Paul Cauthen
Just as loud-n-proud Texabilly rockers Sons of Fathers were finding a home in the rarefied Top Ten end of the Americana music charts, singer Paul Cauthen surprised many by walking away from the group in favor of an even louder solo career. On his album My Gospel, he digs all the way back to the harmonies and phrasing that he and his two sisters learned from their grandfather, a gospel songwriter known for working with Buddy Holly and Sonny Curtis. The songs aim for a Muscle Shoal thickness, layering on just enough horns and funky percussion to keep up with Cauthen’s adventurous vocal flights. Imagine Johnny Cash with something like a three-octave range fronting Dr. John’s band, and you have a pretty good idea what to expect at the Casbah.
The bill includes the Texas Gentlemen, a Wrecking Crew–inspired roots-rock collective occasionally fronted by Cauthen (as well as Jonathan Tyler, Leon Bridges, and others). After an impressive debut EP earlier this year, their album TX Jelly drops in September, featuring guest vocals from Cauthen, Dan Dyer, Keite Young, and Noah Jackson.