The Wilder Blue gained significant exposure in 2023 when they collaborated with country music star Luke Combs on a cover of “Seven Bridges Road.” While the Texas band didn’t become overnight sensations, the partnership proved transformative for their career trajectory. The visibility from that collab led to opening slots on Combs’ 2024 stadium tour, enabling the group to establish a reliable touring schedule across the country and invest more substantially in their recording efforts.
The band’s latest album, Cinco, released last month, represents their first full-length project since 2025’s Still in the Runnin’. To create the 10-track record, the Wilder Blue—comprised of frontman Zane Williams, guitarist Paul Eason, multi-instrumentalist Andy Rogers, drummer Lyndon Hughes, and bassist Sean Rodriguez—collaborated with several prominent Texas musicians and notable guest Tracy Byrd. The group, which formed in 2019 after Williams released seven solo albums, deliberately expanded their creative approach by working with outside songwriters and session musicians.
Cinco showcases the band’s signature five-part harmonies while pushing their sonic boundaries. The album features diverse sounds, from the high-tempo waltz “Sinners and Strays” to the percussion-driven modern country of “Texas Women.” The group even recorded a bluegrass interpretation of Bruce Hauser’s 1978 track “Wild Western Windblown Band.” During production at Sonic Ranch studio near El Paso, the band employed AI technology from Suno during the demo phase, allowing outside songwriters to quickly render songs in different musical styles to guide the band’s final arrangements.
Originally reported by Rollingstone →
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