Born and raised in North Carolina, the Tan and Sober Gentlemen began taking the
songs, stories, and tunes that make up their beloved state’s musical tradition before
they could talk. The music of the Carolinas, (and Appalachia in general) stems from the
marriage of the Irish fiddle and the African banjo, which first met in the American South
before the Revolution. The Tan and Sober Gentlemen aim to bring these traditions full
circle. They play Irish tunes, ballads, and pub songs right next to the Appalachian fiddle
tunes of their youth, melding the two into what they call “Irish-American hillbilly music.”
Meanwhile, they have earned a reputation as one of the South’s hardest-hitting live
acts, playing at blazing tempos, and putting every last bit of energy they possess into
the show. The result is a raucous celebration of the Carolinas’ Irish heritage, with
drinking, dancing, and merriment galore.
Since their formation in 2017, the six-piece band has toured the US and Ireland,
headlining legendary Irish clubs such as Whelan's and the Roisin Dubh. Stateside, their
resume includes festivals such as Bristol Rhythm and Roots, Appaloosa Festival, Tartan
Day South, and Shakori Hills. In January of 2023, in their home of Alamance County,
they sold 683 tickets to their show at the Haw River Ballroom. They released their
sophomore record, Regressive Folk Music, in June 2022, and their debut record,
Veracity, was named by Shite'n'Onions as one of the five best Celtic punk records of
2019 and 2020.