The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band

Sure, Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band might be a simple trio, but the sound that they produce certainly qualifies as “damn big.” Although the country blues group is undoubtedly influenced by the rural music of a bygone era, incorporating the washboard, vintage guitars, and Son House-esque moans into their music, their attitude is downright punk rock. The Indiana-based group was formed by guitarist and singer Reverend Peyton, along with his washboard-playing wife Breezy and his drummer brother Jayme. The trio first established themselves as tireless road warriors, taking on a touring schedule that found them playing up to 250 dates a year before self-releasing their debut album in 2004. The band continued to churn out infectiously aggressive roots music and resume their breakneck touring schedule until 2020, when the world screeched to a halt. In addition to the tour-ending pandemic, Peytons’ 150-year-old log cabin was without power for days, forcing him to write by candlelight. This challenging period birthed the album Dance Songs for Hard Times, which has been hailed as the band’s best yet.