The Merles

The Merles are an original, classic country band based out of Austin, TX featuring Todd Deatherage, Kyle Kline, and Matt Winegardner. The group strives to create an old school, traditional sound that echoes the memories of yesterday's country. Their debut record, Hate To Say Goodbye (2017), was recorded and engineered by Britton Beisenhertz at Ramble Creek Studios in Austin, TX. The album was produced by Britton Beisenhertz and The Merles, and contains 14 original songs about heartache, love lost, honky-tonks, and drinking way past last call. Guest artists include Basil McJagger (The Derailers), Geoff Queen (Hayes Carll), Eddie Dickerson (Curtis Grimes), and Michael St. Clair (Polyphonic Spree). Their EP, Middle of the Night (2020), was recorded, mixed, and produced by Don Cento (Sarah Jaffe) at Centones. It contains six songs about insomnia, anxiety, depression, and loneliness. An amazing cast of regulars also appears on this recording - Chris McElrath (James Hand) on guitar, Ileana Nina (Sour Bridges) on fiddle, Sarah Ulloa (Rent Party) on backing vocals, and bassist Justin Filor on soaring high harmonies. Their new album, Two Steppin' in the Moonlight, is going to be released on September 16th, 2026. It was produced by Matt Hillyer (Eleven Hundred Springs) and John Pedigo (The O's), and features 11 new original honky tonk bangers! Follow for more details and be sure to pre-save the album to your library!