Tater and The PennyMen

Under 21 with Guardian If you’ve got a heart that beats in 4/4 and a boot that leans toward a shuffle, you’ll want to plant yourself at Knuckleheads Saloon every third Wednesday of the month. That’s when The PennyMen take the stage — a five-man country outfit playing songs from the pre-bearded era, back when country music wore starch in its shirts and swing in its spine. At the helm is Patrick “Tater” Irvin, a singer with a name fit for a CB handle and a voice that rides the line between honky-tonk truth and steady dancehall swing. Folks might know him from Tater & The GravyTrain, a band that never met a Ray Price number it couldn’t make its own. Tater doesn’t just sing country; he remembers it. Every line he delivers seems to come with a memory attached. On steel — both pedal and console — is Russ Wever, a revered player whose tone is so rich it ought to be bottled. Russ has been everywhere: Branson, Nashville, and points beyond. He’s backed legends, anchored barrooms, and played with the kind of subtlety that can make you cry at a major chord. Chase McRoy holds down the low end, giving the whole affair its engine and hum. Chase plays bass with a feel that can’t be faked — part jazz club, part Texas dancehall, all groove. He’s a listener’s player, which makes him a player’s player, too. On drums is Jim Lower Jr., a man who keeps time like he owns it. He’s the swing in the shuffle, the stickman who can channel Smokey Dacus on one song and Buddy Harman on the next. Jim grew up in the KC jazz world but walks the country backbeat like it’s home turf. And don’t overlook the piano bench — Jake Herzog is there, playing keys with the grace of Floyd Cramer and the spark of Moon Mullican. His runs don’t run away; they roll right up beside the melody and make themselves comfortable. Together, The PennyMen dig through the lesser-traveled corners of the American country songbook: country jazz, western swing, Texas shuffles, and the kind of tunes that used to get played before outlaw meant facial hair. It’s not retro — it’s reverent. They’re not doing it to look cool. They’re doing it because this music is cool and is too good not to be heard. So if you’re in Kansas City, come see The PennyMen at Knuckleheads every third Wednesday. Bring a friend. Wear boots. Two-step if you know how, swing if ya can, waltz when appropriate and stay seated if you want to Line Dance. And if you don’t, just sway a little and listen close. Because this is what country music sounds like when it remembers who it is.