Corndaddy

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Based in Ann Arbor, MI, Corndaddy is a band whose style is rooted in Americana/alt-country sound, though there are also strong accents of power pop and straight-up rock & roll in their music. Lead guitarist Kevin Brown played in a number of Michigan country-rock bands in the 1970s and '80s and 90s. In 1998 he met up with guitarist and singer Jud Branam; together, they formed Corndaddy with drummer Will Stewart and bassist Jerry Hancock. The group released a self-titled debut album in 2000, with a follow-up, Better Days, released in 2002.

Mark Deming, All Music Guide, wrote of their second CD:

Despite reports to the contrary, alt-country is not dead in the Midwest, and Corndaddy is here to prove it. Corndaddy is a Michigan-based band who blend a country-influenced twang, a power pop band's love of hooks, and a rocker's passion for the backbeat on their second album, Better Days.

The band's greatest asset is the fleet-fingered lead guitar work of Kevin Brown, whose sharp, wiry lines sound like the work of a souped-up Roger McGuinn, especially on "Better Days" and "Rainbow on a Girl," while drummer Will Stewart and bassist Jerry Hancock make for a lean and emphatic rhythm section and Jud Branam's reedy vocals are a great fit for this material.

Both Brown and Branam are solid songwriters as well, who can comfortably embrace laid-back country-rock ("Delaware"), bluegrass-tinged folk ("Sparkle's Real"), Bakersfield-style twang ("Kansas City, Mississippi"), and neo-psychedelic pop ("Rainbow on a Girl") without losing touch with the band's musical personality. Fine stuff from a band who deserves wider exposure.