Antsy McClain is a songwriter, story-teller and entertainer who sings about life in an American trailer park. His band, The Trailer Park Troubadours, are a skilled assortment of musicians who play in the rootsy, rock and roll tradition of their hard-working, blue collar forefathers.
Their live shows are a unique, critically-acclaimed mix of masterful musicianship and self-depricating humor for all ages.
Aside from being a singer and band leader, Antsy McClain is also a visual artist, whose drawings and paintings have appeared in magazines and books. His portfolio can be viewed HERE.
Other members of the band:
West Coast Troubs: Gary Tackett, guitar; "Loose Bruce" Wandmayer, Steel Guitar, Saxophones; "Dacron Dan" Becker, keyboards, accordian; "Hot Rod" Todd McMasters, Bass guitars; "Bam Bam" Joey Rayhbuck, Drums and percussion
Nashville Troubs: Dr. Bobby Cochran, guitar; Pauly Zarb, keyboards, accordian, flute and other instruments; "Spoonz", drums; Matt Hall, bass;
Influences
My influences in no particular order:
Wayne Newton,
Rod Serling,
The Captain & Tennille,
Minnie Ripperton,
Bobby "Lovehandles" Murphy
and my 7th grade English teacher, Mr. Gochenour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-w_PuHvNwE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG9iV-MFNkU
Sounds Like
We call our style of music "folkabilly," because we're hard to pin down. But we've been described as "The Blues Brothers if they were raised in a trailer park," "Jimmy Buffet and the Coral Reefers, but funnier," and Antsy McClain has been called "a happy Bob Dylan."
Our two-to-three hour shows will combine 70's guitar rock, folk and country, r&b, blues, and anything else that strikes us.
"I didn't realize we would all need so much positive energy right now – this album has taken three years to put together – but I'm glad it's coming out now, when people need to smile and be reminded that we have to keep making new good old days, replacing the old times with better times – and we don't need money or stuff to do that."
The New Good Old Days album is upbeat and happy, without being pollyannish.
"I recognize the world can be a dark place," says McClain, "But having personally wrestled with depression, and having faced a great deal of loss in my life, I see darkness as the enemy; something we need to recognize and shun, not embrace. If you let it in, it can take over. These songs were written as an antidote to the 6 0'Clock news. I was pushing the dark stuff out of my heart as I wrote these songs, and hopefully, it will push it out of your heart as you listen."
"There are plenty of song writers out there who can take you to the dark side and drop you off. I'm not interested in being that kind of tour guide. I want to drive you out to the sleepy side of town and show you all the beautiful, everyday stuff that gets overlooked."
McClain lost his mother and father to lupus and lung disease, respectively. They were in their early 50's.
"I went through a hard time for a few years, a time of withdrawal and loss. It affected me in every way; my marriage, all my relationships, my faith, my music. After a while of writing these cathartic, healing songs, I started to feel the fog lifting. And I've seen my writing take on a different tone since. I'm giving myself pep talks, reminding myself of what's important, and maybe scolding myself a little for not seeing the bigger picture."
"All in The Trip and Another Happy Song are clearly written to me. I'm saying, 'Snap out of it, man! Get on with life. Look at all the good stuff around you!'"
"So, this is actually a very self-indulgent album (laughs) but it may be the most important album I've ever written – if only because it helped heal some things inside of me that needed to be healed. And maybe others will respond to it in the same way. Who knows? We just make the music and throw it out there. We don't have any control over it's impact."
The Trailer Park Troubadours's Friend Space (Top 14)
Antsy, Great weekend at Musikfest. It was an honor to share stage with you guys, once again. Saturday night, especially, was a killer. Hope to do it again. Fellow northeast bass playing Troub, Jeff
Hope you all can tune on in for a rockin' good time!
"Miss Holley King's Rock-a-billy & BEYOND" Show #84/2 “Tonk-a-billy”
1st Hour
Waylon Jennings - My World Donnie Owens - Heat Attack Phil & The Frantics - What’s Happening Sanford Clark - Big Lie Tommy Strange - One More Time Tommy Strange - Piano Man From Louisiana Jim Murphy & The Accents - I’m Gone Mama The Gigalo’s - Night Creature The Gigalo’s - Swingin’ Saints Glenn Morris - I’ll Pretend Glenn Morris - I Got The Blues Merlin Rose - Hunk Of A Man Johnny Appleseed - Ever Night Lulu Joe Montgomery - Two Time Loser Mack Fields - Bowling Ball Blues The Newton Brothers - Start At The Bottom Johnny Falstaff - One Hand Tied Johnny Falstaff - Honky Tonkin' Daddy Wayne Hancock - Jump The Blues Wayne Hancock - Throwin’ Away My Money Michael K. Burke & the Honkytonk Witchdoctors - Talkin’ Fun, Talkin’ Love Antsy McClain & the Trailer Park Troubadours - The Bathroom Song
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"Miss Holley King's Rock-a-billy & BEYOND" Show #84/2 “Rock’n Roll-billy”
2nd Hour
Gene McKown - Rockabilly Rhythm Groovey Joe Poovey - Move Around Alvis Wayne - Lay Your Head On My Shoulder Merle Travis/Ray Campi - Lost John Boogie Merle Travis/Ray Campi - Merle's Boogie Woogie Johnny Carroll - Baby Blue Mac Curtis - Been Gone A Long Time Gene Vincent - Hey, Hey, Hey Jackie Lee Cochran - T For Tears Whitey Pullen - Walk My Way Back Home Ben Hewitt - For Quite A While Thomas Wayne - You..re The One That Done It Bob Jaxon - One Way To Love Me Sonny James - Pure Love Wally Lewis - Lover Boy Bill Reeder - You..re My Baby The Sunsets - Number 99 The Sunsets - Cherokee Boogie Darryl Rhoades - Addiction To Friction Chaz Brackx - Hey Black Woman Glambilly - How I Got To Texas Unknown Hinson - I Ain't Afraid of Your Husb
The Melodical Hearts Foundation is thrilled to announce that the "Music That Matters: New England" 3-disc CD/DVD combo has SOLD OUT just weeks after its release! We already have more arriving within the next few days, so if you want to place an order, you can still do so at www.melodicalhearts.org and we'll ship them out to you soon.
Thank you to the incredibly talented artists of New England who have helped structure this and bring it to life.
Also, we are currently mastering the "Music That Matters: Pennsylvania" CD and are still in the process of adding extremely talented artists to "Music That Matters: Kentucky", so be on the lookout for these upcoming releases!
Thanks for adding the new page. Its an Honor to be in your Friends list...Doc Killian-Veteran-Songwriter of TO OUR TROOPS, REMEMBER OUR VETERANS and MY FLAG
Come visit us here.. Bring my rascal brother and we can drive out to the bush and play music and have fun... I will make a fresh batch of Anzac cookies for us to eat on the way.. They are our best Aussie cookie.. Pauly loves them.Have fun in California ...
COME TO AUSTRALIA COME TO AUSTRALIA COME TO AUSTRALIA YOU ARE IN A TRANCE COME TO AUSTRALIA COME TO AUSTRALIA BRING PAULY AND COME TO AUSTRALIA YOU ARE GETTING SLEEPY AND MORE LIKELY TO COME TO AUSTRALIA YOU ARE IN A TRANCE ANTSY AND YOU CANNOT GET OUT YOU HAVE TO COME TO AUSTRALIA CONCENTRATE!!! YOU ARE COMING TO AUSTRALIA........
Ho, Ho, Ho... Merry Christmas! Here is my play list for my 2 hour "Rock-a-billy &BEYOND" show over at RADIO FREE PHOENIX
“Having FUN On Christmas 2008” Antsy McClain and the Trailer Park Troubadours - Santa Claus Finds A Way Antsy McClain and the Trailer Park Troubadours - The King Of Christmas Fats Domino - Rudolph, The Red Nose Reindeer Huey (Piano) Smith and the Clowns - Silent Night The Sonics - Santa Claus Elvis Presley - Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me) Elvis Presley - Santa Claus Is Back In Town Elvis Presley - White Christmas Jack Scott - Jingle Bell Slide Jack Scott - There's Trouble Brewin' Dodie Stevens - Mery, Mery Christmas Baby Eartha Kitt - Santa Baby Jake Brennan and the Confidence Men - Annie May Levi Barratt and the Sunsets - The Present T-Bone - Santa Man Rebound - Rocking Around The Christmas Tree 1 Big Daddy & Rockin’ Combo - Dead By X-Mas The Cadillac Cowgirls - Christmas Jubilee (inst.) The Brian Setzer Orchestra - Jingle Bells The Brian Setzer Orchestra (Duet with Ann Margret) - Baby It's Cold Outside The Reverend Horton Heat - Frosty The Snowman The Reverend Horton Heat - Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy The Reverend Horton Heat - We Three Kings (inst.) Joe Poovey - Santas Helper (little kid) Wayne and Jerry Newton - If The Easter Bunny Knew (The Fun He'd Have At Christmas) Brenda Lee - I'm Gonna Lasso Santa Claus Brenda Lee - Christy Christmas Brenda Lee - Papa Noel Dwight Yoakam - Silver Bells Dwight Yoakam - Santa Can't Stay Billy Briggs - North Pole Boogie Johnny Preston - (I Want A) Rock And Roll Guitar Louie Armstrong - Zat You Santa Claus Solomon Burke - Presents For Christmas The Harmony - Sa
