With The Irregulars in the hamlet of Commanda, Ontario, Canada

Pictures by Rose Perry-McClelland.

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”.

My musical aspirations are grandiose and one day maybe my talent will live up to that. I'm an amateur song writer with dreams of composing over the top progressive rock and metal opuses but for now I'm noodling on my bass. 

Joe Fournier simply plays American roots music - country soul, folk, rockabilly and blues - with stories that will make you laugh, cry and cringe, sometimes all in the same verse. He has a genuine eye for detail and storytelling that doesn’t get in the way of a decent riff ... like a slap in the face with a rolled up copy of ‘No Depression’. 

The Tex-Styles is following