Buckstein Set to Release 'Country Side'

Colorado-based country singer Buckstein is embarking on his next chapter with his forthcoming EP, Country Side, which is scheduled for release on June 2, 2017 on Angry Duck Records. The 5-song recording-which includes four original tracks and one cover-was produced by Andy Rok (one of the founding members of The Flobots) and engineered at The Blasting Room in Ft. Collins, Colorado. With a "no-fear-of-the-edge" mentality that hooks the non-country-lovin' folk, coupled with traditional vibes that will bring to mind a modern-day John Wayne, Buckstein fights to create something electric that grabs you and makes you look up. He's a 6'4" bass-baritone powerhouse who once hit 200 million television sets worldwide as a contestant on "American Idol."

"There's a lot of heart in these five tunes," Buckstein says. "Making them has been a very valuable experience. It has shown me not only where I am but where I want to go from here." Buckstein's goal is to bring soul to everything he does. "What people seem to respond most to in my live performances is my passion, so I worked hard to bring that to the record." His sound commonly gets compared a lot to the great bass-baritones of his time: Trace Adkins, Toby Keith, Josh Turner, and Chris Young.

From the title track, which documents Buckstein's own experiences growing up, to the wink-wink, nudge-nudge humor of "10 at 2:00," he travels down familiar country music roads, but with his own unique stamp and his own personal twist on the journey. "I'll Make a Country Girl Outta You Yet" was born of a concept that Buckstein has become aware of since he started in the music business and really ties into the theme of the EP-that everyone has a country side. One track on the EP is a bold re-imagining of a song originally recorded by pop duo MKTO called "Bad Girls." Buckstein felt the original had very universal lyrics and he wanted to explore them in a country framework. "For me, a good song is a good song," he explains. "This song had a great groove. I respond well to groove. So I worked to bring new life to it."

He started singing at the age of 13 at summer camp, and his love of country music is thanks to his father, who played it all the time when he was young. However, the rest of his musical tastes fall outside of the expected box, running a gamut that includes blues, rock, rap, classics from the '50s, and whatever was on Top 40 radio at any given time.

Buckstein studied theater in college, earning his BA from California State University, Fullerton. Prior to "American Idol" he had moved to LA to pursue a career as an actor. "Big surprise, it wasn't going anywhere," he confides. "One day a few friends of mine went to the 'American Idol' auditions, which was the hottest show on TV at the time. They wanted some company so I went along. I got through and they didn't. It was 'Idol' that set me on a different path." After appearing on the finale of "American Idol" in Season 5, he returned to Denver with music on the brain.

He started singing with whomever would back him up, growing along the way, learning his craft, year after year, little by little, making friends, music, mistakes, and big moves, all leading him to today. Over the past few years Buckstein has traveled all over Colorado and the Midwest region performing for soon-to-be-lifelong fans. He has rocked crowds opening for Charlie Daniels, Dustin Lynch, Old Dominion, Eli Young, John Michael Montgomery, Mark Chesnutt, Vanilla Ice, and many, many others. He's gained local fame as a regular guest star on Denver's hottest country station 98.5 KYGO and also as the writer and performer of "The Grizzly Rose," a popular song about the famous Denver nightclub. Buckstein wrote the song about his personal experiences after his first week playing at the legendary venue. He also shot a video for the track.

Buckstein plans to tour in support of his new EP. Confirmed tour dates are listed below.

BUCKSTEIN TOUR SCHEDULE:

June 3 - Denver, CO / The Oriental Theater (album release show)

June 8 - Ft. Morgan, CO / Ft. Morgan Concert Series

June 10 - Parker, CO / Parker Days Festival

June 14 - Englewood, CO / Live at the Lake

June 15 - Highlands Ranch, CO / Highlands Ranch Summer Concert Series

June 16 - Craig, CO / Whittle The Wood

June 17 - Castle Pines, CO / Castle Pines Concert Series

June 23 - Littleton, CO / Arrowhead Shores

June 27 - Denver, CO / The Grizzly Rose

June 28 - Denver, CO / The Grizzly Rose

June 29 - Denver, CO / The Grizzly Rose

Jun 30 - Denver, CO / The Grizzly Rose

July 1 - Denver, CO / The Grizzly

July 2 - Denver, CO / The Grizzly Rose

July 4 - Winter Park, CO / Winter Park 4th of July

July 15 - Denver, CO / Stapleton Beer Festival

July 27 - Commerce City, CO / Commerce City Concert Series

July 28 - Burlington, CO / Kit Carson County Fair

July 29 - Denver, CO / Blake Street Tavern

July 29 - Aurora, CO / Arapahoe County Fair

August 12 - Denver, CO / Blake Street Tavern

August 12 - Golden, CO / Jefferson County Fair

August 26 - Castle Rock, CO / Food Truck Frenzy

September 9 - Evergreen, CO / Big Chili Cook-Off

...more dates to be announced soon!

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