The Wheelhouse Rousters draw not only their moniker and musical style from the river and its industry, but also their ebb and flow of energy. Focusing on music of the Ohio River Valley, the Rousters share the sounds of the American inland waterways. The band features Eddie Coffey, Logan Oakley, Nathan Lynn, Josh Coffey, and Jake Siener. (Pictured above from left to right)
The band was formed by members of Bawn in the Mash in early 2013, in hopes of drawing attention to the folk songs of Ohio River Valley and far West Kentucky.
In 2014 the band released their first studio album, Steamboatin,’ and were featured artists at the The Belle of Louisville’s Centennial Festival of Riverboats. Recorded at the River Discovery Center in Paducah, the album features modern folk arrangements of tradition Roustabout songs of the Ohio River Valley.
The band’s second studio album, Times of Uncertainty, recorded live at the Historic Hotel Metropolitan in Paducah, with support from S.G. Goodman, Brey McCoy and Chris Black, was released in the summer of 2016 and helped secure the band a residency on the Queen of the Mississippi and the America.
River Folk, the band’s third studio album, was released in May of 2019. Recorded at Time on the String in Paducah, KY, the album highlights the band’s songwriting and features longtime friends J.D. Wilkes, the Solid Rock’it Boosters, Tim May, and more.
In 2022 the band was chosen to represent the USA at the World Folk Biennale in Jinju, South Korea with cellist, Seth Murphy. There they collaborated with UNESCO artist from across the globe.
The Rousters 4th album, The Adventure Never Ends, is set to be released in Summer 2023.
Having performed with various artists upon notable boats, like the Delta Queen, Queen of the Mississippi, America, River Barge Explorer, Belle of Louisville, American Jazz, and the Spirit of Peoria, the members of the Wheelhouse Rousters have also opened for such acts as Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three, Shooter Jennings, The Legendary Shack Shakers, Billy Strings, Josh Williams, Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper, and more. They have toured the American Midwest and South performing at numerous festivals along the way including Terrapin Hill Harvest Festival, Lowertown Arts and Music Festival, John Hartford Memorial Festival, Bourbon and Beyond, Homplace Pickin’ Party, among others.
“Times of Uncertainty seamlessly honors a deep musical history while creating a new energy that is distinctly the Wheelhouse Rousters’ very own.” – Mike Gowen, WKMS, Murray, KY
“The Wheelhouse Rousters could be the most important folk band of the 21st Century. Why’s that? Because they are the only group I know who plumb the last untapped source of American folk music: the work shanties of our national waterways. With our focus having been strained forever upon bluegrass & blues music, we may now sit back, close our eyes & let the Rousters mark the twain of the last thing left. The rhythm of the old river workers, channeled amidst Kentucky’s haunted coastline.” – JD Wilkes, The Legendary Shack Shakers
The Wheelhouse Rousters 