Upsouth Twisters

The UpSouth Twisters are not a new band but a group of seasoned veterans who have been playing together for years under the name Lucky 7. The decision to change the name coincides with their first full length CD release in a decade. The new CD is self titled and features regular band members Kenny Margolis on accordion and keyboards, Billy Roues on guitar and mandolin, Steven "Muddy" Roues on standup bass and harmonica, Boris Kinberg on rub board, timbales and a trick bag full of percussion and Bill Rankin on drums. Making their guest appearance on these recordings are members of Levon Helm’s band, Erik Lawrence and Steven Bernstein on horns. Kenny, Billy and Muddy share the lead vocal chores and harmonies.
The CD contains 12 originals and a critically acclaimed cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Valentine's Day" that was originally released on a tribute to the Boss called Light of Day on Schoolhouse Records. The songs cover a range of influences that collectively land their music in the category of Americana but with a roots rockin’ edge. Rockin’ Zydeco, Cajun waltzes and two step rockers, rockabilly, roadhouse blues, Tex-Mex, and second line grooves all find their place in the mix. For “Joli Fi”, Billy teamed up with co-writers Joe-El Sonnier (the famed Cajun country artist) and Grammy award winning songwriter, Bucky Lindsey who also co-wrote “Rattlesnake Fever”. Several songs from the band's repertoire have landed in feature films and also on compilation albums including the Margolis/Roues instrumental, "Holiday Depression” which was in the soundtrack to one of James Gandolfini's early films, "Italian Movie”.
The UpSouth Twisters are based in upstate NY but their music wins listeners across the heartland, as Austin American-Statesman critic Michael Point observed at a Texas show, “The group's seamless set was solid and substantial, full of prime party-time dance music underpinned by a resilient rhythmic thrust that pushed and pulled the music in consistently interesting directions."
The band’s founder and leader is Kenny Margolis, an ex-member of Mink Deville, who's also toured with and appears on albums by Cracker, The Smithereens, Freedy Johnston, Ben E. King, Elliot Murphy and The Silos among others. Billy Roues and Steven “Muddy” Roues have brought their songwriting and experience producing, writing, playing and recording with artists as diverse as John Lee Hooker, Bo Diddley, Carl Perkins, Lonnie Mack, Lenny Kaye, Wayne Kramer and