Grand-Rapids based Silverstiles is guitarist John Bruni and bassist Keith Jaissle, who share a love of classic country jukebox hits like “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way” and “Hey Good Lookin’.” These songs inspire Bruni’s colorful tales about rogues and misfits—that border on absurdist humor—all anchored by Jaissle’s painterly bass lines.
Honing their original material by playing shows in Grand Rapids, they recorded A Long Time to Be Gone (2016) at Goon Lagoon, the only analog studio in the Grand-Rapids area. They followed up in the studio with Slow to Burn (2019), making for an emotionally-direct listening experience. Bruni and Jaissle have honed their country/roots-rock sound, which you can hear on the band’s website [www.silverstiles.com].
Silverstiles’ performances have an intimacy that draws people into the stories they tell, some borrowed and some new, from the past and present. Influenced by Neil Young, the Byrds, and Kris Kristofferson, they harken to these golden sounds night after night.