They’ve been called “country”, “alt-country, and “outlaw country”, but the phrase that best describes the Railbenders is “hard country.” This Denver, Colorado band plays unabashed, straight-no-chaser music that pulls no punches and offers no apologies for the love of some of the finer things in life: whiskey, women, song, and good timin’ friends. While their songs are soaked in traditional country influence, their punk background gives them a jagged edge appeal. Their music and dynamic live shows have made them one of the top draws in Colorado, bringing in a diverse fan base of all ages. Formed in 2000 by Jim Dalton (vocals, guitar) and Tyson Murray (upright bass), the Railbenders took a mutual love of Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams, Rock ‘n’ Roll, whiskey, mixed it all together, and created their sound. Powered by the steady rollin’ drums of Graham Haworth, the band has garnered local awards, including “Top Country Band” by the Rocky Mountain News (2004 & 2005), and “Best Country/Roots Band” (2002 through 2005) in the annual Westword Music Showcase. With their hard-charging music, the Railbenders have gained fans within the country community – they’ve been invited to play with Willie Nelson, Dwight Yoakam, Charlie Daniels, and David Allan Coe. They’ve made friends with acclaimed country and rock musicians like Jesse Dayton and Eddie Spaghetti (of Supersuckers fame), who were both so impressed with the Railbenders, they’ve both appeared on their CDs – Jesse lays down the lead guitar on “Black Rose” from 2006’s Showdown, and Eddie lends his pipes on two tracks on 2004’s Segundo. Most recently, the Railbenders were recruited by David Lowery and Johnny Hickman (Cracker) to back them up for a KBCO-FM Studio C recording session and a show. The Railbenders beat out several other Colorado groups in a “battle of the bands” to win a coveted sponsorship from Coors in 2004, a relationship that continues today. 2006 promises even more high-profile partnerships for the band, beginning with A&E’s “Rollergirls” television series. Producers chose their song, “Breakneck Speed” for use on the new reality-based cable TV series. Current airplay on XM Radio’s “X-Country” channel is also giving the band exposure to a nationwide audience.