If you’ve spent any time in the Fort Worth music scene over the past five or six years, chances are you’ve heard the name Two Guys Walk Into A Bar. What sounds like the setup to a dirty joke has become the nameplate of a band that’s quietly grown into elder statesmen of Cowtown’s roots, red dirt, and Americana scene.
Pete Gargiulo and Mike Terry — the “two guys” in question — are more than just collaborators. They’re neighbors, friends, and co-conspirators in a musical journey that began over a decade ago. Around 2010 or 2011, the pair met in their neighborhood, initially just jamming with other local musicians in a band called The Swags. That project, mostly originals but heavy on good-time covers, lasted six or seven years before splitting in 2016. A hiatus for Gargiulo turned into a reuniting spark: why not start fresh as a duo?
“Starting as a duo is easy,” Terry explains. “You can play anywhere. You don’t have to organize a full band, coordinate schedules, or find a venue big enough for five people.”
From there, the project evolved — first as a duo, then into a full-fledged band, complete with Mike Prichard on bass and Steve Pierce on drums. Their mission? Bring a good time to every stage they step on, whether it’s a small bar or a sprawling outdoor space.
Their forthcoming album, Sippin’ Bourbon in Hell, recorded with Mark Randall at Blackstone Studios, drops Oct. 24 and builds on the lessons they learned from their first record, Terlingua.
Gargiulo recalls, “We spent more time preparing the music as a four-piece before hitting the studio. We’re not session musicians, so every track had to be tight before we laid it down.”
Terry adds, “We wanted each song to have its own personality. Some tracks are more acoustic, some heavier with layers of electric guitars, lap steel, or keys. We don’t want listeners feeling like they’re hearing the same thing five songs in a row.”
Collaboration drives their songwriting. Some tracks are seventy-thirty, some fifty-fifty, but every song is a joint effort. Gargiulo tells the story of “Do You Feel Me?,” inspired by his military family and the struggles of returning veterans. “I wrote it one night when I couldn’t sleep. Then Mike added chords, lyrics, and helped craft the bridge. It’s always a collaborative process.”
And that process extends beyond just the two of them. Sippin’ Bourbon in Hell features guest artists like Bethany Doolan, whose vocals grace “Dystopian Blues,” as well as local musicians contributing lap steel and keyboards.
“We all want the songs to discover their own sound,” Terry explains. “It’s about letting the music lead us, not forcing it into one box.”
Influences run deep but aren’t restrictive. Terry, a child of the early ’70s, grew up on the Rolling Stones. Gargiulo, late ’70s, favored Journey and the Eagles.
“It’s funny,” Gargiulo laughs. “Mike’s a Stones guy, I’m an Eagles guy. But we go where the music takes us. Some songs are bluesy, some jazzy, some rock — but all of them feel right to us.”
The result is a sound that’s unmistakably their own, yet impossible to pin down into a single genre.
Fort Worth’s music scene, they say, has only gotten stronger alongside their growth. Venues like Gustos, Magnolia Motor Lounge, Crystal Springs Hideaway, and the Rook in McKinney have become vital hubs for artists.
“We’ve got unreal talent here,” Terry says. Leon Bridges, Denver Williams — the scene rivals Austin. If not, we might even do it better. And I think musicians get paid better here.”
Two Guys Walk Into A Bar aren’t just performers; they’re community builders. Every dollar they earn funnels back into recording, collaborating, and supporting Fort Worth’s local venues. Studios, photographers, merch suppliers — all local.
“Everything we do is invested back into Fort Worth,” Gargiulo emphasizes. “It’s about the community, not just us.”
For aspiring musicians, their advice is practical and grounded. Hustle, be professional, and get involved.
“Show up, know the scene, meet other musicians, and be consistent,” Terry says. “Don’t chase fame. Focus on your craft, your community, and filling a small venue with people who love your music.” Gargiulo adds, “If you can do that, the rest comes in time.”
It’s that same dedication and attention to community that shines through on Sippin’ Bourbon in Hell — an album that isn’t just a collection of songs, but a statement. It represents years of friendship, experience, and lessons learned in the trenches of Fort Worth’s music scene. The duo is proud, not just of the music, but of the scene that made it possible.
“We’d be honored if anyone called this music on our upcoming album the Fort Worth sound,” Gargiulo says. “It’s a reflection of the community, the city, and the people who have supported us along the way.”
With eight songs that range from bluesy to jazzy to straight-up roots rock, Sippin’ Bourbon in Hell promises to solidify Two Guys Walk Into A Bar as more than a local act — but as torchbearers of Fort Worth’s vibrant, evolving, and fiercely independent musical identity.
For more information, show dates, and streaming links, visit twoguyswalkintoabar.com.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source fwtx.com ’
