Steeped in the white lines, black tar and diesel smoke of the American highway, Tough As Nails—the latest LP from Craig Gerdes—is raw and real, a document of a road-tested band fast on the rise. Ever since the central-Illinois songwriter released his lauded 2018 debut LP, Smokin’ Drinkin’ & Gamblin’—and right up until the current pandemic—he’s been on tour almost constantly, playing upwards of 150 shows per year, including opening slots and festival support for top country and Americana artists from Tyler Childers and Paul Cauthen to Jamey Johnson and Cody Jinks, as well as a lengthy run with hard-rocker-turned-country-star Aaron Lewis.
Sit with him for five minutes and you’ll know that Gerdes is a natural-born storyteller. Really, Tough as Nails (out April 24) is a documentary in album form. It deals with real people, real places and real struggles, collected along the interstate as Gerdes and his band played an endless parade of one-night stands. New single “Pennies, Feather and Dimes,” premiering today at Vents, was written as a tribute to our departed ancestors, family and friends. READ MORE…
