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Releasing a New Album Later This Year: Rusty Vining & His Friends (Photo\/Isabel Elise)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u00a0 <\/p>\n SCROLL DOWN FOR RADIO SHOW PODCAST, LIVE MUSIC VIDEO<\/em><\/p>\n Support our coverage of Rusty Vining<\/a> has come a long way since acquiring his first 3\/4-size electric guitar at age 9.<\/p>\n \u201cMan, I played the same three chords on that for a year in the one scale that I knew, and I just spent hours playing it every day,\u201d the West Michigan musician recalled, noting he started writing songs at age 13 and continued to pursue music as a student at Wyoming Park High School outside Grand Rapids.<\/p>\n \u201cI was never big into joining extra-curriculars. So, I would go home from school and I had a four-track Yamaha cassette recorder and I would plug any device into it that I thought could make a cool noise and I would track my guitars. I had one Shure SM58 microphone. \u2026 That was how I got started, just spending hours in the basement every night.\u201d<\/p>\n He released his first solo record in 2017, performed with various regional bands over the years and eventually hooked up with other musicians during a 2024 show at The Stray in Grand Rapids, which sparked formation of the Americana-leaning Rusty Vining & His Friends. Things obviously clicked, because earlier this year, the band won The Stray\u2019s fourth annual battle of the bands.<\/p>\n Now, the group aims to release its debut album by Thanksgiving, after dropping two singles from the project recorded mostly in keyboardist Brian Paige\u2019s basement and in Vining\u2019s barn in Otsego.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m just blessed to have these guys,\u201d Vining said of the band that features Paige, violinist Jeffrey Niemeier, bassist Nathan Walker, guitarist Joshua Kohns and drummer Hailey Petty, with Vining on guitar, vocals and percussion.<\/p>\n After playing a 10 a.m. Art in the Park show at Wicks Park in Saugatuck, the group will return to The Stray tonight (Saturday, Sept. 13) for a special pre-release party for the forthcoming \u201cAlready Not Yet\u201d album. Tickets for the 7 p.m. show, $11.20, available online here<\/a>. Lost Mary, Josh Garvelink and Stray Horses also are on the bill.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re kind of tracking the timeline of the record,\u201d Vining said of Saturday night\u2019s show aimed at promoting the new songs while encouraging fans to pre-order the album. <\/p>\n \u201cWhen they do, they will receive updates and behind-the-scenes content, as well as early listening privileges as the record wraps up. I\u2019m a big believer in directly connecting with the people who support us.\u201d (More info at rustysfriends.com<\/a>.)<\/p>\n VIDEO: Rusty Vining & His Friends, Live at Audiofeed 2025 (Champaign Urbana, Ill.)<\/strong>
West Michigan’s music scene<\/small><\/p>\n<\/div>\n