The global republic of country music has long been ruled by the singer-songwriter – frequently backed by a band, but never truly part of it. Enter East Coast powerhouse Adam Eckersley Band, here to colonise their empire with thundering, shimmering slabs of Southern-influenced rock, swamp, and soul.

With the groove of Jerry Reed, the effortless cool of JJ Cale, the heart and soul of The Marshall Tucker Band, and the outlaw bite of Charlie Daniels, Adam Eckersley Band stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the tightest outfits in the business, from Zac Brown Band to Lynyrd Skynyrd. Armed with a brace of beards to make a lumberjack down tools and run, Adam and the boys are set to launch Phase Two of their irresistible takeover with towering sophomore effort The Second Album.

A one-time touring guitarist with the all-conquering McClymonts, Adam Eckersley is at once consummate showman, bona fide guitar hero, and notably egalitarian bandleader – doling out liberal solo breaks to each of his rock-steady bandmates: bassist Scotty Greenaway, drummer Benny Elliot, and “Arizona” Dan Biederman on keys, Hammond, and Wurlitzer. The band’s fulltime roster now also boasts the multi-talented Duncan Toombs on guitar and banjo.