Cory Waller & The Wicked Things

Grown from the black dirt that Iowa is known for, Cory Waller and The Wicked Things are a band of hard-working friends, sons and daughters of farmers and small-town folks. The band has traversed the Midwest, sharing their brand of black dirt country music; sometimes, the shows The Wicked Things play have more people than those of their hometowns. The band's namesake, Cory Waller, started playing music with bass player Ethridge Netz when they were in middle school and honed his country craft with lead electric guitar player Ronley King in dives and bars across Iowa in his 20s—joined by fierce vocalist and acoustic guitar player Emilee Johnson, newest edition Joshua Rex on fiddle, and the backbone of the band, drummer Kaleb Ferry. They write music and perform for the people they grew up around.

“The Golden Buckle On The Corn Belt” is what the sign says as you drive into Rockwell City, Iowa, a quintessential small Iowa town that exemplifies the people, places, and topics the band writes songs about with their “Black Dirt” country sound. Their latest EP, “Golden Buckle,” is a step into what they consider to be the most country they’ve ever sounded. In a beer cooler in Minnesota, Garage Beer’s packaging declares “Beer Flavored Beer,” and the band considers their new sound to be “Country Flavored Country.” In the era of bro country and Nickelback country tribute bands, “Golden Buckle” offers a refreshing look into an authentic modern country sound. “Golden Buckle” is out everywhere on October 31st.