THE STETSONS

The Stetsons were born out of a mutual love of country music by some members of two of Australias more interesting bands Mental As Anything and GANGgajang. A chance remark in 1985 about country music and his wish to record some from the Mentals' Reg Mombassa to the GANG's ''Buzz'' Bidstrup led to the formation of The Stetsons.

From 1985 to 1987 an album was recorded by ''Buzz'' during snatched moments of time in studios where either GANGgajang or Mental As Anything members were recording and finally at the Vault studio owned by producer Mark Moffat who also played guitar and pedal steel on the album. Joining Reg and ''Buzz'' was Martin Plaza and Peter O'Doherty from the Mentals, Mark Callaghan, Chris Bailey, Geoff Stapleton and Kayellen Bee from GANGgajang plus Flying Emus member Ian Simpson and former Emmylou Harris violinist Wayne Goodwin. The debut single "There's A Train In My Head" was used in Crocodile Dundee II. Their music was also heard in the film Tenderhooks.

For the next few years The Stetsons played at least one show at the Tamworth Music Festival and each year the band kept getting bigger. The band kept a low profile doing the odd charity gig. In 1997 they recorded their second album 'Their Most Successful Record...Ever! The lineup was Graham "Buzz" Bidstrup on drums, Chris Bailey on bass, Andrew Richardson on guitar, former Steely Dan and Doobie Bros member Jeff "Skunk" Baxter on guitar, Mark Collins on banjo, Michel Rose on pedal steel, Mike Gubb piano, Richard Melick organ, Pixie Jenkins on fiddle, Marcus Holden on violin and Dave Steel on mandolin. 

Members

Chris Bailey (bass), Jeff "Skunk" Baxter (guitar/vocals), Kayellen Bee (vocals), Graham "Buzz" Bidstrup (drums, keyboards), Mark Callaghan (vocals), Marilyn Delaney (vocals), Wayne Goodwin (fiddle), Robert James (guitar), Pixie Jenkins (fiddle), Reg Mombassa (guitar, vocals, keyboards), Peter O'Doherty (bass), Rose Pearse (vocals), Martin Plaza (vocals, guitar), Ian Simpson (banjo), Geoff Stapleton (keyboards, guitar), Dave Steel (mandolin), Mark Moffat (guitar/pedal steel), Andrew Richardson (guitar), Mark Collins (banjo), Michel Rose (pedal steel), Mike Gubb (piano), Richard Melick (organ), Marcus Holden (violin)

SINGLES
''Train In My Head / Path Of Stone / Train In My Head (Instrumental)'' 1987 Mercury 
''Bad Blood / Back To Tamworth (Instrumental) / Train In My Head (Live)'' 1988 Mercury 

ALBUMS
'The Stetsons' 1987 Mercury 
'Their Most Successful Record...Ever!' 1997 Larrikin Records 

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stetsons