Got Twang? - The Official Website of The Honky Tonk Heroes

DEWAYNE GRIMES - Lead Vocals

Before graduating from Texas A&M University, DeWayne grew up in Jacksonville, Texas and spent most of his time as a kid listening to Country Music. His parents, Margaret and Ronnie Grimes, are "Country Music" fans and there were always tunes ringing through the house on Saturday and Sunday mornings. "I had plenty of time to listen to artists like Hank Thompson, Hank Snow, Johnny Horton, Buck Owens, Conway and Loretta, Haggard, Jones, Frizzel, and Elvis just to name a few." It appears these tunes stuck with DeWayne and his love for the "Old Stuff" became his passion. With no structured vocal training, DeWayne learned how to sing by listening to these songs over and over until they became second nature. "You know it was always weird to me growing up to hear this stuff on the radio and know every word." DeWayne's mother, and his Aunt Betty were very involved with Country Music artists fan clubs and such, so at a very young age he learned the ins and outs of the business. "I remember going to see singers like John Conlee, Moe and Joe, Gene Watson, George Jones, George Strait, and I always wondered what it would be like to get up there and perform in front of all those people."

DeWayne met Larry during a gig at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo BBQ Cook-off, where he was encouraged to get up and do a few songs with the band. It was an instant fit. "I think I sang some Merle Haggard and George Jones tunes and the guys asked me if I might like to join them in the studio." Larry and DeWayne hit it off and later on he was introduced to Kevin as back up vocals and rhythm guitar. "Larry introduced me to all the original songs he had written and I loved it, it took a while to learn, but I loved the writing and I knew that someday we could definitely make something of this." Finding a name for the band was also a trick, but after several failed attempts at names, Larry suggested "The Honky Tonk Heroes" and it stuck. "It's a good fit for us, because I feel like we are sticking to our roots and helping to revive the meaning and sound of Country Music."

"We play from the heart, we do our own thing, and we sing about Honky Tonks, cheatin women, and drinkin beer. If you ask me, that's what it's all about."

LARRY PARCELL - Lead Guitar / Vocals

Larry was raised in a family that exposed him to a wide variety of music. Many of his family members were and are musicians and family entertainment much of the time included someone picking and singing. As a child Parcell's biggest influence was Elvis, but throughout high school he became more and more interested in classic country music. "I respect all the roots and styles of music and try to preserve that tradition."

In 1985, Parcell met a drummer for the "Teddy Boys", a Houston based rockabilly band, named Red McKinney. By this time, Larry was picking guitar a little, but had never really pursued playing in a band. "In high school, all the guys I knew, who had guitars, were playing rock & roll or heavy metal. I was into Merle Haggard and Buck Owens and I still am." Red exposed Larry to the Houston music scene and the wide variety of music and musicians in the city. In 1989, former "Teddy Boys" guitarist, Kevin Rath, told Larry he wanted to start a honky tonk band and asked if he would like to play acoustic guitar. Larry, already admiring Rath for his playing ability, was flattered by the opportunity. "I really sucked back then, but Kevin knew I wanted to do it and he gave me the chance. I will always be grateful to him." This band, "Kevin James and the Ramrods", was actually a classic honky tonk band which had been together for about three years. It was during this time, Larry tried his hand at songwriting. He and Rath wrote two songs, "Paybacks Are Hell" and "One More Drink" which are on The Honky Tonk Heroes current CD, "Honkytonks and Heartaches". Later, Parcell spent a lot of his time writing and playing guitar with friend and fellow songwriter Kevin Hickman.

In 1994, Parcell, McKinney, and a group of guys formed a band called "The Sundowners", where he was again asked to play rhythm guitar. It was during this time when Larry became good friends with fellow band member and bass player Scott Ridgeway. Scott admired Parcell's songwriting ability and wanted to get his songs out. With this, he and Ridgeway left "The Sundowners" to form their own band, "The Sidwinders" where Scott played bass and sang, while Larry played lead guitar.

This is the band that plays most of the instruments on the first "HTH" CD including guitarists Kevin Rath and the late Mike Bly. In 1996, Ridgeway moved to New York and the CD remained unfinished for six years. Parcell kept writing and improving his guitar playing ability and has played with many other artists in the Houston Music scene including John Evans, Tom Ben Lindley, Jennifer Fitts, Jimmy Pizzitola, Jon Wolfe, Sean Reefer and The Resin Valley Boys, and "Rockabilly Hall of Fame" member Alvis Wayne.

In 2002, Larry met DeWayne Grimes, a singer who had never been in a band. He remembered the opportunity Rath had given him and asked DeWayne if he would like to sing the vocals on his unfinished record. Larry and DeWayne then formed "The Honky Tonk Heroes" with Red McKinney, Kevin Hickman, Ben Collis, and Bill Howard. The band has changed faces over the years, but the core is still the same. Today Parcell is greatly admired by his piers in the music business including great singer songwriters like Clay Blaker, Jim Lauderdale "Grammy Award Winner" and "2003 Americana Entertainer of the Year" and the heart of country music, the great, Dale Watson. The Honky Tonk Heroes, as well as many other groups perform Larry Parcell's songs and he continues to play and write with many other artists, when not performing with HTH.

KURT KEMMERLY - Drums

Kurt began playing drums at age 8 after receiving a drum set as a birthday gift. At 10, he started playing snare drum in the school band in New Orleans, LA and continued to do so throughout his primary and secondary education.

Kurt attended Caddo Magnet High School in Shreveport, LA, with other notable musicians Brian Blade (Wayne Shorter, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, etc), Tom Drummond (Better Than Ezra), Chris Michaels (Boondogs), Robert Bernard (Damnations), and Geoff Barkley (Geoff Moore, etc), to name a few. While in high school, Kurt played with Critical Mass and shortly after high school graduation hooked up with local guitarist/singer/songwriter Michael Roberts, previously of the Native Sons, to form The Red Sea Pedestrians. Machineries of Joy came next, where the band toured regionally throughout Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

After graduation from LSU, Kurt moved to Lake Charles, LA and continued to pursue music. He was a session drummer and played in local rock, country, and R&B bands. He relocated to Omaha, NE in 1997 and landed the drum chair in the Satellite Blues Band, a Mid-West based, regionally established blues band. They recorded and released the CD ìLast Rideî with Studio B Producer Doug Van Slouen. During this time, Kurt also played with a local jazz trio, a western swing band, and continued working as a first-call drummer with other local bands. While in Omaha, Kurt studied with JRZ System drummer/instructor Todd Roberson.

Kurt relocated to Houston, Texas in 2001, and quickly became engrained in the Houston music scene. He played with several bands including the blues band Jeremiah Johnson and the Texas Alligators, Classified Country, and The Louisiana Cajun Band. He currently plays with Stunt Wallet Music recording artists The Honky Tonk Heroes and stays busy as an in-demand fill-in/session drummer for rock, blues, country, jazz, and contemporary Christian artists in East Texas and West Louisiana.

Kurt continues to pursue drum set studies independently and studies privately with Joel Fulgham, an Affiliate Artist at the U of H Moore's School of Music. Kurt also teaches drum set lessons and stick technique.

KEVIN RATH - Electric Guitar

True story. It was 1970. Kevin Rath was required to take a semester of music in middle school. His teacher passed out the guitars and showed the students a few chords. Kevin went home that night, picked up his dad's guitar and practiced. By the next day, he had mastered the chords and could outplay the teacher. He quickly changed from a teenager playing sports to a teenager making music. In fact, Kevin worked a paper route to earn enough money to buy his first electric guitar. During his teens, Kevin formed a band with other friends. Since then, he's played in numerous bands including: The Savage Saints, Teddy Boys, The Pack, Bert Wills & the Cryin' Shames and Miss Molly & The Passions. He even started his own band "Kevin James & The Ramrods." He's toured all over the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Kevin's played just about any kind of music you can name including: Acoustic Folk, Rockabilly, Hard Rock, Punk, Country, Blues, Tejano, R&B with horns, Dance Band Standards and more. They only thing he hasn't played... Jazz.

Kevin started playing country on whim. When he was at a party, he played a little country song for fun. His dad was a big Buck Owens fan so Kevin knew country. Fellow band members asked him to play the song again the next day. And, from there, he went on to keep playing country.

His musical influences include British Blues, Rolling Stones, ZZ Top, Buck Owens, George Jones, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis, Johnny Cash, James Burton and Merle Haggard to name a few.

Kevin met James Burton when Kevin was young and poor. Kevin had just gotten married and was at a guitar show trying to sell a guitar to make some money. He recognized Burton. The two started talking and Burton bought Kevin a beer. Twenty years later, the two would meet up again to record the latest CD of the Honky Tonk Heroes.

Kevin co-produced the album & co-wrote the single "Paybacks are Hell." His favorite singles are "God Meant For Me To Find"and "Save Us Both Some Time."

Kevin has been married for more than 20 years. He makes a living playing music. "I'm happy to say I haven't had a day job since 1996 and I plan on keeping it that way."

TODD THOMAS - Bass

Todd Thomas didn't own a guitar and had never even played one when he graduated from high school. Two days after graduation, he met Kevin Rath (Honky Tonk Heroes Electric Guitar player) who told him that he needed a bass player, and he wanted Todd to be that person. Todd decided to try it out. He went and bought himself a guitar and began teaching himself.

The two spent many hours sitting around, listening to the radio and learning guitar. Country music influenced Todd as a kid. By the time he was a teenager, he was listening to rock-n-roll. His favorite band of all time is Mott The Hoople, an English rock-n-roll band.

Todd later went on to be part of the band the "Teddy Boys" and traveled throughout the U.S. playing. Eventually Todd, Kevin and Larry Parcell started playing in a band called the "Ramrods" which was a classic honky tonk band.

Two years ago, Todd joined the Honky Tonk Heroes and says he's enjoyed it more than any of the other bands. He enjoys the camaraderie of the band members and all the fans. Itís not a job; itís just pure enjoyment.

Todd grew up in Houston and attended Clear Lake High School. He currently lives in Santa Fe with his wife. They have two daughters.

His favorite track on the latest CD is "God Mean For Me To Find".

KEVIN HICKMAN - Guitar

Kevin Hickman is a native of Ft. Worth, Texas, but has called Houston home since the 1980's. He comes from a show business family. His father was a Heldentenor who was offered a scholarship by the New York Metropolitan Opera and both his parents worked for Rodgers and Hammerstein in Oklahoma and South Pacific. His sisters have acted in film and on stage, and his youngest sister performed in bands such as Fab Motion and Those Girls.

Kevin has also worked locally in television, on the set of movies such as Robo Cop II and Rush, and stage venues such Theater Under The Stars and Strand Street Theater.

Along with songs on the first Honky Tonk Heroes album, Kevin's songwriting credits include "Hate To See You Go", recorded by the Texas Playboys II, and "After I'm Gone", on the Honky Tonk Heroes latest album, recorded with James Burton.

In addition to writing many songs with Larry Parcell, Kevin, along with Larry and Scott Ridgeway formed the nucleus of the band the Sidewinders. Sidewinders was the precursor to the Honky Tonk Heroes and featured Bill Howard on steel guitar. Over the years they have opened for such Country greats as Jim Lauderdale, Dale Watson, Billy Joe Shaver, and the Derailers.

"Along with performing on stage with my family, I must say, the greatest experience of my musical career was recording an album with James Burton".