TwoGunHattie

They said they would never be in a band together but even as those words rolled off their tongues, Garry Moore and Amanda Graves knew it was the furthest thing from the truth. Fast forward 5 years later and Two Gun Hattie came out guns blazing, killing those “never be” intentions and creating those musical sparks they always knew would ignite if they joined forces.
Garry Moore, a St. Augustine, Florida native, started playing guitar at 14 years old, his guitar stuck to his side like glue. He studied Angus Young of AC/DC, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin and as his musical ability started to flourish, he dove into country, bluegrass and jazz from the likes of Jerry Reed, Chet Atkins and Buster B. Jones. From the word “GO” he knew that playing guitar was what he wanted to do with his life! Garry dropped out of high school at 17 to pursue a career in music. Playing anywhere and everywhere he could. At age 22 he gained a great deal of success, locally, in his home state of Florida with the Elwood St. John’s Band and opening for national acts like Kansas, Charlie Daniels Band, Confederate Railroad and Marshal Tucker Band. Elwood St.Johns ‘ very short, 4 year life cycle, now found Garry moving to Texas with a former bandmate, to find local success in Texas with The Double Zero Band. Then in 2009 he met Amanda Graves and the two started a friendship that quickly blossomed into romance.
Garry Moore, a St. Augustine, Florida native, started playing guitar at 14 years old, his guitar stuck to his side like glue. He studied Angus Young of AC/DC, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin and as his musical ability started to flourish, he dove into country, bluegrass and jazz from the likes of Jerry Reed, Chet Atkins and Buster B. Jones. From the word “GO” he knew that playing guitar was what he wanted to do with his life! Garry dropped out of high school at 17 to pursue a career in music. Playing anywhere and everywhere he could. At age 22 he gained a great deal of success, locally, in his home state of Florida with the Elwood St. John’s Band and opening for national acts like Kansas, Charlie Daniels Band, Confederate Railroad and Marshal Tucker Band. Elwood St.Johns ‘ very short, 4 year life cycle, now found Garry moving to Texas with a former bandmate, to find local success in Texas with The Double Zero Band. Then in 2009 he met Amanda Graves and the two started a friendship that quickly blossomed into romance.
Amanda Graves did not start her music career until later in her life. She grew up in Edgewood, TX, surrounded by music her entire life, but never took the stage herself. Her parents formed the Easy Feeling Band and played until Amanda was born and then her father was the lead singer of the Hooker Ridge Band most of her younger years. Even though she knew music was her calling, she focused instead on her successful golf career in high school and played golf on a scholarship to Arkansas State University. It wasn’t until she graduated from Texas A&M University at Commerce that she committed to pursuing her passion as a singer/songwriter. Along with Cari Smith, their band Shut Down Town recorded an album with Mike McClure and toured for 5 years, gaining a loyal fan base, mostly in Texas and Oklahoma. They shared stages with Mike McClure, Stoney LaRue, Micky and the Motorcars, Maren Morris, Aaron Watson and Blake Shelton. Amanda is known for her powerful, in your face, soulful voice and writing songs that express a different take on life. She takes influence from The Judds, Reba, Patty Griffin, Dixie Chicks and Heart along with Alice in Chains, Merle Haggard and Cross Canadian Ragweed.
Enter the year 2009. The Double Zero Band had just disbanded, after also recording an album with Mike McClure and Shut Down Town had decided to take a break after Amanda and Garry had their daughter, Hattie. This opportunity was too great for them to ignore and they jumped in guns blazing. “It just made sense,” says Amanda of the inevitable pairing. “I had never seen anyone play guitar like Garry and I knew that if we started a band, it would be something special.” They had always written songs together during their relationship so the material was there for them, as was the same chemistry they had in their personal relationship so the stage was set. The pair met Chris Rasco, a guitar player looking to play in a more country influenced band, through a mutual friend and he, in turn, introduced them to Jeff Gafford and Chris Gafford, a father/son bass and drum duo and Two Gun Hattie started firing away. They honed their act and song selection. A carefully chosen set list consisting of Fleetwood Mac and the Dixie Chicks to Susan Tedeschi and the Allman Brothers Band. It’s like a southern rock, honky tonk rambler meets an old west saloon girl type of vibe. Mixing that honky tonk sound of Waylon, Merle and Jerry Reed with the Southern Rock of Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Grunge influence of Alice in Chains and Stone Temple Pilots, with the vocal harmonies of the Eagles. Two Gun Hattie created their own lane musically and they will smack you in the face with a double barrel rock and roll, honky tonk number like their first single, “You’re All Mine” then make you weep with a sorrowful, cheating heartbreaker like “Santa Fe.” Their new album is an EP of 4 original songs, including the above mentioned songs, an instrumental and an acapella cover of Rossington Collins Band, “Pine Box.” They are locked and loaded and focusing on taking their place in the TX/Red Dirt/Americana music scene.