Gothic Americana

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Today a growing collective of musicians from across the country are taking a darker, more rustic approach to the Americana genre, creating a subculture commonly referred to as "Gothic-Americana". Many credit this style's origins to the artists that came from the Denver scene in the mid to late '90s, such as the "Denver Gentlemen", and "Sixteen Horsepower". Today's gothic americana musicians blend traditional folk, gypsy, blues, bluegrass, and country with a much darker side, focused on songs of tragedy and murder. Pushed along by bands such as Slim Cessna's Auto Club, Jay Munly, Strawfoot, Gravemist, Reverend Glasseye, Curtis Eller, the Monads, Creech Holler, William Elliott Whitmore, The Bad Faith Compromise, even Th'Legendary Shack*Shakers, and many others. Fans are growing in large numbers around the world, breathing new life into the Americana sound.[1]

Gothic Americana bands generally include instruments such as the Banjo, electric and acoustic guitars, up-right basses and/or electric basses, mandolins, steel guitars or dobros, organs, keyboards, washboards, and drums.