“So many country bands out of Seattle have this winking, ironic thing going on... Santa Poco, on the other hand, seems to actually mean it. ... they sound real good, too.”
— Pat Muir - Yakima Herald-Republic
“There's a underground country scene forming in Seattle, not unlike the grunge tidal wave, that these guys are a big part of”
— William Bornold - The Weekend
“...a pedal steel-driven twangy delight and a name to watch out for...”
— Duncan Warwick - Country Music People Magazine
“The Coolest Name in Country Music... Santa Poco!”
— Andy Nelson - Cowboy Poet Laureate and Renowned Speaker
"We should start a band,"
was the sentiment between friends in the Winter of 2017. Pat McHenry, known for his work with Mon Cheri of Spokane, WA, had slowly come back around to his Texas and country roots in 2013. His success in music had come early in the form of songwriting in his pop-rock band winning The Inlander's (E Washington, N Idaho, W Montana region) Best Songwriter several years in a row and syncing many of his original songs to various shows (MTV Cribs, ABC, TBS, Cougartown, Foxnews), commercials (Comcast, The Superbowl, Kelly Slater Wave Co), movies (Connect To, Kiss and Cry, Netflix), and jingles (Global Credit Union, The Cut Shop, Oliver Men's Shop). "When I moved to Seattle I was looking for a great drummer. I met Bruce Weitz through a friend and we had instant chemistry." Bruce cut his teeth on the road touring the country and abroad with his hardcore band Vayden. He found success signing with Jeff Hanson's now defunct Silent Majority Records. "I was looking for some other bands to gig with and that's when I found Andy Shofner on Youtube." Andy had grown up on George Strait and classic country gold. He made a name for himself burning down honky tonks and venues all across the south Puget Sound area in his band Colt and the Peacemakers for many years. "My dream was to play with a pedal steel guitar player." Kevin Redlich of Tempe, AZ had made a name for himself as one of the most sought after guitarists in the entire southwest region. After touring the US with his band and spending time as an engineer in platinum selling studios in Nashville, he relocated to Seattle. Not long after, he reached out to Bruce "We should do a band." Pat missed playing as a band and agreed with all three. Yes, a band was needed. All four of them met, inadvertently, at the same country concert that year. It was fate. Andy brought along with him long time friend and solid bassist, Jordan Binkiewicz.
With songs about rough and tumble characters mixed with emptying whiskey glasses, Santa Poco offers the type of slide guitar-emboldened tunes that float throughout a dusty roadhouse or romping dance hall. Thorough storytelling mixes with mean electric leads that inspire folks to don their ten-gallons, pull the boots up over their denim blue jeans, and hit the town for beer swills and swing dances 'til dawn. They put out their first record July 26, 2019. You can hear it digitally on Spotify and Apple Music and via purchase through this website on 7" Vinyl and CD.