Pinmonkey
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Headquarters | Nashville, Tennessee , United States |
| Products | Country music albums and singles |
Pinmonkey was a country music group based in Nashville, Tennessee, established in 2002. The lineup consisted of Michael Reynolds (lead vocals, acoustic guitar), brothers Michael Jeffers (bass guitar, vocals) and Chad Jeffers (Dobro, lap steel guitar), along with Rick Schell (drums, vocals). In 2002, they released two albums: the independently produced Speak No Evil and the self-titled Pinmonkey under BNA Records. The latter album featured two singles, "Barbed Wire and Roses" and a rendition of Cyndi Lauper's "I Drove All Night", both of which charted on the Billboard Hot Country Songs. After Schell and Chad Jeffers departed in 2005, Mike Crouch briefly took over on drums. Their third album, Big Shiny Cars, was released through Back Porch Records in 2006 before the band dissolved. Following the breakup, the Jeffers brothers continued as session musicians for other performers, Schell joined Pure Prairie League, and Reynolds pursued a solo career. The group received critical acclaim for Reynolds's vocal delivery, their fusion of bluegrass with country rock, and their eclectic selection of cover songs.
History
The formation of Pinmonkey brought together Michael Reynolds (lead vocals, acoustic guitar), Rick Schell (drums, vocals), and brothers Michael Jeffers (bass guitar, vocals) and Chad Jeffers (Dobro, lap steel guitar). The Jeffers siblings hailed from Kingsport, Tennessee, where they had performed during the 1990s with the band the Habaneros. Chad Jeffers graduated from Belmont University in 1994 before working at Starstruck Studios—owned by Reba McEntire—and providing backing instrumentation for the Wilkinsons. Rick Schell originated from Homer, New York and relocated to Nashville in 1993; his prior experience included playing for artists such as Steve Earle, Joy Lynn White, and Buddy Miller. Michael Reynolds grew up in Natural Bridge, Virginia, coming from a family steeped in bluegrass traditions. After high school, he moved to Nashville aiming to build a career in country music. Before forming the band, Reynolds held various positions including working at a record store and in Capitol Records' mailroom. Initially performing solo, he soon invited Chad Jeffers to join him. The search for a bass player led to Michael Jeffers joining the ensemble, while Rick Schell was brought on board through shared industry contacts to complete the group with drums and harmony vocals.
Musical career
Once assembled, the quartet began performing at various nightclubs around Nashville. Leveraging Schell’s legal connections, they secured Rick Alter as their manager. Initially hesitant to commit fully to a music career, they opted to form a band after receiving encouraging audience reactions. Their residency at the Sutler club prompted the venue’s manager to request they choose a name for promotional purposes. Reynolds proposed "Pinmonkey," a colloquial term referring to a bowling pinsetter, inspired by an episode of The Simpsons. After performing at Nashville’s 12th and Porter venue, record executive Joe Galante signed them to BNA Records in 2002. Prior to this deal, Pinmonkey had independently released Speak No Evil on Drifter's Church label; Galante permitted its continued distribution to support their touring schedule. Their tour included eight dates as part of CMT's "Most Wanted Live" series. The Speak No Evil album contained a cover of Gwil Owen's "Augusta" and garnered favorable reviews from Billboard, which highlighted Reynolds's vocal performance and the band's instrumental skills, drawing comparisons with groups like Pure Prairie League and Poco.
2002–2003: Pinmonkey
In April 2002, BNA introduced Pinmonkey's first single, "Barbed Wire and Roses", co-written by Tia Sillers, Mark Selby, and Sean Locke. The track reached number 25 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. This single preceded their self-titled album released later that year, which included renditions of Sugar Ray's "Fly," Cyndi Lauper's "I Drove All Night," the Staple Singers' "Stay with Us," and Dolly Parton's "Falling Out of Love with Me"—with Parton lending backing vocals on the latter. The album also featured a new recording of the "Augusta" cover. Reynolds contributed original songs such as "Jar of Clay" and "The Longest Road." Esteemed musicians like Ricky Skaggs, Al Perkins, and former Poco member Rusty Young collaborated on the project, which was produced by Paul Worley alongside Mike Poole.
The album received acclaim for its instrumental expertise and vocal harmonies, particularly praising the cover selections and Dobro usage. By the end of the year, Pinmonkey had toured alongside prominent country artists including Tim McGraw, Lee Ann Womack, and Brad Paisley. They were nominated by the Academy of Country Music for Top New Vocal Duo or Group. The album’s second single, their take on "I Drove All Night," climbed to number 36 on the country charts in early 2003.
2004–06: Membership changes, Big Shiny Cars, and disbanding
In 2004, Pinmonkey released a third single under BNA, a cover of Robbie Fulks' "Let's Kill Saturday Night," which reached number 44 on the Hot Country Songs chart. Shortly after this release, BNA dropped the band, and Schell departed soon thereafter. Schell went on to release his solo album Salt of the Earth in 2005. Mike Crouch stepped in as drummer following Schell’s exit, while Chad Jeffers left to join Keith Urban’s touring ensemble. The remaining lineup—Crouch, Reynolds, and Michael Jeffers—signed with Back Porch Records and issued Big Shiny Cars in 2006. This album spawned one single, "That Train Don't Run," co-written by Matraca Berg, who had previously charted in 1997. Reynolds penned three songs for the record; other contributors included Kieran Kane, Joy Lynn White, and Billy Montana. The track "Coldest Fire in Town" featured backing vocals from Rusty Young and Elizabeth Cook. Additionally, the album contained a cover of Kelly Willis' "Wrapped"—originally written by her then-husband, Bruce Robison. A year later, George Strait achieved a number two country hit with his rendition of this song. Critics applauded the album’s country rock style and Reynolds’s vocal performance. Jonathan Keefe of Slant Magazine awarded it three-and-a-half stars, recognizing its diverse stylistic approach alongside its artistic quality and technical proficiency.
Following Big Shiny Cars, members embarked on separate endeavors: Michael Jeffers toured with Joe Nichols, Chad Jeffers joined Carrie Underwood's road band, and Schell became vocalist and drummer for Pure Prairie League in 2007 before departing by 2012. In 2024, Michael Reynolds released his solo work titled Tarnished Nickel Sky, which has been described as thoughtfully crafted and approachable while steering clear of mainstream country trends.
Musical style
Pinmonkey's musical identity is a fusion of numerous country and Americana elements. Erik Hage from AllMusic characterized their sound as an amalgamation of classic Southern gospel, Appalachian folk traditions, harmonies reminiscent of the Carter Family, Muscle Shoals-inspired pop-soul, and rock influences from the 1970s. Reynolds's vocal delivery was described as smooth and emotionally resonant, drawing comparisons to Craig Fuller of Pure Prairie League and Jeff Hanna from the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Reynolds himself remarked, "everything I sing comes out bluegrass." The band's distinctive instrumentation included a Dobro player in place of a traditional lead guitarist, which played a significant role in shaping their unique sonic signature appreciated both live and on recordings. Chris Neal from Country Weekly emphasized their "crisp harmonies" alongside a "bracing country rock" approach, whereas Greg Crawford of the Detroit Free Press observed their integration of bluegrass with 1970s country rock and soulful singing, resonating with audiences who enjoyed the Dixie Chicks' Home album.
The group also gained recognition for their eclectic selection of cover tracks. Inspired by Cyndi Lauper, Chad Jeffers proposed covering "I Drove All Night," aiming to craft a rendition that stood apart from the original. They selected Dolly Parton's "Falling Out of Love with Me" because of Reynolds's respect for her songwriting prowess; this track was incorporated following BNA Records’ suggestion to include a ballad. Although original compositions were less frequent, Reynolds's "Jar of Clay," which explores themes of mortality, underscored their bluegrass foundation. Critic Keefe complimented their cover song choices by Robison and Berg and highlighted original pieces such as "Shady Grove" and "Mountain Song" for exhibiting newgrass influences, while noting that the assortment of covers influenced the track arrangement on Big Shiny Cars.
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Country | US Heat | ||
| Speak No Evil |
|
— | — | — |
| Pinmonkey |
|
126 | 17 | 3 |
| Big Shiny Cars |
|
— | — | — |
| "—" indicates albums that did not appear on charts | ||||
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | |||
| 2002 | "Barbed Wire and Roses" | 25 | Pinmonkey |
| 2003 | "I Drove All Night" | 36 | |
| 2004 | "Let's Kill Saturday Night" | 44 | — |
| 2006 | "That Train Don't Run" | — | Big Shiny Cars |
| "—" signifies singles that did not chart | |||
Music videos
| Year | Video title |
|---|---|
| 2002 | "Barbed Wire and Roses" |
| 2006 | "That Train Don't Run" |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Organization | Category | Nominee/Work | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Academy of Country Music Awards | Top New Vocal Group or Duet | Pinmonkey | Template:Nom |
References
- Works cited