The Buckleys reinvent country music in Music City

Thursday night Nashville’s Winners, hosted their annual Whiskey Jam, featuring up and coming artists from all over the place. This included Australian hippy-country trio, The Buckleys, who started their careers busking and performing at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. Splitting their time between home and Music City, this band of siblings is committed to bringing something fresh to country music. Inspired by musical giants like Fleetwood Mac, Queen, The Eagles, and Debby Harry, they’ve reimagined country by blending genres to create their own authentic sound. I had the opportunity to get to know the band a little bit before the show, and it’s not particularly usual for me to get excited about yet another emerging country artist. Something was different about The Buckleys though, and I knew Whiskey Jam’s rowdy crowd was about to get knocked back in its boots a bit.  

I settled into one of the few nooks in the crowd with a tiny window onto the stage just in time for them to close out the show. Being the last set, all eyes were eagerly focused on the stage, and we barely had the chance to blink before the band wound up and started off with a song from their 2020 album, Daydream, called “Crazy Like You”. Sarah, band frontrunner, captivated the audience with her soulful voice and glimmering leather jacket, belting out a rock and roll heavy powerhouse of a song.

Not a single beat was missed or taken for granted, the bass and electric guitar radiated through the bar, shaking the walls and getting feet stomping.

The Buckleys came out with a bang, and I was certain they’d be carrying the same energy throughout the rest of their performance.

Sarah took a moment to introduce her bandmates and siblings. Lachlan toted a double neck guitar while their other sister Molly switched between mandolin and piano and Sarah handled the vocals and bass. Before we knew it, they were debuting a new hit from their latest EP, Take It As It Comes, titled “Oops I Love You”. It introduces more of a pop groove in comparison to their previous work but still stuck to their familiar down-home roots. There’s an obvious period of maturity that occurred between their first album and the latest release and it seems they’re beginning to sing about more vulnerable topics. Alternating between breathy high notes and forceful coos, Sarah charmed the stage with Lachlan and Molly jamming by her side. 

Before concluding the show, The Buckleys took their time thanking the audience and announcing their final track. They chose “Take It As It Comes,” and I don’t think there could’ve been a better song to close out Whiskey Jam for the night. What started as an unassuming ballad quickly burst into a feel-good anthem that encouraged listeners to take life day by day. The atmosphere oozed with a hopeful energy as everyone came together for a moment to watch as a band of siblings turned one of their latest songs into a catchy classic. 

Their set ended as abruptly as it started, and it took me a second to gather my thoughts and realize the music was over. Growing up in a city like Nashville, I know that new artists and aspiring bands aren’t hard to come by, and it’s not uncommon that these hopeful musicians get lost in the mix. I don’t think that’s going to happen with The Buckleys. Whether it’s because they’re bound by blood or united in musical tastes and respects, they offer something unique and honest to the country music world that I think Nashville has been missing for a long time. 

Photography by: Stephanie Swart

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