Honky-tonk heroes
Palomino Shakedown blends country, swing, folk, rock and soul
Jimmy Deveney’s life revolves around string instruments — specifically, guitars. During the day, Deveney is a luthier, often repairing the instruments.
At night, Deveney straps on a guitar and performs his heart out as part of the band Palomino Shakedown.
The musician is returning to his home state for three shows in New Mexico.
“It’s always great to get back home,” he says in a recent interview from Austin, Texas.
Deveney is joined in Palomino Shakedown by Howdy Darrell, Ricky Watson, Heather Rae Johnson and Willie D.
He says the band began as Horse
Opera and over the past few years has evolved into Palomino Shakedown.
The band merges influences ranging from alt-country, swing, folk, ’50s and ’60s rock and Southern soul.
“Horse Opera was a traditional honkytonk band,” he says. “This band is bringing ’60s soul and rock to the stage. We’ve just added a member on keys and sax and that helped us grow to a six-piece band. It’s really changed the sound.”
Palomino Shakedown is gearing up to release a full-length album, “With or Without,” in the fall.
The band has been working on the material for well over a year, and Deveney and Darrell are the main songwriters in the band.
“We write the bones of the song on our own,” he says. “I’ll write the lyrics and the chord progression on my own. Then once it gets to the rehearsal room, it really takes off. Everybody has input. They aren’t just players, and the song eventually becomes ours.”
Deveney grew up in the Duke City and often makes his way back for shows and to see his family.
He tries to play at least one show in New Mexico for each tour.
“I’ve played some really great spaces,” he says. “It’s always great to be back in my hometown and see friends and family.”