Lorin Walker Madsen

Salt Lake City is not known for its thriving music scene or historic venues. There is no neon soaked strip, and booze is nearly illegal on Sunday. Before dismissing it entirely, most won’t think past the city’s reputation for harsh winters, unique liquor laws, and religious overreach. However, if the Zion Curtain is pulled back, one will find a musical community beaming with diversity and talent. Venues cover the city and live music is not hard to find every night of the week. There are bands, there are solo artists, and there is Lorin Walker Madsen; he has built his life out of music.

Lorin was born in Denver, Colorado, but grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah. An outsider from a young age, Madsen knew very early that he was not destined for the traditional nine-to-five rat race. He had no interest in cubicles, expense reports, or performance reviews. He was concerned with one thing, and one thing only: Sharing his music with as many people as possible, as soon as possible. At the age of 19, after 6 years of playing locally, Madsen bought a van, started touring, and in one way or another, he has not stopped.

After touring with several bands and projects over the following decade, Madsen found his niche as a solo artist, which truly allowed him to shape his sound. After a brief period between projects Lorin released his first solo studio album, The Kind of Man I Am on his label Salt Lick Records. Following the release, Lorin toured the album extensively across the country, playing well over 200 shows. Upon returning home in late 2014, the artist established High Desert Studios, a recording studio in a warehouse in South Salt Lake City to begin work on his follow-up release, which would be entirely self-produced and engineered. After writing new material for the next record he re-assembled his live band of Hustlers and started recording.

On May 5, 2015 Lorin’s second album, Raise Your Glass, was released on Salt Lick Records, and again, he took the show on the road. Another busy two-year run in support of the album made 2015-2016 the artist’s busiest years to date. With two self released full length studio albums already, and performances spanning the United States and into Canada, Lorin Walker Madsen and The Hustlers made strides solidifying their fan base with bills on various festivals, regularly supporting many of the artists that Madsen grew up idolizing. Although Salt Lick Records is currently on hiatus due to a conflicting schedule, Madsen has no plans of letting up. He has taken the reins and is currently handling all aspects of the act under his umbrella company, Broke Down Booking and Management. From booking, to managing, to merchandising, to performing, Lorin is covering it all, and is more optimistic than ever for the upcoming year. “2017 is shaping up to be another great year. I am looking forward to the release of a new EP in late spring or early summer, and plan on following it up with another self-engineered full-length album that I will head back into the studio to start working on around the holidays. In the meantime I will be headed back to many of our favorite festivals around the US, as well as plenty of other touring from coast to coast. I am really looking forward to seeing & playing plenty of our old favorite beer joints and venues, as well as hopefully getting a chance to branch off into lots of new markets in 2017-2018.” - LWM

Blending a road-tough attitude into his own brand of high desert honky punk – gritty vocals and honest lyrics laid over his take on traditional and outlaw country music, LWM lives for playing music on the road. Whether it be with his full band of Hustlers backing him up, or solo with nothing but a kick drum, a guitar, and Madsen’s signature grit, the chances are good that he's headed to a city or town near you very soon.