Dusty Stray's music has been described as a wolf in sheep's clothing, a bleak world illuminated by sparks of dry wit, sunny harmonies retracing the grim path of fate with a spring in their step.
At a Dusty Stray show you might laugh, cry or find yourself singing along to a story about a little girl falling down a well, a sea creature romance, alien abduction or reincarnation.
The man behind Dusty Stray is Jonathan Brown. Born in Taiwan. Raised in Texas as son of a preacher man. Raised on songs about death and resurrection. Went to college. Discovered vast archive of early American folk music from the 20s and 30s. Began writing his own songs. Moved to Austin where he first performed his music. Traveled with guitar through Central America where he met a Belgian woman and followed her to Europe. Met a Spanish woman. Moved to Barcelona. Formed a bluegrass band, a psychedelic rock band and a freak folk band. Met a Dutch woman.
Moved to the Netherlands where he remains today (with the same Dutch woman). Wrote, produced and performed in Amsterdam and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival “LHO: LEE HARVEY OSWALD The Musical” in 2005. Wrote, recorded and co-produced Dusty Stray's debut album “Tales Of Misfortune And Woe” released on Basta Records in 2009. He went on to write and perform Dusty Stray's “Light Years Away” (Basta, 2011) and "Family Album" (Basta, 2013).
Brown’s many influences include Harry Smith (Anthology Of American Folk Music), writer/illustrator Edward Gorey, The Handsome Family, Bill Callahan, Bonnie Prince Billy, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, Gillian Welch, The Velvet Underground, Pavement and The Flaming Lips.
When not on stage, he can be found in junk shops and flea markets searching for discarded 8mm home movies and diverse materials for his artwork which in turn serves as inspiration for the music of Dusty Stray.
Dusty Stray performs as a five-piece band, an international mix of American, Mexican, Italian and Flemish musicians. Dusty Stray can also be booked as duo. They have played top venues in Europe and the US and have supported such diverse acts as Noah And The Whale, Kelley Deal (The Breeders), Carice van Houten and Sam Baker. They have been selected to play a showcase at SXSW 2014.
The third Dusty Stray album -- "Family Album" (2013), produced by legendary American producer Kramer (Low, Ween, Galaxie 500), got top reviews in NL as well as airplay and praise in the UK by Simon Raymonde and Tom Robinson among others.
Dusty Stray's 2nd album "Light Years Away" (2011) was produced by Ken Stringfellow (The Posies, REM, Big Star) and JB Meijers (De Dijk, Solomon Burke, Carice van Houten). It received great reviews, radio airplay in NL and the US and was streamed on VPRO's Luisterpal with top rankings.
Dusty Stray's critically acclaimed debut "Tales Of Misfortune And Woe" (2009) was billed by top Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant as one of the TOP TEN ALBUMS OF 2009. Most of the songs on the album have had radio airplay in the Netherlands and some international airplay as well. The single from the album, WINTER'S DAY, was released on vinyl in 2010 by UK label Autumn Ferment Records enjoying more great reviews from around Europe as well as further airplay.
Dusty Stray's Christmas song "Don't Cry, It's Christmas Time" was released on the Basta Records Christmas Sampler "A Catchy Christmas" in December 2010. It enjoyed radio airplay and was streamed in December 2011 on VPRO's Luisterpal.
At a Dusty Stray show you might laugh, cry or find yourself singing along to a story about a little girl falling down a well, a sea creature romance, alien abduction or reincarnation.
The man behind Dusty Stray is Jonathan Brown. Born in Taiwan. Raised in Texas as son of a preacher man. Raised on songs about death and resurrection. Went to college. Discovered vast archive of early American folk music from the 20s and 30s. Began writing his own songs. Moved to Austin where he first performed his music. Traveled with guitar through Central America where he met a Belgian woman and followed her to Europe. Met a Spanish woman. Moved to Barcelona. Formed a bluegrass band, a psychedelic rock band and a freak folk band. Met a Dutch woman.
Moved to the Netherlands where he remains today (with the same Dutch woman). Wrote, produced and performed in Amsterdam and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival “LHO: LEE HARVEY OSWALD The Musical” in 2005. Wrote, recorded and co-produced Dusty Stray's debut album “Tales Of Misfortune And Woe” released on Basta Records in 2009. He went on to write and perform Dusty Stray's “Light Years Away” (Basta, 2011) and "Family Album" (Basta, 2013).
Brown’s many influences include Harry Smith (Anthology Of American Folk Music), writer/illustrator Edward Gorey, The Handsome Family, Bill Callahan, Bonnie Prince Billy, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, Gillian Welch, The Velvet Underground, Pavement and The Flaming Lips.
When not on stage, he can be found in junk shops and flea markets searching for discarded 8mm home movies and diverse materials for his artwork which in turn serves as inspiration for the music of Dusty Stray.
Dusty Stray performs as a five-piece band, an international mix of American, Mexican, Italian and Flemish musicians. Dusty Stray can also be booked as duo. They have played top venues in Europe and the US and have supported such diverse acts as Noah And The Whale, Kelley Deal (The Breeders), Carice van Houten and Sam Baker. They have been selected to play a showcase at SXSW 2014.
The third Dusty Stray album -- "Family Album" (2013), produced by legendary American producer Kramer (Low, Ween, Galaxie 500), got top reviews in NL as well as airplay and praise in the UK by Simon Raymonde and Tom Robinson among others.
Dusty Stray's 2nd album "Light Years Away" (2011) was produced by Ken Stringfellow (The Posies, REM, Big Star) and JB Meijers (De Dijk, Solomon Burke, Carice van Houten). It received great reviews, radio airplay in NL and the US and was streamed on VPRO's Luisterpal with top rankings.
Dusty Stray's critically acclaimed debut "Tales Of Misfortune And Woe" (2009) was billed by top Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant as one of the TOP TEN ALBUMS OF 2009. Most of the songs on the album have had radio airplay in the Netherlands and some international airplay as well. The single from the album, WINTER'S DAY, was released on vinyl in 2010 by UK label Autumn Ferment Records enjoying more great reviews from around Europe as well as further airplay.
Dusty Stray's Christmas song "Don't Cry, It's Christmas Time" was released on the Basta Records Christmas Sampler "A Catchy Christmas" in December 2010. It enjoyed radio airplay and was streamed in December 2011 on VPRO's Luisterpal.