Digital Rodeo

NeonWest's music has a swagger, and a style based in the resonant roots of rock and country. It's a major chord with a twang, rounded out by smoky vocals and a tight bottom end. Grab a bucket of beers and gather the friends, 'cause when the band hits the stage they aim to give you everything they've got.

With a new EP out titled simply, "NeonWest," the band is poised and eager to play every club, saloon and stage they can find, to promote it; they live for that spark - that connection with the crowd. With an earnest, energetic style mixed up with heartfelt lyrics on tracks like, "Chase It" (with some country) and "Famous", audiences will be coming back again and again.

Since late 2006, NeonWest has been burning up local LA stages as well as promoting their new EP. The band has been connecting with audiences and making new fans. With a passion for songwriting, Rick, Lee and Joel are constantly creating, and with an ever-growing and diverse songbook, they are now actively writing for other musical artists as well, in addition to NeonWest. Music is a road worth traveling and they've been putting the pedal to the floor since hitting LA. If there's a thump in your chest and your boot can't stop tappin' then you know it's NeonWest - a long drive from Nashville, but a short trip to the heart of music.

NeonWest's History
Every band has a story, and NeonWest's grew out of the musical roots of a young girl with a dream. Influenced by the soulful sounds of Linda Rondstadt and Patsy Cline rolling out of her parents' 8 track stereo, Lee Lucas penned her first song at the tender age of five. Gathering friends and relatives from the neighborhood as her audience, she performed with heart - every chance she got. Music was the reason, and her path was clear. However, sometimes your gut tells you where you need to go, but your eyes don't light the way without a little searching in the dark. Lee kept true to her heart as she bumped around from school to school during her teenage years. She performed with lots of choral groups and a few side musical projects but nothing stuck. She had a burning desire to find some other musicians to take it to the next level with. After high school, it was time to get rock solid serious about the music-the sunny weather down in the land of Tom Petty, plus a free place to crash, was reason enough - "Florida musicians get ready, 'cause there's a new chick coming to town." Arriving in Florida, with nothing more than a few bags and a burning desire to make music her life, Lee began circulating her audition tape. With comparisons to rock legend, Grace Slick, it didn't take long before ears started perking up to Lee's talent, and there was nothing she wanted more than to start a band. When asked about how she finds her inspiration, Lee responds, "A lot of the time lyrics usually come to me in the shower, or at night, so I can't sleep, I can't shut em off."

Lee's tape quickly made it into the hands of a talented young Florida guitarist by the name of Rick Lucas, and a meeting was quickly set-up. Rick was established in the Florida music scene having been a member of the extremely successful hard rock band, Rampage. Rick's enigmatic guitar stylings fused well with Lee's sultry, alto tones and "cut to the chase" lyrics, plus they found that working together was as easy as throwin' back a couple a Bud's. It was good, and a partnership was formed, musically, and a little something else too. Rick and Lee Lucas then picked up and moved to the Northeast to be near the NY and Boston music scene. The powerful rock act, Sibil was born soon after their arrival and the band was combustible, almost overnight. With sold out clubs, successful tours, and major radio airplay, the band was on its way, culminating just two quick years later with a spot on a giant rock bill with heavy hitters, Dave Navarro and Saliva. On top of their game, they began to feel the call of the West, so they loaded up for a mini-tour - destination LA.

The LA scene was raw and full of energy and just the kind of musical stomping ground Rick and Lee were hoping to find - it was a good fit. Returning home to prepare for the big move to LA became a pivotal moment in the ballad of NeonWest. Over the next few months they settled their affairs while crashing on Lee's dad's couch. Country Music Television (CMT) was always on around his house, and before long, they found themselves singing along to Kenney Chesney and Keith Urban and lovin' it. Although they were accomplished rockers, Rick and Lee were drawn in by the honesty and clever simplicity of the new country sound. It seemed, to them, that rock had gone country and country had gone rock, and that was alright. Rick sums it up like this, "It's about growing up listening to Motley Crue and all these hard rock bands, but getting the same feeling today from a country show." So, very naturally, Lee's long love of the timeless sounds of Patsy Cline, and their combined new found love for the CMT artists stirred up a musical rumbling louder than an old Harley. They had to make some new music, there was no denying it.

Arriving in LA later in the year, Rick and Lee began to test out their new songs on eager LA audiences-the reaction was chemical and a new link in the musical chain was formed-it was a roots rock, country twist, with a kick in the gut. A hot show early after landing in LA drew the attention of accomplished performer and recording artist, Joel Winkles. Joel-a multi-instrumentalist (guitars, banjo, harmonica, and bass) and veteran of the scene having opened for huge acts such as Dave Grohl's Foo Fighters, Rusted Root, and Molly Hatchet-was more than enthusiastic. Joel offered his services on the spot, and his talent could not be denied-NeonWest was born. Hailing from West Virginia originally, Joel's connection to the heart and soul of the NeonWest sound was real, and born of an almost primal need to reconnect with his roots. NeonWest then recruited Josiah Mory on bass and Scott Schmura on drums to complete the band.