Bringing a southern rock and blues sound to radios all over the world in 1990 with their seminal album Shake Your Money Maker, The Black Crowes collectively sold over 30 million albums during their career before breaking up for good in 2015.
After a bit of a break, guitarist Rich Robinson reunited with his former Crowes bandmates, guitarist Marc Ford and bassist Sven Pipien, to form The Magpie Salute. While this new band undoubtedly draws comparisons to the musician’s former band, Robinson describes The Magpie Salute as more of a “recontextulization” of The Black Crowes rather than a continuation. Similarly blending psychedelic blues with good, old-fashioned rock n’ roll, The Magpie Salute marks a reunion of musicians whose paths have twisted and turned back to each other, making them better friends and a better band than they have ever been.
Their full-length debut album, High Water, saw them bash out hummable riffs punctuated with melodies, harmonies, and smooth solos. The upcoming High Water II, slated for release sometime this year, promises to expand on that sound and take the band to some unexpected places, while still remaining true to their roots.
Your chance to catch this band while they are still playing smaller venues comes when the Magpie Salute hits the Million Dollar Stage inside Piere’s Entertainment Center on Jan. 24. — Chris Hupe