Joel Timmons’ musical resume in Charleston dates back decades as a founder and leader of feel-good rock band, Sol Driven Train. Timmons is also half of Sally & George, a musical duo with his wife, Shelby Means (bassist and singer for Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway). Even as the number of studio recording sessions he’s spearheaded stretch into double digits, Timmons’ Psychedelic Surf Country, set to release in February 2025, marks his solo debut.
The first single, “The Bullfighter,” drops next week, featuring pal Cary Ann Hearst (Shovels & Rope) sharing lead vocals. The song by late country troubadour Luke Bell tells the story of a man trapped by his own bravado, made ever more troubling by Bell’s untimely death in 2022.
“I met Bell in the music scene in Nashville, and he stood out as a genuine cowboy in a sea of imposters,” says Timmons. “I heard him sing ‘The Bullfighter’ at Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge and was struck by his voice and the plain-spoken poetry of the lyrics.”
Nashville-based Brett Resnick, who also plays on the original recording, provides a bridge to Bell with his pedal steel contributions. “The Bullfighter” will be released on November 1, but you can hear it here first with Charleston Magazine’s exclusive first listen.
Timmons and Hearst each perform November 9 at Revel on the River at The Refinery, a benefit for Charleston Waterkeeper, featuring Sally & George and the Marshgrass Mamas.
