The Tractors
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Founder | Steve Ripley |
| Headquarters | Tulsa , United States |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
The Tractors—initially known as Uncle Steve & The Tractors—were a country rock ensemble from the United States, fronted by guitarist and lead vocalist Steve Ripley. The founding members consisted of Ripley, Ron Getman (handling guitar, Dobro, and mandolin), Walt Richmond (on keyboards and piano), Casey van Beek (bass guitar), and Jamie Oldaker on drums. In 1994, they secured a contract with Arista Nashville, releasing their eponymous debut album, which yielded a Top 40 single on the Billboard country chart.
Although most of the original lineup eventually branched out into individual endeavors, they often reunited with Ripley, who remained the band's only official constant member. Ripley characterized The Tractors less as a fixed group and more as a "state of mind," featuring a fluid roster of collaborators.
Biography
Established in 1988 by Ripley, The Tractors brought together experienced musicians who had supported prominent figures such as Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, and Linda Ronstadt. Drummer Oldaker's résumé also included collaborations with Leon Russell and Peter Frampton. By 1990, the band had signed with Arista Nashville, culminating in their 1994 debut release. This album included the track "Baby Likes to Rock It" and achieved platinum status faster than any other country group's first album. They followed up with a holiday-themed record titled Have Yourself a Tractors Christmas.
The group garnered two nominations for the Grammy Award and was honored with the 1995 Country Weekly Golden Pick Award for Favorite New Group. Their sophomore effort, Farmers in a Changing World (1998), coincided with several original members departing to pursue other projects while maintaining musical ties with Ripley. In 2001, Ripley issued Fast Girl under Audium Entertainment before founding Boy Rocking Records. Their 2009 release, Trade Union, was distributed through E1.
Since then, three founding members have passed away: Ripley in 2019, Oldaker in 2020, and Getman in 2021. Remaining original members Casey Van Beek and Walt Richmond remain active musicians within their ensemble Casey Van Beek and the Tulsa Groove, which released Heaven Forever in 2020; Getman briefly participated before his passing.
Sound
The Tractors developed their signature sound by employing classic 'minimal' recording methods that emphasized capturing live performances in one take. Additionally, Ripley crafted custom guitars and cables tailored specifically for the band, contributing to their distinctive audio identity.
Albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales thresholds) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country |
US |
CAN Country | CAN | |||
| The Tractors |
|
2 | 19 | 1 | 36 |
|
| Have Yourself a Tractors Christmas[A] |
|
12 | 68 | — | — | |
| Farmers in a Changing World |
|
39 | — | 17 | — | |
| Fast Girl |
|
65 | — | — | — | |
| Big Night |
|
— | — | — | — | |
| The Kids Record |
|
— | — | — | — | |
| Trade Union |
|
— | — | — | — | |
- Notes
- A ^ The album Have Yourself a Tractors Christmas was reissued in 2002 under the title Tractors Christmas
Singles
| Year | Track | Highest chart rankings |
Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | CAN Country | |||
| 1994 | "Baby Likes to Rock It" | 11 | 8 | The Tractors |
| 1995 | "Tryin' to Get to New Orleans" | 50 | 28 | |
| "Badly Bent" | — | 80 | ||
| 1998 | "Shortenin' Bread" | 57 | 61 | Farmers in a Changing World |
| "I Wouldn't Tell You No Lie" | 72 | — | ||
| 2001 | "Can't Get Nowhere" | — | — | Fast Girl |
| "The Big Night" | — | — | ||
| "Fast Girl" | — | — | ||
| 2002 | "Ready to Cry" | — | — | |
| "—" indicates singles that did not enter the charts | ||||
Other charted songs
| Year | Track | Highest chart positions |
Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US | |||
| 1995 | "The Santa Claus Boogie" | 41 | 91 | Have Yourself a Tractors Christmas |
| "Santa Claus Is Comin' (In a Boogie Woogie Choo-Choo Train)" |
43 | — | ||
| 1996 | "The Santa Claus Boogie" (re-entry) | 63 | — | |
| 1997 | "The Last Time" | 75 | — | Stone Country: Country Artists Perform the Songs of the Rolling Stones |
| 1998 | "Santa Claus Is Comin' (In a Boogie Woogie Choo-Choo Train)" (re-entry) |
65 | — | Have Yourself a Tractors Christmas |
| "—" represents tracks that did not chart | ||||
Music videos
| Year | Video title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | "Baby Likes to Rock It" | Michael Salomon |
| "The Santa Claus Boogie" | Michael McNamara | |
| 1995 | "Tryin' to Get to New Orleans" | Michael Oblowitz |
| "Badly Bent" | ||
| "Santa Claus Is Comin' (In a Boogie Woogie Choo-Choo Train)" | ||
| 1997 | "The Last Time" | |
| 1998 | "Shortenin' Bread" | Michael Oblowitz |
| 2001 | "Can't Get Nowhere" |
Grammy Awards
| Year | Work | Category | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | "Baby Likes to Rock It" | Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal | Nominated |
| 1996 | "Tryin' to Get to New Orleans" | Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal | Nominated |
Academy of Country Music Awards
| Year | Nominee | Category | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | The Tractors | Top New Vocal Group or Duo | Nominated |
Country Music Association Awards
| Year | Work | Category | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | "Baby Likes to Rock It" | Single of the Year | Nominated |
| 1995 | "Baby Likes to Rock It" | Music Video of the Year | Won |