The story of The Howdies actually begins about 2 years before their official formation. Guitarist Julian Primeaux and bassist Christopher Slim were playing together in a short-lived vintage country& western / rockabilly band known as Bettie & the BillHillies (Later changed to "Betty & the Hub-City Bombers"). This group played a few shows around Lafayette, LA and disbanded in early 2007. Because Slim and Julian were writing some really wonderful roots material together, they decided to form the group known as THE HOWDIES.
Initially, Christopher Slim played acoustic guitar, Julian played electric guitar, and Austin Keller played a full drum-kit. While having a hard time auditioning bass players, they switched instrumentation a bit and formed into the Howdies you know today....Slim on upright bass, Julian on electric guitar, Austin playing snare drum up front, and the addition of Austin's older brother, Stu Keller, playing harmonica.
Taking a couple of tunes written during the Hub-City Bombers era and quickly developing new, original songs The Howdies burst onto the Lafayette, LA music scene.
Their style was a rowdy blend of western swing, rockabilly, hillbilly-stomp, murder ballad, and traditional gospel music all mixed together into what had been called "lard and gristle-fried blister stomp" by the record label, Rerum Novarum Records, that would eventually relaease their debut album, Made With Pure Lightning, in 2009. Their initial short bio accurately read as such:
"The Howdies were a band from the American South. They rehearsed way out in the boonies of south Louisiana. They literally rehearse in a trailer in the woods, with a large smiling hound on the porch and a "fish welding" truck in the yard. They have a unique way of blending Stomp, Swing, Rockabilly, Zydeco, Blues, and Country. "
Quickly becoming a major player in the Lafayette music scene, their high energy performances secured them a consistent, large draw of fans at every show. This garnered them notable regional and national attention. The Howdies toured the U.S. doing everything from punk-rock house shows, all the way to big stages at major festivals...and were a hit everywhere they traveled. They became an obvious influence for several "rootsy" bands that started up after them in Lafayette, LA.
The group saw a boost in international fans when their music became part of the soundtrack for movies (some made for the SyFy Channel) Chrome Angels, Swamp Shark, & Starve all contain music from The Howdies. They also were able to share the stage with major acts such as Dick Dale, Henry Gray, & Pokey LaFarge.
The Howdies decided to call it quits in late 2012. They played their farewell show at their favorite hometown venue, The Blue Moon Saloon, in October 2012. They released their final album, Never Outgunned, that night as well.