Shinyribs

Shinyribs is a 9-piece swamp funk / Southern soul band from Austin, Texas.

History
Shinyribs began in 2007 as a solo side project of singer/guitar player Kevin Russell, then of longtime Austin band The Gourds. At first "Shinyribs" referred to Russell personally in connection with his solo shows, but Russell later performed under the name "Shinyribs" in a band with other musicians, such as Gourds bandmate, drummer Keith Langford. "Shinyribs" then transitioned to be the name of the band as well. The name derives from something called out to Russell by a transient woman to whom he had previously given a plate of ribs.

After the Gourds went on hiatus in 2013, Shinyribs became Russell's and Langford's primary vehicle. By 2016, Shinyribs included bass guitar, keyboard, horns (Tijuana TrainWreck Horns), and backing singers (Shiny Soul Sisters).

Shinyribs' sound is a combination of many styles and influences. Russell calls it "country-soul" and "swamp-funk." The ultimate decisions on Shinyribs' musical direction are based on Russell's vision for the band. Live performances generally feature Russell dancing on stage or in a conga line extending through the venue.

"'Shinyribs is flamboyant and has completely no rules.... He’s free and is dancing like no one’s watching. He’s all about love and having fun and celebrating life.'"

In addition to playing its original music, Shinyribs covers songs like "Waterfalls" (TLC), "Pony" (Ginuwine), "Buy U a Drank" (T-Pain), "All About That Bass" (Meghan Trainor), "Golden Years" (David Bowie), "I Gave Up All I Had and Sorry You're Sick" (Ted Hawkins), "Me and Paul" (Willie Nelson), "Hey Pocky A-Way" (The Meters), "The Wind Cries Mary" (Jimi Hendrix), "Heart of Stone" (The Rolling Stones), "No Diggity" (Blackstreet), and "Baby Don't You Do It" (Marvin Gaye/The Band).

Shinyribs' Kevin Russell produced Cold and Bitter Tears: The Songs of Ted Hawkins with Jenni Finlay and Brian T. Atkinson for Austin-based label Eight 30 Records. The album features Shinyribs ("Who Got My Natural Comb"), James McMurtry ("Big Things"), Kasey Chambers (the title track), and Mary Gauthier ("Sorry You're Sick").

Members

 * Kevin Russell - lead vocals, guitar, ukulele, mandolin
 * Keith Langford - drums, percussion
 * Mason Hankamer - bass guitar, upright bass, tuba
 * Daniel "Tiger" Anaya - trumpet
 * Mark Wilson - tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, flute
 * Eric Baker - keyboards
 * Marty Muse - pedal steel, lap steel, dobro, bongos
 * Kellee Fuller - backing vocals, percussion
 * Mars Wright - backing vocals, percussion

Former members

 * Alice Spencer - backing vocals, percussion
 * Kelley Mickwee - backing vocals, percussion
 * Winfield Cheek - keyboards
 * Jeff Brown - bass guitar
 * Danny Levin - violin
 * Jay Stiles - keyboards, melodica
 * Courtney Santana - backing vocals
 * Sally Allen - backing vocals
 * Mike Stewart - bass guitar, "skwanga"

Shinyribs

 * Well After Awhile – 2010
 * Gulf Coast Museum – 2013
 * Okra Candy – 2015
 * I Got Your Medicine – 2017
 * The Kringle Tingle – 2018
 * Goin' Home B/W He Said If I Be Lifted Up (Need To Know) – 2019
 * Fog & Bling – 2019
 * Late Night TV Gold – 2021
 * Transit Damage – 2023

Compilations

 * Shinyribs: "Dollar Bill Blues", More Townes Van Zant by the Great Unknown – 2010
 * Kevin Russell: "All the Time", While No One Was Looking: Toasting 20 Years of Bloodshot Records – 2014
 * Shinyribs: "Bolshevik Sugarcane", Austin Music Vol. 13 – 2014
 * Shinyribs: "Song of Lime Juice and Despair", Texas Music Scene: Live, Vol. 1 – 2015
 * Shinyribs: "Who Got My Natural Comb", Cold and Bitter Tears: The Songs of Ted Hawkins – 2015

Television
Shinyribs provided the theme song, "Our Game", for Lone Star Law, a series about game wardens within the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, which premiered on Animal Planet on June 2, 2016.