DATE=3/22/2002

TYPE=Music Programs Feature

NUMBER=7-400719

TITLE=The Derailers "Here Come The Derailers"

BYLINE=Joan Kornblith

TELEPHONE=401-7459

DATELINE=Washington

EDITOR=ecGursky

CONTENT=

(VOICED VERSION/INSERTS AVAILABLE IN MUSIC LIBRARY)

INTRO: Despite a string of albums met with critical raves that most bands can only dream of, and more than five years of relentless touring, most fans of country music haven't heard of The Derailers. Despite being a hit on the touring circuit, the Austin, Texas band has been ignored by most radio stations. Broadcasters consider the band "too country" to be popular. But a new CD might get The Derailers on the right track, as VOA's Katherine Cole reports.

TEXT: While their new CD, "Here Come The Derailers" was produced with more of a mainstream country sound, in hopes of getting radio airplay, longtime fans will be relieved to hear The Derailers trademark "honky tonk-meets-Bakersfield" style is still front and center.

TAPE B: Cut 1 - (CDP 23799/12) The Derailers "There Goes the Bride" (play in full to :56, then take under and out)

TEXT: At first listen, you'd be hard-pressed to guess that The Derailers founders Tony Villanueva [Vee-en-WAY-vah], and Brian Hofeldt [Ho-FELT] hail from Portland, Oregon. The lead singer and guitarist both sound like they grew up in Texas honky tonks, or perhaps in the California town where Buck Owens was perfecting the "Bakersfield sound," a mix of rockabilly and traditional Texas, even a little bit of surf music. That sound, says guitarist Brian Hofeldt, changed country music forever, and continues to influence The Derailers.

TAPE A: Cut 1 - Brian Hofeldt (:20)

"At its time, it was looked at as maverick and out of left field. Buck was in Bakersfield, he wasn't in Tennessee, and he was doing his own thing. It was a really stripped down, revved-up sound and it just turned everybody on their ear. They loved it and he was arguably the most successful country artist of the 1960s."

TAPE B: Cut 2 - (CDP 2800/2) Buck Owens "Streets of Bakersfield" (cue to :48, play in full to 1:06, then take under and fade out under next actuality)

TAPE A: Cut 2 - Brian Hofeldt (:18)

HOST: "That Buck Owens sound, it's just amazing and alive and as relevent today as it was 30 years

ago and 40 years ago."

HOFELDT: "That's what we think too, Katherine. Thank you. Yes, his music, I think, still retains the freshness because it is pure and soulful."

TEXT: But don't get the idea The Derailers are living in the past. The band is reverent, not retro. Their original songs pay tribute to the past, without getting stuck in it.

When it came time to record their new CD "Here Come The Derailers," the band left Austin and traveled to the famed Monument studios in Nashville. Monument was home to many classic country songs from the past. And perhaps, a friendly ghost or two, says lead singer Tony Villanueva.

TAPE A: Cut 3 Tony Villanueva/Brian Hofeldt (:17)

VILLANUEVA: "I think some of Roy Orbison's spirit came in the studio there and joined Brian on this song."

HOST: "You chanelled Roy!"

HOFELDT: "Yeah! Put on my sunglasses…"

VILLANUEVA: "Brian's going sing "I See My Baby" for you."

TAPE A: Cut 3 "I See My Baby"; in full to 1:04, then take under text and fade

TEXT: It's not much of an exaggeration to call The Derailers the hardest working band in country music. They've played close to 300 dates a year for the past four years. Hard work, but without radio play, that's the only way to get the music to their fans. While it's a grueling schedule, all the travel does have some rewards. In a few short years, The Derailers have gone from playing for tips at clubs in Austin to the stages of Europe and Japan. Last year, the group was part of a worldwide tour featuring Reba McEntire, Ricky Skaggs, Brad Paisley and Dale Watson that took Britain by storm.

TAPE A: Cut 3 - Tony Villanueva/Brian Hofeldt (:28)

VILLANUEVA: "It was fun going over there. We got a really good reaction playing the kind of music we play. People over there were telling us, in the autograph line, 'Man this stuff just rocks.' It gets a real emotional reaction."

HOFELDT: "We go into non-English-speaking countries and tour as well. I think music is universal. In Japan, we just played for 30-thousand people at a festival, and most of those people didn't speak English. But there was a real communication in the beat, the beat, the beat.

TAPE B: Cut 4 - (CDP 23799/6) The Derailers "Country A Go-Go"; play in full for :16 then take under text and hold

TEXT: To get the full Derailers experience, you really need to see them play. The band is always looks sharp, complete with complex greased back hair styles and tailored suits color-coordinated to match their guitars. You can check out their look, and more music, by visiting WWW-dot-DERAILERS-dot com. (SIGNED)

TAPE B: Up full as needed