The Tex-Styles performing Misery Train, live at The Cameron House Tavern.
Matt Allen: Guitar, Vocals
Jeff Dunk: Bass, B/U Vocals
Sean Welsh: Drums

Tex-Styles Cameron House

The Tex-Styles Misery Train

The Tex-Styles performing The Devil's Backbone, live at the Cameron House Tavern.
Matt Allen: Guitar, Vocals
Jeff Dunk: Bass, B/U Vocals
Sean Welsh: Drums

The Tex-Styles The Devils Backbone

The Tex-Styles performing Blank Check For Love, live at the Cameron House Tavern.
Matt Allen: Guitar, Vocals
Jeff Dunk: Bass, B/U Vocals
Sean Welsh: Drums

The Tex-Styles Blank Check For Love

The Tex-Styles performing Lone Star Girl, live at the Cameron House Tavern.
Matt Allen: Guitar, Vocals
Jeff Dunk: Bass, B/U Vocals
Sean Welsh: Drums

The Tex-Styles Lone Star Girl

The Tex-Styles performing Little Redhead, live at the Cameron House Tavern.
Matt Allen: Guitar, Vocals
Jeff Dunk: Bass, B/U Vocals
Sean Welsh: Drums

The Tex-Stlyes Little Redhead

The Tex-Styles 

Formed in Toronto in 1986, The Tex-Styles began after like-minded country and roots music fans Matt Allen and Ryan Wilson met while attending Saturday matinee Melody Ranch shows at the Brunswick House. Matt had played with several bands prior to this time, and Ryan had sang with a Grammy award-winning boys choir while in grade school in his native Fort Worth, Texas. Fuelled by a desire to form a band (as well as many beers), the two decided to join forces and began appearing in regular guest spots with Melody Ranch. It was through the mentorship of various Melody Ranch members that the pair gained enough confidence and experience to start writing original material and recruit additional band mates, eventually become a hard hitting honky-tonk sextet.

Live shows soon followed, with the group appearing regularly at clubs throughout the GTA and sharing stages with artists such as Gordie Johnson, Danny Marks, Jack DeKeyzer, and The Razorbacks. Another early stand-out appearance was an opening slot with Canadian legend Ian Tyson at Toronto’s Diamond Club.  Several original songs were eventually recorded under the guidance of both Danny Marks and Chris Whiteley (both Melody Ranch alumni), and enjoyed regular airplay on college stations CIUT and CKLN.  The band also appeared on City TV’s “Toronto Rocks” and MuchMusic’s “Outlaws & Heroes”.