The music industry is a destructive animal where even the fittest isn’t guaranteed unscathed survival. That means indie rock band Red Wanting Blue is rare indeed. A quarter-century of steady artistic growth is virtually unheard of in the volatile world of rock music, whether it’s an underground band struggling to find the key to success or a multi-million-selling supergroup buckling from the excesses of fame.

Red Wanting Blue, formed in 1996 in Athens, Ohio, is comprised of Scott Terry on lead vocals, tenor guitar, and ukulele; Mark McCullough on bass, chapman stick, and vocals; Greg Rahm on guitar, keyboards, and vocals; Eric Hall on guitar, lap steel, and vocals; and Dean Anshutz on drums and percussion. Together the five musicians have forged a creative path that grows and expands with each successive recording.

By gradually morphing from self-sufficient, independent outfit to skirting the mainstream without losing underground cred, Red Wanting Blue earned the right to enjoy the benefits of longevity. The band’s music followed suit. Take melodic heartland rock ‘n’ roll sprinkled with dashes of down-home Americana and dip it in the modern, metropolitan rock world. Then add muscle, from a robust rhythm section to the full- throttle vocals of frontman Scott Terry.
It’s no surprise that American Songwriter dubbed them “Midwestern rock heroes” and the band has made appearances everywhere from Late Night with David Letterman to NPR. Then there’s the recorded catalog – five independent albums beginning with 1996’s Velveteen, five modern rock era efforts including 2012’s From the Vanishing Point and 2014’s Little America, and the most recent studio opus, 2018’s The Wanting.

This is a band that has never been afraid to expand its creative reach while always remaining true to its muse. There is the reason why RWB remains alive, active, and viable 25 years after its inception. Now there’s a music industry story worth telling.