If you’re up for a mellow array of stripped-down Americana, check out this local acoustic act with the down-home flavor that’s easy to love. Buck Wilson Jr brings with them a portable acoustic show that is suitable for any location, from boardwalks and sidewalks to bars and basements. A sheer combination of folk, rock, and jazz pleases each member’s influences while blending like smooth menthol.

Larry Hinkle and John Buck of The Transmitters were jamming with Harry Wilson when they embarked on their new recipe. As Harry, the vibraphone player and jazz man gleefully proclaimed, “And now, oh this new sound that we have is pretty exciting! I’m learning some different stuff from Larry and it’s given me the chance to play some rhythms I’ve never had the chance to play before…  And we have a new song we came up with the other day called ‘Oatmeal and Old Bay,’ a traditional folk song with all the country riffs and some jazz. It’s going to be exciting!”

Adding to the excitement is recently recruited Ashleigh Chevalier’s praised vocals. Larry reiterated Ashleigh’s involvement by stating rather concisely, “My vocals are weak. Ashleigh’s vocals are strong. I thought if we recruit Ashleigh, she would help us in that department. Buck can sing. Ashleigh can sing. I try to sing.”  

I caught up with the guys and Ashleigh downtown the other day to learn more about their musical direction, their opinions of the Fredericksburg scene, and… Dave Grohl?

 33: Give me a brief history of the band.

Larry: John and I played together in another band called The Transmitters. I also make xylophones and I had seen Harry play at a party so I contacted Harry as a consultant for the xylophones that I make. We became friends and we started hanging out. There was a little lull in the other band that John and I were playing in and we just started to get together to jam basically. It was really a casual thing.

33: Last time I talked to you guys we were hanging out next to your van at the Sharps Sessions festival. That was September. Much has changed since then, including the name of your band from The Bucktones to Buck Wilson Jr. Why did you change your name?

John: We first named it The Bucktones and then realized that there’s another band out with the same name. I don’t really know much about them.

Larry: They’re all over the internet. If you google The Bucktones, they’re everywhere.

John: So we figured we might as well [change] it now, even though everyone liked the other name.

33: So where did the name Buck Wilson Jr come from?

John: I’m Buck. Harry Wilson [points to Harry]…

Larry: And I’m a junior. We tried to think of another name for the band and I said this one. We thought it was kind of funny and the name ended up sticking.

33: When I listen to the demo you gave me at Sharps Sessions, I get a deep rootsy feeling. Where is that coming from? What inspires that feeling to your music?

Larry: I’ve always been in rock bands - punk rock, heavier electric bands - so for me it was about getting away from electricity as much as possible and  trying to play acoustically. The older styles of music lend themselves to that acoustic vibe, so to speak.

Ashleigh: [to Larry] Your song writing is really original and artistic in its approach and it always remains very personal. With every song that Larry writes, there’s a very original approach and a new spin on it that you probably haven’t heard before, especially not in this area. It’s different.

33: Are you going to work on an album anytime soon, or just focus on playing live right now?

Larry: Right now, sort of just focus on playing live, but we’re recording demos - as many demos as we can right now. That helps us develop songs and gives us the idea of what songs to really invest in if we were to go into the studio to get that real super-recording that you could play on the radio.

33: You’ve all played with other bands. What is different about this project?

Harry: I think the difference is the [vibraphone]. The vibes bring a unique sound to the area, to the group. It can expand our knowledge, expand our venues, and just put everything in a perspective where we can play folk, straight Americana, or jazz. So, we’re pretty successful doing all that kind of stuff.

Ashleigh: There’s a lot of energy in the group, especially with Harry on vibes and all of us singing. It’s kind of a more cohesive team I think.

33: Where can we see you guys play in the future?

John: The big one is the Multicultural Fair on April 10th at the University of Mary Washington.

Harry: I think we have an afternoon concert. It’s going to be wonderful. We’re going to pull out all the stops, we’re going to show it all, so I welcome everyone to show up and be there.

Larry: And I have a list of dates from Paul at The Otter House. I think we’re going to get a few gigs there. We were supposed to play there during the blizzard but we couldn’t make it out.

33: What do you like best about playing music in Fredericksburg?

Ashleigh: Community!

Harry: Big community.

Larry: There’s a lot of musicians. There’s a lot of support from those musicians. Everyone supports each other. There are a lot of places to play in town. A lot of venues that appreciate live music.

33: What’s one component of the Fredericksburg music scene that needs improvement?

Ashleigh: Maybe the connectivity to non-musician listeners and attendees.

Larry: I don’t know, I think as far as going out and seeing music, it seems really healthy here in Fredericksburg. There are a lot of places to play. Places that pay. There are so many musicians in this town that do nothing but play in this town, and that’s how they make a living. I don’t know. I guess there could be more of a variety, though.

John: And also, there might be five bands playing in a night and you don’t really know what’s going on. There’s not a whole lot of coverage in the Freelance Star. It’s rare to get any actual coverage of [shows]. There’s so much going on that nobody knows what’s going on [laughs].

33: I promised myself I’d never ask this, but with this group I couldn’t resist. This will be the first and only time I ask this question... What is the song that you wish you had written?

John: I wish I had written the song a long time ago that I could be playing now and it would still be fun.

Ashleigh: I wish I had written “Forget Her” by Jeff Buckley.

Harry: I’m a jazz man. All those tunes have influenced me so much. I don’t have a particular one, but there’s one tune that stands out of all! “My Favorite Things” by John Coltrane.

Larry: I always wished I wrote a song like “Rock and Roll” by Led Zeppelin so I could just cash in [all laugh].

33: Larry, I heard a rumor you went to high school with Dave Grohl. Is that true?

Larry: I didn’t go to high school with him, but yeah, we went to elementary school together. Old friends.

33: Ever play music together?

Larry: Actually, I was in his first band. We were young. We were young aspiring musicians together and now he’s a very successful musician. Speaking of Led Zeppelin, last time I saw Dave, he was playing with John Paul Jones. He’s got a new group called Them Crooked Vultures. So I got to meet John Paul Jones which was pretty cool.

Keep up with our events page (a work in progress) to catch Buck Wilson Jr around town for their next gig. They also have dates set for venues in Charlottesville, Richmond, Alexandria, and DC over the next few months. Support local music and check them out!

By Author and Vice President: Ben Cokeley

Ben was born in Pittsburgh during the summer of 1983 (the year Roxy Music disbanded). He has since inhabited Chicago, New York, and several Virginian cities including Richmond, where he prefers to spend the majority of his time. His interest in music sparked at age three when he began taking piano lessons. A passion for theatre and film would soon follow; he was known for acting in high school and college productions while focusing on the independent film scene in Richmond. Nowadays, you’re likely to catch him at a bar in the Fan or commuting to Fredericksburg where he works as a high school teacher/behavior specialist. Ben enjoys a variety of music, some long-time favorite musicians/bands include: Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, The Doors, The Isley Brothers, Buddy Guy, Tom Petty, David Bowie, and George Clinton.