Several months ago, the band Arkansauce debuted in Springfield, Missouri, at the popular Regency music venue downtown. Bluesy with a touch of country and a shining glare for bluegrass, the band was the perfect combination. Think Cross Canadian Ragweed meets Nitty Gritty Dirt Band with a topping of Billy Joel. Each band member’s contribution was necessary, and while each was an individual treat, the harmony, both instrumentally and vocally, was stunning. And while seating was available at The Regency, most chose to throw all caution to the wind, letting their bodies move to the catchy beat of the bass, guitar, mandolin, and banjo onstage.
The band hails from northwest Arkansas, the Fayetteville area, where Arkansauce has been making waves in their homeland for over ten years. Band members include Tom Anderson, who plays bass; Zac Archuleta on guitar; Ethan Bush, on mandolin; and Adams Collins, who rocks the banjo.
Bush and Archuleta grew up together and reconnected in Fayetteville, Arkansas, briefly sharing a living space and playing music locally. They always knew their love and evident talent for bluegrass music would become something more. Anderson moved to Arkansas in 2005. He formerly worked at the Iowa Bluegrass Music Store, where he sold Bush a mandolin and Collins a banjo. Anderson later met with the band's three members at the famous Oklahoma Riverstomp. The band’s regular bass player did not show up for the performance, so with no rehearsals or prior stage presence with the band, they invited Anderson onstage….and never looked back. He was inducted as the fourth member into what would become a bluegrass sensation.
Wanting something catchy to tie in the band’s roots and their love for Arkansas, Arkansauce was born. The name has opened many doors for the band. Not only have they received University of Arkansas-inspired hog calls at concerts, but they have been known to see local Arkansas guests at their performances to support artists from their home state. That support and encouragement propelled the band to their current success. Their roots are never far away, whether on the road touring, playing in their local backyard, or ‘across the pond,’ sharing their talent with the many European fans following the four rising stars in the bluegrass world.
“We all have distinctive sounds, and each comes from different backgrounds musically and genre-wise. While we currently boast a bluegrass sound, it is ingrained in the DNA of classic rock, metal, jazz, and even classical music to create the unique sound we have arrived at today,” says Adams Collins.
Anderson's influences were bands with a traditional bluegrass flare, such as Yonder Mountain and Old Crow. Collins graduated from university with a jazz degree. Archuleta and Anderson shared that they both played in heavy metal bands back in the day. The Beatles were an all-around inspiration. When asked about the cover of Bill Joel’s classic hit, “You May Be Right,” which they played as an encore at The Regency, the members agreed this is a favorite go-to cover song, which they jokingly refer to as Hillbilly Joel. They rotate several covers and crowd-pleasers to draw in new fans unfamiliar with their music. They ingeniously produced their version as a single in their unique rockin’ bluegrass style.
The band tours in their faithful Sprinter van but cut back on touring in 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic. As of 2024, they mainly tackle weekend performances, typically leaving on a Wednesday or Thursday and returning on Sunday or Monday. This summer, however, Arkansauce planned a longer-than-typical tour that whisked them to NW Bellingham, Washington. They invested more travel time in the breathtaking Western landscape.
Collins said, “We want this genre of music to reach record heights, be the last man standing, so to say. We want to go the distance as a band with the same product and energy as we continue to tour, produce, and perform. We are here for the long haul.”
Archuleta added, “It is helpful with a booking agency because we know our schedule months in advance. It takes the pressure off, and we can concentrate on our true love of writing music and the thrill of performing.”
This high-flying band combining many genres into one musically packed punch has produced five albums and a handful of singles. Albums are All Day Long, made in 2015; Hambone, 2016; If I Were You, 2017; Maybe Someday, 2019; Okay to Wonder, 2023. The single “Time, Tears and Money,” from the fourth Album, Maybe Someday, was made into a music video. The members spent all day shooting at various venues around Fayetteville, Arkansas and recruited children to reenact mischievous (and unlawful) displays such as toilet-papering a house, shoplifting a knife, and other outlandish exploits that mimicked the lyrics of this fast-paced, catchy, toe-tapping song. The members collectively joked that when the video commenced, they wondered if they had turned these innocent young children into career criminals.
A band highlight was in late August 2023 when Luna Del Ray (American singer-songwriter) was scheduled to play at the Walmart Amphitheater in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Two days before her legendary live performance, the concert star requested a local bluegrass band to open the show. Arkansauce was touring in Colorado then, but they “hauled ass” from the rugged Rockies to the Ozark hills to play at the largest show in the history of the band. On the way, their typically faithful Sprinter van malfunctioned, leaving them stranded for six hours, but they made it to perform before 11,000 fans in Arkansas.
Collins said tenacity and conviction are the two successful elements the emerging generation of aspiring artists will need. “Continue to work hard and improve every day. Always strive for sincerity and be true to yourself, including your thoughts and beliefs.”
Archuleta added: “Write original music, invest in quality recording, and have something solid out there for producers to listen to. Good quality music goes a long way.”
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