Formed in 2025 in Austin, TX, Son Solitaire is singer-songwriter and guitarist Woody Russell’s new band, distilled from a solitary recording experiment during the 2020 pandemic lockdown. Writing and recording alone in his home studio, Russell abandoned preconceptions and experimented freely — ultimately disrupting what he saw as his long-standing artistic archetype. The result yielded a three-song EP, This Is Son Solitaire, released in late 2023. In 2024, the EP landed on the Official 67th Annual Grammy Ballot for Best Alternative Music Performance, appearing alongside one of Russell’s heroes, Nick Cave. It was a moment he describes as “personally symbolic" , adding that it felt like a "baptism for Son Solitaire, to be named among that list of artists.”
As a songwriter and observer, Russell leans into vulnerability and wonder; valuing sincerity in sound, story and a shared human experience. He has since elevated Son Solitaire from its solitary studio roots to a live band crafting new music unbeholden to any singular sonic imprint. It's a purpose-built amplification of his mature, story-driven songcraft, poised between lighter narratives and darker observations.
On stage, Son Solitaire performances spiral out from an intersection of intimate musings, cinematic atmospheres, gothic blues and fuzzed-out, guitar-centric rock. The band, as a core trio, highlights Russell’s capabilities as a fearless guitarist and a gifted raconteur ruminating in the company of an explosive, yet sympathetic, rhythm section courtesy of Greg Madianos (bass, keys) and Ethan Herr (drums). Completing a quartet variation of the group for select performances is the addition of John Spears (trumpet, sax, keys), who conjures up equal doses of gentle lyricism and frenetic wailing.
Live, Son Solitaire performances spiral out from an intersection of intimate musings, electro-cinematic atmospheres and angular, fuzzed-out guitar rock. The band, as a core trio, highlights Russell’s capabilities as a fearless guitarist and a gifted raconteur ruminating in the company of the explosive, yet sympathetic, rhythm section of Greg Madianos (bass, keys) and Ethan Herr (drums). Rounding out a quartet variation of the group is the addition of John Spears (trumpet, sax, keys), who provides equal doses of gentle lyricism and frenetic wailing.
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