MySpace Artist Of The Week: Lucas Hudgins & The First Cousins

The talent that you can find on MySpace amazes me. Lucas Hudgins & The First Cousins are one such talent, and although they are from Austin, I’ve never heard of them before. They’ve got an old-time classic sound about them, from Hudgins’ smoky, baritone vocals to the acoustics and steel that they play. Take one look at their list of influences and you’ll see where their sound comes from. They list the likes of Charlie Pride, Conway Twitty, Waylon, Elvis, J. Cash and The Tennessee Two, Haggard and The Strangers, Buck Owens and The Buckaroos, George Jones, and the list goes on. I highly recommend all the songs on their MySpace profile, especially “Honky Tonk Illusion”.

Newcomer Lucas Hudgins and his talented troupe, the First Cousins, have sprung up from Austin’s beer-joint underground with their debut album, Honky Tonk Illusion. The locally released Album (Bloodchili Records) is a showcase of Hudgins’ first batch of songs. Bringing A fresh spin on old country/western themes of heartache, fast-livin’, regret, and betrayal. Written in 2005, with a strong foundation in country roots, outlaw, and honky tonk, this impressive unveiling is now getting the attention it deserves among Austin’s true country music fan base. Surprisingly, that isn’t the only crowd the band is focused on. With flashes of soul, blues, swing, and rock and roll infused in their live set, you are just as likely to find them playing on a given night at an unruly dive or rock club.

Visit Lucas Hudgins & The First Cousins’ MySpace.