Midland (band)

Midland is an American country music group formed in 2016 in Dripping Springs, Texas. The band members are Mark Wystrach (lead vocals, guitar), Jess Carson (guitar, vocals), and Cameron Duddy (bass guitar, vocals). Through Big Machine Records, the band has released a self-titled EP and two studio albums, On the Rocks and Let It Roll, which have accounted for four charted singles on the Billboard country music charts: "Drinkin' Problem", "Make a Little", "Burn Out", and "Mr. Lonely". Midland's musical styles are defined by country rock and neotraditional country influences.

Midland
Midland at the New York State Fair in 2019
Background information
OriginDripping Springs, Texas, U.S.
Genres
Years active2016–present
LabelsBig Machine
Websitemidlandofficial.com
Members

History
Mark Wystrach performing at the 2018 99.9 KISS Country Cook Off.

Named after the Dwight Yoakam song "Fair to Midland", the band was founded in Dripping Springs, Texas. The trio met separately around Los Angeles, where Jess Carson and Cameron Duddy had formed an earlier band. Duddy and Mark Wystrach met and formed a band after Carson left L.A. and moved to Texas, but the trio met up in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, for Duddy’s wedding in August 2013. Both Wystrach and Carson acted as groomsmen.[3] As Duddy recalls the story, Carson and Wystrach arrived in Jackson Hole for the wedding a week early. After playing songs together on the front porch of Carson’s cabin, they decided to form the band. After Duddy's honeymoon, they went to the Sonic Ranch in El Paso, TX; as stated by Wystrach, "when we went to the Sonic Ranch, we became a band. We walked away believing in what had happened". The band rebased in Texas.[4][5]

Mark Wystrach grew up surrounded by music as his parents were both fans of live music. His father was an immigrant living in Los Angeles. His mother grew up on a ranch near Tucson, Arizona. His parents owned a live honky-tonk country music venue. Wystrach is also an actor and model.[3][6]

Jess Carson

Jess Carson grew up on a farm in Oregon, where the main genre was country music. His sister and his father were both musicians, so after some years, he started to play guitar. Carson is also a songwriter.[7][6]

Cameron Duddy

Cameron Duddy started playing music after a difficult situation in his family; he found that music helped to lessen the tension, saying, " Sometimes you don't get to talk about all the things that you maybe want to talk about and the ice breaker started to be music." He got his first guitar from his father, which he says "helped me find my identity."[6]

Duddy is also a music video director and he won an MTV Video Music Award for the video "Locked Out of Heaven" by Bruno Mars.[8]

Midland's first song, "Fourteen Gears", was released "around 2015. The song, according to Duddy, "was another one of the early moments that defined and solidified the band".[9][10]

2016–present: Midland EP, On the Rocks, and Let It Roll

On March 9, 2016, the trio signed to Big Machine Records and released the Midland EP featuring a debut single, "Drinkin' Problem", which has charted on Billboard's Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay. The band wrote the song with Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne, the former of whom also produced it.[11] Duddy directed the song's music video.[12] Their debut album On the Rocks was released in September 22, 2017, produced by Dann Huff, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne. Midland released "Make a Little" as the second single.[13] "Burn Out" was the third single, it was released in late 2018.[14]

Midland was nominated for two Grammy Awards in 2018: Grammy Award for Best Country Song and Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance, both for "Drinkin’ Problem".[15] Midland released the single "Mr. Lonely" in February 2019 as the leadoff single to a second album.[16] Midland released "Cheatin' Songs" in February of 2020 as the second single to the album. The album, Let It Roll, was released on August 23, 2019.[17] The band began a tour in June to support the album.[18]

Style and influences

Rolling Stone said that "the Texas-based band blend their voices to produce country music that recalls a mix of George Strait, Urban Cowboy and Seventies yacht rock." Billboard describes the band's sound as "a definite George Strait '80s New Traditionalist feel to it, combined with the rich California harmonies that made The Eagles legendary."[1] The band is also known for its dressing style, similar to the original Nudie Suits.[19] Vogue called Midland heartthrobs and fashion risk takers."[20]

Discography

Studio albums
Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
US
[21]		 US Country
[22]		 AUS
[23]		 CAN
[24][25]		 UK
[26]
On the Rocks 20 2 — 45 —
Let It Roll
  • Release date: August 23, 2019
  • Label: Big Machine
 16 1 72 37 75
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Live albums
Title Album details Sales
Live from the Palomino[29]
  • Release date: February 28, 2020
  • Label: Big Machine

Extended plays
Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
US
Heat
[30]
Midland
  • Release date: October 28, 2016
  • Label: Big Machine
 18

Singles
Year Title Peak positions Sales Certifications Album
US
[32]		 US
Country
[33]		 US
Country
Airplay
[34]		 CAN
[35]		 CAN
Country
[36]
2017 "Drinkin' Problem" 4543981 On the Rocks
"Make a Little" —[upper-alpha 1]2315—12
2018 "Burn Out" 63113—29
2019 "Mr. Lonely" —3123—32 Let It Roll
2020 "Cheatin' Songs" —4532——

Notes

  1. "Make a Little" did not enter the Hot 100, but peaked at number 21 on Bubbling Under Hot 100, which acts as a 25-song extension of the Hot 100.[39]

Music videos
Year Video Director
2017 "Drinkin' Problem"[12] Cameron Duddy
"Make a Little"[41]
2018 "Burn Out"[42] TK McKamy
2019 "Mr. Lonely"[43] Cameron Duddy

Other appearances
Year Song Artist Album
2019 "Boot Scootin' Boogie" Brooks & Dunn Reboot[44]

Awards and nominations
YearAwardCategoryRecipient/WorkResultRef
2017CMT Music AwardsGroup Video of the Year"Drinkin’ Problem"Nominated[45][46]
2018Grammy AwardsBest Country Duo/Group PerformanceNominated[15]
2018Best Country SongNominated[15]
2018 ACM Awards New Vocal Duo or Group of the YearMidlandWon[47]
Vocal Group of the YearMidlandNominated
Single Record of the Year"Drinkin' Problem"Nominated
2019CMT Music AwardsGroup Video of the Year"Burn Out"Nominated[48]

References
  1. Dauphin, Chuck (October 27, 2016). "Meet Midland, a Country Trio to Watch From Taylor Swift's Record Label: Exclusive Video". Billboard. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
  2. "Midland: 5 Things to Know About the Texas Country Trio". PEOPLE.com. February 23, 2017. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
  3. Kimble, Lindsay (February 23, 2017). "Meet Midland: Five Things to Know About the Texas Country Trio". People. Retrieved May 14, 2017.
  4. "Meet Midland, a Country Trio to Watch from Taylor Swift's Record Label: Exclusive Video". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-01-17.
  5. "Country trio Midland 'went all in' and came out on top with debut album 'On the Rocks'". Los Angeles Times. 2017-09-26. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2018-01-17.
  6. "Who's New: Midland". Nash Country Daily. 2017-02-20. Retrieved 2018-01-17.
  7. Alpert, Matt. "Band to Watch: Midland, A New Country Trio from Texas". Wide Open Country. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  8. Blumm, K.C. (September 5, 2013). "Cameron Duddy Marries Harper Smith". People. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  9. アマルメンドアルタンホヤグ (2015-03-25), Midland - Fourteen Gears, retrieved 2018-01-18
  10. "Q&A with MIDLAND – Coming To A Honky-Tonk Near You! | All Access Music". music.allaccess.com. Retrieved 2018-01-18.
  11. McKenna, Britney (October 26, 2016). "Song Premiere: Midland, "Drinkin' Problem"". American Songwriter. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  12. Konicki, Lisa (February 24, 2017). "Country's Hippest New Trio, Midland, Reveals Lawbreaking New Video for "Drinkin' Problem"". Nash Country Daily. Archived from the original on 13 April 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  13. "Midland Taps into 80s Country Gold with 'Make A Little'". Wide Open country. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  14. Houghton, Cillea. "Midland's 'Burn Out' is a Prequel to 'Drinkin' Problem'". Taste of Country.
  15. "Grammys 2018: See the Complete List of Nominees". Billboard. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  16. Moss, Marissa R.; Moss, Marissa R. (March 29, 2019). "Midland Play the Lothario in Mischievous New Song 'Mr. Lonely'".
  17. Liptak, Carena. "Midland's Sophomore Album Is Coming This Summer!". The Boot.
  18. Carena Liptak (August 20, 2019). "Everything we know about Midland's new album, Let It Roll". The Boot. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  19. "CMT Awards 2017: 10 Best and Worst Moments". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2018-01-17.
  20. Allaire, Christian (2018-01-28). "Midland Does High-Fashion Country at the Grammy Awards". Vogue.com. Retrieved 2020-04-04.
  21. "Midland > Chart History > Billboard 200". Billboard.
  22. "Midland > Chart History > Top Country Albums". Billboard.
  23. "ARIA Chart Watch #540". auspOp. August 31, 2019. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
  24. "Billboard Canadian Albums". Billboard. October 14, 2017.
  25. "Billboard Canadian Albums". Billboard. September 7, 2019.
  26. "Midland | full Official Chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
  27. Bjorke, Matt (March 5, 2019). "Top 10 Country Albums: March 5, 2019". Roughstock. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
  28. Bjorke, Matt (March 10, 2020). "Top 10 Country Albums Pure Sales Chart: March 9, 2020". RoughStock. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  29. Ellwood-Hughes, Pip. "Midland release Live from the Palomino album". Entertainment Focus.
  30. "Midland – Chart history (Top Heatseekers)". Billboard.com.
  31. Bjorke, Matt (August 29, 2017). "Top 10 Country Albums Chart: August 28, 2017". Roughstock.com.
  32. "Billboard Hot 100 results for Midland". Billboard. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  33. "Midland – Chart history (Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  34. "Midland – Chart history (Country Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  35. "Midland – Chart history Canadian Hot 100". Billboard.
  36. "Canada Country results for Midland". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  37. Bjorke, Matt (March 9, 2019). "Top 30 Digital Country Tracks: March 11, 2019". Roughstock. Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
  38. "American single certifications – Midland – Drinkin' Problem". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  39. "Bubbling Under Hot 100 peaks". Billboard. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  40. "American single certifications – Midland – Burn Out". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  41. "'Make a Little' music video". CMT. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  42. "Midland – 'Burn Out'". CMT. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  43. "Dennis Quaid Plays 'Mr. Lonely' in Midland's New Music Video". Taste of Country. April 30, 2019. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  44. "Reboot". AllMusic. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  45. "CMT Music Awards 2017 Nominees Announced". Us Weekly. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  46. "CMT Music Awards 2017: Complete list of winners". Global News. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  47. "Lauren Alaina, Brett Young and Midland named early winners at the ACM Awards". Tennessean. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  48. Freeman, Jon (6 June 2019). "2019 CMT Music Awards: The Complete Winners List". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
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