Tarwater is not a band made up of many members but more like one soul with many hearts. It is a state of being, a way of thinking, a personality all its own. Some might call it country, others might call it swing or hillbilly rock but it is actually its own genre. It’s TARWATER!!! They are lovingly called the Fat Pack, Honky-tonk Assholes and Geezers but the truth is they are outstanding musicians and songwriters and have remained good friends for the past 35 years.
The band known as Tarwater had its beginnings in 1974 in Pocatello, Idaho. The original members included Teddy Ray Jones, Pinto Bennett, David Lyle Evans, Dennis Ashley, Jake Hoffman and Larry Baun. Over the years one member would leave and a new one would join the ranks. Tarwater traveled primarily the honky tonks of the northwest and gained a large and loyal following. The Cowboy Bar in Jackson Hole, WY and the 121 Club in Boise, Idaho were two of the favorite gigs for the band. They also played multiple music festivals including the Aber Day Kegger in Missoula, MT where a Guinness Book of World Record was made for the most beer consumed in a 12 hour period. Tarwater was blamed for many a late night and thousands of hangovers. In 1979 the band played their last show as Tarwater and each began pursuing other musical interests.
In 2005, a friend from the old picking days, Buck Ramsey came up with the crazy idea of recording a new Tarwater album and in January 2006 his dream was realized. Tarwater did record at County Q in Nashville, TN, producing “Tarwater, Hard Country Musicâ€, filled with original material of the band members. This album was so successful that Buck and Tarwater decided to record a soon to be released second album in March of 2007 also at County Q. This new music is the best yet.
What does the future hold for Tarwater? We will leave that in the hands of the Lord, but we do know that age hasn’t slowed the creative juices or musical talent of this group known as Tarwater.