The tale of the Blue Dogs begins in South Carolina, where two lifelong friends formed a band that is now revered for their feel-good original songs, upbeat shows, and an effortless blend of rock, pop and country. That story continues with Big Dreamers, their long-awaited first album in 16 years. Produced by accomplished guitarist Sadler Vaden, who’s been a fan of their music since he was a teenager, the collection solidifies the Blue Dogs as one of the state’s most beloved and enduring bands.  Founded in 1987 and based in Charleston, the group is still led by songwriters Hank Futch (bass) and Bobby Houck (lead singer, acoustic guitar), who grew up together in Florence, South Carolina. For this project they were joined in the studio by guitarist Dan Hood, steel guitar player Charlie Thompson, and longtime drummer Greg Walker. Meanwhile, former member Phillip Lammonds co-wrote three of the new songs, making Big Dreamers feel like a full circle moment.  “We’re doing this to follow that dream of playing music and sharing our sound with whoever wants to listen,” Futch says. “We’ve probably been Americana before that became a term. But we didn’t feel like we had to be anything other than ourselves to write these songs.”