Billy and the Box Kid is a fresh string band from Bend that has found its footing in the ever-evolving local music scene, blending Anderson Koenig’s fast-paced acoustic country rock ‘n’ roll with Scottie McClelland’s cajon drumming.
“We started as a duo but quickly started acquiring members,” McCelland said. According to the percussionist, the band was actually built through open mics around Bend. “I went to this open mic and I saw Anderson Koenig play,” McClelland recalled. “I came up to him after his set and told him, ‘Hey man, I really like your music, have you ever done gigs before, have you ever been in a band?’ He said no and I asked him if he wanted to be, he said yes and the next few open mics I’d bring my box drum and started playing with him.” The unique fusion of genres resulted in an infectious brand of outlaw country that quickly caught the attention of talented open mic musicians Tommy Lutz, Ryan Harris and Ben Woessner, who round out the five-piece string band.
A classic traveling troubadour, McCelland cites his time traveling in South America as a huge inspiration for his music. “I went down to Peru about a year before I moved to Bend,” he explained. “I was going out to dinner in Cusco and seeing live music and a lot of it was incorporating this box drum, the cajon, which I had never seen before.” After his first encounter, the musician proudly boasted that his obsession was immediate. “I like hitting things with my hands, so I became enamored with it and I purchased one shortly after I got home from Peru and went from there.”
Heavily influenced by golden age rock ‘n’ roll, timeless bluegrass and Southern blues, the band recently released its latest four-track EP, “Old Dirt Road,” just last month, showcasing the group’s maturation and ability to modernize bluegrass with a vibrant sound. The title track, “Old Dirt Road,” is an electrifying start to the record, with Koenig’s smoky vocal telling the story of the wayward traveler taking on the world. “You know, that’s a song that really connects with me and the rest of the band,” McClelland confessed. “We’re all Bend transplants coming from different areas of the country and we all kind of came here with the same intention, and no plan, just looking for something, and we found each other.”
In addition to providing the backbeat for the band, McClelland is an active part of the upcoming HomeGrown Music Festival from April 18-20. As founder of the festival and creative director for High Desert Music Collective, McClelland spoke with palpable excitement about the multi-day celebration,
“Last year was the first official year of HomeGrown,” he explained, “and HomeGrown is all about the community and all about local bands. We should be building the local scene here and helping bands expand outside of Bend and accomplish their dreams.”
This article appears in Source Weekly March 28, 2024.
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