies, gentle acoustic guitars and melodies you swear you’ve heard before not because you have but only because they’re just too damn catchy.”
--SALIM NOURALLAH--
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“Their {Eastwood’s} set was as good live as it is on the record. For guys who hold down day jobs and get their rock and roll jollies out on the weekend they are blessed with a lot of talent.”
--BONAFIDE DARLING MUSIC BLOG--
______________________________________________________________
"...this is one of the best new Americana discs I've spun in a long while."
--TEXASGIGS.COM--
______________________________________________________________
***************PRESS FOR "EVERYTHING'S PERSONAL"**************
---------Full reviews at http://www.eastwoodband.com/news.html----------
______________________________________________________________
"Dallas’ own Eastwood are also a great example of the great roots tradition in North Texas as evidenced with the release of their new LP, Everything’s Personal."
--THE GOBBLER'S KNOB--
______________________________________________________________
"Gently emotive cries from the steel in “Right Place Wrong Time” and the harmonizing on “Giving Up, Giving In” lend themselves beautifully to remembrances of Buffalo Springfield and the Meisner-era Eagles"
--TWANGVILLE--
______________________________________________________________
"Eastwood's "Right Place Wrong Time" selected as one of Best Songs of 2008 by Bonafide Darling!!"
--BONAFIDE DARLING MUSIC BLOG--
______________________________________________________________
"What's impressive about Eastwood's sophomore release is the band's total lack of interest in following any alt-country trend whatsoever. Not comfortable playing some punk/country hybrid (a la genre godfathers Uncle Tupelo) nor going hard-core Americana like so many folks who are content picking and grinning their way to marketplace irrelevance, David Heidle, Kevin Minihan and the rest of this punchy quintet fall contentedly into an agreeable middle ground. That's not to say Eastwood's music lacks bite. Songs such as "Giving Up, Giving In," "I Can Only Remember the Good Times" and a tasty hayseed overhaul of "Come Together" show a band well-suited for mainstream country success—not the slick Nashville stylings of the über-patriot mullet brigade, but the more genuine Bakersville sound of Buck Owens and Dwight Yoakam. Certainly, more closely associated with The Eagles than Gram Parsons, Eastwood is a band that understands, and seemingly relishes, its limitations. Detailing the standard tales of lost loves and missed opportunities, Everything's Personal is exactly that, a dozen well-played cuts that resonate with the honest grace of a guy telling you his problems at the nearest watering hole. Eastwood may not be groundbreaking, but it's nice to hear a band content plying its craft in such well-traveled, yet still-vital, waters."
--DALLAS OBSERVER--
______________________________________________________________
"Eastwood carries on the strong Dallas tradition in the Americana, Alt-Country and Roots-Rock that sounds just as great in the car as it does on stage."
--BONAFIDE DARLING MUSIC BLOG--
______________________________________________________________
"Songwriters David Heidle and Kevin Minihan have sharpened their skills since the debut album, tightening up arrangements while keeping the melodies easy and breezy."
--QUICK--
______________________________________________________________
“Dallas has no shortage of great alt-country bands in our little scene, and now you can add Eastwood to that list.”
--DC9 AT NIGHT, DALLAS OBSERVER MUSIC BLOG--
______________________________________________________________
“Let me introduce you, my little friends, to Eastwood… High, soaring harmonies, gentle acoustic guitars and melodies you swear you’ve heard before not because you have but only because they’re just too damn catchy.”
--SALIM NOURALLAH--
______________________________________________________________
“Their {Eastwood’s} set was as good live as it is on the record. For guys who hold down day jobs and get their rock and roll jollies out on the weekend they are blessed with a lot of talent.”
--BONAFIDE DARLING MUSIC BLOG--
______________________________________________________________
"...this is one of the best new Americana discs I've spun in a long while."
--TEXASGIGS.COM--
