In the Fall of 1968, a young couple left a Conway Twitty concert in West Texas and, so inspired by the evening, they proceeded to engage in acts that thusly produced in nine months time a baby boy. Across the country in New York City, an Air Force drop out from Kentucky and a young writer from San Francisco became similarly involved. Thirty-something years later, the products of these encounters would meet by a small handmade cabin near Blanco, TX.  Encamped with a mandolin, guitar and seemingly bottomless supply of booze, they proceeded to lay the groundwork for what one day would become Mother Neff.

Bill Sneed of Abilene, TX had founded the prolific folk group The Kudzoo Brothers in Summit County, Colorado, where they opened for the likes of Peter Rowan and Sam Bush. Eventually, Texas called its son back home where he settled in Austin and co-founded the folk-grass collective Austin Family Jewels.

Prior to the meeting in Blanco, Pete Stiles had emigrated to Austin and spent the following decade as a musician on Bloodshot Records, playing hundreds of shows and releasing half a dozen recordings with his bandmates The Meat Purveyors and picking the telecaster across Texas with the likes of D.B. Harris, Ransom Tullis and The Danged. After a couple bluegrass-y incarnations Bill and Pete decided that they wanted to do something much louder and the search for a rhythm section commenced.

Multi-instrumentalist Grae Baker, a fixture in roots, groove, and indie bands in both Charlotte and Chapel Hill, N.C. and recent Austin transplant, had yet to be discovered by the music scene in Austin and was therefore quickly recruited to play bass, bringing a skill set that combines a musical education with a lust for pushing that shit aside and getting funky.

Zach LeBlanc arrived in Austin after category-5 Katrina knocked on his door in 2005, and in deference to friends and Texas BBQ, never returned.  As a native New Orleanian, he has drumming deep in his DNA and was, from birth, fed a steady diet of N.O. jazz and R&B. He has drummed in bands both punk and post-punk and it is rumored that he has never been fingered for dragging the tempo. Ever.

With this sundry collection of talents and experiences, Mother Neff sets out to explore the cosmic corners where Southern soul, Texas guitars and Louisiana rhythms can create a little star dust to sprinkle over your beautiful hearts. Please join us out there.