Protectors of the last bastion of peace, freedom & rock 'n roll
Hailing from Northern California, The Highway Robbers stand for all that is good. We, because we're not paying anyone to write this for us, were founded in late 2004, and quickly became a Bay Area favorite. Our first CD "Robbers & Swills" was released in late 2005, critically acclaimed and loaded with the fan favorites "Champagne Woman", "Truck Drivin' Blues", "Show Me to the Bar" and "I Got too Damn Drunk (To Tell You I Love You)." In 2007, after several years of Mucho Rockamortis and general bravado, we released "Peace, Freedom & Rock n Roll"...a bit more mature, if you will, and chalk full of good stuff: "Birmingham Jail", "Cocaine & Whiskey", "Heartbreaks & Highways", "Proverbial Suitcase" and "Angelina", to name just a few.... 2008 treated us great, & 2009 was rather fine...and perhaps because of that maturity thing we concentrated on relationships and quality of shows rather than quantity. Opening for Willie Nelson and touring up and down the west coast, throughout the Midwest, and keeping it more at home & kickin' it around at some of the Bay Area"s most distinguished venues has indeed helped advance The Highway Robbers' reputation as an entertaining, good-time powerhouse.
The Highway Robbers boasts several veteran San Francisco musicians with wildly diverse influences and experiences, all of whom know how to lay it down and entertain. We don't care about record deals or about cramming into a van for a long grinding tour... we've done that. We exist solely because we're all friends and because we have a lot of fun sounding pretty darn great. Indeed opening for Willie Nelson in L.A. was pretty awesome, having the likes of Earl Locklin, William Shatner, Jimmy Kimmel and Gary Busey sing our praises was inspiring, but calling out "The Shat" on his drink was absolutely necessary. We are Protectors of the last bastion of Peace, Freedom and Rock n Roll. Dripping, drifting and dreaming in that vast Americana landscape. Looking for a good time, satisfaction guaranteed, proudly made in the U.S.A.
The Highway Robbers are:
Shane Soldinger – Vocals and Guitar
Josh Dobies – Drums and Vocals
Eric Friedmann – Bass, Guitar, and Vocals
Pat Johnson – Guitar
Max Cowen – Keyboard
Lifetime members and collaborators include Earl Rivard, Timothy Drury, Robert Preston, Tom Ribecke, Jamie Lease, and Mike Therieau.
Meet the Press
"The Highway Robbers are a solid band with Catchy songs. I think serious music fans and casual listeners alike will enjoy what they hear."
–Andrew Feigenbaum, A&R Atlantic Records Highway Robbers
"It's an on time train to Graceland riding with the Rolling Stones"
–Kenny Mazursky, kennymazursky.com, "creations vibrations".
"It sounds just as good sober"
–Daniel Reidy
"The New Honky Tonk"
–Brian Davidson, Sound T.V.
"The World needs a talented singer/songwriter like Shane Soldinger right now. Real Music! Wow, what a concept!"
–Mancow Muller: Mancow's Morning Madhouse, Q101, Chicago, Illinois.
"This is a rockin' rave up, welding rockabilly onto ass-kicking, beer-swilling country, with blistering guitar gun slinging and energy up the wazoo. The Highway Robbers are out of California, and this debut kicks sand in the kisser of those who believe everybody is laid back on the 'Left Coast'."
–October 2005, AmericanaRoots.com
"The Robbers music takes me to a place when life was simple and good. Their sound is reminiscent of early Elvis and Dylan. Not sure where the highway is going, but I am along for the ride!"
–Shawn Lutwak, self proclaimed Highway Robbers "Biggest Fan"