RIDGE BANKS: AMERICA’S “RUGGED ACOUSTIC” MAVERICK MAKES HIS UK DEBUT THIS AUGUST
Blending blues, country, and folk with heartfelt lyricism, Nashville singer-songwriter Ridge Banks steps into the international spotlight with his first-ever UK tour. This summer, the acclaimed Americana artist will share his raw, roots-infused sound with audiences across England—backed by his dynamic band, The Wall of Sound, and an artistic vision honed through years of authentic, grassroots storytelling.
In a music landscape saturated with fleeting fame and formulaic hits, it’s rare to encounter an artist whose work feels both timeless and timely. Yet Ridge Banks—a Nashville-based singer-songwriter with Michigan roots—embodies that rare duality. With a guitar in hand and a story in his soul, Banks has quietly built a loyal following across the U.S., and now, in August 2025, he sets his sights on the United Kingdom with his much-anticipated “Cowboys and Foxes Tour.”
For fans of authentic songwriting, acoustic grit, and lyrical vulnerability, this isn’t just another tour—it’s a cultural bridge, a musical pilgrimage, and a celebration of roots music reborn for a global stage.
FROM MIDWEST TO MUSIC CITY: THE JOURNEY OF RIDGE BANKS
Raised in the small town of Fenton, Michigan, Ridge Banks grew up far from the bright lights of Nashville’s honky-tonks. But it was in the silence of northern woods and the static of late-night AM radio where his musical identity took root. From those early days, Ridge was drawn to artists who weren’t afraid to bleed on the page—storytellers like Jim Croce, Eric Clapton, and the soulful shadows of old Delta blues.
Later, as a young artist navigating Nashville’s competitive scene, he refined his sound into what he now calls “Rugged Acoustic”—a fusion of folk, rock, country, and blues, anchored by introspective lyrics and intricate fingerstyle guitar. It’s a sound that’s both weathered and warm, raw yet refined. Think John Mayer in his Born and Raised era, blended with the storytelling ethos of Jason Isbell and the transatlantic charm of early Ed Sheeran.
His rise hasn’t followed the typical industry trajectory. Ridge chose the long road—playing intimate venues, writing with intention, and earning fans the old-fashioned way: song by song, show by show. And that road has led him here—his first international tour, and a spotlight on one of the UK’s most vibrant and eclectic live music circuits.
“COWBOYS AND FOXES”: A TOUR ROOTED IN SOUL AND STORY
This August, Ridge Banks and his band, The Wall of Sound, will cross the pond for their inaugural UK tour—poetically titled “Cowboys and Foxes.” The name itself is symbolic: a meeting of two cultural archetypes—the American cowboy and the English fox—each steeped in heritage, resilience, and mythos. It’s an invitation to explore the common threads that tie Americana to Anglo-folk, and a celebration of how music transcends borders.
The tour includes 11 dates across England, from the intimate pubs of Leicester and Sheffield to the open-air charm of Heather Music Festival and Fleckney Festival. Each venue was handpicked not just for capacity, but for character. This is not a cookie-cutter tour of big arenas. It’s a curated journey through spaces where music feels personal—where eye contact matters, and lyrics aren’t just heard, but felt.
Backed by the dynamic Wall of Sound ensemble, Ridge’s live set promises more than acoustic ballads. Expect sweeping harmonies, groove-driven storytelling, and the kind of unfiltered performance that can only come from artists with nothing to prove and everything to share.
The Cowboys & Foxes Tour: City by City
2024 was a breakthrough year for Banks. He was named “USA Artist of the Year” by the Elite Music Awards, and earned a finalist slot for “Best Male Artist” at the International Acoustic Music Awards. His latest single, “Blues Catcher” (January 2025), reflects this momentum. Featuring a transatlantic collaboration of musicians from both the U.S. and UK, the track marries deep Southern soul with a Brit-folk edge—precisely the kind of cultural fusion this tour embodies.
More than just accolades, these milestones confirm what many fans and critics already know: Ridge Banks is an artist who honors tradition while forging his own path. He’s Americana without the clichés, acoustic without the coffeehouse whispers, and deeply personal without losing universal appeal.
WHY THIS TOUR MATTERS
In a post-pandemic music world, live performances mean more than ever. They’re moments of communion—where strangers become choirs, and songs become shared memories. For UK fans, this is a rare opportunity to witness a rising American artist not filtered through mainstream hype but delivered straight from the source.
For Ridge, it’s also a homecoming of sorts. “So many of the musicians I’ve loved were British or inspired by British music,” he recently shared. “Coming here, playing these songs in these towns, it feels like connecting the final dot.”
In Ridge Banks, Americana finds not just a voice, but a heartbeat—steady, soulful, and unafraid of silence. As the “Cowboys and Foxes Tour” unfolds across the UK, it offers more than just a concert—it extends an invitation to feel, to reflect, and to remember why music matters.
Starting off at Heather Music Festival on August 3rd, the band will head into Leicester for a special show at the Brain Surgery Unit of Leicester General Hospital on the 5th. From there, the road winds through intimate club shows at The Mini Monocle (Loughborough, Aug 8) and The Metal Monocle (Leicester, Aug 9), before touching down at Fleckney Festival on the 10th. Mid-month brings a high-energy return to Leicester at Baton Rouge @ Queens (Aug 15), followed by a northern stop at The Greystones, Sheffield (Aug 16).
As the tour enters its final stretch, audiences can catch them at Stoneygate Congressional Church (Aug 20), The White Lion in Sheffield (Aug 23), The Real Ale Classroom, Leicester (Aug 29), and finally closing out the tour at Live at Baton Rouge in Hinckley on August 30th.
For those ready to dive deeper into Ridge Banks’ sonic universe, his latest single Blues Catcher is now streaming worldwide on Spotify. A transatlantic tapestry of heartfelt lyricism and rugged acoustic brilliance, the record is a powerful testament to his evolving artistry.
🎧 Listen here: Blues Catcher on Spotify
To explore tour dates, exclusive content, behind-the-scenes stories, and more about the journey behind the music, visit Ridge Banks’ official website:
This season, the story continues—live, loud, and unapologetically real. Don't forget to check out "Cowboys and Foxes Tour" and don't forget to add dates to your calendar,
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