The White Buffalo (musician)
The White Buffalo | |
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Jake Smith at the Azkena Rock Festival in Vitoria-Gasteiz in 2015 | |
Background information | |
Origin | Los Angeles, California, United States |
Genres | Americana |
Years active | 2002 | –present
Labels | Unison Music |
Website |
thewhitebuffalo |
Members | Jake Smith |
The White Buffalo is the professional moniker and stage name of American musician and singer/songwriter Jake Smith.[1][2]
Background
The White Buffalo's first full-length album, Hogtied Like a Rodeo, debuted in 2002, followed by The White Buffalo EP, produced by Eels' Koool G Murder, which Smith states is about "relationships, love, loss and booze with a little murder mixed in." In a friend's living room in 2008, he re-recorded the first album, dubbing it Hogtied Revisited.
When a bootleg tape of Smith's music made it into the hands of pro surfer Chris Malloy, one of his songs, "Wrong," was featured in his popular surf movie, Shelter. This eventually led to further film scoring and composing work, with three of his songs featured in FX's hit show Sons of Anarchy and Showtime's Californication.
In 2010, a second EP, Prepare for Black and Blue,[3] was recorded in six days by producer Jimmy Messer and released through Chad Stokes' Ruffshod imprint via Nettwerk Records earlier that year. The music and the artist captured the attention of Unison Music's Bruce Witkin and Ryan Dorn, who then signed The White Buffalo and co-produced Once Upon a Time in the West.[4][5]
In 2013, a fourth LP, Shadows, Greys, and Evil Ways,[6] was released on Unison Music Group. The LP saw positive reviews including NY1 which stated, "Not since Neil Young's Living With War has there been so strong an artistic statement about this country's occupations."[7]
Touring
Over the past few years White Buffalo has played shows both nationally and internationally with acts like Ryan Bingham, Donavan Frankenreiter, Gomez, Xavier Rudd, State Radio, Jack Johnson, Ziggy Marley, and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, among many others.
Notoriety
The White Buffalo was named as one of twelve artists to watch in NPR's 2012 Winter Music Preview.[8]
The White Buffalo's Digital EP, Lost And Found, released 12/6, featuring "Wish It Was True"[9] as heard on Sons of Anarchy (Season 3), was named Billboard Folk Chart "HOT SHOT DEBUT". "House of the Rising Sun" with The Forest Rangers was also featured on Season 4 of Sons of Anarchy.[10]
The White Buffalo performed at the 2011 Bonnaroo Festival and performed on The Living Room Sessions in December 2011.
In August 2014, The White Buffalo performed their songs "This Year" and "The Whistler" on Jimmy Kimmel.[11]
Sons of Anarchy
Jake Smith, from The White Buffalo, sang on the song, "Come Join The Murder", performed by The Forest Rangers and written by Sons of Anarchy creator and executive producer, Kurt Sutter.[12] Other songs from The White Buffalo which appeared on Sons of Anarchy include "Matador", "Damned", "Wish It Was True", "House of The Rising Sun (Cover)", "The Whistler", "Set My Body Free", "Sweet Hereafter", "Oh Darling, what have I done" and "Bohemian Rhapsody (Cover)".[13]
Ernie Ball presents Capturing The White Buffalo
In June 2015, Ernie Ball introduced a ten part docuseries entitled "Ernie Ball presents Capturing The White Buffalo: The Recording of an American Songwriter",[14] which followed Jake as he recorded his album, Love and the Death of Damnation. The series sought to show the audience Jake's process "from inspiration, to writing, fine-tuning, recording, and mixing, to rehearsing and performing live", so they could "experience the trials and tribulations of a modern day troubadour".[15] Initially releasing the teaser trailer[16] on May 18, 2015. The first episode[17] premiered June 19, 2015 with each subsequent episode scheduled to release once per week each Friday leading up to the album's release on August 21, 2015.[18]
Discography
Full lengths
- Hogtied Like a Rodeo (independently released 2002)
- Hogtied Revisited (independently released 2008)
- Once Upon A Time in the West (Unison Music Group 2012)
- Shadows, Greys, and Evil Ways (Unison Music Group 2013)[1][19]
- Love & The Death of Damnation (Unison Music Group 2015)
Extended plays
- The White Buffalo (independently released 2002)
- Prepare for Black and Blue (Ruffshod/Nettwerk Records 2010)
- Lost and Found (Unison Music Group 2011)
Soundtracks
- Safe Haven (Relativity Music 2013)
- The Lone Ranger (Walt Disney Records 2013)
- West of Memphis (Legacy Recordings 2014)[20]
TV licensing
With the placement of "Wrong" in Chris Malloy's movie Shelter, White Buffalo has gained further film scoring and composing success with three of his songs featured in FX's hit show Sons of Anarchy[21] and Showtime's Californication, as well as commercials for Wal-Mart.
References
- 1 2 " The White Buffalo Shadows, Greys & Evil Ways" review by Thom Jurek, AllMusic
- ↑ Maine, David. "The White Buffalo: Shadows, Greys & Evil Ways". Pop Matters.
- ↑ "The White Buffalo Prepare For Black and Blue (Album Review)". Hear Ya.
- ↑ "quickcrit - music reviews: The White Buffalo - Once Upon a Time in the West (2012)". quickcritmusic.com.
- ↑ "KQED Public Media for Northern CA - KQED Arts". KQED Arts.
- ↑ "The White Buffalo Shadows, Greys And Evil Ways". American Songwriter.
- ↑ "The White Buffalo Makes His Late Night Debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Aug 26". Prelude Press.
- ↑ National Public Radio. 2012 Winter Music Preview. NPR.org, 2011.12.29. Date retrieved 2012.11.1.
- ↑ "The White Buffalo Performs "Wish It Was True" Acoustic for ARTISTdirect.com". ARTISTdirect.
- ↑ "Best of 2011 (Behind the Scenes): 'Sons of Anarchy' music supervisor Bob Thiele Jr. on season 4's greatest hits", 2011.11.18. Date retrieved 2012.11.9.
- ↑ "Watch The White Buffalo Roam Onto 'Jimmy Kimmel' & Perform Live". Billboard.
- ↑ "Hear the Dark Swan Song From the 'Sons of Anarchy' Finale". Rolling Stone.
- ↑ "Songs of Anarchy: Music from Sons of Anarchy Seasons 1–4". iTunes.
- ↑ Ernie Ball, Inc. "Ernie Ball presents Capturing the White Buffalo". ernieball.com.
- ↑ "Ernie Ball Offering an Exclusive Sneak Peak Behind the Scenes of White Buffalo's New Album". ultimate-guitar.com.
- ↑ Ernie Ball Presents Capturing the White Buffalo - The Recording of an American Songwriter - Trailer. YouTube. May 18, 2015.
- ↑ Ernie Ball Presents Capturing The White Buffalo - Episode 1: Inspiration. YouTube. June 19, 2015.
- ↑ "Exclusive Premiere: 'Capturing The White Buffalo: The Recording of an American Songwriter' Part One". CraveOnline.
- ↑ Marquee Magazine. "The White Buffalo Releases New Album ‘Shadows, Greys & Evil Ways,’ Collaborates with Oskar Blues for a New Brew and FBAG". marqueemag.com.
- ↑ "'West of Memphis' Soundtrack Includes Nick Cave, Bob Dylan, Patti Smith". Rolling Stone.
- ↑ Geller, Wendy. "Video Premiere for The White Buffalo’s ‘Sons Of Anarchy’ Tune". Rolling Stone.
External links
- "The White Buffalo Discography." The White Buffalo Discography. N.p., n.d. Web. November 9, 2012. <http://thewhitebuffalo.com/?page_id=12>.
- "The White Buffalo | Official Channel." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. November 9, 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/user/thewhitebuffalomusic?feature=results_main>.
- Album Stream: The White Buffalo – Shadows, Greys And Evil Ways :: Audio :: Paste