FortyTwenty   -  Biography

Based in Lincoln, Neb., the honky-tonk band FortyTwenty takes its name from a John Deere tractor. The band formed in 2002 and now includes David Wilson (fiddle, rhythm guitar and vocals), Lern Tilton (dog-house bass, vocals), Jon Bradley (guitars, vocals), J.J. King (drums, vocals) and Lloyd McCarter (pedal steel, vocals). Wilson and Tilton also wrote the songs for their debut album, Lowdown and Dirty.

Raised in Idaho, Wilson grew up listening to old-time music. In college, he decided he wanted to write a song, so he borrowed a guitar from somebody in his dorm, figured out a few chords and strung some lyrics together to form "Broken Heartland." The song appears on Lowdown and Dirty. Meanwhile, Tilton grew up listening to Merle Haggard but spent time in a number of regionally successful punk bands before realizing that playing real country music was cool. Bradley played in blues and jazz groups before joining FortyTwenty.

The band has opened shows for BR549, Hank Williams III, The Derailers and Cross Canadian Ragweed, among others.