The Calf Branders: News

Tony is now the new lead guitarist for the Denver based Hard Country band the Railbenders! Congrats Tony!

The Calf Branders, started in 1989, and reformed from 2004 to 2007, decided that it was just too difficult to arrange schedules and play enough to do the music justice. Having 4, 40 something members with High School kids and families to feed was top priority and we just could not dedicate the time to both the band and our loved ones.

Thanks to all that came out and supported us at the Skylark. We finally figured out how to make our PA work and we had an excellent time. We look forward to playing there again on March 23rd!

Thanks everyone for coming out and supporting us, Marty Jones, Mr. Bingham and BuckWild. We had a GREAT time playing for y'all!

Check out the December issue of Music Buzz magazine for an article about Big Hank and his slap bass, (and his influence on other standup players in Denver).

Thanks for all you fans that stayed right up to the end at the Skylark last friday. It is great to meet such nice new fans as well! Us country boys ain't used to such accolades, as most of our fans in Fondis can't clap or stomp or even yell as they ain't even human!? (Swishing of tails is about all we usually get).

We learned some Rockabilly from some friends like Johhny Burnette, Billy Lee Riley and the Hillbilly Hellcats that we hope you like - (at least you seemed to like it when we played it at the Skylark).

Anyway, thanks for the support - it really helps to keep us excited on our long drive from Fondis to Denver.

Big Hank has set up his own personal webpage at www.myspace/lancebakemeyer. Check it out to here some original compositions that may someday be Calf Branders new material!

A Big Country thanks to the mighty 18 Wheeler for having us open for them at the Skylark Lounge! We learned some new rockabilly licks from these fabulous rockabilly rebels.

(We also learned that if you rock hard enough, you can get women to take off their clothes!?) We're going to have to try that!

The Calf Branders had the good fortune to play once again for the Comcast Tailgate Party before the Bronco game.
Unfortunetly, it appears that the Broncos may have had too much beer and brats and they lost the game. We had a good time tho~

Thanks to all you new Calf Branders fans that came out and supported us!

Brrrrrr! We nearly froze our branding irons off in the steady frigid drizzle last Sunday, outside Invesco Field. But the Hooters girls, the great bartenders and staff at Comcast made us feel all warm and fuzzy! We're sure that our music was the inspiration for the Broncos win over the Ravens.
-Tony

Many thanks to everybody who made it out to May Farms last Friday. We had a blast at this new and very nice venue. We got to see the legendary Jake Jabs sing a few karaoke numbers! We also had a surprise guest vocalist, Maxine, who came up and sang a killer version of Stormy Monday with us! It was great to see some familiar faces who made the big drive out from Denver. Thanks again!
-Tony

The Calf Branders have finally found the venue that understands us. A jukebox like the one in Fondis, black and white photo's of all the stars we are familiar with a good dance floor and a great bartender. (Pinup artist Gary Lee). We had a GREAT time playing this newly remodeled live music venue, and hope to have new dates there soon!

Thanks to all you new fans that stayed to help us load out for the long trip home - Big Hank

The Calf Branders song, Roadkill Cafe' (that the Hillbilly Hellcats covered) was on the CBS show Wife Swap, during the meal preparation segment of the show. Because we don't have TV where we live, perhaps someone could tell us what the show is about? It aired on 10/17/2005, and paid us enough to have a really nice steak dinner. (Not the Roadkill Cafe' kind). - Big Hank

Thank you to all fans that came out to the Coyote Creek Concert last night. We had a great time and really enjoyed all the support.

The Railbenders, of course put on a great show and Tony sounds great with them.

Thanks again - the Calf Branders

Thanks to all the ropers that attended the 2nd annual Fondis invitaional roping. Over $250,000 in cash and prizes were awarded. A High Plains rider article will soon follow!

Thanks to all fans (new and not so new) for your support at the Peoples Fair. We had a great time and we especially enjoyed the dancing acts that came out in full force for our set!

Big Hank

The Calf Branders have spent some time in the studio recently and have some rough mixes of some great songs for a new CD. We hope to have this complete by August 11th.

The Calf Branders played a great and packed show with the Railbenders and Buck Wild. Big Hank had not seen Buck for over 5 years and it was a great reunion. All three bands rocked the house. Thanks to all who came out and we hope to play with this line up again sometime.

Thanks to all our fans that came out on Sunday afternoon to support us as we played downtown for the big Cinco de Mayo festival. Thanks also to the Willie 92.5 FM girls that taught me that roping can be fun! - Big Hank

Special thanks to Luis Romero for making the huge job of running that stage look easy, the kind words and incredible enthusiasm! Also to Warren at 92.5 for letting the Branders get on the stage at all! And a huge thanks to Danny (fellow vintage bike nut) and Michael at Sound Advice for the best sound we've ever had!-Tony

The Calf Branders had a great time opening for the amazing Railbenders for Jim Dalton's 21st Birthday Bash. We also were impressed with those Green Day guys that came and played a set.

The Railbenders were of course great as usual, and played till the police came and shut Benders down - Wow!

Thanks a million to Jim, Graham and Tyson for letting me sit in with them yet again! Not only did I have a kick-ass time but got to play onstage with the great John Macy, (pedal steel guru extraordinaire) and the fabulous Johnny Hickman from Cracker! What a night.
-Tony