Horse Opera. Real country music, they like to call it honky-tonk.  Raw, emotion driven songs covering the gamut from Saturday nite in the honky-tonk, to Sunday morn’ at the altar. Songs for the workin’ man, the drifter, the drinker, the sinner, the saved, the lonely, the lover, the fool and the wise man.  Calling on the influence of ‘50’s and ‘60’s country music, and a touch of the ‘70’s Outlaw edge, Horse Opera has crafted a sound all their own, planted firmly in the traditions of classic country music.

The band toured all over the US in 2010 to support the release of their first studio album, “Sounds of the Desert”, and even went to France to play the Mirande Festival of Country Music.

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Jimmy Deveney/Vocals, Guitar, Songwriter: A New Mexico native, Jimmy spent many years in New Mexico                                 playing in cow-punk, rockabilly and country  bands.   Jimmy moved to Austin Tx in 2002, and after several gigs with other bands, he formed Horse Opera in 2006.  His music has been featured in the films “the faithful and the foul’, and the 2009 horror release, ‘flicker’. www.eggmurders.com.  Jimmy’s songwriting is the core of the band’s sound. traditional arrangements with lyrics that explore the common aspects of the human condition. He learned pop sensibility from Elvis Costello and The Beatles, high and lonesome from Hank Sr., low and blue from Waylon and Cash.

Scotti Iman / Drums:Originating from the small town of Salisbury Missouri, Scotti has followed a musical life style since he was a boy. After being inspired by the drummers from his father’s blues bands, Scotti decided to make drumming his life. This led him to studying percussion at Central Methodist University in Fayette Mo then up to the twin cities where he graduated from the McNally Smith College of Music with a degree in percussion performance. Over the years, Scotti has studied with Marv Dahlgre, Gordy Knudtson, Dave Stanoch and Paul Stuber of Minnesota and Loyd Warden and Kirby Spade while in Missouri. After receiving his degree, Scotti  moved to the Austin, Texas area and has played with The Ryan Bales Band, Hodak, The Chris Allbright Band & The Jon Napier Band.  Scotti is now a full time member of Horse Opera!

Chris ‘Howdy’ Darrell/ Acoustic Guitar, mandolin, Vocals, Songwriter:  For the better part of the last 10 years, you may have seen Howdy Darrell playing upright bass for acts such as Wayne ‘the train’ Hancock, Leo Rondeau, and the Doolins.  Howdy has joined Horse Opera to play acoustic guitar, mandolin, and share the singing duties with Jimmy.  Howdy will be singing some new original songs, and adding harmonies to the mix as well.  An exciting new era in Horse Opera history.

Dominic “Dom” Aiello- Bass/Vocals: Dom grew up in a family of classical musicians near Vermillion, South Dakota. His parents, professors of voice and piano, are now mostly retired, but continue to give private lessons and serve as mentors to talented young musicians. Dom performed in many vocal ensembles throughout high school and college, and upon his arrival in Austin in 1994, he became fascinated with Texas Roots, Rockabilly, and Honky-tonk music. He picked up bass in 2000, and has performed on electric and upright bass with many favorite Austin bands including Bucktooth Do-Over, Greaser, the Dirt Track Brawlers, Two Hoots and a Holler, the Rusticators, and Don McBride’s Red Dirt Rebellion.

Horse Opera’s Honky Tonk sound is rounded out by a stable of hot lead players.  The band is often joined by Heather Rae Johnson, (of JWW and the Prospectors), on the fiddle